[Closed] Stronglifts and MTB Training together

What's your goal?

What are you training for?

Winter MTB training should be base training, longer and slower. You need this for your fitness, and you cannot redline and gain speed indefinitely.

I found it too much to lift hard and ride at high intensity. The one compromised the other. However I'm doing well now with base training and lifting. The heavy lifts don't take a lot out of my body as a whole, nor does the base training. I can do base training with slightly sore legs and it doesn't matter, likewise I can lift if I've been on a base ride am only amlittle tired overall.

The two activities are at opposite ends of the exercise spectrum so they complement each other. Intense MTB and lifting overlap. I'll let you know in the spring how it goes when I introduce intensity. I am thinking I'll reduce the liftinf or stop altogether.

Goal is upping strength and primarily my core/upper body. My spring/summer calendar is a lot of XC racing and so the Autumn/winter is base training and keeping the legs ticking over. Last season I took up running as during racing my lungs were giving up long before my legs did - this worked well, but with a few RSI problems in my feet I want to draw back the running and focus on gym work.

Deadlifts and squats have massively helped my strength on the bike, especially beneficial for singlespeeding. Has also sorted.my back out, funnily enough.

I'm tight for time, so usually my rule is: If I can ride, ride. If I can't ride, lift.

This has resulted in lifting suffering during this amazing summer and I have lost strength. Getting back now though.

It's a difficult balancing act for sure. I too have found hard lifting & riding don't really mix. I don't race or follow any kind of serious training plan so just play it by ear. However I think consistency is important so I'll always try to fit at least one strength session in per week. If I happen not to be riding too hard I might go for 2 or even 3. I only deadlift max once per week though as I find that really draining.

IMO DOMS comes from not lifting regularly, it's nothing to do with how hard you lift so I assume this isn't something you're doing at the moment? If you can lift properly even just once a week it won't be an issue IME.

I can't comment on specific bike training as it's not something I know much about, however I follow the "go hard or go home" rule & assume it applies for the bike as well. i.e. a proper lifting session will be of more benefit than a half-hearted riding session that doesn't serve any real training purpose. (Not to say that you can't just ride for fun of course; that's what the vast majority of my rides are!)

Personally I follow (vaguely) the Starting Strength method rather than SL, primarily as I'd rather do 3 heavier sets than 5 slightly lighter ones. 😀

IMO bench press is a full body exercise, not an upper body one, I'd definitely recommend reading up on it if you want to get the most from it.

I started Stronglifts in Feb and saw great results - eventually recovery from squatting took too long, and I dropped it to 3x5 rather than 5x5 after about 6 months.  Rows and Bench have really improved my upper body strength and this has translated well to the bike.

I find if I have stiff legs (or back) from lifting, then a ride on the bike really helps relieve it.  Don't be afraid to move when you're sore, it speeds up the recovery far more than lying on the sofa will.

I came across this thread on my travels and this to me sounded like a lot to do in one session.

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/weightlifting-and-cycling/#post-7586443

Ideally I'm seeking that unicorn program that incorporates the biking and lifting - primarily increasing upper body strength from the lifting. I can decrease the intensity of bike rides...

I've tried a pure turbo-orientated training season and it frankly bored me to tears

Another thing I missed on the goals side, is that I'd like to ride longer and faster on the bike. I know the two are mutually exclusive but the first part of 2019 will be XC racing and over the summer I usually do a few longer European races - 120KM+. Both instances require a degree of upper strength for both explosive power and long hours in the saddle.

I don't see why you couldn't do upper body lifts and deadlifts whilst biking hard. It's the squats that overlap. I may try this in the summer.

Although this summer I did no lifting. Stuff the gym, when the weather's that good.

I came across this thread on my travels and this to me sounded like a lot to do in one session.

I don’t see why you couldn’t do upper body lifts and deadlifts whilst biking hard. It’s the squats that overlap.

