Developing Leg Strength Off The Bike

I'm not convinced. I've had a conversation with badtmy about sprinters (bike/foot) carrying too much weight, and he also pointed out that it seems to increase the risk of certain injuries.

I'll don't want to put words, or anything else for that matter, in his mouth though.

the thing that both cycling and running have in common is that power-to-weight ratio is important in both. it's simple physics really, F = ma and all that.if you increase your mass too much, you need more force to achieve the same acceleration. of course, muscle adds both mass and force, but it is important to find the right balance for you - this will vary from person to person because people have varying physiological builds (mix of fast/slow twitch, neural response, metabolism, endurance, lactic acid tolerance etc etc). i admit i don't know much about the science of cycling, but there are some similarities which I think apply.

i think running is a bit different from cycling in this respect: because running involves impact, the effects of carrying extra weight in terms of injury risk are probably amplified (stress fractures, tendon injuries etc). i know that back in my serious running days, i always used to really taper the weights towards the business end of the racing season, and probably drop a couple of kilos in bodyweight (from about 72 to just under 70) when the racing was getting serious (championships, state league finals etc), but it was a matter of finding the balance between losing the bulk and losing too much power - timing is key!

if you look at the top athletics sprinters, they look huge and are covered in muscles everywhere, but they're not actually that heavy. it's more that they have excellent muscle tone and definition, and carry most of their weight in the big power muscles like quads, glutes and pecs. even training for 100m sprinters is designed to maximise power to weight ratio (and therefore acceleration), not pure power.

i've recently started running again after a few months (ok, 18 months) of not running seriously, and the difference that a couple of kilos of bodyweight make to my running performance is fucking astonishing. this is partly carrying more bodyfat than i'm used to, and partly gymwork and cycling developing muscles that aren't helpful to running fast.

being on a bike i don't notice the difference as much, but this is possibly because i'm just better attuned to how running should feel. luckily a couple of solid runs seems to strip weight off me very quickly :)

/essay

"luckily a couple of solid runs seems to strip weight off me very quickly :)"

hate you

;)

at least you can stay warm in winter, darling.

Ha!

I put extra socks on (read: too lazy to take existing pair off) and wore my head warmer on tonight's ride but it wasn't that cold by the time I'd gone out so um.. fat ftw!

core strength is fucking important

Does swimming improve core strength then?
I will never go to a gym, nor will I lift any weights, can't be bothered and I know I would injure myself

Does swimming improve core strength then?

Yes.

Another way is a Swiss ball. I have a colleague who is an international "Extreme Frisbee" player. In order to improve her core strength, she uses a Swiss ball instead of a desk chair thus improving her core strength while she works. Apparently her doctor advised her to do this as a way to avoid injury through weights.

I found I could slouch just as effectively sitting on a swiss ball as using a chair :)

yeah, me too. but swiss balls can be really effective at improving core strength and stability, if used properly.

mikec: swimming requires good core strength (for correct body positioning in the water and to provide a powerful kick), and will probably improve yours if you focus on it. whether it's "enough" on its own, i'm not sure. one of my best mates was a top national-level underage swimmer in australia (he was in the same squad as [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Welsh"]Matt Welsh[/ame] around the Sydney olympics) and i know that they did a fuckton of extra core strength stuff out of the pool. so umm... yes and no? if you add some core exercise you will probably find your swimming and cycling improve (more power, efficiency, better technique, endurance all rely on core strength)

In todays Observer theres a sports training pullout with 36 pages of cycling training info from the Olympic sqaud (road MTB track BMX) including 4 pages of Jamie Staff demoing a strength workout.
Flexibility -Russian twist, Hamstring stretch, hip flexor stretch, indan knot stretch

Core stability - swiss ball plank, swiss ball bridge, swiss ball superman

Legs - single leg box squat (!), dumbell lunge

edit
it's online too

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2009/jan/11/getting-fit/getting-fit

VP training diary

a full 4 hours a day.

where's the other 4? lazy bloody olympic champions.

What's VP doing with a schraeder valve attachment and an SPD pedal?

Pendleton is a closet nodder!

a full 4 hours a day.

I would like to see V.P go for it for 4 hrs..... Oooooooh baby.

i just happened to be sitting next to her at revs last night.......

always forget how small she is in the flesh, impressive how powerfull she is from such a small frame. Shows that sprinting these days is about speed and strength to weight not massive muscles.

Yes.

Another way is a Swiss ball. I have a colleague who is an international "Extreme Frisbee" player. In order to improve her core strength, she uses a Swiss ball instead of a desk chair thus improving her core strength while she works. Apparently her doctor advised her to do this as a way to avoid injury through weights.

Ha! I take it she has her own office...

Ha! I take it she has her own office...

No and I have noticed that the productivity of her male office sharing colleague has decreased.

:d