Originally Posted by duncanblkthrne

If you don’t mind my asking, what is your purpose in riding? Do you road race? How many races did you do this last season, and out of those how many did you get a top-10 finish? A top-3 finish? A win? Are you self-trained, or do you have a coach? Do you use a power meter? Helps for me to know something more about who I’m talking to.

I ride for fun. I’m 68 and have been riding since I commuted to school at 8 from our homestead, but didn’t start training seriously until I was 50. I “race” every weekend against my riding buds on the weekly Sunday hammerfest. I went from being the last one up the hill to leading the fast group in about 10 years, though I never was a Real Climber, but was the best sprinter in the group. I’ve peaked now and since everyone is much younger, I now ride tandem with my wife. Our team continues to get faster, so far. I’ve done some long events and brevets in the past 15 years, finishing in the top 10%, no better, but riding against folks much younger. My best results were RAMROD in 9.5 hours, STP in just under 12, and a 400k in 15 hours. I don’t use a power meter, just an HRM and Strava.

I’m self-coached and a bit competitive, hence my interest in researching how to get faster and putting it into practice as best I can.

If you’ve been with a coach and have been steadily getting faster, you must have been doing the right thing. Most folks we get in here who are into lifting have no idea how to get faster on the bike, so perhaps I was a little abrupt.

Two things: you mention acceleration and climbing. These things are sort of in opposition. When most folks say acceleration, they are referring to an anaerobic effort. That’s essentially a sprinter thing. Peak watts are what you’re after, but weight still matters. You’re at the upper end of the BMI scale for sprinters. Climbing is the opposite – you don’t care about peak watts, only watts/kg. Pantani had a BMI of ~19.

But back to your OP: No, it makes no sense to stop at 3X if you’ve been lifting for years. I don’t. But my Strength cycle is short – maybe only a month in February-March – just long enough to get full recruitment with current mass. Then I go on with more sets of 30, but at higher weights than I was able to use before, then dropping back to maintenance, then nothing during the high season.

Deadlifts are good, too, probably better than the sled. The other thing I’ve done that worked well is straight-legged deadlifts, high reps, no strength cycle. Very good for the hams, which often don’t get enough work.

I’ve used Chapple, but I’m not that disciplined, though last year I followed my weekly long hard ride with a recovery ride of the same hours the next day, mostly flat, really keeping the HR down, maybe averaging 15. That had an effect. This year I’m following Core Advantage and that’s working, too. Subtle, but it works.

My goal for this year is to do some more longer rides in the mountains on our tandem. Maybe RAMROD if we get in.