Weight gain from XC?

Hi,

At the end of November when I put my bike in the garage for the winter
I weighed 93kg. I have been skiing about 8-12 hours per week (50/50
classic-skate) and which is at least 3-4 hours more on average than I
did on the bike. I also think my skiing is more intense than the bike
riding was (at least during the fall). I haven't changed my diet in any
way. My weight is now 103kg. I notice that certain parts of my quads
are much larger now, and my triceps too, and I suspect other places
too. Fat is hard to judge, but I think it is pretty constant.

Is it common for skiing to encourage the development of bulk muscles? I
for some reason always assumed it would be slimming like running. I
certainly didn't expect to gain 10kg in 3 months! It dosen't bother me,
I am just curious about the development.

Joseph

joseph santaniello writes:

joseph Hi,
joseph At the end of November when I put my bike in the garage for the winter
joseph I weighed 93kg. I have been skiing about 8-12 hours per week (50/50
joseph classic-skate) and which is at least 3-4 hours more on average than I
joseph did on the bike. I also think my skiing is more intense than the bike
joseph riding was (at least during the fall). I haven't changed my diet in any
joseph way. My weight is now 103kg. I notice that certain parts of my quads
joseph are much larger now, and my triceps too, and I suspect other places
joseph too. Fat is hard to judge, but I think it is pretty constant.

If you are burning more calories, and put on weight, odds are you
are eating more. In very rare cases metabolic changes could cause
this, but that is not likely.

joseph Is it common for skiing to encourage the development of bulk muscles? I

Big hills would tend to cause some muscle gain, given adequate nutrition
and rest. I doubt fast skating on golf course type terrain would do so.

joseph for some reason always assumed it would be slimming like running. I
joseph certainly didn't expect to gain 10kg in 3 months! It dosen't bother me,
joseph I am just curious about the development.

joseph Joseph



--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in rec.skiing.nordic...)

Joseph Santaniello wrote:
Is it common for skiing to encourage the development of bulk muscles? I
for some reason always assumed it would be slimming like running. I
certainly didn't expect to gain 10kg in 3 months! It dosen't bother me,
I am just curious about the development.

I remember reading that Carl Swenson had to lose a large amount of weight
(~10? lbs difference at 150lb +/-) every summer to be competitive for
mountain biking in the summer and had to gain it back in the fall for
skiing.

An important, or NOT so important factor to this equation is that
muscle, whether lean or bulk, weighs more than fat. This happens to me
when off-season, I lift weights. The theory is for MOST endeavors the
added strength translates into more power, and of course, in the base
metabolism rate muscles burns far more calories than fat does.
I probably added to the confusion with the above.
Come to think of it, I'M confused now.


wrote:
Hi,

At the end of November when I put my bike in the garage for the winter
I weighed 93kg. I have been skiing about 8-12 hours per week (50/50
classic-skate) and which is at least 3-4 hours more on average than I
did on the bike. I also think my skiing is more intense than the bike
riding was (at least during the fall). I haven't changed my diet in any
way. My weight is now 103kg. I notice that certain parts of my quads
are much larger now, and my triceps too, and I suspect other places
too. Fat is hard to judge, but I think it is pretty constant.

Is it common for skiing to encourage the development of bulk muscles? I
for some reason always assumed it would be slimming like running. I
certainly didn't expect to gain 10kg in 3 months! It dosen't bother me,
I am just curious about the development.

Joseph

Randy writes:

Randy An important, or NOT so important factor to this equation is that
Randy muscle, whether lean or bulk, weighs more than fat. This happens to me

Muscle is denser --- a pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle

Randy when off-season, I lift weights. The theory is for MOST endeavors the
Randy added strength translates into more power, and of course, in the base
Randy metabolism rate muscles burns far more calories than fat does.
Randy I probably added to the confusion with the above.
Randy Come to think of it, I'M confused now.

The added muscle must be specific to the activity to be useful in that
activity. Chest, arm and back muscle does not help a long distance runner
or biker.

Randy wrote:
Hi,
At the end of November when I put my bike in the garage for the
winter
I weighed 93kg. I have been skiing about 8-12 hours per week (50/50
classic-skate) and which is at least 3-4 hours more on average than I
did on the bike. I also think my skiing is more intense than the bike
riding was (at least during the fall). I haven't changed my diet in any
way. My weight is now 103kg. I notice that certain parts of my quads
are much larger now, and my triceps too, and I suspect other places
too. Fat is hard to judge, but I think it is pretty constant.
Is it common for skiing to encourage the development of bulk
muscles? I
for some reason always assumed it would be slimming like running. I
certainly didn't expect to gain 10kg in 3 months! It dosen't bother me,
I am just curious about the development.
Joseph



--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in rec.skiing.nordic...)

I gained 7-8 pounds over what i weighed last summer now ... and working out
WAY more.
Summer 4-6 hours/week
Winter 6-9 hours/week.

weird.
JK

wrote:
Hi,

At the end of November when I put my bike in the garage for the winter
I weighed 93kg. I have been skiing about 8-12 hours per week (50/50
classic-skate) and which is at least 3-4 hours more on average than I
did on the bike. I also think my skiing is more intense than the bike
riding was (at least during the fall). I haven't changed my diet in any
way. My weight is now 103kg. I notice that certain parts of my quads
are much larger now, and my triceps too, and I suspect other places
too. Fat is hard to judge, but I think it is pretty constant.

Is it common for skiing to encourage the development of bulk muscles? I
for some reason always assumed it would be slimming like running. I
certainly didn't expect to gain 10kg in 3 months! It dosen't bother me,
I am just curious about the development.

Joseph


Greg Lemmond used to go into bike season heavy, mainly due to the fact
he skied a lot in the winter and developped big arms, shoulder and back
that a cyclist (or runner) normally wouldn't have.

Normally skiers develop lean muscle, but if you are training less volume
than when you were running you might add a few pounds of bulk too.