As we look forward to the 2025 cycling season to ramp up, many riders are looking for ways to enhance their performance on the bike. While riding itself is crucial, incorporating strength training can lead to improved power, endurance, and injury prevention. Here’s a look at our latest & greatest new strength training progression designed specifically for cyclists.

Why Strength Training Matters

Strength training builds muscle strength, enhances stability, and improves overall cycling efficiency. It can help cyclists:

• Increase Power Output: Stronger muscles contribute to more powerful pedal strokes, allowing for faster sprints and climbs.
• Enhance Endurance: Improved muscular endurance means you can maintain high performance over longer rides.
• Prevent Injuries: Targeted strength exercises can address muscle imbalances and improve joint stability, reducing the risk of common cycling injuries.

The FOUR Phases of our new Strength Training Progression

1. BASE PREP: General Conditioning
   • Focus: Returning to (or new to) resistance training adaptation.
   • Key Exercises: Hip-hinge & knee-extension movements, push & pull movements, and resistance band exercises.
   • Structure: High-rep, low-weight circuits designed to introduce your body to resistance training while minimizing soreness.
2. BASE BUILDER: The Bike Strength Protocol
   • Focus: Strengthening muscles fibers of the ‘prime movers’, introducing plyometric movements, and enhancing core stability.
   • Key Exercises: Squats, deadlifts, split squats, bench press, chin-ups, overhead press.
   • Structure: A three-day a week program emphasizing compound movements, with an emphasis on reps and form to build a solid foundation.
3. RACE PREP: Cyclist’s Functional Training
   • Focus: Functional movements that mimic cycling mechanics.
   • Key Exercises: Medicine ball throws, plyometric movements, Explosive Hex-Bar Deadlifts, compound unilateral movements, and core stability movements.
   • Structure: A two-day a week program featuring explosive movements that improve fast-twitch muscle fibers, ideal for producing maximal power that incorporates sets that cultivate power through lighter weight explosive movements that challenge balance and coordination.
4. TAPER & RACE WEEK: Activation & Peak Performance
   • Focus: Reducing volume while retaining peak muscular function.
   • Key Exercises: Bodyweight, plyometric and resistance band movements that you can easily take with you when traveling to events.
   • Structure: A reduction program that incorporates sets that challenge balance and coordination.

Tips for Success with our new Strength Training Progression

• Consistency is Key: Aim for 2-3 strength training sessions per week to see significant improvements.
• Combine with Cycling Workouts: Schedule strength workouts on days you’re not cycling or after shorter rides to maximize recovery.
• Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds and adjust intensity and volume to prevent overtraining.

Conclusion

Integrating our new strength training progression into your cycling routine can significantly enhance your performance and overall riding experience. Whether you’re a competitive cyclist or a weekend warrior, consider adopting one or more of these new programs to take your training to the next level. Remember, strength training isn’t just about lifting weights; it’s about becoming a stronger, more efficient cyclist.

Are you looking to get your training on track for 2025?

Check out our highly ranked v4.2 Downloadable Training Plans to cover your entire training progression, including our new strength training progression, from Base to Race!

BASE PREP: 4 weeks of “off season” preparation training. Training to train. Improve your mechanics through a variety of cadence-related drills while easing into aerobic training.

BASE BUILDER: Our highly successful fitness build utilizing an effective mixture of strength training, higher-intensity aerobic training and low-intensity endurance riding to set you up for success all season long. We have our 14 week Classic Builder with slightly more volume and aggressive ramp rates; and our 18 week Masters Base Builder designed for the 45+ racer with slightly less time on the bike in trade for more strength training that yields greater sustainability across the full season and years ahead!

RACE PREP & RACE: Our event duration dependent build and peak programming. As short as 6 weeks for shorter events demanding more strength & power (less than 90 minutes of racing), to medium-duration events between 90 minutes to 3 hours (8 weeks), to longer events of 3-6 hours (10 weeks), and finally the ultra events over 6 hours of racing (12 weeks). These plans include our two week taper and peak performance progression to take you all the way up to your A-race.

Saving the BEST for last…

For all our current v4.0 plan owners, your plans will AUTOMATICALLY update with the v4.2 new Strength Training Progression! You heard right, your plan(s) have already upgraded in your Training Plan Library in your TrainingPeaks account.

If you haven’t tried our v4.0 plans yet… now is the time. You will find a discount code in the TrainingPeaks Plan Store description to save even more and help you dial in your 2025 plans.

Happy riding and training!