When you mention cycling in weight lifting circles it means only one thing. The cycling they refer to has nothing to do with a bike, but rather more to do with finding the best program for taking steroids, growth hormone and other muscle boosting supplements.

Ironically, it is the fear of gaining too much muscle or, more precisely, becoming to heavy, that deters many cyclists from following any kind of weight training plan. However, by ignoring this important part of training, they are missing out on potential gains that could prove the difference between winning and losing a race, or, simply, having a more enjoyable ride on that cycling holiday.

The fact is that many cyclists would significantly benefit from having stronger muscles, not only in their legs, but also in their core and upper body. It is also a fact that, depending on how you train, it is possible to increase the strength of the muscle without gaining significant amounts of extra mass. The secret is in the type of training.

The Basics - What Every Cyclist Should Be Doing

The legs obviously generate the majority of the power in cycling, and they should form the centrepiece of a weight training program for cycling. Excuses are often made that training the legs results in DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) which affects performance in the following days. However, DOMS is largely a result of going to muscle failure on a range of exercises all targeting the same muscles. This is in an attempt to build mass, rather than specifically trying to gain strength, where a much lower volume of repetitions are required. It is also a result of irregular training; if you train the legs once or twice a week, then DOMS will not be a significant factor.

The number one exercise that you must do for a cycling specific workout is squats. Forget the leg press, hamstring extensions and all the other machines that target specific muscles, the squat is the absolute king of leg exercises. You can do back squats, front squats, box squats or other variations, but the basic equipment must be a barbell and free weights. Lots of free weights.

Indeed, for a cycling specific workout, the range of repetitions should be low (دراجات هوائية), and the weight used should be heavy enough that the last repetition is a struggle, although it should not be close to failure. This should be done for three sets, twice per week, and should be the only leg specific exercise that you do.

If you do not know the correct technique for squats, then learn it; it is the most beneficial exercise that you can do.

The second exercise to incorporate into the routine is the dead lift. This will improve the strength of your lower back and core much better than doing thousands of sit-ups or abdominal crunches. Again, the number of repetitions should be low, and the weight should be high. Do not overdo the deadlift though - one or two sets once per week is sufficient.

What About My Upper Body

Of the few cyclists that do weight training, many of them neglect the upper body. 'How does having big arms and shoulders help me to cycle faster?' they reason. In fact, the upper body does take a lot of straining during cycling, and, although big arms may be counter productive, strong arms and shoulders will help you to achieve more aerodynamic positions, and to maintain an efficient cycling posture for long periods. The secret here is to build strength without too much size.

Again the secret is to do compound exercises with heavy weight and a low number of repetitions. Mix in exercises such as bench press, pull-ups and bent over rows with the sets of squats and deadlifts.

How Often Should I Train With Weights

Twice per week is an ideal weight training plan for cycling. Squats should be done in both workouts, with deadlifts, bench press, pull ups and bent over rows alternated between the two.

The result will be improved all over body strength, with most cyclists noticing an increase in power, without sacrificing their ability to climb. The improved core strength and the strength of the arms and shoulders will also significantly increase the comfort of cycling.