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MountainBikeReview.com's Forum Archives - - Passion -
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Do you, yes YOU, work out your legs? (12 posts)
|  Do you, yes YOU, work out your legs? | Jim Dubya
May 17, 2002 10:45 AM | | If you're like me, you lift weights 2/3 times a week, but mostly ignore the legs. I figure I'm riding 2 or 3 times a week as well, and that seems like plenty o workout for the leggies. Plus in the past when I was lifting weights intensely (and not riding) my legs would always feel at once painfully stiff and noodly the day after a workout. And the way my workout schedule goes, Friday would be leg day. And I don't wnat to be noodly for the weekend rides.
So. I know if I worked out the legs I could probably get stronger, but the legs are pretty big as it is. How many of you who cross train, to sound like a Reebok commercial, do the leg work? |
| who, me? | mtbberzrkr
May 17, 2002 11:36 AM | | yes.
leg work on wednesdays. plenty of recovery time. if you haven't done any serious lifting with your legs, they will be sore when you're done. after a month or so of regular lifting, the soreness should go away. if your legs aren't somewhat sore after working out though, you didn't work them hard enough. it's best to drink a big protein shake and take some glutamine right after working out. that will help with muscle recovery and the soreness.
some good lifts for legs: squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, and don't forget calf raises.
NOW GO PUMP SOME IRON YOU GIRLY MAN! |
| depends on the time of year... | deanna
May 17, 2002 11:49 AM | | oct - march... yes. during the warmer months i'm on the road doing hill climbs, and speed intervals w/ cat 3 men and cat 2 woman. i get dropped a LOT. fortunately the intervals are done in a "loop" so i latch back on as they come around again. by the end of the ride i can barely walk, and it's easier to fall over and crawl away from the bike than to try and lift a leg. no lifting needed... and leg strength has always gone up each year even w/ taking the summers off.
d |
| Yes. | Nick
May 17, 2002 12:02 PM | | Seated leg press and squats, hamstring curls and calf raises about every 5 or 6 days since this past Fall.
I believe it has made a big difference when riding, especially when my bike seems to get heavier every year. ;^)
I agree that riding is a good leg workout, but only for certain muscles. My hamstrings were so weak in comparison to my quads, I'd bet that is true of many cyclists. As long as you're already there, spend another 30 minutes on your legs. What do you have to lose?
Nick |
| skis under my hiking body! Gotta love/have variety. Still outside, but a totally different outside...cold and white. Actually, ski season ain't over yet! I do deep and shallow knee bends, facing many directions, in a variety of snow conditions. I use the weights when/if my right knee flares up. Its also good preventative exercise. | JAK
May 17, 2002 12:36 PM | | approved |
| Yes! ... here is my legs workout | Duncan!
May 17, 2002 1:02 PM | | |
| And here my workout for the rest of me ... | Duncan!
May 17, 2002 1:04 PM | | |
| stair climbing, 300 + steps, 5+ times, 1 or 2 per week, when | ol-crank®
May 17, 2002 1:09 PM | | training. Did them tuesday, will try to get at it tomorrow. Also at the gym, like to do squats but when riding don't add leg extensions or curls. |
| All right, you convinced me. I'm going to work out my legs. | Jim Dubya
May 17, 2002 1:13 PM | | |
| Sometimes | BH
May 17, 2002 1:40 PM | | I don't like gyms when they are packed with people so I ride exclusively now. When I lifted, my leg workout included squats, leg presses and lunges usually about 5 sets of each and I loaded the bar so that i could do no more than 6 reps through the entire leg motion. My legs would hurt for days after the workout but they got very strong. I was faster then but I also wore out/broke a lot of chains/back tires/spokes/etc. I was riding like I lifted - short distance - max effort.
Now I just ride. No lines to wait in. No bad music. And the only swaet that I sit on and put my hands on is my own. |
| Not during the riding season... | free-agent
May 17, 2002 1:50 PM | | but i do in the Winter. I'm pretty young (28) so i don't need the leg lifting in the season to maintain strength.
You are right about being noodly-makes the rides after more difficult. Why not just ride hard to build bike-specific strength? makes sense to me. |
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