Original episode & show notes | Raw transcript
Advanced Strength Training Concepts for Cyclists: A Detailed Breakdown This document provides a detailed, educational analysis of the advanced strength training concepts discussed in the Empirical Cycling Podcast. The goal is not merely to list common mistakes but to explain the underlying physiological and biomechanical principles, allowing you to apply these concepts intelligently to your own training.
Section 1: The “Why” Behind Proper Gym Practices The foundational principle is that for a cyclist, the gym is a tool for on-bike performance, not an end in itself. Every decision should be weighed against the ultimate goal: producing more power on the bike.
Concept: The Gym Serves the Bike Podcast Point: The goal isn’t to be a “hero” in the gym or win a “beltless squat competition.” The ultimate Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is watts, not kilograms on a barbell.
Detailed Explanation: This relates to the principle of specificity. While the movements in the gym (squat, deadlift) are not specific to the cycling motion, the adaptation sought is highly specific: to increase the neuromuscular system’s capacity for force production. The weight lifted is a proxy measure of this adaptation. It’s easy to fall into the trap of chasing gym numbers at the expense of on-bike performance, a phenomenon known as “getting strong in the wrong direction.” The central question should always be, “Is this work transferring to the bike?”
Concept: Fatigue Management is Paramount Podcast Point: Grip fatigue, core bracing fatigue, and especially axial (spinal) loading can reduce the quality of an exercise and generate excessive fatigue that compromises bike training.
Detailed Explanation: All training is a balance between applying a stimulus and recovering from the resulting fatigue. Strength training generates multiple forms of fatigue:
Peripheral Fatigue: The metabolic exhaustion within the muscle itself.
Central Fatigue: A reduction in the neural drive from the central nervous system.
Axial Fatigue: The systemic stress placed on the body, particularly the spine and core musculature, from supporting heavy loads (e.g., a barbell back squat).
Limiter Fatigue: When a non-target muscle group gives out first (e.g., your grip failing on a heavy row before your back muscles are fully worked).
An effective gym session maximizes the stimulus on the target muscles while minimizing extraneous fatigue. If you exhaust finite resources like neural drive or core stability on non-essential parts of a lift, you get a high “fatigue cost” for a low “adaptation benefit.”
Section 2: Equipment as a Tool for Efficacy and Safety Lifting aids are not a crutch or “cheating.” They are tools used to isolate variables, enhance the training stimulus, and improve safety.
Concept: Using Lifting Aids to Enhance Stimulus Podcast Point: The fallacy of not being “strong enough” for a belt or straps. They are tools to help you better target the intended muscles.
Detailed Explanation:
Weightlifting Shoes: A raised, solid heel accomplishes two things. First, it increases the effective ankle dorsiflexion, allowing a more upright torso during a squat. This helps shift the emphasis toward the quadriceps and reduces shear stress on the lumbar spine. Second, the hard, incompressible sole provides a stable base for maximal force transfer into the ground, unlike a cushioned running shoe which dissipates force.
Lifting Belts: A belt’s primary function is to increase Intra-Abdominal Pressure (IAP). When you brace your core against the belt, it creates a more rigid cylinder around your spine, providing stability. It doesn’t replace the need for a strong core; it gives your core something to brace against, augmenting its ability to stabilize the torso. This allows the legs to work harder and more safely.
Straps: In pulling movements (rows, deadlifts, lat pulldowns), your grip strength can be the limiting factor, especially for cyclists with less-developed upper bodies. Straps remove grip from the equation, allowing you to work the target muscles—your back and legs—to their true capacity. If you want to train your grip, do dedicated grip work; don’t let it compromise the primary goal of another exercise.
Section 3: Exercise Selection and Execution “Advanced” training isn’t about secret exercises; it’s about the intelligent selection and precise execution of fundamental movements.
Concept 1: Targeting the Correct Muscles Podcast Point: If your back is sore after squats but your quads feel fine, you’ve missed the target.
Detailed Explanation: Every compound lift has prime movers, synergists, and stabilizers. For a cyclist’s squat, the quads and glutes are the prime movers. The hamstrings and adductors are synergists, and the spinal erectors and core are stabilizers. If your technique or anatomy causes the stabilizers to fatigue before the prime movers, the stimulus is misplaced. This is why exercise selection is key.
