Cycling Forums - View Single Post - Low Impact ways to build leg muscle mass?

11-04-2003, 04:57 AM

In article <bo7g33013oc@enews2.newsguy.com>,
newsgroups@mikebeauchamp.com says...
> Hey all..
> I'm trying to get a bit of an excercise plan set for this winter. I'm not
> training for anything specific, I just want to lose a bit of weight and be
> faster on the bike next summer, and more fit in general.
>
> I'd like to build up leg muscle, which I figure would require weight lifting
> excercises. The problem with that is that about 6 years ago, I had a
> dislocated patella (playing hockey) and had a few knee surguries. My knee
> definately feels stable now, but some of the leg excercises just plain scare
> me. It's probably a mental block, but still. Just doing a dry lifting action
> with my leg (raising my foot up while sitting in a chair) makes some
> cracking noises that I really hate, and feel like they are very damaging. So
> I hate doing that movement, and would definately NOT want to do it with
> weight on my leg.
>
> Squats seem scary, especially with a lot of weight. With a bit of weight, I
> don't mind them. Calf raises are no problem, and neither are the leg curls
> that work the hamstring. I'm not familiar with the names of the muscle
> groups, or much about the excercises, but, it seems like the main muscles
> used in cycling would be in the front of the thigh.. so, not wanting to do
> leg extensions, I don't really know how else to develop those muscles. Leg
> presses maybe? (although I don't have equipment for that)
>
> For equipment, I really only have rollers. My guess is that the lack of
> resistance on rollers wouldnt' really lend themselves towards building
> muscle mass... Maybe if I had something with a lot of resistance, sort of
> like climbing a really steep hill?

Some rollers allow you to add resistance, such as a magnetic module or
a wind-resistance module. Is that an option for you? If you're
looking at spending money anyway, what about getting a trainer with an
adjustable resistance?

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

11-04-2003, 04:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
David Kerber Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Low Impact ways to build leg muscle mass? In article <bo7g33013oc@enews2.newsguy.com>, newsgroups@mikebeauchamp.com says... > Hey all.. > I'm trying to get a bit of an excercise plan set for this winter. I'm not > training for anything specific, I just want to lose a bit of weight and be > faster on the bike next summer, and more fit in general. > > I'd like to build up leg muscle, which I figure would require weight lifting > excercises. The problem with that is that about 6 years ago, I had a > dislocated patella (playing hockey) and had a few knee surguries. My knee > definately feels stable now, but some of the leg excercises just plain scare > me. It's probably a mental block, but still. Just doing a dry lifting action > with my leg (raising my foot up while sitting in a chair) makes some > cracking noises that I really hate, and feel like they are very damaging. So > I hate doing that movement, and would definately NOT want to do it with > weight on my leg. > > Squats seem scary, especially with a lot of weight. With a bit of weight, I > don't mind them. Calf raises are no problem, and neither are the leg curls > that work the hamstring. I'm not familiar with the names of the muscle > groups, or much about the excercises, but, it seems like the main muscles > used in cycling would be in the front of the thigh.. so, not wanting to do > leg extensions, I don't really know how else to develop those muscles. Leg > presses maybe? (although I don't have equipment for that) > > For equipment, I really only have rollers. My guess is that the lack of > resistance on rollers wouldnt' really lend themselves towards building > muscle mass... Maybe if I had something with a lot of resistance, sort of > like climbing a really steep hill? Some rollers allow you to add resistance, such as a magnetic module or a wind-resistance module. Is that an option for you? If you're looking at spending money anyway, what about getting a trainer with an adjustable resistance? -- Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying! REAL programmers write self-modifying code.