Weight Training for Cyclists (The Ultimate Training Series from VeloPress) [Paperback]

Eric Schmitz (Author), Ken Doyle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 1998

Written from the premise that optimum cycling performance demands total body strength, this book informs the serious cyclist on how to increase strength with weight training, as cycling alone cannot completely develop the muscle group used while riding. The authors identify and simplify the most current scientific information on strength training, answer questions about exercise and technique, and explain how to design a year round training program.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Eric Schmitz is a 12-year Freemason, with a longstanding interest in Arthurian legend and Grail mythology dating back to childhood. He is a Past Master of Monroe Lodge in Bloomington, Indiana, a co-founder of Lodge Vitruvian in Indianapolis, Indiana's premier "European Concept" Lodge, and an original "Knight of the North." He has written for the Indiana Freemason magazine, and is a co-author of the pamphlet Laudable Pursuit, a commentary on the past, present and future of Freemasonry in America. He holds degrees in electrical engineering and library science. This is his first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: VeloPress (June 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884737439
• ISBN-13: 978-1884737435
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Written Concise Guidance, May 9, 2000

By 

Adam Solomon (Brookline, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Weight Training for Cyclists (The Ultimate Training Series from VeloPress) (Paperback)

I found this book to be an excellent tool in fine tuning my strength training regimen for cycling. There's no doubt that weight training in the off season helps a cyclist build strength which translates to better on road performance. Unfortunately many cyclists don't know where to start, and too often the cycling press publishes articles aimed towards people who don't want to take the time to get the most out of the gym. Alternatively, most of the reference material and magazine articles about weight lifting are aimed towards the "body building" crowd. If you're looking to build strength and endurance for the road (or trail, I suppose), this book is for you.

I had already been using a strength training routine from Bill Pearl's "Strength Training", when I started reading this book and within a few chapters I found that I was making some mistakes in my form and technique. Additionally, I learned about a variety of exercises and techniques which added some spice to my time in the weight room.

The lessons from this book have benefited me greatly and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to put some purpose into their gym time.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect guide for strength training for cyclists, July 4, 2006

By 

Matthew Norwood (Santa Cruz, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Weight Training for Cyclists (The Ultimate Training Series from VeloPress) (Paperback)

This book is very well laid out. It is an excellent guide for the beginner and a nice, well-organized reference for the advanced cyclist. Every part of the book is laid out in a straightforward manner and the information is right on in every respect. Whole training plans are sampled for the season, and easy-to-use charts are used to track your progress.

As a long-time cyclist and coach, the reviews that say this book is inferior are just plain wrong. Reading the book doesn't make you fitter. You have to practice what is taught in here. Additionally, the readers who pan it seem to have weight training backgrounds which likely pre-disposes them to their set ways of doing things in the gym. Bodybuilding techniques aren't cycling-specific.

Arguably this is the best book for that area of cycling that can improve your cycling the most, strength training.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Made me a climber!, May 23, 2006

By 

John K - See all my reviews

This review is from: Weight Training for Cyclists (The Ultimate Training Series from VeloPress) (Paperback)

I bought this book over a year ago, and followed the program as laid out by the authors. All I can say is WOW! I am now hammering guys on climbs that used to leave me in the dust.

I referred a friend to this site and was not happy to see the very negative review written by O'Toole. He and the other "bodybuilder" guy who panned the book claim to have all of this knowledge of weight training, so why did they buy the book? A bodybuilder may know his way around the gym, but I am betting that he has no idea how to write up an annual periodized training program specifically for cycling. If he did, then once again, why did he buy the book? Just to criticize it?

This is a book to inform cyclists on how to use weight training to improve their riding, and it does this perfectly. It tells you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. I strongly suggest it to anyone who wants to get stronger in the saddle!