Quick reason why to use bodyweight squats in a warm up or before a ride: Improvements in groin tightness and pain: The adductors, or groin muscles, are the antagonists to the powerful hip external rotators such as the gluteal muscles. When the adductors are tight this causes a powerful restriction to the amount of activation which can be generated by the gluteal muscles. Any restriction to the amount of activation by the gluteals will lead to a situation where the hamstrings and lower back must compensate to generate force. This compensation is a negative consequence to the muscular tightness of the groin and leads to these muscles becoming overworked and eventually dysfunctional and painful. Properly done squats leads to ideal agonist/antagonist function between the groin and the gluteals. #cyclingstrength #cycling #athletedevelopment #highperformance #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrengthcoach

Here’s part two. If you don’t have a foam roller - anything that’s a cylinder shape will do. Even a 2 litre bottle of water as an example! #cyclingstrength #cycling #athletedevelopment #highperformance #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrengthcoach

Try these movements as part of your warm up before using some weighted exercises. Also great movements to use after long periods of sitting 💪#cyclingstrength #cycling #athletedevelopment #highperformance #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrengthcoach

Excellent for building lower body strength, as well as improving lower back stabilisation, a deadlift is an excellent exercise to learn for cyclists. #cyclingstrength #cycling #athletedevelopment #highperformance #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrengthcoach

💥FREE BLOG!💥 Want to learn more about strength training for cycling? Why not check out our free resources. It brings together all of the info you need to design your own programme. Like the content, but want someone to take care of it for you? DM us for coaching options, spaces available. 💪💪 #cyclingstrength #cycling #cyclingperformance #athletedevelopment #highperformance #strengthtraining #cyclingstrengthcoach #gym #strength #core #watts

Enhance cycling performance with loaded countermovement jumps! 🚴‍♂️💥 Research shows that these explosive movements can improve power and speed (Cormie et al., 2011). Perfect for advanced-level athletes looking for programme variation or improved power production. #CyclingPerformance #StrengthTraining #LoadedJumps #FitnessResearch #RideStrong”

Although the use of a power or hang clean is not commonly incorporated in concurrent strength and endurance training literature, 2 recent practical review papers have recommended the inclusion of these exercises because they focus on posterior chain muscles that are used during endurance events and have a strong training transfer effect. Furthermore, a power or hang clean can improve hip extension RFD while also improving upper body strength. If the athlete finds the power or hang clean movement too complex, this may be regressed to a triple extension movement through the lower limbs and an emphasis must be placed on managing the load appropriately. Baldwin et. al. (2022). Strength Training for Long-Distance Triathletes: Theory to Practice. Journal of strength and conditioning research. VOLUME 44 | NUMBER 1 | FEBRUARY 2022 . . . #cycling #cyclingstrength #cleans #power#cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingcoach #preseason#performance #hangclean

“Boosting grip strength and lifting confidence with gym straps! 🏋️‍♂️ Perfect for heavy pulls and maxing out your gains without slipping. Keep focused, lift smart, and push beyond your limits. #GymHacks #StrengthTraining #LiftingStraps #FitnessGoals #GymLife 💪✨” #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingstrength #gym #gymmotivation

Turning up the heat with the landmine press! 💪 An epic combo of shoulder and core power, this move is all about stability and strength. Balance that barbell at one end, engage those muscles, and press for glory. #FitnessJourney #StrengthTraining #CyclingStrengthCoach #coreworkout #core #core #cycling #cyclingstrength #gym #gymmotivation

Cyclists! Here’s three plyometric progressions to add power to your quads and glutes: 1. Single leg unloaded 2. Single leg plate loaded (at chest level for stability) 3. Single leg with overhead press (for core stability integration) The aim is to produce a max leg drive each rep. Keep repetitions low for maintaining high quality. #cyclingstrength #strengthtutorial #athletedevelopment #highperformance #cycling #strength #glutes #quads #core

Cyclists! Goblet squat tutorial… Enjoy.

Split squat time!

#splitsquat #squats #glutes #quads #cycling #gym #strength #athletedevelopment #cyclingperformance #highperformance #fitnessmotivation #fitnesstips #fitnesslife

#cyclingstrength #athletedevelopment #highperformance #cyclingperformance #cycling #strength #strengthtraining

Front Squat! For bespoke coaching, DM for more info 💪 #cycling #strength #coach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #core#training #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #back #backworkout #squat

CYCLISTS! Squat tutorial 💪

If you want to cycle faster, don’t worry about planks, do strength training 🦿🦿💥 . https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/original_article/pdf/241264/20240530-14870-1ysvutk.pdf . Cyclingstrengthcoach.me

I’ve been quiet on here, but PhD’s are tough!

