Bike strength training programs

With pyramids, you repeat a drill for a certain number of times for each rep. Eventually, you work your way down to the final rep, which is done one time. The drills begin with short bursts of exercise at high intensity and then gradually build to the longest section at the mid-point of the workout, which would be considered the peak of the pyramid. Then, the intervals shorten until the routine is complete. With this drill, the resistance should be high when sprinting and then reduce it for the recovery period.

Using the last drill as an example, the high-intensity level could be RPE 6 to 8, while the recovery could be RPE 4 to 6. As with the previous program, the resistance should be high when sprinting and then switched to a lower level during recovery. The goal is to maintain a speed of 90 to RPM throughout the drill and only switch the resistance levels.

Even though you may be in great shape, you should consult with your physician before trying any high-intensity exercises. Also, slowly build your stamina so you can eventually complete these programs as they are written.

If you find riding your exercise bike boring, try one of these workout programs on your bike, and you shouldn't be bored again. You must be logged in to post a comment. Skip to content. Spread the love. Some benefits include:. I'll spare you a lengthy discussion of the SAID Principle—that is, specific adaptation to imposed demand—but suffice it to say, to get better at cycling, you have to cycle.

So does the story end there? Only if you want to hit your head against the same performance ceiling over and over again. As an increasing number of recreational and competitive cyclists are discovering, training for strength allows you to use your existing muscle more efficiently, tap into power you didn't have before, and perform better in the crucial late stages of your races and time trials.

This style of work is known as concurrent training, but the version backed by the latest science isn't the same old lightweight rep-assault you may have been doing for years. Change the way you approach your workouts, and you'll create a whole new idea of what you can achieve on the bike! As someone who has experience in both strength training and endurance training, I'm not going to insult you with a stereotype of "the endurance athlete" versus "the strength athlete," as if the two are entirely different species.

Both are athletes, and they're also people, which means they encompass every body type, personality, training style, and lifestyle. However, just like any other type of athlete, cyclists who get serious about their craft are prone to following the prevailing training style they see modeled around them. And when it comes to strength training, that model has been this:. After all, I don't want to add weight in the form of muscle or induce too much leg fatigue.

Sound familiar? Even if that's not you, you've no doubt heard someone use this line of reasoning to describe their approach to training. Let me be the first to say that this approach is no longer valid. It's time to outgrow it the way you outgrew toe clips and steel frames. Ask any bodybuilder—you're on Bodybuilding. In other words, exactly the same way endurance athletes have been taught to train to avoid building muscle. This is the recipe for building powerful muscles that will help you perform better: Train for endurance on the bike, and train for strength with free weights in the gym.

Here's the how and why. The strength-building mechanisms that help cycling performance are largely neurological. This means they have to come from teaching your body to better use the muscle it has, rather than from adding lots of new muscle. This has the potential to benefit you in a number of ways. 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? Look for it to post in the next 2 weeks or so! I would say this is not true. The reason is simple: less they will fatigue due more active units. I have personally tested this many many times. Increases in leg press have translated to ability to pedal high watts. But still the max vo2 when tested with mask is the same.

Strength training for cyclists can result in big improvements in muscular strength, muscle recruitment, and power at VO2 Max. Keep lifting! This wont look like a long day in the gym, but is not good for High Recovery , which is fairly modest.

These two areas have very different goals in mind. Hey, Juan. Dialed Health is a great option for cyclists looking to incorporate more weight training specific to their discipline! See your hard work pay off and understand your performance with powerful analysis tools.

September 1, Sean Hurley 15 comments. Adaptive Training Get the right workout, every time with training that adapts to you. Check Out TrainerRoad. RPE is based off a scale of 1 to 10 to verify how difficult something is; therefore a RPE of 10 is what you could ultimately complete one time in an all-out effort.

Using RPE will eliminate the need to find a one rep maximum to determine your weights based off of percentages. Not only is RPE more efficient, it also decreases the chance of injury for anyone who is not familiar with lifting heavy loads. RPE is very easy to use, if you are required do 10 repetitions at a RPE of 10, then you need to use a weight that only allows you to complete 10 repetitions.

Throughout the program you will begin to have a better understanding of how to use RPE. For the duration of this 12 week strength training program you will be in the weight room three days a week. Throughout this time, it is recommended that you reduce your riding volume, and turn your efforts to the weights.

Most athletes will begin to over train, and their performance will take a substantial hit, same goes for strength training in season. When you get closer to your cycling season your efforts will shift back to riding more and your volume in the weight room will decrease. Keep in mind that it is very important to continue to lift during your cycling season in order to maintain the progress you made in the off season. Strength training in season not only helps you finish the season stronger, but it allows you to start the off season in a more superior form than the previous year.

This is where you start to see the biggest benefit, rather than each year dropping off completely, and having to start all over. While you continue to strength training in season your loads will stay reasonably heavy, allowing you to maintain strength, whereas the amount of set and repetitions per set volume will decrease, this will help avoid any issue of over training, and allow you to continue to strength train in season without taking away from your performance on the bike.

When the cycling season begins, and you start riding more, you will begin to have a better idea of how much strength training your body can tolerate. A good rule of thumb is set of reps per set, at a RPE of