Strength Training

I started cycling to lose weight and get fit. When I started to get a bit more serious and thought about doing the TDF I got some professional keep fit advice from a personal coach who gave me a couple of months training.

This was not cycling specific but general stuff, using free weights and a lot of core workouts.

I was very glad I did this. The core workouts certainly help with the cycling and the general weights work helps, I think, keep you sharp. Also while I want to be a good cyclist, not sure I want the body of one. Finally I think having a bit of upper body strength helps out when you come off.

So I have kept on with the weights and do them year round. I follow the Joe Friel guide of using winter to build max strength, then during the season just aim to maintain with a session or so a week. Latter is because of popular wisdom that aging (or as the US more politely refers to us, "masters") athletes need to do year round strength work. Interestingly though when reading the Robert Millar biog it mentioned he did weights during his build phase and recent interview with David Millar coach said they had learned weights were important part of training schedule.

FWIW and as a reminder to me when I am old and feeble here is my typical strength maintenance (SM) drill. It takes an hour or so to do, with 30s-2min rest between each set, spent setting up next exercise and stretching

SM workout
Core
2 x 90s Plank
2 x 45s Crunch+4kg
2 x 45s Altknees
2 x 45s Backcycle

Upper Body Do here as warm up prior to step ups. (+ figures are weight of bar)
2x202.6@20+2.6kg Bent Row
2x12@20+2.6kg Back Pull

Quads This is only cycling specific. Its also the hardest single exercise. Do single let step ups as no spotter so squats not safe. Also think its now recognised as being better quad drill. Load is 85% of body weight which is close to 90% max Friel recommends so will not up load until next winter, just up number of reps bit by bit.

2 x 8@50+9.6kg Single Leg Step Up

Calves
2x30@50+9.6kg Calf Extensions

Arms (biceps just for show but triceps and lateral raise good for standing climbs)
2 x 9@5.5+1.7kg Lateral Raise *
2 x 20@5.5+1.7kg Triceps Curl
2 x 15@9.5+1.7kg Biceps Curl *
2 x 2mins Single Leg Balance *

* On Pilates cushion: makes the dumb-bell sessions more of a whole body exercise.