Les Meilleurs Entrainements pour Cyclistes

Comment ajouter des séances d'entrainement au Gym à votre Programme d'Entrainement

avec des conseils des athlètes LIV RACING

Si vous roulez à vélo, il y a bien des chances que vous aimeriez vous améliorer d'une façon ou d'une autre. Peut-être aimeriez-vous être plus rapide, accroitre votre endurance, rouler avec plus de puissance, améliorer votre agilité, ou simplement vous sentir plus stable sur le vélo. C'est vrai, plus vous roulez à vélo, plus vous vous améliorez. Toutefois, vous devez parfois débarquer de votre vélo pour vous améliorer... et aller au gym.

Nous sommes conscients qu'aller au gym pour soulever des poids à répitition n'est peut-être pas votre tasse de thé. À vrai dire, lorsque nous avons demandé aux athlètes professionnels Liv Racing, nous les avons entendu dire plus qu'une fois qu'elles n'appréciaient pas vraiment le gym. Mais le gym vous aiderait ultimement à améliorer votre performance à vélo, à prévenir les blessures et à bâtir une puissance explosive! Lisez les conseils des pros.

À quelle fréquence allez-vous au gym?

“Lorsque la saison est terminée, je vais au gym pour une session de une heure 4 fois par semaine, et 2 de ces journées-là, j'y vais deux fois. En saison, mes séances de gym sont vraiment limitées. Si je suis chanceuse, j'y vais 2 fois par semaine, mais la plupart du temps (en déplacement ou lors des courses), je ne vais pas au gym du tout.” -Rae Morrison, Vélo de Montagne Enduro

“Je vais au gym 2-4 fois par semaine lorsque la saison est terminée, et 1-2 fois par semaine pendant la saison, habituellement une heure par séance.” -Crystal Anthony, Vélo de Montagne XC

“Lorsque la saison est terminée et lors des mois d'entrainement de base, le gym devient un endroit familier pour moi. J'y passe habituellement 1-1.5 heures, de 4-6 jours par semaine.” -Savilia Blunk, Vélo de Montagne XC

“La saison basse et les mois d'entrainement de base représentent le meilleur temps pour se bâtir une fondation solide et passer du temps additionnel au gym. Mais, une attention à l'année longue à la force fonctionnelle maintient mon corps et mon esprit en alignement. Lors de la saison basse et les mois d'entrainement de base je vais au gym 2-3 fois par semaine. À l'année, je fais de l'escalade à notre gym local 2-3 soirées par semaine et j'ai une routine d'exercices de renforcement, de TRX, d'abdominaux et de mouvements de méditation à tous les matins.” -Serena Bishop Gordon, Vélo de Montagne XC

“Mon entrainement en saison basse consiste en 3 jours de poids et 1-2 jours d'exercice avec le poids du corps se concentrant sur la prévention des blessures. Pendant la saison, je m'entraine aux poids de 2-3 jours par semaine et je fait un entrainement qui se concentre sur les déplacements.” -Allysa Seely, Triathlon

“J'essaie de faire des exercices de stabilité 2 fois par semaine pendant ma saison de course principale, et je me concentre sur les entrainements au gym en début de saison (de décembre à février).” -Radka Kahlefeldt, Triathlon

"Lorsque la saison est terminée, je vais au gym 2 fois par semaine et en saison, j'essaie d'y aller au moins une fois par semaine, sauf si j'ai une course ce weekend là. Parfois, même si j'ai une course le weekend, je vais quand même essayer d'aller au gym plus tôt en semaine pour faire un entrainement concentré sur le haut du corps et les abdominaux." -Kaysee Armstrong, Vélo de Montagne XC

“J'ai obtenu les meilleurs résultats de ma carrière sans aller au gym, et j'ai eu beaucoup d'autres bons résultats qui ont impliqué beaucoup d'entrainement au gym, Ces dernières saisons, j'ai mis l'accent sur des entrainement quotidien des abdominaux, de stabilité et de renforcement, en utilisant principalement le poids de mon propre corps (environ 10-15 minutes par jour) ).” -Sandra Walter, Vélo de Montagne XC

What is your goal in the gym?

“The goal in the off-season is to build up my strength and conditioning to help me perform on the bike with extra power on the pedals, having strength to hold on through rough sections, and save mistakes rather than crashing. I also want to build muscle around my joints so if I do crash, I have more protection and stability to reduce the chance of a major injury. All my gains are made in the off-season, the gym goal during the season is to maintain those gains and limit the strength loss that comes with traveling and a hectic racing schedule.” -Rae

"My workouts stretch across a broad range of goals to improve my mobility, flexibility, balance, coordination, strength, and cardio. It is so great to see improvements. Lifting heavier numbers, or being able to push a higher watt on the bike, run faster on the tready." -Leonie Picton, Enduro

“My goals are to build strength in the winter, strengthen my core, and work on balance and coordination.” -Crystal

“Gym sessions focus on balance, alignment, and lifting heavy things in ways that simulate the demands of riding a bike.” -Serena

“In the off-season, my focus is on building strength and connecting the whole cycling chain muscle groups. During the season, my focus moves toward transitioning the strength I have gained in the off-season to power.” -Allysa

"Going to the gym helps tremendously with my explosive power and top-end and gives me the extra strength I need to stay strong on long endurance events. People don't realize just how much upper body and core strength is required in cycling. After 3 hours on the bike, having the ability to not have a fatigued upper body and core helps keep all the focus and strength on the pedals to generate power." -Kaysee

