Strength training for cyclists: exercises, sets, and reps
Designing an effective strength training program for cyclists has long been a subject of debate in sports science, with researchers still questioning the extent of its benefits [1]. Despite this, athletes and coaches are increasingly adopting a scientific approach to training program design [2]. Studies have shown that maximal strength training can improve cycling economy and time to exhaustion [3], while resistance training enhances endurance performance, as demonstrated in female cyclists [4]. Similarly, replacing a portion of endurance training with explosive strength training has been shown to benefit trained cyclists [5]. More recent research highlights that pedal technique training can improve functional threshold power and strength symmetry [6]. These findings underscore the need for evidence-informed pathways to optimize long-term engagement and performance in cycling. As such, a well-structured strength training program is a valuable component of a cyclist's overall regimen, though individualization and careful integration with endurance work remain key.
Practical Playbook
Build power with heavy squats
Cyclists often neglect heavy lifting, thinking more miles build stronger legs. They're wrong. Heavy squats increase bone density, tendon stiffness, and neuromuscular recruitment. That translates to more force into the pedals without added muscle bulk. Start with 3x5 at 80% of your 1RM, twice a week during base training.
How often should a cyclist lift per week?
Two to three sessions works for most. Off-season, hit three full-body days. In-season, scale back to two maintenance sessions. Keep intensity high (3-5 rep range) but cut volume. One session per week won't maintain strength; you'll lose gains within three weeks. Track recovery: if morning HRV drops more than 10% below baseline, skip a session.
Prioritize deadlifts and single-leg work
Deadlifts build posterior chain power critical for climbing out of the saddle. Single-leg dumbbell Romanian deadlifts fix imbalances most cyclists have from always pushing down. Lunges with a barbell load the glutes and hamstrings through a full range of motion. Do these after your main squat set, not before.
Match your strength plan to your race season
Don't lift heavy the week before a big event. Periodize: 12 weeks of hypertrophy (8-12 reps) in the off-season, then 8 weeks of strength (3-5 reps), then 4 weeks of explosive work. Race season: one session at 3x3 at 85% keeps strength without fatigue. Skip deload? You'll plateau fast.
Common Mistakes
- Mistake
- Spending 45 minutes on leg extensions and leg curls because you think isolation work builds cycling power.
- Why
- Cycling is a full-body movement demanding trunk stability and hip drive. Isolation exercises don't train the force transmission chain that actually transfers power to the pedals.
- Fix
- Swap two isolation moves for deadlifts or split squats. Three sets of five heavy reps will do more for your sprint than twenty reps of leg extensions ever will.
- Mistake
- Stopping all strength training two weeks before race day because you're afraid of soreness.
- Why
- That's exactly when your body needs the stimulus to maintain force production. The soreness from a well-programmed session lasts 24-48 hours, not two weeks. Dropping lifts actually drops your power ceiling.
- Fix
- Keep one heavy lifting session five days before your event. Use the same load, just cut the volume by half.
- Mistake
- Always training both legs at once because it feels stronger and more stable.
- Why
- Cycling is single-leg dominant, and most riders have a 5-10% imbalance between legs. Bilateral squats let the strong leg compensate, hiding the weak leg's deficit and encouraging overuse injuries.
- Fix
- Add one set of Bulgarian split squats or pistol squats per leg after each main lift. Start with your weaker leg and match the reps with the stronger leg.
- Mistake
- Lifting on the same day as your longest ride and calling it a hard day.
- Why
- That combination taxes your nervous system and recovery capacity more than your muscles can adapt to. You're not overreaching productively. You're digging a hole that takes three days to climb out of.
- Fix
- Put your heavy leg day two days after your long ride. If that's not possible, do light, low-rep work (3x3 at 70%) on the same day as a short recovery spin.
From the Dorsi blog
One Strength Session a Week Is All Your Cycling Season Needs
The most quietly powerful finding in cycling strength research isn't about how to build power in winter. It's about how cheap it is to keep it through summer.
Strength Training Won't Raise Your VO2max. That's the Whole Point.
When the 2025 meta-analysis came out, cyclists kept reading it as bad news. Read it again — the part that looks like failure is the entire mechanism.
Lifting Won't Hurt Your Watts-per-Kilo. Thirty Years of Cyclist Studies Settle It.
Every climber's quiet fear: lift heavy, get heavy, lose your W/kg. Three decades of cycling RCTs say it doesn't happen — and once you see the mechanism, you'll know why.
Sources we drew from
- 1Strength training in the gym versus specific strength training on the bike in young off-road cyclists.Peer-reviewed
Vicari DSS et al. · 2026 · British medical bulletin
<h4>Background</h4>The benefits of strength training in cyclists are still a topic of debate.
- 2
Shona L. Halson · 2014 · Sports Medicine
Many athletes, coaches, and support staff are taking an increasingly scientific approach to both designing and monitoring training programs.
- 3
Arnstein Sunde et al. · 2010 · The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of maximal strength training on cycling economy (CE) at 70% of maximal oxygen consumption (Vo2max), work efficiency in cycling at 70% Vo2max, and time to exhaustion at maximal…
- 4
David J. Bishop et al. · 1999 · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of resistance training on endurance performance and selected muscle characteristics of female cyclists.
- 5
Jan Bastiaans et al. · 2001 · European Journal of Applied Physiology
The effects of replacing a portion of endurance training by explosive strength training on performance in trained cyclists
- 6
Büyükergün Kaplan A et al. · 2026 · Frontiers in sports and active living
<h4>Introduction</h4>This study investigated the effects of an eight-week pedal technique training program on functional threshold power (FTP), knee isokinetic strength, and bilateral strength symmetry in young cyclists.<h4>Methods</h4>Twe…
Just show up. Dorsi handles the rest.
- HRV-driven readiness — today's plan adapts to how recovered you actually are.
- Adapts every session — no decision fatigue, no second-guessing your numbers.
- Apple Watch native — log a set with your wrist, not your phone.