A quiet advantage that pays off over time
Strength training was once seen as optional for cyclists, something reserved for the off-season or avoided altogether for fear of gaining unnecessary body mass. That thinking has changed. Today, well-designed strength training is widely accepted as a performance enhancer and an important tool for staying healthy over the long term.
What’s important is how strength training is applied. For cyclists, the goal is not to become stronger in the gym for its own sake, but to develop qualities that transfer to the bike: better force production, improved efficiency, greater resistance to fatigue, and a body that tolerates high training loads year after year.
Why strength training works for cyclists
Cycling is a sport of repetition. Each ride involves thousands of pedal strokes, often performed in a relatively fixed position. Over time, this places consistent stress on the same muscles, tendons, and joints. Strength training increases the capacity of these tissues, allowing riders to produce force more efficiently and with less relative strain.
Stronger muscles can absorb and generate force more effectively, which can translate to improved sprinting, better climbing under fatigue, and more stable pedalling mechanics late in races. Just as importantly, strength training improves overall robustness, reducing the likelihood that small imbalances or weaknesses develop into persistent injuries.
What effective strength training looks like
The principles that guide effective strength training for cyclists are simple and familiar: specificity, progressive overload, individualization, and adequate recovery. Programmes typically focus on compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, and step-ups, which target the primary muscles involved in pedalling and allow load to be increased gradually over time.
Rather than chasing muscle size, cyclists prioritise maximal strength and neuromuscular coordination, how effectively the nervous system can recruit muscle fibres. This is why relatively low repetitions and controlled, high-quality movement are often favoured over high-volume gym work.
Most programmes follow a broad structure:
- An adaptation phase, where technique and tolerance are developed
- A maximum strength phase, where heavier loads are introduced
- An in-season maintenance phase, designed to preserve gains with minimal fatigue
Depending on the time of year and overall training load, one to three sessions per week is usually sufficient.
The often overlooked role of the upper body and core
While the legs do most of the work, cycling performance is supported by the entire body. Upper body and core strength help riders maintain posture, particularly during long rides where fatigue can lead to slouching and loss of control. A stable torso allows force generated by the legs to be transferred more effectively to the pedals.
Upper body strength also contributes to bike handling, absorbing vibrations on rough surfaces, stabilising the handlebars during sprints or descents, and improving control in technical situations. Over time, this reduces the risk of overuse injuries in the neck, shoulders, and wrists that are common in cyclists.
Exercises that transfer best to the bike
In practice, cycling strength programmes tend to revolve around a small number of well-chosen movements. Lower-body exercises such as squats, deadlifts, split squats, lunges, and step-ups are commonly used because they closely resemble the force production patterns of pedalling and can be progressively loaded over time. These are typically complemented by hip-dominant exercises like glute bridges to reinforce posterior chain strength, and by core work that emphasises stability and control rather than exhaustion. Upper body pulling and pushing movements, such as pull-ups or presses, are included not to build bulk, but to support posture, bike handling, and resilience during long or technical rides. Together, these exercises form a simple, repeatable foundation that supports on-bike performance without unnecessary complexity.
Different disciplines, same foundations
The emphasis of strength training shifts depending on discipline. Track cyclists and BMX riders place greater focus on maximal strength and explosive power. Mountain bikers and cyclocross riders require more upper-body strength, grip strength, and dynamic core control. Road, gravel, and ultra-endurance cyclists benefit most from improved efficiency, posture, and resistance to fatigue over long durations.
Despite these differences, the underlying principles remain consistent. Strength training supports better movement, greater resilience, and more sustainable performance across all forms of cycling.
A long-term perspective
Like traditional endurance development, the benefits of strength training are cumulative. They emerge gradually, through consistent exposure and sensible progression. When integrated appropriately with on-bike training, strength work becomes less about short-term gains and more about building a body that can handle the demands of serious cycling for years, not just seasons.
Practical takeaway
If you’re new to strength training, or returning after time away, start conservatively:
- Begin with 1–2 sessions per week, focusing on a small number of compound movements
- Prioritise movement quality before load
- Keep sessions short enough that they support, rather than compromise, your riding
- Expect benefits to show up first as better durability and consistency, not immediate power gains
Strength training works best when it is treated as a long-term investment. Done patiently, it quietly supports almost every aspect of cycling performance.
David has years of experience in elite sport as a coach, scientist and director of performance I have worked in support of world class athletes including multiple Olympic and World Champions. With a background in world leading sports science research and experience in global corporate sports nutrition combined with an intimate understanding of the performance demands for elite sporting success I offer a unique skillset to any performance focused environment.
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