Strength training for cyclists: push those pedals harder

As we’ve stated in numerous previous articles, a very large body of research has accumulated in recent years showing the unequivocal benefits of strength training for a wide range of athletes. Quite apart from the fact that the increased resilience of stronger muscles can help reduce the risk of injury – both those arising from inherent weaknesses and those of strength imbalances between different muscle groups – there are also obvious benefits for athletes whose sports require strength and power. There are also considerable benefits too for those engaging in sports, which although primarily endurance in nature, require occasional bursts of power – for example, cyclists who need to sprint for the finish line or launch a mid-race burst to break away from the pack. 

However, the benefits of strength training go far beyond injury resilience and increased strength and power; numerous studies over the past two decades have demonstrated that strength training can significantly boost muscle efficiency – more technically known as ‘muscle economy’ (see figure 1 and also this article for a more in-depth article on economy and how to improve it)^(1-5). Improved muscle economy is a vital component of endurance performance, allowing athletes to perform at a sub-maximal pace for less oxygen and energy cost, therefore reducing accumulated fatigue and boosting performance in long-distance events.

Figure 1: Examples of study findings on strength training and muscle economy*