In this guide, you’ll learn how to integrate strength training into your cycling routine without risking burnout. We’ll cover the physiological advantages, best practices for scheduling workouts, key exercises, and how to track your progress like a pro. Let’s get into it.
What Happens When You Add Strength Training to Cycling?
Adding resistance training to a cycling program brings a suite of adaptations beyond muscular growth. Strength training enhances motor unit recruitment, neuromuscular coordination, tendon stiffness, and overall force production. These changes mean that for every watt you generate, you’re using less energy to do so.
From a technical standpoint, one of the most powerful effects is on cycling economy—the amount of oxygen used at a given workload. A well-cited study from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19903319/ (2010) found that cyclists who added strength training twice weekly improved cycling economy and time to exhaustion at 85% VO2 max. The mechanisms? Likely a combination of enhanced muscle fiber efficiency, delayed fatigue in Type I fibers, and improved force application per pedal stroke.
Importantly, you’re also bulletproofing your joints. Stronger glutes and hamstrings stabilize the knee, while improved core control helps prevent lower back fatigue on long rides. In essence, you’re building a body that can better withstand the demands of high-volume training.
However, concurrent training—doing both strength and endurance—can lead to what’s called the “interference effect.” This is when strength and endurance adaptations compete for recovery resources. Managing volume and intensity becomes crucial. That’s where smart periodization comes in.
Structuring Your Training Week
Cyclists already manage a fair amount of load on the bike, so fitting in strength training without compromising performance takes some planning. The golden rule is to separate high-intensity cycling and strength sessions by at least 24 hours—or do them on the same day with one session done several hours after the other.
Here’s a sample weekly plan to illustrate:
| Day | Session Type | Intensity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lower Body Strength + Core | High | Develop leg power and trunk stability |
| Tuesday | Endurance Ride (Zone 2) | Low | Aerobic base development and recovery |
| Wednesday | Upper Body Strength + Mobility | Moderate | Support posture, arm control, and injury prevention |
| Thursday | Bike Intervals (Threshold/VO2) | High | Boost aerobic capacity and functional threshold power |
| Friday | Recovery Ride or Mobility | Very Low | Enhance blood flow and promote tissue recovery |
| Saturday | Long Ride (3–4 hours) | Moderate | Build aerobic endurance and mental toughness |
| Sunday | Rest Day / Optional Yoga | None | Full recovery and nervous system reset |
The goal here is balance. Monday’s lower body session is far enough from Thursday’s hard intervals to allow full recovery of the legs. Meanwhile, upper body and core work can be used midweek without significantly affecting bike performance.
Core Principles for Balancing Strength and Endurance Work
To manage both endurance and strength adaptations, you need to respect how each system taxes the body. Cycling primarily challenges aerobic metabolism with long periods of submaximal output. Strength training, on the other hand, is anaerobic and neuromuscular.
Intensity Pairing
Don’t place two demanding sessions (like squats and VO2 max intervals) within the same 24-hour period. If you have to do both on the same day, cycle first if you’re in-season, or lift first if you’re in the gym-heavy off-season phase.
Periodization
Fast-Twitch Recruitment
Exercises That Benefit Cyclists Most
Focus on lifts that carry over directly to the demands of cycling: forceful, controlled leg drive, trunk stability, and unilateral balance.
Recommended Movements:
- Deadlifts: These target the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors) and train the hip hinge pattern crucial for cycling posture.
- Front squats: Emphasize quads and core without overloading the spine.
- Step-ups and Bulgarian split squats: Mimic pedal stroke mechanics, strengthening each leg independently.
- Romanian deadlifts: Enhance hamstring length-tension and reduce quad dominance.
- Core drills: Side planks, bird dogs, Pallof presses, and anti-rotation holds develop lateral stability.
Plyometrics can also be added for power development, especially during early-season prep. Try 2–3 sets of low-rep box jumps or jump squats once per week for neuromuscular adaptation.
Keep the reps low and the weight moderate to heavy. Aim for 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps. This rep range maximizes strength without excess muscle hypertrophy, keeping you light and efficient on the bike.
Additional Strength Exercises for Cyclists
While compound lifts like deadlifts and squats lay the foundation, there are several other highly effective exercises that round out a cyclist’s strength routine—targeting areas often undertrained by cycling alone.
Recommended Accessory Movements:
- Glute Bridges and Hip Thrusts: Directly activate the glutes to improve power transfer and support lower back health.
- Copenhagen Planks: Strengthen the adductors, which are vital for knee stability and reducing groin injuries.
- Farmer’s Carries: Build grip strength, scapular control, and trunk stability, which help with bike handling and posture.
- Single-Leg Glute Bridges: Enhance unilateral glute strength and address side-to-side imbalances from pedal asymmetry.
- TRX Rows or Inverted Rows: Counteract the hunched-forward cycling posture by strengthening the upper back and rear delts.
- Wall Sits with Isometric Holds: Train quad endurance and static hip control—ideal for time-trial and climbing positions.
These movements not only improve functional strength but also support injury prevention and bike control. Incorporating them 1–2x per week, especially during off-season or lower-volume cycling blocks, is a smart way to stay balanced and resilient.
How to Track Progress and Avoid Burnout
Combining cycling and strength training is powerful—but only if you stay ahead of fatigue. Both disciplines place stress on the body, and when the load outweighs your ability to recover, performance in both areas can suffer. That’s why tracking your progress—and knowing when to dial it back—is just as important as the training itself.
Metrics That Matter
On the bike, keep an eye on tools like Training Stress Score (TSS), chronic training load (CTL), and heart rate variability (HRV). These indicators reflect overall workload, cardiovascular strain, and nervous system readiness. Subjective markers like perceived fatigue, mood, and motivation are equally telling—especially when they trend downward over several days.
In the gym, track your total volume load (sets × reps × weight), Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), and how your body feels during warmups. If weights that once felt light now feel sluggish or your coordination is off, it’s a red flag. Consistent soreness, poor sleep, or low energy? Time to reassess.
Tip: If your cycling power numbers plateau and your lifting sessions feel sluggish, don’t push through. Take 3–5 days to reduce intensity, improve sleep, and support recovery. Gains happen when you recover, not when you’re riding the line of burnout.
Common Questions from Cyclists
Can I do cycling and weight training on the same day?
How many days a week should I lift while cycling?
Will lifting weights make me bulky and slow?
What types of lifts are best for cyclists?
Coach’s Insight
“The key to making strength training work for endurance athletes isn’t volume—it’s timing and consistency.”—Graeme, Head Coach at SportCoaching
This quote from Graeme perfectly sums up what this article is all about. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym to benefit from strength training. You just need to fit it into your week in a way that supports your riding—not competes with it. Keep your strength work consistent, periodize it around your season, and you’ll start to feel the gains where it counts: on the bike.
