{"id":1806,"date":"2026-06-26T12:17:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T12:17:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adrencoder.com\/blog\/uncategorized-en\/strength-training-in-cyclists-and-endurance-athletes\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T12:17:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T12:17:59","slug":"strength-training-in-cyclists-and-endurance-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adrencoder.com\/blog\/en\/strength-training-en\/strength-training-in-cyclists-and-endurance-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Strength training in cyclists and endurance athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"

He cycling strength training<\/strong> 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<\/strong> consistently and without compromising aerobic adaptations.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Why does endurance performance also depend on strength?<\/h2>\n

Performance in an endurance event\u2014whether a bicycle race, a marathon, or a triathlon\u2014is determined primarily by two factors: ability to produce force during the duration of the competition<\/strong> and the energy it costs to maintain those levels of strength<\/strong>. The more efficient you are at producing force, the less oxygen and glycogen you consume for the same speed or power.<\/p>\n

This is precisely where strength training works: not by increasing VO\u2082max directly, but by improving exercise economics<\/strong>, delaying fatigue and increasing the ability to produce force more efficiently.<\/p>\n

Benefits of strength training for endurance athletes<\/h2>\n

1. Improved economy or efficiency of exercise<\/h3>\n

The exercise economy<\/strong> 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 VO\u2082max of 70 ml\/kg\/min, the one with better pedaling economy will perform better.<\/p>\n

Dozens of studies have shown that adding strength sessions to resistance training produces a significant improvement in the economy<\/strong> 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; R\u00f8nnestad et al., 2011).<\/p>\n

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2. Increased power at the lactate threshold<\/h3>\n

Since strength training improves exercise economy, it is expected that this improvement will also carry over to the second lactate threshold<\/strong>. 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<\/strong> compared to training only resistance (Taipale et al., 2013; R\u00f8nnestad et al., 2015).<\/p>\n

For a cyclist, raising that threshold means being able to maintain greater pedaling power before entering the anaerobic zone\u2014one of the most determining factors of performance in long-distance tests.<\/p>\n

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3. Improvement in power associated with VO\u2082max and anaerobic capacity<\/h3>\n

Although the absolute value of VO\u2082max (ml\/kg\/min) does not seem to be affected either positively or negatively by strength training, it is increases the power associated with that VO\u2082max<\/strong>, thanks to the relationship it has with the economy of exercise and the improvement of anaerobic capacity<\/strong>, which strength training develops considerably (Jones & Carter, 2000; R\u00f8nnestad et al., 2015).<\/p>\n

4. Improved time trial performance<\/h3>\n

Several studies have found superior improvements in speed and power in a 40-minute time trial<\/strong> 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 VO\u2082max, exercise economy and maximum pedaling torque.<\/p>\n

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Why does strength training produce these improvements? The 4 key mechanisms<\/h2>\n

Behind all these benefits are four specific physiological adaptations that explain why strength training improves performance in endurance sports:<\/p>\n

1. Alteration of motor unit recruitment patterns<\/h3>\n

During submaximal exercise, they are type I fibers<\/strong> (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.<\/p>\n

strength training increases the strength levels of type I fibers<\/strong>, 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 (R\u00f8nnestad et al., 2011).<\/p>\n

2. Conversion from type IIX fibers to type IIA fibers<\/h3>\n

Strength training can cause conversion of type IIX fibers<\/strong> \u2014the fastest but least resistant to fatigue\u2014 to type IIA fibers<\/strong>, 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).<\/p>\n

3. Improved RFD (force production per unit of time)<\/h3>\n

The RFD (Rate of Force Development)<\/strong> 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<\/strong>, since greater RFD improves blood flow to the muscles, increasing the supply of oxygen and energy substrates during prolonged exercise (St\u00f8ren et al., 2013).<\/p>\n

4. Improvement of stiffness (tendon stiffness)<\/h3>\n

An increase in tendon stiffness<\/strong> improves the stretch-shortening cycle<\/strong>, 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<\/strong> (R\u00f8nnestad & Mujika, 2013).<\/p>\n

How to integrate strength training into a cyclist’s season?<\/h2>\n

Knowing the benefits is only the first step. The key is to know when and how<\/strong> incorporate strength work without interfering with resistance training.<\/p>\n

When to strength train during the season<\/h3>\n

The most common distribution supported by scientific literature divides strength work into three phases:<\/p>\n