I often hear that cyclists skip strength training because they will gain additional body weight. In this series, I will try to explain how cyclists can strength train without gaining extra body weight. This article is number 3 of the ‘Strength training without additional body mass series’. You can read the rest of this series here:
1. Why additional body weight should be avoided
2. Nutritional tips to avoid hypertrophy
3. Training tips to avoid hypertrophy
4. Tips about strength training
When you start to strength train, you will make progress with little effort. This is not due to hypertrophy but rather neural adaptations. This explains why beginners experience remarkable improvements in the first couple of weeks when lifting weights.
Maintaining low body weight is essential in road cycling and mountain biking since carrying extra pounds (dead weight) decreases your performance. Actually, 1kg can cost you around 1 minute on finishing time on Alpe d’Huez.
I have a couple of training tips that can help you to avoid hypertrophy of your muscles when you strength train:
Short sets of 1 to 5 reps
Sets of few reps apply very little damage to the muscle fibres (protein degradation). This damage usually is one of the parameters responsible for stimulating the muscle fibres to grow. Bodybuilders prefer sets from 6 to 15 reps because these longer sets cause more protein degradation, which enables the muscles to develop.
Long recovery periods between sets
When you train for neural strength, you are interested in a full or almost full recovery between each set. This little move, which is a very social and comfortable time of the training session, makes it possible to keep protein degradation minimum. It also makes you able to perform lifts at a higher level, which makes you stronger. Therefore, I recommend you to take a break of at least 2 minutes between sets.
Avoid failure training
This training type is a big mistake when you train for neural adaptations. Of course, it might also be a big mistake if you train for hypertrophy, but that is another story. The point is that failure training might trigger your muscles to grow, and also, there is a risk that your strength gains will reach a plateau too early.
Avoid forced reps
This training type is not made for strength gains. From the ’80s, people believed in ‘No pain, no gain’. But, again, if you focus on strength gains, forced reps are not a topic. So forget about the ‘No pain, no Pain’ attitude. Well, if you like to suffer, you should suffer during some effective interval programmes made for your aerobic system.
Be explosive
This advice does not protect your muscles from growth, but it is essential advice for serious cyclists or other people interested in neural strength gains. In the concentric phase of the lift, you should try to lift the barbell as fast as possible in the concentric phase (lifting phase).
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"Avoid failure training
This training type is a big mistake when you train for neural adaptations. It might also be a big mistake if you train for hypertrophy, but that is another story"
How is failure training a big mistake for hypertrophy? not questioning what you're saying i'd just like to know why
Alex,
Thanks for commenting.
Failure training in the right amount is great for hypertrophy, but done too often there is a great risk that your progress will reach a plateau very soon. The 'No Pain, no gain' attitude is not the scientific way to hypertrophy. Your nervous system suffers during these training sessions. There is a great risk that the adaptation to this kind of training is inhibition which will reduce your strength. Thus you will no longer be able to continue you progress.
If failure training or forced reps are to be avoided what ia the percentage of strength that i should use to not stimulate hypertrophy?
you see i want to be stronger and better than bruce lee but i dont want to get huge . i keep reading that if you use light weights with 5 to 6 reps you get stronger or if you use heavy weights with 2 3 reps you get stronger im confused on this whole situation and dont know what to do.
3 reps ~ 85% 1RM.
5 reps ~ 80% 1RM.
Please note that you might need to adjustments to the above recommendations.
Failure training is not recommended when you train for neural adaptations. I recommend you finish your sets at least 1 or 2 reps from failure.
There are several articles on the link, but I suppose you ask to the sections at the beginning of the page?! I think there are some good principles described in the part 'Workout Fundamentals'. They support my basic theory about how to strength train without hypertrophy.
Jesper, such a training avoids both sarcomere and sarcoplasmic hyperthrophy right?
Also in the ebook "Power To People" which also advocates almost same principles you do here, the author suggest thats you should lift weights slowly. What do you think about it?
And is there a private email that i could reach to you?
The eccentric phase should be controlled (not very fast, not very slow, but 'controlled') and the concentric phase as fast as possible (explosive lifting style). Focus on acceleration in the concentric phase.
Slow eccentric strength training does make sense but I don't use it much for my athletes.
You can use the contact formula on https://www.training4cyclists.com/about/
Jesper
I see no form in the above page?
Hey Jasper i have a question. Does it matter if in my workout lets say i do Bench press and butterflies. Will doing two exercises that work the same muscle twice (while doing 3 sets and 5 reps per exercise) estimulate Hypertrophy?. Should avoid this or it doesn't matter.
Thanks