# Weight training/leg press?



## Akez (Aug 13, 2011)

Who does any weight training? Leg press? 

I've been doing a lot of leg press lately, and I am wondering what weights you guys put out?


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## Scott in MD (Jun 24, 2008)

Recreational AG 45-49 triathlete with 5h50 HIM and top third Oly and I use Mondays for weight training except last 8 weeks before A races, then I go with extra swim in my 7-10 hour per week training plan ... My strength routine uses 3x30 heavy as I can go leg presses (builds to about 275 pounds) plus 2x40 squat-jumps with a 12 pound bar. I think the extra swim helps my faces more than the Strength training but I plan to use these gams for a long long time so I keep hitting the weights.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

I do high rep, light weight lifting 3 days a week. I use a 26 pound padded bar for weight

Lunges: 3 sets, 35-40 reps reps each set
Good Mornings: 3 sets, 50 reps each set
Calf Raises: 3 sets, 50 reps each set

I also do some basic core work.

Overall...I don't know that it's helped my long duration power, but I did set a 5 second power PR back in December without really trying, and broke 900 watts for 30 seconds again for the first time in 3 years. So it's helping my top end power for sure.


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## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

Leg [email protected] 1 set=10 wide, 10 med, 10 narrow stance...


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I was doing dumbbell work earlier in the winter. Now that I'm starting to up the intensity of my training I find recovering from the weights workouts much harder. So.. IMO weights are best used early in your off season and base period. I did notice some increased perceived strength after a few weeks though.


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## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

With my new job, it seems that bike riding is easier than coordinating gym time. Every day I can get away for a couple of hours mid-afternoon (incorporating the lunch hour), when it's warmest. So I've gotten in some 14 hour riding weeks, plus some core work/stretching at home (big fan of rotating planks). 

In group rides, when it's time to crank the big ring over a short steep hill, I've always done well; but when it's time to spin the little ring over a 10-20 minute hill, I've always stuggled. Therefore I'm aerobically weak rather than lacking strength. So we'll see how the extra aerobic capacity time works for me this year.


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

Akez said:


> I've been doing a lot of leg press lately, and I am wondering what weights you guys put out?


You're not going to get a meaningful answer because different leg press machines vary widely in how much resistance they provide, e.g. the same weight pushed at a different angle is going to change how much force is needed to overcome the resistance. Not to mention you can affect greatly leg press or squat weight by how you do the movement, basically by limiting the range of motion you can lift a lot more weight, more so than a lot of exercises. Not to mention the speed of movement, using momentum, etc.


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## Scott in MD (Jun 24, 2008)

Dwayne - good point. agree. Joe Friel has some percent of body weight markers for barbell squats in his books that are better relative measures. 
OP- main takeaway from me is that I think strength training is crucial especially for us older guys ... I dig the training process and I'll devote 10-15% of my limited time to strength and leg presses in particular.


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## benInMA (Jan 22, 2004)

Yep leg press is pretty meaningless.. some of the sled types I have done 450-500lbs no problem for multiple sets of 10 reps at a body weight between 160-180lbs. If I recall correctly the old school universal "station" machines I'd be using 200-300lbs for 3x10.

Squats are what you want to focus on.. learn them right and they are better then machines. Any serious weight lifter will tell you this.. a great thing to do is find a gym with some serious powerlifters and if you start regularly squatting some of them will probably help you with your form. Most gyms almost no one does any serious leg/hip workouts so when the huge guys see a skinny cyclist training squats they will be pretty friendly in my experience.

Squatting is way harder then leg presses.. I've never broken 300 though I have never tried a 1-rep max. I've done something like 260 for 3 reps when I weighed about 170.. this winter I was really focusing on getting a deep squat so I used much less... around 100lbs. (It seemed to help a great deal with knee issues cycling) Typical maintenance stuff I would probably be using 150-175lbs for 3 sets of 10-20 reps. This past winter was the first time I got set up seriously for squatting at home so I am anticipating making good progress although I usually find it hard to do anything but cycle when the weather is nice.

Squatting & cycling can take most of the fun out of the cycling.. easy to end up with really sore/dead legs so you'll be suffering while riding slowly. But I think it does pay off.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Wow, I can't believe Alex Simmons RST hasn't responded and ripped all of you for lifting at all!

