Quads vs. Glutes

[keno]

Never one to leave well enough alone, I thought it might be a miserable idea to do some off-bike training over the winter. In perusing the Analytic Cycling website, I found the following analysis of increase in quad strength compared with increase in glute strength and power (SPEED for those interested in that). If you scroll down to the two data sets you will see that muscle butts rule.

"Strength training can improve muscle strength. What would be the specific benefit from strengthening particular muscle groups?

So, you're going to work real hard in the gym this winter, build up those quads, look like a real biker when you're done. What results can you expect? The following table shows the before and after results from changes to thigh and shin extensor and flexor strength functions.

For example, suppose a rider improves the strength of the shin extensors (quads) by 50%. How much will this change a rider's theoretical power output?

This table shows the results of 50% stronger Quads:

Power

Base Case 525.9

50% Stronger "Quads" 545.0

Difference 19.1

3.6%



Same 50% increase but in the thigh extensors:

Power

Base Case 525.9

50% Stronger Thigh Extensors 706.0

Difference 180.1

34.2%

Results based on your data could be very different."

keno, wannabe muscle butt

[Viper]

I enjoy winter in that I can retreat into reading, relaxing and spending time in the gym or indoor pool for swimming. The concept and use of cross-training certainly has it's merits, we've watched it take place in professional sports over the last 20 years.

While I can appreciate the application of weight training, anaerobic training the lower half of the body in order to make gains on the bike, I like to rest on the notion that cycling is fairly straight forward...it's simple...just do it. I think it was King Lear, I mean King Lance who said it's easy (cycling) just sit there and pedal. I need to sit there and pedal more, not so much weight train. However, many folks should hit the weights.

For me, this winter will be a focus on overall flexibility, posture/spine and admitting that so much of it (cyling) is power-to-weight (in other words, less food intake during the cold, sedentary winter).

Edit: I also recently picked up G-Force Season One on DVD. I plan on watching G-Force while on my trainer. Bigtime.


http://www.sharkygames.com/games/columns/beatdown/44/gforce.jpg

[J.Greene]

Edit: I also recently picked up G-Force Season One on DVD. I plan on watching G-Force while on my trainer. Bigtime.


I thought that show was so cool in my early teens.

JG

[Viper]

I thought that show was so cool in my early teens.

JG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWMY4U1g4pg


How much ya bench?

[whitecda]

This is not a new book. I picked it up about a year ago: Bike For Life - How To Ride To 100 by ROY M. WALLACK and BILL KATOVSKY.

They make the same, very compelling, argument in favor of engaging
the glutes for additional power/endurance. I worked on it last winter inside
and I think I felt some improvement this year. (But I'm starting from so far
down the food chain it's hard to know for sure.) It did take some pressure off my knees however,
and for me, that's a good thing!

[Volant]

Hammies baby, hammies! Butt and hammies, quads and calves (in that order).

[navclbiker]

Edit: I also recently picked up G-Force Season One on DVD. I plan on watching G-Force while on my trainer. Bigtime.


Wasn't that "Battle of the Planets"?

[Viper]

Edit: I also recently picked up G-Force Season One on DVD. I plan on watching G-Force while on my trainer. Bigtime.


Wasn't that "Battle of the Planets"?

You are a winner and correct Sir, it came out in 1978 as 'Battle of the Planets'. Do you think we should start our own thread, a bike-a-long to 'G-Force - Battle of the Planets'? We could train M/W/F with discussions of each episode to follow FTW.

**** Voltar!

"The show Battle of the Planets was marketed to capitalize on the momentum created by _Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)_ , released in the prior year. The words Battle (instead of War) and Planets (instead of Star) are plays on that theme. The character 7-Zark-7 was a play on "droid" names created in ‘Star Wars’, that utilized letters and numbers, such as C3PO and R2D2."


Narrator: Battle of the Planets! G-Force, five incredible young people with superpowers! And watching over them from Centre Neptune, 7-Zark-7! Watching, warning against surprise attacks by alien galaxies from beyond space. G-Force! Fearless young orphans, protecting Earth's entire galaxy. Always five, acting as one. Dedicated! Inseparable! Invincible!



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076983/

http://7_zark_7.tripod.com/

[navclbiker]

I Love you Maaaaannn!

[andy mac]

sorry to highjack the thread back to arses but here's an article on glutes by a great olympic cycling physio...

actually lots of great articles on this page.

http://www.topbike.com.au/physio.htm

:beer:

andy

[jamesau]

The Lion King strikes a telling pose:

[Flat Out]

I also recently picked up G-Force Season One on DVD. I plan on watching G-Force while on my trainer.

That rocks! Transmute!!!!!

[Flat Out]

Do you think we should start our own thread, a bike-a-long to 'G-Force - Battle of the Planets'? We could train M/W/F with discussions of each episode to follow FTW.

I'm in.

[keno]

I think you rejacked the thread, but I see it has been rehijacked. We'll see who is faster in the spring.

keno