Original episode & show notes | Raw transcript
This document provides a detailed, structured analysis of the principles and practices of strength training for cyclists as presented in the podcast. The content is organized to serve as a comprehensive educational resource for an intelligent student audience, elaborating on the core ideas with additional context and explanation.
The podcast first establishes why a cyclist should engage in strength training. The reasons extend beyond simple performance gains and encompass functional health, injury resilience, and long-term well-being.
While seemingly counterintuitive for an endurance sport, strength training provides a critical foundation for performance.
For Power & Sprint Athletes (e.g., Track Sprinters): Strength training is analogous to what long, slow distance rides are for endurance athletes—it’s the fundamental base upon which specific performance is built. Modern track cycling, with its increasingly larger gear sizes, demands higher absolute force production. The emphasis has shifted from purely maximizing the rate of force development (how quickly muscles can contract) to also increasing the peak force capacity. A stronger muscle has a higher ceiling for power output.
For All Cyclists: The strength developed in the gym must be translated to the bike. The gym work builds the raw capacity, but on-bike work (sprints, intervals) teaches the nervous system how to apply that strength in a cycling-specific manner.
This area represents perhaps the most compelling argument for strength training for the majority of cyclists.
On-Bike Comfort and Stability: Cycling is a repetitive, fixed-position sport. Strength training, particularly for the core, upper back, and shoulders, creates a more robust “chassis.” This increased stability improves comfort over long durations and allows for more efficient power transfer, as energy isn’t wasted on stabilizing a weak torso. As the podcast notes, when sprinters generate immense leg force, a strong upper body and core are essential to keep that force directed into the pedals rather than causing the torso to twist and flex inefficiently.
Increased Bone Density: Cycling is a non-impact sport, which is excellent for cardiovascular health and joints but does not stimulate bone mineral density improvement. Strength training introduces the necessary axial and mechanical loading to signal bones to become stronger and denser. This is a critical defense against osteoporosis and reduces the risk of fractures from crashes. The podcast cites the career-ending femur fracture of Joseba Beloki as a potential example of what strong, dense bones might help prevent.
Enhanced Mobility: The hosts make a key distinction:
Flexibility: The passive range of motion (ROM) a joint can be moved through.
Mobility: The ability to control and produce force through that range of motion (Flexibility + Strength). Strength training through a full ROM is a direct way to improve mobility. For cyclists who often suffer from tight hamstrings due to the bent-over posture and shortened muscle position, exercises like Good Mornings and Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) are particularly effective. These movements not only stretch the hamstring under load (eccentric contraction) but also strengthen the entire posterior chain, improving hip hinge function and potentially allowing for a more comfortable and powerful aerodynamic position on the bike.
The benefits of strength training become increasingly critical as an athlete ages.
Combating Sarcopenia: This is the age-related loss of muscle mass and function. The podcast highlights the “use it or lose it” principle, specifically referring to large, fast-twitch motor units responsible for high-force contractions. Without the stimulus of heavy lifting, these are often the first to atrophy, leading to a decline in sprint performance and overall power (the “old person strength” phenomenon, where endurance remains but peak power fades).
Preserving Neuromuscular Function: Aging also diminishes the nervous system’s ability to recruit motor units quickly. Strength and power training helps maintain these neural pathways.
Predictor of Longevity: The podcast references a crucial finding in gerontology: leg strength is one of the strongest predictors of longevity and quality of life in old age, even more so than VO2 max. The functional ability to perform daily tasks—getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, gardening—is directly tied to lower body strength and is paramount for maintaining independence and an active lifestyle.
The second half of the discussion focuses on the practical “how-to” of implementing a strength program, emphasizing safety, technique, and a patient, long-term approach.
For those new to the gym, the initial phase is about learning, not lifting heavy.
Seek Guidance: The gold standard is to hire a qualified coach or find an experienced training partner.
Self-Education and Feedback: If training alone, use trusted online resources (the hosts recommend Mike Israetel for form guides and Squat University for biomechanics). Crucially, record your lifts. Viewing your movement from a third-person perspective is invaluable for identifying and correcting technical flaws that are impossible to feel or see in a mirror.
Prioritize Technique Over Load: The podcast’s most important maxim is: “If you don’t lift something well, you didn’t lift it at all.” Technical failure precedes muscular failure. If your form breaks down on a repetition—for instance, your squat depth becomes shallow or your back rounds—the set is over, regardless of whether you could have “muscled through” another rep. This principle maximizes safety and the effectiveness of the stimulus.