That being said (in jest, of course), most people who suggest lifting will say do squats, lunges, or step-ups. Not leg presses and certainly not calf raises.

Oh well, I've spend way too much time arguing about lifting but do think a lot of the benefit (vs just riding) depends on your age. Different answers for 24 vs 64 year old.


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## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

MerlinAma said:


> Wow, I can't believe Alex Simmons RST hasn't responded and ripped all of you for lifting at all!
> 
> That being said (in jest, of course), most people who suggest lifting will say do squats, lunges, or step-ups. Not leg presses and certainly not calf raises.
> 
> Oh well, I've spend way too much time arguing about lifting but do think a lot of the benefit (vs just riding) depends on your age. Different answers for 24 vs 64 year old.


The op asked what kind of weight we all press. Not if doing leg presses improves cycling at some metric. IMO having done a ton of core/leg/back work at the direction of a PT I can't say the leg presses have done anything for my cycling. Maybe, and I can't emphasize maybe enough, I am able to hold a higher 5s maybe 10s power a little longer. Other than that on the bike training is so much more important to me it's not even a question. I use lifting to try and avoid injury. YMMV.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Forget leg press, focus on squats and maybe hack squats as well.
Lunges are good for seeing strength imbalance between legs, and balance, especially with a 7 ft Olympic bar.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

woodys737 said:


> The op asked what kind of weight we all press. Not if doing leg presses improves cycling at some metric. ......


Since this was a cycling forum, I just sort of took the leap that it had some relationship to cycling. 

Sorry.

By the way, I leg press 0.


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## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

MerlinAma said:


> Since this was a cycling forum, I just sort of took the leap that it had some relationship to cycling.
> 
> Sorry.
> 
> By the way, I leg press 0.


what are you sorry for?


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

woodys737 said:


> what are you sorry for?


Apparently, as you pointed out, I didn't answer the original posters question.

That is what I was sorry for.


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## dinosaurs (Nov 29, 2011)

Squats, lunges and dead lifts.


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## Cbookman (Jul 2, 2009)

For reference, the Australian national track team members are doing one leg presses. Two of the guys are putting up 165kg. The trainers point being that you don't press down with both legs, and using one leg is more akin to cycling. But they race on the track and are elite racers, so YMMV.

Don't have numbers as to gains you may see, but from what I can understand biomechanically, there is a very short duration and length to the actual motion involved in "pressing" during the pedal stroke. If I were looking to develop that further, off the bike, I would try an replicate that motion as best I could.


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## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

To answer the OPs question, for several seasons I built up to about 135-150 pounds for 20 reps on the squats. I only lifted in the winter, so every winter it's like starting over. 

I weigh about 165. Two years ago I moved from the 4's to the 3's. 


Also, last winter I would do some cross fit classes which was participated by some of the better cyclists in my town (it was a class they put together in cooperation with the gym owner). A couple of the females were top regional level pros. But I couldn't help to notice that bike performance of the rider coincided with performance in the gym. I was one of the weaker riders, and correspondingly, was one of the weakest at the exercises. 

The top female was as strong as I was on some of the lifts. She'd kick my ass at the Turkish Get Ups, even though I outweighed her by 30 pounds. She nearly got top ten at cyclocross nationals (out of 80 women), BTW. 

So better functional strength = better rider?? It seemed that way in this small sample.


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## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

Poncharelli said:


> To answer the OPs question, for several seasons I built up to about 135-150 pounds for 20 reps on the squats. I only lifted in the winter, so every winter it's like starting over.
> 
> I weigh about 165. Two years ago I moved from the 4's to the 3's.
> 
> ...


Probably that simple. A better athlete will usually be a better cyclist.


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## benInMA (Jan 22, 2004)

The guys who will tell you not too weight lift are the ones who think winning is everything.

Heavy squats are the best/safest way to rebuild bone mass lost from cycling... (Running is also fantastic but way more likely to cause other injuries.)

The guys who say weight lifting sucks are going to be the same ones with bone mass problems when they're older.. 

Besides there is nothing better for fixing muscle imbalances & avoiding injuries. Someone mentioned hack squats & lunges, those are also fantastic exercises for balancing your legs out after tons of cycling. They hit the vastus medialis (inner portion of the quads) which seems to be an issue for many cyclists.

