Cross Fitness Training Review

Current Weekly Training Schedule

One of my very first blog posts on the subject of strength training goes all the way back to 2008 and to refresh my history on this post I have been training with weights since 1982. I had a great competitive career in strength and specifically won a number of bodybuilding competitions. It was training for strength that was and still is my delight. I have never stopped loving this type of training and with this many years invested I don't plan to give it up. As much as I love cycling, lifting is still my main passion.


Here is my weekly schedule. The weight training portion has been the same for many years and I am successful toward my own goals training each body part just once a week. In my prime I used a 4 on : 1 off routine, but for a non-competitive type of strength training each group once a week has been more than sufficient. I have become weaker not by the change in routine, but by a change in aging and/or hormone changes and some nagging past injuries. My toolbox of exercises or movements and training principles are fairly extensive so I am not going to list everything in my weight training toolbox.


Also of important note, I do not lift in order to improve cycling performance. To me the two are separate goals and to this point I have not seen one help the other in the fashion that I train. That is not to say that perhaps there may be a way to shape strength training to help cycling performance as some claim. Weights are tools that can be used for many types of performance goals. It's just that I have not personally witnessed or observed any benefit in my cycling performance. If anything they both interfere with each other. Oh well I am getting off track.........


Monday -       AM Legs / PM Indoor Bike Active Recovery
Tuesday -      AM Chest / PM Indoor Bike Threshold Level Intervals (Near 100% FTP)
Wednesday - AM Back / PM Indoor Bike Threshold Level Intervals (90% FTP)
Thursday -     AM Shoulders / PM Indoor Bike Threshold Level Intervals (Near 100% FTP)
Friday -          AM Arms / PM Rest
Saturday -     4 to 6 hour endurance ride (typically solo) weather pending
Sunday -       2 hour solo endurance ride weather pending

Of course this is my typical schedule when all things go okay, but sometimes the cycling gets bumped by working overtime on project deadlines or on the weekends for occasional life activities that pop up. If it rains hard (storms) on the weekends I will train inside.


Weight training I typically do anywhere from 20 to 30 total sets. My training style these days have very little rest between sets and I typically superset two to three of my favorite movements at a time. Training will last about 30 to 40 minutes. This is much different than my competitive strength days where I would spend up to 5 minutes between sets on the heaviest lifts.


My main tool list in the toolbox for weight training. I usually have each of these movements in each week and select a variation from machine, free weight, bodyweight or cable combined with one of the training principles depending on how I feel that day and for what interests me at that moment. I also train very early with just a handful of people it is easy to do supersets or giant sets without personal issues.


HS = Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Machine
BW = Body Weight
db = dumbbell
smith = smith machine
cable = selectorized machine using cables and pulleys

Movement Toolbox

Legs - Squats (bar, smith,), Hack Squat (HS), Cybex Squat Press, Base Deadlift (HS), High Platform Step Up (BW)

Chest - Incline Press (db, bar, smith, HS), Flat Press (db, bar, smith, HS), BW Dips

Back - Chin Ups/Lat Pull Downs (cable, BW, HS), Rows (bar, db, cable, HS), Lower Back Hyperextensions, Stiff Leg Deadlifts (bar, HS, db), Planks (BW)

Shoulders - Shoulder Press (db, bar, smith, HS), Side Lateral Raise (cable, db), Rear Delts (cable, db), Vertical Row (cable, bar, db)

Arms - Standing Curls (bar, db, cable, HS), Tricep Extensions (bar, db, cable), Behind the Head Tricep Extensions (db, cable, bar), Dips (BW, HS)

Training Principle Toolbox

Supersets, Pyramid Sets, Drop Sets, Giant Sets


Well that is my typical training week. Perhaps might explain more of why I am not that good of a cyclist or something to that effect, but I am pretty happy overall for my general fitness level at my age. My genetics seem to favor the weights more than cycling, but I am addicted to cycling and do enjoy training as if I wanted to compete.