Have you considered replacing weights with circuit training?  I too like to mix my training up but find weights really boring.  Instead I do Insanity type HIT stuff that involves a lot of compound moves and is great for the core whilst not ruining me for cycling.

Another thing to consider for the strength training is diet. If you want to put on muscle you are going to have to eat a lot (bulk). This will give you more muscle but also fat, and will make you heavier obviously.

When I've done this, yes i get stronger but I find I am a lot slower on the bike.

Cut back on the calories and you'll be lighter again. For me when I am light I am loads faster on the bike, but I feel / am really weak.

Haven't found a recipe for being light/fast but also strong yet. I think you just have to find your own compromise.

true, but then (especially as a beginner at strength training) gaining muscle is not the only way of getting stronger. This is what I'd be focusing on, unless specifically concentrating on body building/power lifting etc.

I think most people who ride and/or run are going to find it very difficult to put on a significant amount of muscle mass purely due to the amount of calories they're using with their non-strength exercise (unless, as you say, they eat a huge amount).

Have you considered replacing weights with circuit training?  I too like to mix my training up but find weights really boring.  Instead I do Insanity type HIT stuff that involves a lot of compound moves and is great for the core whilst not ruining me for cycling.

This seems sensible advice to me...

Bicycle riding is primarly a cardiotype excercise, MTBing is slightly different from road riding in that a wee bit more upper body strength and core stability can be beneficial but building yourself a big 'ol pair of gunz isn't really going to help much if the goal is to go "Further and Faster" you need to be lean but with enough core strength to endure the constant knocks and vibration without turning to jelly.

A personal trainer friend of mine (who mostly trains endurance runners TBF) suggested mixing up my general (unfocussed) cycle training a bit with some cross training (HIT type stuff) sessions, and/or some kettle bell based workouts at home, just to help with core strength/stability. This suggestion seems to have been a positive one so far, I don't need to build more upper body muscle mass, just improve and maintain my core strength (stomach, back, neck) to offset fatigue when riding on or offroad for longer periods...

Bench pressing won't help with that, but burpies/squats with relatively light weights (Kettles) seems to as you're working those muscles through more of their range of motion and a bit of running also works those muscles more than cycling in a shorter period...

YMMV of course though...

I did Starting Strenght for a quite while (3x5) and found my legs knackered after squats, especially once getting up to 1.3 x bw, although I was 50 at the time, I ended up alternating heavy and light squats, I'd personally take a day off after squats or squat light if you're planning on cycling the next day, so probably ride, squat, rest, ride, squat, rest etc.

I used to squat light on deads day too or dead light on heavy squats day.

Strength training in the sense of Stronglifts or Starting Strength though has nothing to do with building a "big ‘ol pair of gunz" and everything to do with building core strength & functional strength. Benching will absolutely help with that, if you do it properly - which is something I guess most people don't know how to do.

Buy a copy of Joe Friel's training bible, he gives weight lifting programs for mountain bikers in there.

a gym sesh without squats is a waste of time IMO

I've read that, but I've also read the same about deadlifts. Both written by non-cyclists. Ordinarily it may be true but when trying to cycle intensively the equation changes I think.

I feel that deadlifts give me similar if not more metabolic boost, without tiring my legs out. But I need to do more than the single set that stronglifts prescribes. And if its core strength you are after surely deadlifts focus on that more? With intensive MTB your legs are already getting a great workout.

The reason I lift is as an experiment to see if the anabolic effects help me become leaner. It's hard to tell so far, but the extra strength (from squats) is quickly felt on the bike once I am up to a decent weight, but as I said doing both regularly really fatigued my legs

a gym sesh without squats is a waste of time IMO

That's the whole world of gymnastics dismissed in one sentence...

Good thing this ain’t gymnasticstrackworld! 😀

5x5 is very demanding unless you like kidding yourself you're doing 5x5.

You only need to train one day a week if you are squatting and dead lifting together, in that order, concentrate on form rather than how much weight you can sling on, you will see gains i can assure you, throw in a yoga class every week as well and jobs a good un.