Strength training in cyclists and endurance athletes

Updated on 26 de June de 2026 by Adrián Escobar Morales

He cycling strength training and other endurance sports has historically been a controversial topic. Many trainers and cyclists avoided it for fear of gaining muscle mass, losing agility or interfering with aerobic training. However, current scientific evidence has cleared up these doubts: Combining strength training with resistance training improves sports performance consistently and without compromising aerobic adaptations.

In this article we analyze what science says about the benefits of strength training for cyclists, runners and long-distance athletes, the physiological mechanisms that explain these improvements, and how to practically integrate it into your season planning.

Why does endurance performance also depend on strength?

Performance in an endurance event—whether a bicycle race, a marathon, or a triathlon—is determined primarily by two factors: ability to produce force during the duration of the competition and the energy it costs to maintain those levels of strength. The more efficient you are at producing force, the less oxygen and glycogen you consume for the same speed or power.

This is precisely where strength training works: not by increasing VO₂max directly, but by improving exercise economics, delaying fatigue and increasing the ability to produce force more efficiently.

Benefits of strength training for endurance athletes

1. Improved economy or efficiency of exercise

The exercise economy It measures the oxygen consumption necessary to maintain a constant submaximal intensity: the lower this consumption is for the same speed or power, the more efficient you are. Its importance is enormous: between two cyclists with the same VO₂max of 70 ml/kg/min, the one with better pedaling economy will perform better.

Dozens of studies have shown that adding strength sessions to resistance training produces a significant improvement in the economy compared to training only resistance: lower oxygen consumption, lower heart rate and lower perception of effort for the same speed or power (Hausswirth et al., 2010; Sunde et al., 2010; Rønnestad et al., 2011).

2. Increased power at the lactate threshold

Since strength training improves exercise economy, it is expected that this improvement will also carry over to the second lactate threshold. And this is confirmed by studies: when strength training is combined with resistance training, a higher increase in power or speed associated with the lactate threshold compared to training only resistance (Taipale et al., 2013; Rønnestad et al., 2015).

For a cyclist, raising that threshold means being able to maintain greater pedaling power before entering the anaerobic zone—one of the most determining factors of performance in long-distance tests.

3. Improvement in power associated with VO₂max and anaerobic capacity

Although the absolute value of VO₂max (ml/kg/min) does not seem to be affected either positively or negatively by strength training, it is increases the power associated with that VO₂max, thanks to the relationship it has with the economy of exercise and the improvement of anaerobic capacity, which strength training develops considerably (Jones & Carter, 2000; Rønnestad et al., 2015).

4. Improved time trial performance

Several studies have found superior improvements in speed and power in a 40-minute time trial when combining strength and resistance training versus just resistance. These improvements directly correlate with the gains produced by strength work in the power associated with VO₂max, exercise economy and maximum pedaling torque.

Why does strength training produce these improvements? The 4 key mechanisms

Behind all these benefits are four specific physiological adaptations that explain why strength training improves performance in endurance sports:

1. Alteration of motor unit recruitment patterns

During submaximal exercise, they are type I fibers (slow, oxidative) those that are mainly activated. When they become fatigued, the body recruits type II fibers (fast, glycolytic), which consume much more glycogen and accelerate fatigue.

strength training increases the strength levels of type I fibers, which delays the activation of type II fibers for the same intensity. The result is that you produce the same force by recruiting a smaller number of fibers, saving glycogen and delaying the onset of fatigue (Rønnestad et al., 2011).

2. Conversion from type IIX fibers to type IIA fibers

Strength training can cause conversion of type IIX fibers —the fastest but least resistant to fatigue— to type IIA fibers, more oxidative, more resistant and with a greater capacity for aerobic energy production. This adaptation directly improves muscular endurance during prolonged efforts (Aagaard et al., 2011).

3. Improved RFD (force production per unit of time)

The RFD (Rate of Force Development) It measures the speed at which the muscle can generate force. Its improvement is not only associated with short and explosive efforts: it is also positively influences the economy of the exercise, since greater RFD improves blood flow to the muscles, increasing the supply of oxygen and energy substrates during prolonged exercise (Støren et al., 2013).

4. Improvement of stiffness (tendon stiffness)

An increase in tendon stiffness improves the stretch-shortening cycle, allowing more use of the elastic energy stored in the muscle-tendon complex. The result is a reduction in ATP demands for the same exercise intensity, which directly translates into a improved movement economy (Rønnestad & Mujika, 2013).

How to integrate strength training into a cyclist’s season?

Knowing the benefits is only the first step. The key is to know when and how incorporate strength work without interfering with resistance training.

When to strength train during the season

The most common distribution supported by scientific literature divides strength work into three phases:

• Preseason (10-16 weeks): main block of maximum strength development. 2-3 sessions per week with high loads (4-6 repetitions at 80-90% of 1RM) and emphasis on the large muscle groups involved in pedaling (quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings).
• Competitive period: maintenance with 1 weekly strength session. It is enough to maintain the gains obtained in the preseason without generating residual fatigue that compromises race performance.
• Transition: active rest or general strength work with low loads, without specific performance goals.

What exercises to prioritize

The most effective exercises for cyclists and endurance athletes are those that most closely resemble the specific gesture of pedaling or stride:

• Squat: the most transferable exercise to pedaling. Works quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings simultaneously. The unilateral version (Bulgarian or one-legged) is recommended for greater specificity.
• Unilateral incline press: allows you to work with the specific range of motion of pedaling (from 90° knee to almost full extension).
• Dead weight: works the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, lower back), essential for stability and force transfer to the pedal.
• Hip thrust: Activates the glutes maximally, improving power in seated pedaling.

How to combine strength and endurance in the same week

When possible, separate strength and high-intensity aerobic sessions by at least 24 hours. If you have to do them the same day, Do the resistance session first and the strength session later — this way you preserve the technical quality of pedaling and reduce the risk of injury due to accumulated fatigue.

If you use a sports encoder In your strength sessions, you can control the speed of execution in real time and ensure that each repetition is performed at the target quality and speed — something especially useful for endurance athletes who do not want to exceed certain thresholds of neuromuscular fatigue. The app ADR System It allows you to set speed zones and automatically detect when fatigue begins to compromise the quality of your training.

Conclusion: Strength training is not optional for endurance athletes

The scientific evidence is clear: strength training does not interfere with aerobic adaptations and produces significant improvements in exercise economy, lactate threshold, VO₂max power and time trial performance. The four physiological mechanisms that explain these improvements—muscle recruitment, fiber conversion, RFD and stiffness—act synergistically to make the athlete more efficient and resistant to fatigue.

The key is not to do more, but to do well: two weekly strength sessions in preseason, with adequate exercises and well integrated with resistance work, are enough to obtain all these benefits. During the competitive season, one weekly session is enough to maintain them.

Literature

Los siguientes estudios respaldan los datos y conclusiones de este artículo sobre entrenamiento de fuerza en ciclistas y deportistas de resistencia:

Rønnestad, B.R., Hansen, E.A. & Raastad, T. (2010). Strength training improves performance and pedaling characteristics in elite cyclists. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 20(6), 814–822. View on ResearchGate →

Rønnestad, B.R. & Mujika, I. (2014). Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 24(4), 603–612. View on ResearchGate →