If I incorporate this plan into my week, how should I adjust my riding? Days per week, duration, hilly vs flat, etc. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Next post: Carbon Cycling Shoes have more Stiffness. Comments Another question, what about upper body, arms for example, is there strengthening I should do there too? Having to spend at least minutes up to 3 times a week doing upper and lower body exercises to tone such as: — 4x reps Flat position Bench press — 20 kg — 4x reps Inverted Row — 4x reps Dumbbell Shoulder press — 10 kg each — 4x reps Tricep Dips with Chair — 4x 30 reps Seated Calve Raises — 1x 20 Kg weight plate on knees — 4x reps Bicep Curl Bar — 20 kg — 4x reps Bent over Curl Bar — 20 kg — 4x 30 reps Kettlebell Calve Raises — 30 kg — 4x reps Deadlifts — 20 kg — 4x reps Squats — 25 kg, not ATG version These exercises are normally done in this order, sometimes it may vary but generally after my rides, after of which I take a 5mg teaspoon of micronised creatine for a quick recovery.
Thanks in advance. Hi Jesper, Thank you for sharing such a usefull program. My two cents, if I may: — if you stick with the plan and actually squat and deadlift, the back side of your torso will get good stimulus. I trust this helps! Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. When working with the lower body, single-leg movements are usually preferable to bilateral ones, as they mimic the unilateral nature of pedaling.
Single-leg exercises also activate more coordination and core stability as your body balances itself, and will quickly reveal any differences in leg strength that need to be addressed. High volume and lots of reps are the formula for big muscles, but lower training volumes can result in equally large gains in strength without major increases in muscle size.
Weight targets should be fairly modest, in keeping with your needs as a rider- we push the pedals many thousands of times every ride against a very low level of resistance, even in a hard sprint. During strength workouts, you should also allow at least 3 minutes of rest in between sets, letting the muscles fully recover anaerobic energy stores. Stronger cyclists are faster cyclists. Luckily, strength training can easily fit into our routines as cyclists and dramatically improve our abilities as riders and healthy humans, with just a few simple exercises each week.
Whether you are a complete beginner or an elite athlete, strength training can work in tandem with your time on the bike to make you faster and more resilient. Strong riders are more resistant to injuries in the event of a crash or through repetitive use, since weakness often correlates with poor bone density and muscular atrophy. Stronger riders are also more efficient at transferring power and recruiting muscles in the pedal stroke.
Weaknesses in strength commonly act as limiting factors on the bike, and offer low-hanging fruit for improvement. The primary goal of strength training for cyclists is functional- to facilitate better performance when riding. Leg and posterior chain exercises improve power transfer, especially during sprinting and climbing; upper body work assists in controlling the bike and in maintaining good riding position; core workouts help to reinforce all these abilities.
In addition, strength training goes a long way towards making you a fitter, healthier, and more versatile athlete and human- a benefit that extends far beyond race day.
Many riders mistakenly believe that strength training should only happen in the offseason or during base training, and not at other times throughout the year. While the offseason and base periods are excellent times to actively build strength through harder and more frequent workouts, a reduced level of strength training should occur throughout the year, with an aim towards maintenance. During base phase training on the bike, aim for 2 to 3 strength workouts per week, including unilateral leg exercises.
During build and specialty phase training, shift your strength focus towards maintenance with just one or two workouts a week, and focus especially on your core.
High-intensity exercise should be reserved for your on-bike workouts during this time, with your off-bike work intended as reinforcement. Planning when to incorporate strength training during the week should also be approached strategically. Like cycling, strength training generates fatigue, and any fatigue requires recovery. Try to pick a day when your scheduled ride is fairly low intensity, and space your ride and your strength workout as far apart within this day as you can.
This allows your body some recovery in between and avoids sending contradicting signals for adaptation to your muscles. Proper form is crucial and if you are tired from your ride you may be less likely to maintain good posture and technique during your strength work.
Some athletes like to split their strength routines across several days, this can be a good option but be sure to plan your recovery accordingly. If you do choose this strategy separate your workouts by type, perhaps into an upper body day and a lower body day. However, this usually means doubling up at least once a week for higher volume cyclists, if not more.
There are two main concerns when combining both strength and endurance training on the same day. However you schedule your strength training, remember it is supplemental to your on-bike workouts. In general, we recommend prioritizing your cycling training by doing it first.
Then, with as much time in between as possible, completing your strength training. This helps avoid fatigue-driven mistakes in form and technique that can lead to injury. Once you have a handle on the movements, feel free to switch the cycling workouts back to the mornings. No matter your goals or level of experience, strength training can help you better yourself as a cyclist and as a healthy human being. If you keep your goals in mind and schedule your workouts thoughtfully, just a little bit of extra time each week can lead to lasting and meaningful rewards.
Check out our simple strength benchmark calculator to help you determine whether you need to build or maintain strength. Note: These benchmarks are meant to test your strength and are not meant as a workout plan. For more cycling training knowledge, listen to Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast— the only podcast dedicated to making you a faster cyclist. New episodes are released weekly.
Sean Hurley is a bike racer, baker of sourdough bread, and former art professor. He is a connoisseur of cycling socks and a certified USAC level 3 coach. Rumor has it he also runs a famous cycling instagram account, but don't tell anyone about that.
Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Great article and videos—thank you! The purpose of the 3 minute rest is to allow your muscles to recover and clear any residual fatigue that would prevent you from successfully completing the next exercise. Instead, athletes can call upon the resources that we provide on strength training to craft these plans! Wondering about the order of strength vs riding in the same day.
Hey guys, do you have any alternate recommendations that might be more doable in a home gym? Maybe just with adjustable dumb bells or the like? The main goal with strength training is to create a stronger support system for your prime movers while on the bike.
The exercises below are performed with kettlebells and dumbbells. An Olympic bar or dumbbells can be substituted for the front squats and single leg deadlifts. For weight guidelines, if you cannot complete the minimum number of reps and sets or your form is lacking, then lighten the weight, even if that means using zero weights. When you can complete the minimum number of reps and sets for two consecutive workouts easily, challenge yourself by adding light weight if zero weight is being used or increasing the current weight lifted.
Upper body weight increases of lbs and lbs for lower body is a general rule of thumb. Planks are one of the simplest exercises in the book and one of the most effective at increasing core strength. Planks can be done anywhere and can be used year round. Planks target your shoulders, abdomen, and lower back. Lifting one leg can add a degree of difficulty to each set and further target the lower back. Start with hold times of seconds per round and progress to second hold times as you go through offseason training.
Lunges are very cycling specific since they are worked one leg at a time, targeting your quadriceps, hips and hamstrings. It is highly advised to start without weight in order to practice good form. Focus on higher rep ranges of reps per set, with the goal of sets. Leg lifts target the abdominals, and hip flexors. A simple variation includes placing hands overhead to target the upper abdominals.
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