Riding fast takes strength but strength does not necessarily produce speed. A successful training program includes drills that assist in the conversion of strength gained in the weight room to speed on the bicycle. Cyclists who work on their lower body strength in addition to performing specific upper body, abdominal and lower-back exercises in the off-season generally discover an increase in power and comfort on the bicycle. Continuing weightlifting, 1 or 2 days a week, throughout the season assures maintenance of the strength gained in the off-season.

This is particularly true for women who tend to have more difficulty building and maintaining strength than men. Weightlifting allows a woman to develop greater lower body strength than is possible on the bicycle alone. Performing select upper body exercises also gives a woman greater power in sprints and on short, steep climbs where pulling on the handlebars increases the force applied to the pedals. Since most women won't "bulk up" like men do, weightlifting offers women all of the advantages without the disadvantage of adding a lot of extra muscle weight.

The best resistance exercises for cyclists are the following:

1. leg press and squats, multi-muscle group exercises which focus on the quads and hip flexors,
2. calf press or raises,
3. back extension to develop lower back strength,
4. stiff-legged deadlifts or leg curls to strengthen the hamstrings and gluteus maximus,
5. abdominal curls, and
6. seated or bent rows to develop the middle and upper back and the posterior surface of the shoulders.

Hamstring exercises are important because over-development of the quadriceps, typical in most serious cyclists, must be balanced with development of the hamstrings to avoid hamstring tears. Also, hamstrings are used in the bottom part of the pedal stroke where a slightly backward force is applied.

Squats offer many benefits. I have found them to be very effective at strengthening the vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) muscle, the large quadriceps muscle in the inside/front of the thigh. A few years ago, I suffered patellofemoral syndrome due to weakness of this muscle. The injury kept me off the bicycle for a month. Physical therapy to strengthen my VMO muscle eased my knee pain so that I could jump into the racing season which was already underway. Performing the leg press and squats will also strengthen the hip flexors thereby preventing hip pain after a grueling experience in the hills, a.k.a. BAM or The Missouri Challenge. This was another wonderful injury I experienced early in my cycling career but never again since initiating a weightlifting program.

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If you have never lifted before, you must be careful when starting a program. It may be wise to consult a cycling coach or physical trainer to help you devise a weight training program and teach you the proper form and execution of all exercises included in that program. Squats and stiff-legged deadlifts are potentially harmful and must be performed carefully to avoid causing back or knee injuries. Always start with a light weight and gradually work up to higher weights. Never lift a weight that is too heavy to allow proper lifting form. If you are subject to joint pain, like me, start light after every significant break from lifting to avoid instigating back, hip or knee pain. During the season, it is wise to reduce weights so that greater focus can be put on the bicycle workouts. This will also lessen the chance of injury in the weight room which could force you to skip races.

If you venture into the weight room in the off-season and at least once a week during the season, you will notice a significant increase in your power on the bicycle. Many strength exercises can be performed on the bicycle but they cannot focus intensely on particular muscle groups like weight room exercises can. Just as important as the lifting, however, is the conversion of weight room strength to on-the-bicycle strength. Specific drills are necessary to take the general strength you have developed off-the-bicycle and make it specific to your sport.

In the next column I will discuss some of these drills and explain how each will help you become a faster cyclist. It is an easy equation greater leg strength leads to greater force on the pedals which produces faster pedal revolutions culminating in faster speeds. Add in a carbo-boost and you will be riding your fastest century ever.

Training for Centuries

• Part 1: Choosing A Century to Ride
• Part 2: Riding Fast Century
• Part 3: Strength Training
• Part 4: Planning Workouts
• Part 5: Power on the Bike
• Part 5: Power on the Bike
• Part 6: Moving to Longer Rides