Great morning out at @ridelondon. Picked up a good group and didn’t stop. Such a fast course!

Fantastic trip to Girona. Same again next year please!

The Olympic lift, known as the Snatch is a great tool to be able to utilise. Not only is it incredibly impressive for other gym-uses to marvel over, it’s also useful for helping to develop power. Being able to produce force quickly (develop power) is useful for accelerating or climbing. This means you’re able to lay down more watts when needed and also make efforts easier (or make others suffer more). Whilst it looks easy in the video, please be sure to learn these movements with a qualified professional. If it goes wrong, the result can be significant. Always better to be safe than sorry. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #snatch #power #strengthandconditioning

Programming Variables… Sets: How repetitions are grouped together for each exercise, followed by a rest period. This would typically involve between 2-6 sets. The lower the sets, the higher the load, or possibly a lighter loading week before competition. More sets are usually associated to trying to increase the capability of the muscles to deal with volume or to cause muscle damage in order to produce adaptations. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #trek #Silver #shimano #love #instagood #fashion #coreexercise #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #core #coreworkout

Programming Variables: Repetitions: Or ‘Reps’… The number of times you consecutively perform an movement without a rest. Typically, the number of repetitions will depend upon the weight that you're using. For instance, a larger weight will be able to be lifted less (low reps) than a lighter weight (High reps). Usually, this number will be less than 15, however can be as high as 25 if muscular endurance is the goal. In many cases, it’s better to lift heavier for less reps, because muscular endurance is built on the bike, so use other muscle fibers to support those one’s by getting stronger. To do this, lift heavier loads. See our blogs and programmes for more info. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #trek #Silver #shimano #love #instagood #fashion #coreexercise #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training

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Programming Terms: Isolation Movements Using one joint such as a calf raise or a bicep curl. Useful for building strength in areas that are weaker than others when performing sport. An example could be the glutes for lower limb performance, which in many cases don’t always activate effectively. Examples above could be a machine or cable type machine. . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #trek #Silver #shimano #love #instagood #fashion #coreexercise #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training

Programming Terms: Compound Movements… Using more than one joint, such as a squat or shoulder press. These movements are generally more effective at building strength for sports as they usually replicate the movement pattern required within the sport. Examples can be seen above in the back squat and deadlift.

FREE!! The aim of the game for us is to ensure we provide for all levels and ages of cyclists. Bearing this in mind, we would like to give this free download to you. See the link in the bio for more info 💪 . . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #trek #Silver #shimano #love #instagood #fashion #coreexercise #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling

Typically finding ways to add Bodyweight pulling exercises to your programmes is challenging. Chest and shoulder pushing exercises are easy! Pulling - not so much. I’ve had lots of success with athletes using this one. Keep the tempo slow, don’t rush and pull hard, it’s a difficult exercise but produces some excellent improvements in strength, core stability and in some cases muscle size. Check out or coaching options for more info. . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #trek #Silver #shimano #love #instagood #fashion #coreexercise #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #back #backworkout

Here’s some more advanced core stability exercises to try. These one’s start to encourage control with some movement. Give them a go! . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #trek #Silver #shimano #love #instagood #fashion #coreexercise #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #core #coreworkout

The Cossack Squat is great for overloading single leg and also for producing better mobility around the hip and ankle. It also requires good core control to keep your body upright. If it’s too challenging, use arms out front for balance and lift foot off the floor so you rotate onto your heel on your balance leg. Keep your working leg foot flat on the floor. #Like for more! . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #trek #Silver #shimano #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #glutes #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #quads #quadworkout

Here’s some core exercises for you to try 💪 . . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training

Prisoner Squat! A great variation of a back squat that helps to teach athletes to keep their torso up. This is really important for squatting, because it means that the load on your shoulders is being supported by your spinal segments equally, rather than overloading your lower back. This can happen if there’s an excessive lean forward when squatting down. Give them a try! . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #quads #quadworkout

Single leg good mornings! How many cyclists consider hamstring strength in order to go fast? Here’s one way to increase peak power output. Here’s a few terms to Google: Anatagonostic pairs Length-tension relationships Firing rate & patterns (To name a few) Want to learn? Hit the link in the bio and read our FREE blogs. Learn to programme for free, based on sound scientific principles. . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #hammies #hamstrings #gainz #hamstringworkout

Loaded split squats for the win! It’s off season, so time to make some size gains before adding strength and power in January to march. Added to this are zone 3/4/5 efforts of varying length. A calorie surplus is important at the moment to ensure appropriate recovery & adaptation. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #training #gym #squats #splitsquat #splitsquats

