I’m 40yrs old 178-182lbs cycling for 25 years. I was a domestic Pro in 2008/2009 race weight was 157 with a 375w 20min. After a 12 year break from racing I’m training again to race masters however after 10 years of heavy weight lifting I have gained 20lb of lean muscle in my upper body. My overall body fat % is not much higher than when i was racing in my 20’s.
I’m training 10-19hrs per week but my weight is not coming down. I have not lifted weights AT ALL in 9 months. For my cycling training i’m only doing core strength work at home.
I would like to drop weight since my 20min test lately was at 332W without any intervals and just riding, I feel i can get that with hard work back up to 360 or so but to be really competitive I know I need to shed muscle.
I’m sure the answer is caloric restriction but how can i do this without losing power? I’m already starting portion control and plan to see a difference but don’t want to go too far and lose strength.
I’d be happy if i could drop down to 170, realizing that i’ll never get back to my weight in my 20s but 10 or 12lbs makes a huge difference in a race.
Sorry to be a Debbie Downer. Have you considered that as you age, that useless muscle mass might actually not be as useless as you might think from a mere power to weight ratio point if view?
Asked very sincerely from the perspective of a guy who was 210 of lean muscle before I got into cycling, and who now struggles with hurting my shoulders and wrists often now that I’m down to 180.
Everything is a give and take, and my physical therapists have been trying hard to impress on me that being healthy must come before being fast, or else I won’t be fast anyway…
Just saying that what might make sense for a paid pro in his 20s may not make as much sense for an unpaid 40+ hobbyist.