Frequently Asked Questions

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This is a common issue for keen cyclists. Because of the range of movement required for cycling and the posture commonly adopted in the saddle, all other planes of movement gradually get weaker, and injuries start to present due to overuse in one area and underuse and immobility in other areas. That's why I specialize in helping cyclists with exercises and workout programs that improve whole-body composition, balance and mobility for improved movement and comfort, both in and out of the saddle.

There is a misconception that you get better at riding a bike, by just riding a bike. Strength training, either with bodyweight or with weights, can bring so many benefits to your bike rides that I cannot believe so many cyclists and mountain bikers ignore it. 

A program of strength training will;

1 – Increase power, strength, and endurance, depending on the aim of the session.

2 – Improve the health and strength of the joints and bones.

3 – Burn fat and decrease overall body fat percentage.

4 – Boost metabolic rate, so more calories are burnt even at rest.

5 – Improve posture, both on and off the bike.

6 – Increase range of movement and flexibility.

7 – Prevent injuries by strengthening the muscles that are not targeted on the bike.

Upper body workouts are often overlooked by cyclists in favour of working the lower body. This is, of course, daft. Strength in the arms, shoulders, chest and back are essential for maintaining a strong and stable posture on the bike, controlling how power is delivered through the pedals and, above all, staying comfortable for extended periods. Neglecting this area leads to back and neck issues and means you won’t be generating the leg power you desire. Push-ups, pull-ups, rows and flies are a great place to start developing upper body conditioning, strengthen your joints and avoid those niggling injuries.

With one long ride a week, you should be able to fit 3 or 4 training sessions in per week too. 

Rest days are essential and must be built into your training program. Overtraining is easily done if you don’t have sufficient rest between rides or training sessions and has a range of negative effects that you must look out for:

· Decreased performance – no matter how hard you try. 

· Always feeling tired – due to low energy availability.

· Heart rate is elevated during rides or even all the time.

· Not sleeping as well as normal – stress hormones are keeping you up.

· Loss of appetite – stress hormones negatively affect hunger and satiety.

· Being moody – those stress hormones again!

· Nagging little injuries and illness because your body is not getting enough recovery.

Suffering any of these is your sign to have a rest day or two to recover. It may be frustrating but much better than missing weeks due to injury or ill health. 

I have designed a versatile training plan to target the full range of movement and build stability, endurance, strength and power in every plane of movement. To do this, I recommend the following kit, which can be found in any gym or be bought cheaply and used at home:

Suspension Training / TRX Straps. These systems can be used anywhere and they are great for working on core stability and joint mobility. Every move uses your core muscles - there’s no backrests or support so you need to really work to maintain stability and keep the range of movement under control. With this one piece of kit, you can work every muscle in your body. Push, pull, hinge and plank in any plain of movement and with greater mobility than you can with weighted moves. 

Plyo-Box.  Plyometric exercise is a really effective way to increase reactive strength. By stretching the muscle (eccentric phase of the move)  then demanding immediate, powerful concentric contraction, they recruit the whole muscle, allowing it to move more forcefully. A great example of this is my old favorite, the box jump. The stretch comes as you lower your weight before applying maximum force with the quads and hip extensors to jump off the ground. These exercises translate excellently to producing powerful and efficient pedal strokes.

Dumbbells / Kettlebells / Sandbags. Strength training is all about working on your ability to move weight and produce or withstand force. Building Strength is the first step towards developing your power and speed. Without strength, your ability to produce greater power and speed is massively limited. I target this using resistance weights in various guises to promote versitility of movment and stability around the joints.

Andrew Harding holds the Focus Awards Level 3 Certificate in Planning and Delivering Personal Training (RQF)

Andrew Harding is a REPs Certified Fitness Coach

Cycle Strength Ltd is insured by Insure4Sport to deliver personal training