Single Leg Focus Exercises. A great way to progress the difficulty of an exercise is to progress to single leg work. Not only does it increase the load by 50%, but it also helps activate more muscles and promotes balance. Eccentric loading and jumping further add intensity. Add weight to progress further. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #quads #quadworkout

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Glute Activation Exercises. Research has shown that the glute muscles can become less active due to lack of use on a daily basis (from sitting down, sedentary jobs) or not using them effectively when performing exercise (not getting in to a deep enough hip angle, or running as part of your sport). Use these exercises at the start of your gym training programme or even before a cycle ride to make the most out of your muscle mass, spreading the load over more muscles and generating more force, You don’t have to squat low to get glute activation, use glute bridges or hip thrusts instead. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #gymtraining #training #glutes #glutesworkout

Bodyweight back exercises are pretty difficult to be honest. These are a few examples I use with my athletes. Increasing your back strength is important to even out any training your using for your chest/shoulders to promote good upper body posture, therefore preventing shoulder impingements or stress on certain muscles. Equally, a strong back helps to prevent excess upper body movements that ‘leak’ energy into the pedals. Give them a try! . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #training #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling

Push up progressions! Maintaining a strong upper body and core is crucial for applying maximum force to the pedals without any 'leaks' or loss of energy. Equally, being able to move your body around the bike is useful for holding positions in a bunch or when cornering. . . . #pushup #gymexercises #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling

SPLIT SQUAT: If you’re looking to add some single-leg focus to your programme, or want to overload your muscles a little more, this exercise is for you. Aimed at focussing on one leg at a time, you should feel the weight through your front leg. No need to touch your rear knee to the floor, this can lead to injury. It’s also great as part of your warm up before a weighted split squat to emphasise good body posture and to remind you of which muscles you should feel working. Also, because of the split position, it helps to engage your core muscles and promote balance and control 💪 . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #gym #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #splitsquat

Bodyweight Squat: A great exercise for movement preparation, or to check your flexibility before loading the exercise. It can allow you to identify ‘tight’ tissues and areas to work on, or can help to reinforce a good movement pattern. Equally, if you have no equipment, some quality sets can add to strength improvements. Check out the Bodyweight programme, link in bio ☝️ . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling

Here’s part 1 of the body weight warm up. These movements are useful for not just warming up muscles, but also to activate muscles and try to reduce imbalances that can occur from cycling or due to your job. Make sure the movements are controlled and focus on the working muscles 💪 . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling

Here’s part 2 of the body weight warm up. These movements are useful for not just warming up muscles, but also to activate muscles and try to reduce imbalances that can occur from cycling or due to your job. Make sure the movements are controlled and focus on the working muscles 💪 . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #love #instagood #fashion #photooftheday #beautiful #art #photography #happy #picoftheday #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling

ATHLETE SPECIFIC TRAINING PT3: Changing emphasis to a higher load that is moved quickly (as possible) for high power output events is much more effective at developing a better distribution of fast twitch muscle fibres, as well as benefiting from the neuromuscular and tendon developments. This would be useful to begin with for sprinters, or short events such as criterium's. Equally, this is useful to progress to for trained endurance athletes who have developed their endurance muscle capacity. Activating more muscle fibres in this way means more working muscle to be used. (In case you are wondering, it is a conversion of the now activated Type IIx fibres to more fatigue resistant Type IIA fibres) For clarity, I aim for 4 sets of 2-8 reps at approximately 80%+ of your 1-Rep Maximum for strength/power development In most cases, the exercises can be the same. All that changes is the number of repetitions, sets and therefore the load. The exception to this would be max power cycling events that require you to pull on the handlebars in order to push on the pedals with more force such as track cycling. I would integrate more upper body pulling exercises, too. In case there is any doubt, concurrent endurance and strength training has been shown to : Increase cycling speed Increase power output Improve cycling economy Have no detrimental effect onVo2 Max Strengthen tendons. Finally, you may experience muscle soreness (known as DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness), but this is normal and just how your body helps to show you how much is enough. In most cases, the amount and severity will reduce after about a month to 6 weeks of consistent training. . . . #squats #strengthandconditioning #strength #strengthtraining #womenscycling #uciworldtour #worldcycling #strongbody #strengthandendurance #strengthcoach #ucicontinental #variables #cyclinguk #cyclingphotos #glutebridge #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclinglife #freeknowledge #cyclist #ridefast #programming #baaw #ucicycling #roadcycling #cyclingstrength #strengthforendurance #athleticdevelopment

