Bench press / cyclist / no protein drinks.

Planet X

Club racing cyclist. Got my son a bench press from Irish Lifting for Christmas and I use it aswell. Not a big guy (about 5ft 9in., 11 half stone)
Doing about 45kg lifts, 8 reps, about 5 sets. Don't want to put on a big chest, but I reckon it will give me some more upper body strength for time trials etc. Diet is good and take a recovery drink (Protein) after a decent cycle (3/4 hrs). I assume I will get leaner with the weights?
Doing about ten hours on the bike per week. Intensive enough intervals.
Some cyclists maintain that weight training is a waste of time for racing cyclists. I would disagree. Can't do me any harm?

HammerHeadGym

Crossfit etc. Rabble Rabble!

Seriously though, A bit of benching will do you no harm whatsoever, ttough I would advise supplementing with rows as well. That's bent over at 45 degrees, bach arched, ass out, lifting the bar to your chest, same sets/reps/intensity as the bench press.

Although I don't cycle for anyting more than cheap transport, I would suspect that there is a point of diminishing returns on weight training for that sport.

rubadub

The 8-12rep range will favour hypertrophy-muscle growth. So if you do not want to put on weight you might change the rep range you work in. I dont know what would be better for a cyclist, endurance probably.

I would do some chins, pullups, dips, deadlifts & squats too. I cycle, just commuting but I do go fairly fast, and I do find that increased upper body strength helps a lot.

Colm_OReilly

Pull ups/chin ups will improve your ability to keep control of the bike (reduce lateral movement) so I'd incorporate them.

Squats will improve your leg strength. They work a larger range of motion than just cycling. As a cyclist, take your time building up your squats, since you aren't used to eccentric contractions (that's keeping a weight from dropping too quickly). You don't have this in cycling. What this can mean is that the squats can feel handy enough, but you'll get Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) later that evening/the next day.

Deadlift. All good things come from the deadlift. It is a seriously benefit exercise.

thirtyfoot

rubadub wrote: »

The 8-12rep range will favour hypertrophy-muscle growth. So if you do not want to put on weight you might change the rep range you work in. I dont know what would be better for a cyclist, endurance probably.

I would stick to the lower reps, heavier weights even if an endurance athlete. Lifting won't give you endurance (cycling will) but it will make you stronger, the effect of which will mean less effort will be required on each push on the pedal to get your required return, eg, a cadence of 90 in x or y gear. Would cycling up a savage hill while maintaining immaculate or normal flat road form not be the ultimate form of resistance training for a cyclist?

Pen1987

(no expert) I was in a similar situation a few years back in relation to golf, i didnt want to develop my size but I wanted to increase strength, I was advised by trainer (national team fitness advisor) to do high reps of weighted rows (low weight - fast reps) to increase endurance and stability in my back and shoulder muscles and trunk rotations (put the bar on shoulders and rotate slowly to the left to 9 o'clock, then to the right the same distance, then lean forward 35degrees and do same) to increase core muscle stability which in-turn inceased my upper leg endurance. the rotations would probably be suited to cycling.

You could probably bench with a slightly narrow grip to work your arms, to work triceps which in my experience do tire on long distance cycle, especially using the lower part of the rounded racing bikes handles...