Training legs when heavy cycling miles are present???

[NateSteen]

So I recently started a courier-type job. Mostly as a networking/marking strategy for my new company I started. On that note, I'm not sure how long I'll be at this job because I do not know how long it will take my new business to ramp up...so I need to know/have a possibly sustainable routine. I think I have an idea of what to do, but I would like to hear what you all have to say.

My leg day is:

Back squats 3x8 @80%
Explosive box Squats 2x8 @50%
Leg Press 4x8 @80% (sometimes)
Leg extensions 4x8 @80%
Hamstring curls 4x8 @80% or Russian Leg Curls 4x8 or RDL 4x8 @ 50%
Box Jumps 3x8 @ 40-44 inches depending on how my legs feel
Pistols 3x8
Standing calf raises 4x8
Seated calf raises 4x8

My problem is while I can take it easy on my deliveries, there's still mileage being accrued and my legs being used fairly heavily because it is hilly here. I'm riding roughly 100 miles/week for the company and then roughly 60-80 miles between the 2 days I'm off (I'm a cyclist.) And the miles during the week are SPRINTING at 100%...sometimes for up to a mile away each time. At the end of the day it ends up totaling 12-18 miles of sprinting and roughly 1000 ft of elevation. Basically I'm using it as HIIT since sprinting is what I like to do anyways. Problem is....it's 5 DAYS A WEEK.

I ride recreationally, which is less mileage-wise now that I took this job, but far less intensity wise simply because my legs don't have the gas they did when they were only doing a leg day and 1-2 long rides with days of rest in between. I basically have been using my off days as just spinning my legs for active recovery. No hills, no sprinting, conversational pace in an easy gear.

So....how do I now train legs? Do I just lower the %? Do I not do leg day now since I'm sprinting every day? When I rode strictly recreationally, I had the luxury of taking a day or two in between to allow healing time from leg day or a previous ride. What do I do now? I definitely noticed the tired feeling this week in my legs when I rode recreationally and definitely also when I trained legs this afternoon.

Thanks in advance.

[NateSteen]

Nobody?

[magician27]

well , since you get **** load of volume from cycling , then just do some 5x5 squats 1-2 times a week, you will be fine. keep the volume low in the gym if you cant recover from it

[Milrond]

Nobody?

HA! Finally a thread where I am a valid expert!

I am a VERY competitive cyclist and I ride about 400 miles a week. I both race crits and track locally, and I landed my first one-day triple century last year. (its not an accomplishment it actually sucked lol). I am a freestyle skiing coach, track and field coach, and when I get roped into them I sometimes do IronMan's.

So. Leg day vs cycling like a bat out of h3ll. The answer is very simple and I have debated it over and over and over in my head but MY skiing coach, and cycling friend / coach taught me that you need a "core" day which happens to include some legs. Meaning instead of back squats do front squats, do like 3 sets of heavy deadlifting, and full decline weighted sit-ups, and skip the calf work! You don't need calves since on the bike your clipped in and spinning your calves into oblivion. I have the best definition for my calves during mid-season for cycling. Specifically peronius longus and soleus and even the front side with antior tib! ITS EPIC! Not to mention the gastroc split! Make the bodybuilders jealous!

Leg day, example during cycling season for me which is 7 days a week. I cycle in the evening, I workout in the morning, some of my rides can last all day. Usually I ride around a 23 mph pace solo, and yes I live in the Mountains of Northern New Hampshire, the biggest mountains on the east coast. Bottom line is you have to save some gas for the ride, so do strength and low reps and low volume but MASSIVE weight. Even on days for your sprint workouts.

10 sets of 2 heavy front squats
3 sets of 2 MAX deadlifts
6 sets of 10 full sit ups with weight (for the hip flexors and your abs and the top side of the rectus femorus)
20 mins of hill sprints running (lateral quad and glute and more core)

Your goal should basically be glutes / flexors / hams and lateral quads since literally everything else is on the bike.

[louistan100046]

I do running which includes both endurance running and speedwork so I tend to deprioritize legs in strength training. I am talking about something like 3x4 weighted pistol squat, some bodyweight pistol squats with hands locked behind back (which are tough by the way) and some plyometrics and calf raises. In my case, running is far more important than leg training.

[NateSteen]

Why 10 sets of 2? That seems a little arbitrary and inconsistent with the rest of the work out. Not criticizing, just an observation. Also, deadlifts are more of a back workout....my 1RM doesn't really do anything to my legs.

Kudos on the amount of mileage you put in an that triple century. There's no way in hell I could do a single day triple....I get bored as hell after 30 miles and pretty much limp home the last 10 as my longest rides are like 40-45 miles. not from lack of leg power or ability, but just straight boredom. I live in the foothills along the NC/SC border, some of the best riding in the country as well....it just gets boring to me. Trials (not trails) riding is what I really enjoy, and primarily the reason legs and explosive power is so important for me. it just so happened that as a result of years of trials riding, my sprinting on a roadbike is fairly exemplary.

Are you on Strava?