Upper Body (needed or not)?????

Future 2050

I have been doing weights during the winter to build muscle. For information found it worked a wonder when new muscle broke in.

My question is I am trying to go to Gym atleast once a week to maintain the muscle particularly the upper body (ie. abs, back and biceps). Is this a waste of time or should I continue at it?

Any input would be much apprecaiated. Thanks Lads and lassies

DirkVoodoo

In terms of tone and flexibility yes, stronger core muscles will make you a better rider (I'm sure someone will dispute this, but I believe it): Link

In terms of bulking up? Not so much for cycling, maybe track racing and sprinting where you are looking for absolute power.

What exactly are your goals for cycling? If it's just sportives and leisure cycling then I wouldn't worry too much about shedding weight. The best training you can do is just long cycles and plenty of them. If you have more ambitious goals like the marmotte, then keeping an eye on your weight will help.

LastGasp

Quoting Lumen from a long time ago, you only need your arms to keep your head from hitting the handlebars (or something like that). There was a reference to Tyrannosaurus Rex build in there somewhere too.

sy

LastGasp wrote: »

Quoting Lumen from a long time ago, you only need your arms to keep your head from hitting the handlebars (or something like that). There was a reference to Tyrannosaurus Rex build in there somewhere too.

LOL Please find the original link

Beasty

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055613924

blorg

Waste of time for cycling, you may have other legitimate reasons for it.

oflahero

Aesthetic would be the best of reasons I'd say, who honestly wants to look like the lad from 'the Triplets of Belleville'?

blorg

oflahero wrote: »

Aesthetic would be the best of reasons I'd say, who honestly wants to look like the lad from 'the Triplets of Belleville'?

Most of us?

DirkVoodoo

oflahero wrote: »

Aesthetic would be the best of reasons I'd say, who honestly wants to look like the lad from 'the Triplets of Belleville'?

Spot the triplet who would be good on a mountain stage, that should answer your question

blorg

c montgomery

blorg wrote: »

That is disgusting!!!!!

DirkVoodoo

It's like looking into one of those carnival mirrors, the body I wish I had. Beautiful!

dave2pvd

Well.....yes and no.

Some core work is beneficial, for sure. But unless there is something specific you need to improve on, don't bother unless you have plenty of time to devote to your hobby.

I recently had a bike fit (I get 1/year). The observation made was that I needed to relax my elbow angle a bit, so that I could get lower. Well, that placed enormous strain on my forearms. Why? Because my abs are practically non-existent; they are not helping much when it comes to holding up my upper torso, putting strain on my arms. The problem is quite pronounced with my body geometry - short legs, long body.

So, the cure was a whole lot of ab work. I can tell you, the pain is so bad right now that it hurts to type fast.

The other side of the coin is: why not ease off the bike training and spend December and January in the gym? It's nice to take a break.

blorg

c montgomery wrote: »

That is disgusting!!!!!

Disgustingly effective up a hill.

Lumen

dave2pvd wrote: »

I recently had a bike fit (I get 1/year). The observation made was that I needed to relax my elbow angle a bit, so that I could get lower. Well, that placed enormous strain on my forearms. Why? Because my abs are practically non-existent; they are not helping much when it comes to holding up my upper torso, putting strain on my arms. The problem is quite pronounced with my body geometry - short legs, long body.

So, the cure was a whole lot of ab work. I can tell you, the pain is so bad right now that it hurts to type fast.

Do you mean abs or core?

As I understand it, you need muscles in your torso, not on your torso.

Lumen

dave2pvd

Lumen wrote: »

Do you mean abs or core?

As I understand it, you need muscles in your torso, not on your torso.

Um, dunno. Isn't ab work part of improving core strength? And yeah, as for muscles on my torso: don't care.

Lumen

dave2pvd wrote: »

Um, dunno. Isn't ab work part of improving core strength?

It depends what you mean by core.

There are three muscle groups that make up the inner core: the Transversus Abdominis muscle, the Multifidus muscles, and the pelvic floor muscles. These are the most important muscles involved in dynamic stabilization of the lumbar spine and trunk. Not to say that the glutes (butt muscles), psoas (hip flexors) and more superficial abdominals (“six pack”-rectus abdominis and obliques) aren’t important, but...they can do more damage than good if the inner core isn’t developed first.

This aligns with what I've been told by physios treating my lower back problems. If your lower back is perfectly strong and stable then you might have other priorities.

doozerie

From a general health point of view, strong core muscles are very important. They help you maintain good posture (off the bike), make you less prone to injuries due to muscle imbalance, etc. You don't need to go to a gym to develop good core muscles, but it is one option.

From a cycling point of view, strong core muscles should help you avoid some types of injury too, such as back injury (the crouched position on a bike won't do a weak back any favours). As regards developing upper body muscle mass, assuming you've already developed strong core muscles (without which you'll be creating greater problems for yourself in the future) then why not? Beyond a certain point it won't make you a better cyclist, and beyond a later point it may actually interfere with your cycling, but unless you plan a career in bike racing that's hardly an issue I would have thought.

el tel

Strengthing upped body muscles is fine as long as it dosen't result in very excessive weight gain. I would say that overall, a more powerfully built rider at around 12.5 stone is going to be more effective as a 9 stoner in the kind of amateur road racing taking place in this country. The whole thing about being super light and skinny dosen't really mean too much in the scheme of things. Simply, if your legs have it then you are there. Being that bit heavier on top is going to mitigate against tough guys kicking sand in you face though.

Lumen

el tel wrote: »

Being that bit heavier on top is going to mitigate against tough guys kicking sand in you face though.

Begbie begs to differ (NSFW)

Vélo

Does it make a differnece if you do mtb'ing or road biking?

I'd imagine it makes more of a difference to have a bit of muscle for mtb'ing than being on the road as you use your body more.

blorg

I imagine you want a bit mountain biking, certainly you use your arms more, but doubt you would need anything excessive.

I found swimming completely cured an issue I had with getting sore arms on a long ride.

dave2pvd

The plank:



The side plank (variation):



Apparently works out the arms, abs and back.

And no, that's not me. That's my future wife, Zuzana.

DirkVoodoo

Her plank is wrong, while visually appealing her back should be in a straight line from shoulders to heels, not sticking her bum up in the air like that. Awful.

joker77

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Her plank is wrong, while visually appealing her back should be in a straight line from shoulders to heels, not sticking her bum up in the air like that. Awful.

No true according to my physio - back should parallel to the ground. Realise you were joking

DirkVoodoo

joker77 wrote: »

No true according to my physio - back should parallel to the ground. Realise you were joking

Pfft! Who wants the "safe" position, hardcore or not at all, stress those muscles!