Top 10 Irrational Fears About Strength Training

This is from Vol 14, No 3 of Performance Cycling by Harvey Newton. While geared towards cyclists it would also be appropriate for other endurance athletes. These are ten of the most common reasons he heard from cyclists who didn't want to strength train not only in the winter but year-round

1. I'll get too big, ie much larger muscles, if I lift weights: There is no basis in scientific literature for this. If you suddenly add muscle weight you are either training with too much volume and/or eating more and cycling less. More often that not the off-season, or winter training period, is also when training volume is reduced. We tend to eat more than required given the season. Keep in mind that increased strength does not require noticeably larger muscles.

2. I'll gain weight in general: Significant gains in weight only happen if you increase calories, reduce activity, or both of these. Bodybuilders engage in all kinds of behaviors to gain weight and cyclists seem to think that some basic lifting will cause a huge and immediate impact on their weight. This is another reason to lift year-round. You wont likely assume that the lifting in the off-season is the reason for weight gain if it is part of your training consistently. You'll also find that you substituted lean weight for fat and either lost weight or stayed neutral.

3. I'll be slower climbing: Once again, adding weight is not the same as adding muscle. The added muscle will help you climb if you strengthen your lower body to allow more power to the pedals, strengthen your core to allow your upper body to work on the handle bars, allow your lower body to have a stronger mid-section to work off of, reduce fatigue in the shoulders and back, etc. Time on the bike training to climb is obviously still needed but proper strength training will help.

4. Strength training takes away from time on the bike: You only need two sessions of 45 minutes to one hour per week, year-round. This may mean 30-40 less miles per week but the benefits not only to your cycling but also to your general health are well documented.

5. High reps will improve muscular endurance and avoid adding bulk: Improved strength comes from high intensity efforts and this means fewer reps and higher weight. Sets of 15 or more would be considered muscular endurance training. You'll get that on the bike. Shoot for 8-12 reps, and 1-3 sets using 75% of your one rep maximum.

6. Strength training is a waste of time for endurance athletes: For every study that shows no benefit, there are two that show it will help. There aren't any studies that show it to be a detriment if done properly. There is also strong evidence that injury prevention is a major benefit.

7. If you lift heavier weights, you could get hurt: You can get hurt lifting heavy or light weights. The key is to start off with lighter weights and then build to heavier as you gain strength and develop proper lifting technique. You do want to work on strength so heavier weights will be necessary. Get proper instruction if you are not familiar with lifting techniques.

8. I'm not sure what to do in the gym: There is no one program that will work for every athlete. you don't need a large variety of exercises to achieve basic strength goals. A few upper body, lower body and core exercises can be sufficient.

9. I just want to train my legs, everything else is a waste of time: Cyclists overly strong legs are a reason to train the upper body and core. Muscular balance is important to maximum performance. The upper body is needed to pull on the bar and resist fatigue in the upper and lower back from long hours in the saddle.

10. Cross training is more fun than lifting and provides me with the upper body strength needed: Cross training (cross country skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, running, etc) is still engaging in an endurance sport, not strength training.