Quads and cycling - Health + Injury

Cpl Mickey

30/09/2002 at 20:18

Does cycling strengthen your quads in a way that's useful to runners?

Dr Nick

01/10/2002 at 21:14

"I'll take a crack on it"
Judging by the the weekend TV coverage of the GB team at the Copenhagen track cycling championships cycling can strenghten quads considerably.
Whether this is specifically useful to runners i don't know.
But the general low-impact leg training and cardio work has got to be useful for us pavement plodders. Certainly I think my weekly sessions on road and mountain bikes help my running. And it's great when i'm injured and can't run.

runnerbeen

03/10/2002 at 00:08

I have read that the strengthened quads help when running hills.Difficult to prove this though I suppose.

Slim Shady

04/10/2002 at 20:43

Definitely!
Since taking up Tri's, I'm running approx half the total weekly mileage that I used to, and still running as quickly.
After a while you will find that your quads don't tire as quickly.
Good thing when you have to run a marathon after a 112 mile bike.

Bionic Ironwolf pirate

pirate

05/10/2002 at 12:30

Yep Cornish Ironman's right! Doing Ironman training I don't run nearly as much as when training for a straight marathon, but it doesn't affect my running results. I believe strongly in the benefits of cross-training, I don't get tired as much and am overall much stronger. I would just add that I also place a lot of emphasis on weight workouts too (not heavy weights but lots of reps).

Slim Shady

05/10/2002 at 21:55

Ironwolf, I couldn't nave put it better myself !
Building muscle endurance through high reps / lightish weights is what I do.
I usually do gym work after a swim session which makes it harder - tried swimming after gym workout & swam like a donkey !
Bricks are what I enjoy most & when in full IM training do 5 to 6 hours on the bike followed by 60 to 90 mins running.
Where's your next event ? Mine is probably going to be Lanzarote next May (Did France this year).

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