Strength training has been increasingly recognized as a valuable component for improving cycling performance.
Substituting a few hours on the bike with focused work in the gym, can make a huge difference on cycling performance!
Both male and female riders benefit from strength training, showing the same overall gains!
Scientific studies have shown that adding strength training to an endurance based cycling training regime improves determinants of cycling performance as well as performance in well-trained and highly-trained cyclists.
Results shows that strength training can improve the following performance metrics:
Cycling economy
Endurance capacity
Power output at 2 mmol and 4 mmol lactate thresholds
Maximal aerobic power (5 min all-out effort)
Anaerobic power and peak power
Durability (fatigue resistance)
So, if you are not already going to the gym a few times a week, then it might be worth considering starting to lift some weights!
Strength training effects in men and women
Most scientific studies have been conducted on male cyclists, but studies with female cyclists show similar results.
One of the most interesting findings is that male and female riders improve durability after a 12 week period of heavy strength training.
Improved cycling economy (reduced oxygen consumption at same absolute power output) during a 3h submaximal ride.
7 % improvement in 5min performance test at the end of the submaximal ride.
Basically, an improved cycling economy results in less fatigue at the end of longer rides, which means more energy to perform high-intensity efforts. This is truly beneficial for the final decisive moments during races!
Further strength training also leads to improvements in......
40 minute time trial performance and power output at lactate threshold.
Peak power and 30 sec anaerobic power performance!
So overall, both male and female riders benefit from strength training!
The risk of gaining weight from lifting weights
But what about the risk of gaining weight from the strength training and the possible downsides related to that?
Studies show that the cyclist does not gain weight from strength training, when they follow a well structured cycling training plan simultaneously and adhere to an appropriate diet. Thus the actual increase in absolute power output, also has a positive effect on watts per kilogram.
How do they train?
Scientific studies have shown effects of strength training after a period of 10-12 weeks, with sessions two times a week.
Exercises performed were chosen to target specific muscles related to the pedal stroke.
Half squat
Single leg press
Standing one-legged hip flexion
Ankle plantar flexion
Always doing 3 sets of a given exercise, and with the following pattern in repetitions from week to week.
Week 1-3: Session 1 - 3x10 RM / Session 2 - 3x6 RM
Week 4-6: Session 1 - 3x8 RM / Session 2 - 3x5 RM
Week 5 -10/12: Session 1 - 3x6 RM / Session 2 - 3x4 RM
RM refers to repetition maximum, which is the most weight you can lift for a specific number of exercise repetitions. For example 10RM refers to the heaviest weight you can lift for 10 continuous repititions.
All exercises were performed with maximal effort in the concentric phase (duration of phase: 1 second), while the eccentric phase was performed more slowly (duration of phase: 2-3 s).
Taking 2 minute rest periods between sets, to ensure proper recovery to perform sets with high quality!
How to structure strength training into an annual plan?
The 10-12 weeks strength training regimen has been conducted during the base and preparational training phases. Hence during winter training and in the time leading up to the competitive season.
But what about strength training during the competitive season - is that for any use?
A study by Rønnestad and colleagues - 'In-season strength maintenance training increases well-trained cyclists’ performance' looked at the effect of continuing to perform strength training during the competitive season.
The experimental period lasted for the first 13 weeks of the competitive season, and what they did was to reduce strength training to one session a week. Further training load was reduced by decreasing the number of sets.
The cyclist only performed....
2x5 RM - Half Squat / single leg press
1x6 RM - Hip Flexion / plantar flexion
There were two groups of cyclists in the study - both groups had performed a 12 week strength training programme (as the ones mentioned above) leading up to the competitive season.
So, one group continued to do strength training in-season, and one group withdrew from strength training when the season started.
After the 13 weeks of strength maintenance, cyclists preserved the increases in thigh muscle cross sectional area and leg strength attained before during base and preparational period.
Interestingly, improvements were seen in the following performance related parameters:
Increased power output @ 2 mmol lactate
Increased power output in 40 min all-out performance
Increased 30 second peak power output.
Overall these findings truly indicate that it's beneficial to continue doing strength training when the race season starts!
In summary
Integrating strength training into a cycling training regime can improve power, endurance, cycling economy and durability, leading to better overall cycling performance profile.
Strength training should be initiated during base training, to allow for training adaptations to occur before the race season starts.
Training adaptations from strength training can be maintained during the competitive season, and some important performance metrics even be improved to a further extent.
References:
Aagaard P., Andersen JL., Bennekou M., Larsson B., Olesen JL., Crameri R., Magnusson SP., Kjaer M. 2011. 'Effects of resistance training on endurance capacity and muscle fiber composition in young top-level cyclists'. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 21: e298-e307.
Rønnestad, B.R., Hansen, E.A., Raastad, T. 2011. 'Strength training improves 5-min all-out performance following 185 min of cycling'. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports, 21, 250–259,
Rønnestad, B.R., Hansen, E.A., Raastad, T. 2010. 'In-season strength maintenance training increases well-trained cyclists’ performance'. European Journal of Applied Physiology 110(6):1269-82
Rønnestad, B.R., Hansen, E.A., Raastad, T. 2009. 'Effect of heavy strength training on thigh muscle cross-sectional area, performance determinants, and performance in well-trained cyclists'. European Journal of Applied Physiology 108(5):965-75
Rønnestad B.R, Hansen J, Nygaard H. 2017. '10 weeks of heavy strength training improves performance-related measurements in elite cyclists'. J Sports Sci, 35(14):1435-1441.
Rønnestad B.R. and Mujika I. 2014. 'Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review'. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 24(4): 603-12.
Vikmoen, O. and Rønnestad, B. R. 2021. 'A Comparison of the Effect of Strength Training on Cycling Performance between Men and Women'. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. Mar 17;6(1):29.
Vikmoen, O.; Rønnestad, B.R.; Ellefsen, S. 2017. 'Raastad, T. Heavy strength training improves running and cycling performance following prolonged submaximal work in well-trained female athletes'. Physiol. Rep. 5, e13149.
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