Range of Motion (ROM) is Paramount: The stimulus for muscle growth (hypertrophy) is a combination of mechanical tension and muscle stretch. Therefore, a lift performed through a full ROM with a lighter weight can provide an equal or superior stimulus to a partial ROM lift with a heavier weight. For cyclists, achieving a deep squat is highly beneficial. A deeper squat provides a greater stretch to the glutes and adductors and trains mobility. This is safer, as it reduces the absolute load on the joints and spine.
Individuality of Movement: There is no single “correct” way to squat. Stance width, foot angle, and torso lean are dictated by an individual’s unique hip anatomy and limb lengths. The goal is to find the position that allows for the deepest, most stable, and pain-free squat for you.
Control and Tempo: Avoid moving weights too quickly, especially when learning. A controlled, deliberate tempo—particularly on the eccentric (lowering) phase of a lift—enhances motor learning, improves stability, and increases the time under tension for the muscle. Pausing at challenging points in the lift (e.g., the bottom of a squat) is an advanced technique to build strength and control in those specific positions.
Frequency: For beginners or those returning after a break, 1-2 sessions per week is sufficient to drive adaptation without overwhelming recovery.
Soreness (DOMS): Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is a normal response to a new stimulus. It will be most pronounced in the first few weeks and will diminish significantly as your body adapts.
Soreness does not equate to a good workout or directly to fatigue. Chasing soreness is a common mistake.
Active recovery is the best remedy: light movement like walking, easy spinning on a stationary bike, or gentle stretching increases blood flow and can help alleviate stiffness.
Rest Between Sets: Rest should be dictated by feel, not a stopwatch. For heavy, neurologically demanding sets (e.g., 1-5 reps), rests of 3 to 7+ minutes are common and necessary. The goal is to be neurologically and physically recovered enough to execute the next set with perfect technique. The purpose of a set is the stimulus it provides, not to induce cardiovascular fatigue.
Gauging Effort (RPE): Rate of Perceived Exertion is a more useful tool for cyclists than traditional percentage-based programs, as endurance athletes often defy standard rep-max conversion charts. Using an RPE scale where 10 is absolute failure and 9 is having one more good rep in the tank allows for auto-regulation of training load based on daily readiness.
Whole Foods First: A solid diet is the foundation. Supplements are meant to supplement, not replace, whole food sources of nutrients.
Protein: A training stimulus is the signal for muscle protein synthesis; protein is the raw material. Consuming adequate protein is essential, but it won’t build muscle on its own.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): Supplementing with BCAAs is generally unnecessary if you are consuming sufficient high-quality protein from sources like whey, dairy, or whole foods, which are naturally rich in these amino acids.
Fueling for Lifting: Heavy lifting sessions are highly glycolytic and can significantly deplete muscle glycogen. It is a mistake to treat a lifting session as a “low carb” activity. Proper fueling before and after is critical for performance and recovery, especially when balancing it with cycling.
This final section addresses the art of combining two demanding training modalities.
You Cannot Maximize Everything at Once: The fundamental rule is that something has to give. Attempting to follow a high-volume cycling plan and a high-volume/intensity lifting plan simultaneously is a recipe for overtraining.
Off-Season Focus: The off-season is the ideal time to prioritize strength. Cycling volume and intensity should be reduced to accommodate the fatigue from lifting. The focus should be on building a strength foundation that can be maintained during the competitive season.
In-Season Maintenance: During the race season, the goal shifts to maintaining the strength gained in the off-season. This can often be accomplished with just one, well-structured, full-body session per week.
Warm-up Protocol: A proper warm-up is crucial for performance and injury prevention. A good sequence is:
General Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of very light aerobic activity (e.g., spin bike) to increase core temperature.
Activation: Dynamic movements to activate key stabilizers (e.g., banded glute walks, monster walks).
Specific Warm-up: Perform the main lift of the day (e.g., squats) with progressively heavier weight for several sets, starting with just the empty bar. This primes the nervous system and allows you to rehearse the specific movement pattern.
“Double Day” Scheduling: If you must lift and ride on the same day, the ideal sequence is:
Ride in the morning.
Recover for at least 3-4 hours. This recovery must include a substantial meal and ideally a short nap.
Lift in the afternoon/evening.
Heavy Compound Lifts First: The workout should be built around large, multi-joint movements that provide the biggest stimulus (e.g., Squats, Deadlifts, Presses, Rows). These are the most neurologically and physically demanding and should be performed first when you are fresh.
Assistance and “Functional” Work Last: Exercises targeting smaller muscle groups or specific movement patterns (e.g., Seven-Way Hips, core work, single-arm rows) should be done after the primary lifts. These movements help build stability, address weak points, and improve overall muscular balance. Core work is important, but a significant amount of core stabilization is already achieved isometrically by simply bracing properly during heavy squats and deadlifts.