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Weight Training for Cyclists A Total Body Program for Power and Endurance

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Concise and effective
This is a very effective program that doesn’t make you spend a ton of time in the gym. The authors give you an overview of the benefits and pitfalls of a weight training program for bike riders in the first few chapters. Then in the last few chapters there are very good diagrams of the exercises. And at the back of the book, there are workout programs that are periodized just like on-bike training.

The workout programs are geared toward lower body and core strength. But they will also help you develop upper body strength without putting on any unwanted extra weight.

All in all, this is a straightforward and effective way to get stronger without getting bigger.

5 Stars Great Book
Well written and thoughtful book on conditioning for all cyclist (road & mountain). He talks about strength conditioning year round for the cyclist showing you not only why you should do it, but how. He also has added a nice section on core training and another on flexibility and the benefits of them and why you should be spending time doing them as well. Great book.

2 Stars Good information but fails to pull everything together.
I read this book cover to cover as I am interested in the subject. Overall I found it to be very informative but the book failed to link the different articles correctly and the sample programs just add to the confusion.

For example in the Power Phase of the program, power exercises are lumped in with strength exercises and some things just don’t make sense. One of the exercises specifies doing 3-4 sets for 1-5 reps of squats with a rest period of “none”. Does that mean you really just do 1 set of 15-20 reps?

5 Stars True results
I’m an avid cyclist. I ride in one form or the other at least 6 days a week. The program in this books works if you spend the time to use it, be advised, there is no quick 6 min plan to sucess, and while I have seen great results, I cant say everyone will. It takes time to try all the samples, and is laid out in an extended format, but can be ammended to suit everyones needs, if you take the time. I have seen a marked improvement with my climbing ability, on both mountain and road bikes. Rides are stronger and recovery is faster, and it doesnt appear to adversely affect your ride the day following the gym. In fact, the spin seems to actually help ease the soreness. There are a lot of different training methods included so you shouldnt get bored or quickly reach a plateau.

5 Stars Weight Training: A Forgotten Element
There are some who feel that weight training is a waste of time for cyclists and the limited scientific studies carried out so far have had mixed results as to whether pumping iron makes you faster. There are fears that the possible addition of muscle mass in the upper body (remember Lance Armstrong pre-cancer?) will provide no tangible benefits and in fact will be just that much more weight to carry around.

In fact a strong torso contributes to pedalling action by providing rigidity against which the quadriceps can work. Most of the training programs for cyclists I have seen tend to be aimed at building strength rather than mass and as the riders moves into the racing season the weight program becomes one only of maintenance. Increased strength means reduced fatigue although aerobic capacity seems to be the limiter for endurance. Stronger muscles last longer and stabilize the body, improving technique and efficiency, allowing the cyclist to keep in the proper form longer.

Not to be overlooked is the fact that cyclists typically suffer from low bone density as cycling is not a weight-bearing exercise. Studies indicate that during the Tour de France pro riders can lose up to 25 percent of bone mass, and a surprising number of Masters-class racers suffer from symptoms of osteoporosis. Weight training helps combat this, as do weight-bearing exercises such as running, and calcium supplementation.

My coach has given me a simple program that provides the periodization recommended, working from light weights to much heavier weights and then backing off to more reps with lighter loads. In addition to my coach’s comments, I have found a very useful guide to weight training to be the recently revised “Weight Training for Cyclists: A Total Body Program for Power and Endurance” by Ken Doyle and Eric Schmitz. This 2nd edition of their 1998 book, released in November 2008, incorporates new information on core training and lower body exercises. It is very clearly written and explains how strength training in the weight room translates to endurance and power on the bike.

Different exercises for the muscle groups are described and illustrated with very good line drawings that are simple but effective. I have photocopied the section on core workouts and have supplemented my coach’s suggestions so that I am doing more work with a stability ball. There is also a chapter reviewing the best series of stretches I have seen.

The last part of the book presents a range of training plans that are time-efficient and look quite effective. I have incorporated parts of them into my own workout and although it is not quite My Year of Abs yet there is a definite improvement in my core strength.

“Weight Training for Cyclists” is an up-to-date and comprehensive book that is invaluable in building a program to increase strength. Clearly-written, attractively-presented and very reasonably priced, it belongs on the shelf of everyone interested in improving their riding. You may not end up looking like Mr. or Ms. Universe but you might get faster!

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