Strength Training + extra Cardio activities

[Forest77]

Hi all

I was just wondering what other peoples cardio training looks like while doing the strength training program or do you emit it all together?
As someone that has been a keen cyclist since I was 19 (now 30) I have only in the last year got into strength training and regret not incorporating it earlier into my overall fitness plan.

I ride approx 40km a day Monday to Friday and do strength training straight after my rides on the Tuesday, Thursday and then do purely strength training on the weekend which I don't ride on.

Initially I found it hard to back up cycling with squatting on the same day but now found I am to manage both without too much ill effects so now squat on all three days.
I only squat around 65kg though so imagine once I am able to get my numbers up I might not be able to do both cycling and strength on the same day?

I am approx 6" and gone from 69kg to 77kg in the last 6 months so feel that my extra cardio is not hurting my strength training too bad but do people think I would be better of focusing only on the strength?

Any thoughts or discussion would be much appreciated (especially from any fellow cyclists)!

[Eric Larousse]

I play basketball at a high intensity and/or do a mile run, or shorter distance sprints 5 days a week...ive been doing this for several months now and my strength and bodyweight continues to climb...i dont think the SS program could be run 3 times a week doing it so I am just advancing the squat on a Heavy/light setup. Eventually I believe the gains will slow(whilst doing the cardio) but I will milk it for what I can get out of it if I can because I mean why not?

[Simon Rest]

how long were you riding 40km a day for before starting strength training? it's possible you were already adapted to this level of activity and so it's not hindering your strength training. If you started both at the same time that could be a different story

[scwot]

You've been strength training for a year and squat 65kg. Yes the cardio is hurting your strength training. (Or you're doing a number of things wrong that you haven't disclosed).

[Forest77]

You've been strength training for a year and squat 65kg. Yes the cardio is hurting your strength training. (Or you're doing a number of things wrong that you haven't disclosed).

Thanks for your initial input everyone. I have been cycling quite religiously for the last three years but only started any form of strength training last year.
In reply to scwot I must confess that being new to this world I wasted a lot of time devising my original workouts based on the silly bodybuilding method of chest day, leg day ect so only did squats maybe once a week at most. It's only since around Nov last year that I have been strictly following the starting strength program and done away with most isolation exercises and instead focusing purely on the compound lifts so hopefully my meager 65kg squats will start to increase!

[MBasic]

I ride approx 40km a day Monday to Friday and do strength training straight after my rides on the Tuesday, Thursday and then do purely strength training on the weekend which I don't ride on.

I'd do your squats/weight training first, then ride . . . at least for a long while until your squat gets up there aways.

Your biking only on Mon, Wed, Fri . . . . so there, get that out of your system (pure biking)

King of the Jews used to ride I think . . . and there are others, I forget one guy I thought was an SSCoach, or friend of Rip, who was sort of authority on biking and strength training here.

[Adam Skillin]

I forget one guy I thought was an SSCoach, or friend of Rip, who was sort of authority on biking and strength training here.

I believe you are referring to Steve Hill.

[brkriete]

Thanks for your initial input everyone. I have been cycling quite religiously for the last three years but only started any form of strength training last year.
In reply to scwot I must confess that being new to this world I wasted a lot of time devising my original workouts based on the silly bodybuilding method of chest day, leg day ect so only did squats maybe once a week at most. It's only since around Nov last year that I have been strictly following the starting strength program and done away with most isolation exercises and instead focusing purely on the compound lifts so hopefully my meager 65kg squats will start to increase!

If you are doing Starting Strength they should be increasing every workout. What are you waiting for? (seriously, what is stopping you from increasing the weight?)

[Forest77]

Thanks for the reference to Steve Hill! I found this other forum link which already had a lot of information in regards to cycling and strength training that I was after.
Much appreciated.

http://startingstrength.com/resource...k-cycling.html

[squatguy]

What's a cardio, what animal does it come from and how do we grill it