Road Cycling - it's effects?

Hello all,

I have recently started following the GB training method and am loving it. Never enjoyed individual movements and progressions so much before.

My goal is primarily strength but I would love to increase muscle mass as well as I'm a fairly slender lad. Unfortunately, I am mad about road cycling and head out on rides about 4 times a week. How much will this affect my gains in both strength and mass? Are there changes I should make to my routines for better results? Or is it simply down to perseverance and patience?

Regards,

BlueLion

Do it if you enjoy it. Train hard, preferably with enough time between cycling and BtGB workouts that you have had ample time to rest and recover (eat and downtime).

As well, either get a pair of shorts that are padded or get a seat with enough padding in your crotch. I just started riding a road bike again so I'm not sure if it has the effect of a loss of circulation due to pressure on a pressure point there but I know it is a serious cycling issue.

I commute an average of 15-20km every day here in the alps where I live, which means lots of hills!

I ride a dirt jumper, which makes it so fun (and a bit harder though) to cycle, that I don't use a car even when it rains or snows.

I've been in gymnastic training for a bit longer than a year progressing well and enjoying previously unknown feats like muscleups and backlevers.

I won't say that cycling made my progress any slower, probably just a bit stiffer and less flexible in my lower body, expecially in the hip join.

Thanks for the responses guys.

I recently started racing and have fallen in love with the sport so there's no chance of giving it up. The loss of circulation could be seat positioning. You want the seat to balance on your butt bones more than your gooch area (apologies for crude terms).

I have also found a lack of flexibility in the lower body. Do you have any recommended stretches? Something to open up the hips maybe?

Regards,

BlueLion

I've heard cycling tends to make those hip flexors tight.

I've been doing gymnastic type training for a few years. I just got into bicycling in the past spring. 8 months ago or so. I would say that it does definitely affect the tightness of muscles in your lower body. However, with proper stretching and cool downs after a ride you can easily combat the effects.

I noticed that it affected me quite severely at first. But, I have over come it.

I will say though, that doing long cardio on the same day as a strength routine will be difficult. Unless you are seasoned. When I was in the gym a bit more it was not crazy for me to go to the gym and do strength twice a day with about 10-12 hours between workouts.

Good luck!

The issue is not so much whether you can mix gymnastics with other sports, but how you do it. With cycling, I would be aware of pattern overload due to the repetitive partial ROM movements. Breaking those pattern movements with proper stretching and eccentric work will go a long ways in cycling longevity.

With regards to building mass, I agree that you must separate strength and endurance work. You may also need to cut volume, but I would get nutrition in order first and then play with cycling volume.

coreathlete said:

The issue is not so much whether you can mix gymnastics with other sports, but how you do it. With cycling, I would be aware of pattern overload due to the repetitive partial ROM movements. Breaking those pattern movements with proper stretching and eccentric work will go a long ways in cycling longevity.

With regards to building mass, I agree that you must separate strength and endurance work. You may also need to cut volume, but I would get nutrition in order first and then play with cycling volume.

I agree. Well said.