#41 – How to Combine Strength & Cycling Training to get Faster on the Bike — Menachem Brodie

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Outline of Discussion - Year-Round Strength Training is a non-negotiable requirement for masters cyclists; Menachem tells us how to do it to get faster on the bike

Previous Episode with Menachem:

https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/38-truth-in-strength-training-for-masters-cyclists-with-menachem-brodie/

Videos referenced:

• Prone Glute Raise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIXiUdgUZ38
• Anatomical Adaptation Stage details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1f-HCWm5wE
• Goblet Squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaMwB7ANueY
• 3 Core Exercises for Cyclists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK5reUmwMsQ
• Bretzel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VczZv4Pbq8

Topics:

1. Why Year-round is a non-negotiable for masters cyclists
2. How to get the most out of your strength training
3. The importance of posture
4. What IS true core training"?

5 stages of strength training to cover throughout the year.

1. Anatomical adaptation (3-6 weeks, low to no weight, building up movement skills) - Oct/Nov
2. Hypertrophy (8-12 weeks; more weight but only RPE 7/8) - Dec/Jan/Feb
3. Max strength (endurance athletes shouldn’t lift very heavy … avoid injury)
4. Conversion to sport specific
5. Maintenance (not covered today) (Unless you are an elite level, you only need to go thru the first 4 stages.)

The Strength Training Calendar

(1) September/October — end of season…take a couple weeks off to recharge, then begin strength program in the Anatomical Adaptation stage.  4-6 weeks (less, if you’ve been lifting all year; more, if you are new to strength training) of anatomical adaptation…just learning to move properly in the fundamental 5+1 movements.  This is where most of the benefit comes from if you are not well trained in proper body movement.  Just body weight or very low weight.  Need to learn how it feels to move properly, then you can tell if you are doing it right without watching in the mirror.

• front squat (e.g., goblet, weight in front of you) is preferable to back squat. 
• prone glute activation is one Menachem really likes.  Lay on stomach, hands under chin.  Cyclists generally have a hard time doing this because they don’t have a conscious brain connection to the glute is they haven’t been using it (very common among cyclists).  The glute is supposed to generate 30% of the power in the pedal stroke.
• divots on the side of glutes indicates low muscle tone in glutes.  Glutes should be round and full.  

Example movements:

• Prone glute activation - 
• Tempo goblet squat (3-1-3-1….3 seconds down, 1 second pause at the bottom with tension throughout the glutes and sp