Once a good base of strength is achieved, you can then start to break up the training to mirror your event. ----------------- "AS A COACH, I WOULD ALWAYS RECOMMEND TO GET STRONG BEFORE GETTING SPECIFIC – EVEN IF IT MEANS NOT BEING IN GREAT SHAPE FOR THE NEXT EVENT, THAT’S A SACRIFICE THAT SHOULD BE MADE FOR LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT." ----------------- I imagine that most people reading this article would participate in endurance rides, such as 2-3 hours and around 50-100km. To begin with, the aim is to learn good movement patterning, activate other muscle fibres than those used within endurance events and also as a bonus deal with lactate more effectively. To do this, higher repetitions with a resultant lighter load will be more beneficial. As a guide, 3 sets of 12 reps at approximately 40% of your 1-Rep Maximum weight to begin with. There should be plenty of reps left in the tank at the end of the set. As progress is made, it is unlikely that high repetition strength training will have the same level of benefit as it once did. Your slow twitch muscles have started to reach a ceiling in terms of fatigue resistance and you are lifting a heavy weight (relative to your body weight) for a high number or repetitions. #cyclinguk #athletedevelopment #procycling #cyclingstrengthcoach #strongbody #strengthandendurance #womenscycling #ucicontinental #worldcycling #uciworldtour #cyclingperformance #strengthandconditioning #cycling #cyclingphotos #squats #strength #strengthcoach #variables #glutebridge #strengthtraining #cyclinglife #freeknowledge #cyclist #ridefast #programming #baaw #cyclocross

ATHLETE SPECIFIC STRENGTH PT 1 Now that the event type is covered, we can focus on training for the athlete. If you are new to strength training, the aim of the game here is to get strong and develop a good base to work from. For instance, lifting between 1 to 1.5x body weight in a range of multi-joint (or compound) exercises like back squat or deadlift for 2-3 repetitions should be your goal. To achieve this it can take anywhere from one month to several, depending on your previous training history and how often you put strength training sessions into your weekly plan. 2-3 would be ideal when the season finishes because cycling sessions are automatically shorter. You could do a strength and cycle session in the same day, taking up the same time as a summer ride, possibly. During the season, replace some (1-2) of the cycling sessions with strength sessions. To make progress, you need to strength train year-round. As a push (in case you needed it) the vast majority (approx. 95%!) of research on this topic has found a much bigger benefit of concurrent training (mixing cycling and strength training) than cycling alone. The main benefit of being strong is that because your maximum strength is so large, the effects of an activity on your body are much less, so recovery is faster and performance can be maintained for longer. Essentially, your efficiency has improved. REFER TO PIC 2 FOR AN EXAMPLE . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

TASK SPECIFIC STRENGTH PT 3: The third energy system available to us bridges the gap between immediate energy (ATP-CP system) and long-term energy (Oxidative/Aerobic system). This is where the body uses the bi-product of the breakdown of glucose in moderate intensity exercise (lactic acid) to continue to fuel performance. This is called the Lactic Acid, or Anaerobic energy system. - This happens when you’re consuming as much oxygen as possible, but it’s still not enough to maintain exercise intensity. The waste product of the breakdown of glucose for energy without oxygen to help clear away the bi-product is known as lactic acid. - Generally, this happens when your cycling above your functional threshold power, and it's why an FTP test exists. The purpose of this test is to work out a maximal power output that doesn't require you to dip into your anaerobic (without oxygen) energy system and therefore produce lactic acid, as this isn't sustainable. - You’ll know when you’re using this system because of the burning sensation in your legs when sprinting or climbing hard for a period of time. A bit like a mountain-top finish at Le Tour de France - Hopefully this graph helps to explain this overlap in energy systems…. . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

TASK SPECIFIC STRENGTH PT2: Track athletes require to use muscle fibres that produce lots of force quickly (these are known as fast twitch or Type II fibres), which also tire (or fatigue) faster than slow twitch Type I muscle fibres. The endurance athlete requires more focus on muscle fibers that can repeat muscle contractions at the same intensity again and again without getting tired (known as slow twitch, Type I fibres). Genetically, we have a predisposition towards one type or the other, which is what makes us naturally better at speed or distance events. Through training, we can further emphasize, or even change this distribution to improve our performance. See diagram.. Along with this is how the muscle fibres produce energy. The more energy-producing cells within our muscle fibres (known as mitochondria) there is, the faster we can produce energy to continue performance at the same level of intensity. These cells take carbohydrate and break them down into glucose. They are then further broken down into a substance known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The breakdown of ATP to ADP (adenosine diphosphate) is what our bodies need to produce movement. Mitochondria are more extensive in slow-twitch Type I fibres (known as the oxidative or aerobic energy system). Fast twitch fibres are able to store more of the substance that helps to replenish ADP to ATP quickly. This substance is known as Creatine Phosphate - you'll no doubt have heard of creatine as a supplement. It helps to fuel hugely intense forms of exercise that require lots of force, like sprint events, by replacing the lost phosphate from ADP back to a more usable ATP molecule very quickly. This energy system is known as the ATP-CP system. Storage of creatine within muscles is limited and can’t be maintained for very long. This will lead to a reduction in power output and speed eventually, usually around the 10-second mark. The process of energy production by mitochondria is too slow and requires lots of oxygen, so by the time its producing energy, the event is probably over. Think of it as a Diesel engine - it takes a while to warm up, but can go forever.