“The goal of core and stabilization exercises for triathlon is to help with injury prevention. During the training season, I will have different focuses for gym work. Some days are focused on exercises that will benefit my cycling/running and others benefit swim/core.” -Radka

“My goal with any off-the-bike work is to improve my posture, balance, and keep previously nagging injuries under control while helping me be able to sit on a bike for 6+ hours and feel solid.” -Sandra

“I find the time in the gym as a good opportunity to touch base with my body and give it the fine-tuning and attention that I can’t give when I'm training full gas. To try and iron out the imbalances between my left and right, to identify the weaker muscles and work them in isolation and stretch out those that have been overworked. Gym time, for me, is basically giving this beautiful machine of a body the TLC it deserves.” -Shirin Gerami, Triathlon

Tips for Building a Gym Routine

Start with a solid warmup.

“I spend the first 15 minutes doing different dynamic warmup movements to fire all the muscles in my body. Sometimes it’s more structured and focused on certain muscles and sometimes it’s a dance party or my boyfriend teaching me how to shoot a basketball (we’re working on it).” -Savilia

"A good warm up for me consists of burpees, squat jumps, medicine ball slams, ice skaters (side-to-side lunge jumps), etc." -Kaysee

Include a variety of exercises.

“I used to abhor the gym. I knew I needed it, but it was mind numbing and my routine never changed. I was bored out of my mind and wasn’t seeing the results I wanted. The past two seasons that has all changed with mixing up my gym sessions. In the off-season, I utilize numerous squat variations (loaded barbell squats, single leg squats, TRX squats, goblet squats, etc.) and glute bridge variations. During the season, I start with more explosive movements, utilizing timing and power data a lot more.” -Allysa

“In addition to functional strength, we include Romanian Deadlifts, Box Squats, Single Leg Deadlifts, Hip Thrusts, Kettle Bell Swings, Split Squats, and Hamstring Swiss Curls.” -Serena

"I typically complete two sets of arm/leg weighted workout combos and one set of core work. Weighted exercises include: Pushups (sometimes I use variations like t-pushups or balance ball on the feet), walking lunges with kettlebell overhead, dead lifts (I tend to opt for less weight and more reps to go easy on my hamstrings), pull ups, tricep dips, squats on a bosu ball with dumbells, renegade rows with dumbells, step ups, etc. My core set typically consists of plank with hand taps, side plank with dips, weighted v-outs, scissor kicks, and weighted Russian twists." -Kaysee

“Some of my favorite exercises at the gym include: Leg press, chin ups and pushups, and lunges with one leg on a bosu ball.” – Radka

“I typically do half the workout focused on strength exercises, and half focused on balance and coordination.” -Crystal

"I enjoy my cool downs, composed mostly of stretching. I can easily let myself rush through a good stretch session, so I usually put on some good tunes and let the music run out the clock. I always regret it the next day when I didn’t spend enough time stretching." -Leonie

Consider different gym phases to achieve your goals.

“The first phase I start my training with is a restorative phase that addresses all my imbalances and focuses on full range of motion. As a cyclist with the amount of traveling and sitting down I do, I always have super tight hip flexors (front of my hips) and tight pectorals (front of my shoulder) which then leads to weakness in my glute, core, and scapular muscles. I think this is an important phase that everyone should go through to get the proper movements, mobility, and right muscle activation before lifting heavy weights.” -Rae

You don’t need a gym membership to build strength.

“I can’t say enough about regular core, upper body and stability work! I can do it all conveniently in my home without any special equipment. That said, depending on individual weaknesses, imbalances and other factors, it may be necessary for athletes to actually visit a gym and pick up and put down heavy things.” -Sandra

Build a schedule that works for you.

"I work longer hours so finding time to get to the gym is a challenge. I can sneak an hour in the morning before work and then the timing is a bit more flexible for the afternoon. I prefer to complete cardio sessions in the afternoons and weights in the morning. I find it difficult to get motivated for cardio in the morning and when I do try, my efforts are not very good. So I stick with what works for me." -Leonie

Anything to avoid?

“One of the biggest mistakes I see and the thing that I would tell people to avoid doing is going straight to lifting as heavy as you can without full range of movement or improper technique. This at best leads to more imbalance and at worst leads to injury.” -Rae

“Focus on your form. Start with a weight that’s manageable but challenging by the second or third set and tune into your body position and overall feeling. Getting to know your body in this way and what works for you is so beneficial in the long run.” -Savilia

"I believe strength training should complement on-bike training, not interfere with or compromise it. In other words, workouts should be short and sweet and if they negatively affect cycling workouts, something in the strength program needs adjusting. For example, if your legs are still too sore from a gym workout two days ago for you to successfully hit your target watts during your interval session on the bike, the strength program isn’t right.” -Sandra

"It’s finding the balance of pushing yourself when you feel you can and know you are ready, and seeing improvements. Pushing yourself too fast and not listening to the feedback that your body is giving you, is going to end poorly and it will be a motivation destroyer." -Leonie

Ready to add gym work to your training program, but not sure where to start? Consider hiring a coach or choosing a gym with a knowledgeable staff of personal trainers. It’s important to work with someone who understands your goals and will help you get started with proper technique!