Combining weight training and cycling for better performance is a no-brainer, yet so many of you are still getting it wrong. Im constantly seeing cyclists hitting the gym and doing a bunch of isolation exercises that have zero carryover to their time on the bike. Meanwhile, the ones who do attempt to incorporate strength training into their routine are often doing it at the wrong time, or with the wrong intensity, or with a focus on the wrong muscle groups.
Whats the point of doing squats if youre not going to be able to translate that strength into power on the bike? And why are you wasting your time with bicep curls when you should be focusing on building functional strength thats going to help you maintain good position and generate force on the pedals?
Id love to see some actual science-backed advice on how to combine weight training and cycling for better performance. What specific exercises and protocols have been proven to improve cycling performance? How should strength training be periodized to complement a cycling training plan? And what are some common mistakes that cyclists make when trying to incorporate strength training into their routine?
Lets get beyond the bro-science and pseudoscience thats dominating this conversation and focus on what actually works. Im not interested in hearing about your favorite exercises or how you managed to increase your bench press by 50 pounds. I want to know whats been proven to work, and how to apply that to my own training.