Some of this stuff can make a real difference for knee overuse, etc.. from cycling. Otherwise doctors and PTs wouldn't recommend it.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Don't use a leg press, unless you have too. Free weight spats. Not on a smith machine either.

You don't have to lift like power lifter as well. Just use some decent weight and focus on your balance, core, back and overall legs.

I was faster and stronger on the bike leg wise, when I was into heaving lifting on the legs.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Poncharelli said:


> To answer the OPs question, for several seasons I built up to about 135-150 pounds for 20 reps on the squats. I only lifted in the winter, so every winter it's like starting over.
> 
> I weigh about 165. Two years ago I moved from the 4's to the 3's.
> 
> ...


That's not a lot of weight. But if you progressing, great. I agree that functional weight training only improves ANY athletic event/discipline. Oh, I HATE Turkish Get Ups.


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## alexp247365 (Dec 29, 2009)

I've been doing squats of 10 sets of 10 reps with 1 minute rest interval since September. Starting out with the bar, if you can accomplish the work-out - add 20 pounds your next time into the gym. I ended up making it to 175 pounds before it got to the point where I couldn't remember my name at about the 7th set, so backed it down to 155 for maintenance. The biggest gain you'll notice with this exercise is that your recovery period between sets is really short, so that you get worn down over the course of the 10 sets. You can tell you're making progress as you'll eventually start recovering faster between sets. 

I figured this exercise was good for building 'functional' strength.


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## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

DIRT BOY said:


> That's not a lot of weight. But if you progressing, great. I agree that functional weight training only improves ANY athletic event/discipline. Oh, I HATE Turkish Get Ups.


Just keep in mind, that I'm old (45). 

But it seems that a lot of strength is not needed for cycling. These past few years have been the best I've ever rode a bike, and this is the weakest I've ever been in my life. That's that I have pretty high strength capability (465 squat and 275 bench in contest; at 168 Body weight at 25 years old). 

I've always been aerobically weak. 

Also, this may be the last few years I race bikes. I just don't think it's very good for you, especially if you want to be good. An overall healthier endeavor is to do more cross training and weights. But unfortunately, saddle time is really what gets you good on the bike.


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## HikenBike (Apr 3, 2007)

Disclaimer: I'm just a weekend warrior type rider.

I have found that walking lunges help strengthen my cycling specific muscles. The other leg exercises I do is mainly for overall health and cross-training. 

I learned from my earlier running days, that my body (i.e. knees) does not do well if I don't cross-train.


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## cnskate (Nov 8, 2011)

I think most people agree that squats are best for building power, but they are also exponentially more likely to lead to injury than the leg press, especially for older guys like me (40). I've had back and knee problems in the past, so I'm not even going to think about squats until I have lifted regularly for a few years, and maybe not even then. 

I've been focusing on leg press and with some extensions, curls, and calf raises for three months and I've seen lots of improvement on the bike. I can spin over smaller hills without hardly noticing them, and I can sprint a lot faster too.


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## WeakSister (Oct 30, 2009)

squats vs. leg press

Full squats are a far superior exercise to leg presses. That said, I think your average cyclist is better served by leg presses. Squatting with good, safe form is difficult and takes a while to master. And a hard squat workout will give you dead legs for a week. With high-rep leg presses, you can easily and safely overload your primary cycling muscles.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Poncharelli said:


> Just keep in mind, that I'm old (45).
> 
> But it seems that a lot of strength is not needed for cycling. These past few years have been the best I've ever rode a bike, and this is the weakest I've ever been in my life. That's that I have pretty high strength capability (465 squat and 275 bench in contest; at 168 Body weight at 25 years old).
> 
> ...


So am I at 42, LOL. Just keep working. Those where good numbers at 25.

At 26 in competition: 370lbs bench (personal best 395), 495lb Deadlift, 500lb squat @ 162lbs.


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## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

DIRT BOY said:


> At 26 in competition: 370lbs bench (personal best 395), 495lb Deadlift, 500lb squat @ 162lbs.


You're an animal!!! LOL.

I did get 305 on the bench, but of course, it never happens during competition.


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