Example: A high-bar squat with an upright torso is more quad-dominant. A low-bar squat with more forward lean is more glute- and low-back dominant.
Solutions: If axial fatigue is the limiter, exercises like the Leg Press or Belt Squat can be superior as they remove the need for spinal stabilization, allowing for near-total isolation of the legs.
Concept 2: The Misapplication of “Power” Training Podcast Point: Kettlebell swings, box jumps, and other light, fast movements are generally ineffective for developing peak power in a well-trained cyclist.
Detailed Explanation: Power is the product of Force and Velocity (P = F x V). While movements like kettlebell swings have high velocity, the force component is too low for a strong athlete to elicit a maximal power adaptation. The podcast correctly notes that peak power in elite lifters occurs when moving very heavy loads (80-90% of 1RM) as fast as possible. This is about “displaying strength quickly,” which requires immense Rate of Force Development (RFD).
Specificity for Cyclists: Unlike a track sprinter with a ground contact time of ~100ms, a cyclist has a much longer “push” phase of the pedal stroke (~200-250ms at 120 RPM). This longer duration allows for, and requires, force generation against a significant load. Therefore, lifting heavy weights with maximal intent is more specific to the demands of cycling than very light, high-velocity movements.
Concept 3: Range of Motion (ROM) - The Case for Full Depth Podcast Point: Partial reps are a common mistake that increases risk for a minimal stimulus.
Detailed Explanation: Full range of motion is superior for several reasons:
Stimulus: It creates a greater stretch in the muscle under load, which is a key driver for hypertrophy and strength.
Strength Development: Strength gains are most pronounced at the specific joint angles being trained. Full ROM ensures strength is developed through the entire movement.
Joint Health & Mobility: It promotes healthy joint function and mobility. Partial reps can create strength imbalances and place undue stress on tendons and ligaments.
The “Knees Over Toes” Myth: The idea that your knees shouldn’t pass your toes in a squat originates from older studies that identified peak shear forces around 90 degrees of flexion. However, healthy knees are perfectly capable of handling these forces, and preventing forward knee travel often forces the lifter into a “good morning” squat, placing massive shear stress on the lumbar spine. For Olympic lifters, extreme forward knee travel is essential and is associated with strong, healthy joints.
Concept 4: Understanding the Bilateral Deficit Podcast Point: Single-leg strength is often a better predictor of a cyclist’s sprint power than bilateral (two-leg) strength.
Detailed Explanation: The Bilateral Deficit is the well-documented phenomenon where the sum of the force produced by each leg individually is greater than the force produced by both legs working together. For example, you might be able to single-leg press 70kg with each leg, but only be able to bilaterally leg press 120kg (not 140kg). The leading theory is that the central nervous system cannot send a maximal motor command to both limbs simultaneously as effectively as it can to one. Since cycling is fundamentally a series of powerful, single-leg actions, developing strength and stability in a unilateral stance is highly specific and crucial for performance. This is why exercises like single-leg squats and lunges are so valuable.
Section 4: Periodization and Long-Term Strategy Effective strength training is not a random collection of workouts; it’s a planned, long-term process integrated into your annual cycling plan.
Concept 1: Ditching HIIT Circuits in the Gym Podcast Point: Don’t turn your lifting session into a cardio circuit. You are in the gym to get strong.
Detailed Explanation: Trying to combine maximal strength work and cardiovascular training in one circuit (e.g., CrossFit-style workouts) compromises both goals. Cardiovascular fatigue will prevent you from lifting with enough intensity to provide a true strength stimulus. Furthermore, the rest periods are insufficient for neuromuscular recovery between sets. This approach creates a massive amount of non-specific fatigue for a muddled and suboptimal training stimulus. Do your interval training on the bike and your strength training with proper rest in the gym.
Concept 2: Strength Training as a Long-Term Project Podcast Point: Treat your gym work with the same seriousness as your bike fit or equipment choices.
Detailed Explanation: The principle of progressive overload is the bedrock of all training. You must consistently challenge your body to adapt. This doesn’t just apply over a single 12-week block; it applies over your entire athletic career. The training that worked for you as a beginner (e.g., adding 5 lbs to the bar every session) will not work as you become more advanced. You must evolve your training—manipulating volume, intensity, exercise selection, and periodization—to continue making progress. This also ties into long-term health benefits, such as maintaining bone mineral density, which is a known concern for cyclists.