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Why the Tour de France Should Remind You to Lift Weights

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As the Tour de France gets underway and we all watch Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador, exercise physiologist Elizabeth Quinn from About.com says we should be watching out for our bones, too.

According to her article, the excessive calcium losses (through sweat) from long hours on a bike coupled with the lack of load-bearing aspects of the exercise can contribute to Osteopenia (low bone density). That’s one reason collar bone fractures are such a common occurrence among cyclists.

Yeah, a few extra pounds of muscle on elite, Pro-Tour level cyclists can make or break their climbs and GC standings. For the 99.99999% of the other cyclists (aka “the rest of us that don’t make our living by racing bikes”), some regular pushups, pullups and core work is unlikely to kill your results at the local races. In fact, it might just keep you racing through a few wrecks.

Besides, who wants to look like a scrawny cyclist, right Joseph?

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Joe Krienert
Joe Krienert
13 years ago

HEY!

My names joseph, and I am a bit scrawny…

If no-one wants to ‘look’ like me all the better. Varrietys the spice of life.

Not to mention how much a pain it is to try and woof down the recommended 3000 cal. by my doctor.
I just dont have a vision of eating most of the time… So if i get a little lighter, and get to be more innovative… its a pleasent trade.

Above my soapbox… I really like this site. Keep up the cool shared info!

Joey K.

Bikerumor
13 years ago

Joey, wasn’t referring to you, and actually really meant that for my friend Matt as well as Joseph, who have repeatedly told me I’d be much faster if I stopped lifting weights…but I still posted faster times than him at the BURN 24 Hour!

Thanks for checking out the site!

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