Tough one tonight at the HHCC Hilly Time Trial. 3rd overall, and quickest up the beacon by 21 seconds. Turns out a road bike isn’t fast enough on the flats against a TT bike. Happy to be out cycling in the sunshine, though 💪 . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

TASK-SPECIFIC STRENGTH PT1 Defining the parameters of the task that you are training for is crucial. This helps you to understand how to manipulate variables to achieve the best outcome. For a cyclist, the most effective way is probably to work out the average power output required relative to your maximum. This can be done by estimating the length of the event: 1-minute, 5-minutes, 20 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hours+. For these events It might be easier to look at the duration of the event, and then the number of peak power outputs throughout (for accelerations or climbs as examples). There are others such as ultra-endurance (LEJOG, RAAM as examples), however it depends on how they are ridden. They may fall into one of the other categories. It certainly did when I was in charge of strategy and training for my 8-man RAAM team. Equally, it should be noted that within team races, a sprinter will train differently to a domestique or climber. I would expect a sprinter to lift heavy loads because I want them to produce high power outputs at the end of a stage to win the race. The reason that it’s important to estimate how much power (for the majority of the event) is required compared to maximum is because the more power required, the more maximal strength is important. The longer event the less power in comparison to maximum is needed. This can determine the amount of load and number of repetitions that can be used. As an example, an UCI tour rider won’t ride at their functional threshold power (FTP) throughout the 4-5 hours spent racing in a day. A good visual example of this is the difference in size of the legs of track sprinters in comparison to UCI World Tour Teams (with the exception of the sprinters to a certain extent). To produce more force which is required in sprint events, more muscle mass and also strength is required. By virtue of being able to produce so much force, a much higher power output can be reached. Check back soon for Part 2! #ridefast#cyclist #cyclingphotos #squats #cycling #strengthcoach #strength #freeknowledge #cyclinglife #variables #ucicontinental #strongbody #procycling #glutebridge #strengthtraining #cyclingstrengthcoach

HILLY TT tonight so an opportunity to ride this one 🔥❤️ Mainly because I don’t fancy riding a 58T chainring up a massive hill 🥵🥵 . . . . #ridefast #strengthtraining #strengthcoach #cycling #athletedevelopment #cyclist #cyclinguk #strength #cyclingphotos #strengthandendurance #squats #programming #baaw

Race Day! Time has been at a premium the last few months, so long rides are pretty much not an option. So I thought I’d race the club 10 TT’s instead this season, and it’s been excellent fun! Training sessions are short (but painful) and gym sessions have a structured purpose and I get to ride my bike as fast as possible. #winning Here’s my rig that I built up over the last couple of months. What do you think?? @cervelo @envecomposites @vittoriatires @shimanoroad @fizikofficial 58T chainring - in case you’re wondering 🤪

INDIVIDUALISATION PT 5: Finally comes Gender. Since the physiology of muscle in males and females is the same, there is no real reason that they should be trained differently. Training programmes should therefore be designed to improve the performance of the muscles used, regardless of gender. There are two main differences between males and females, which are absolute strength and time taken to see muscle size increases. Female absolute strength is lower than males, by about one third. This is mainly to do with upper body strength, the lower body strength between genders is very similar – good news for cyclists. Because of a difference in anabolic hormone levels, hypertrophy can take longer and require more training sessions to produce muscle mass in females than males. Again, carrying muscle mass isn’t particularly important for most cyclists (except for certain track athletes) so again, on the whole, nothing to worry about. Finally, taking menstrual cycles into consideration is important for understanding how to plan sessions within different phases of the monthly cycle to best maximise performance increases. Considering when hormones peak and ligament laxity is heightened could be an important factor to incorporate at the elite end of the training spectrum. #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

INDIVIDUALISATION PT4: Age shouldn’t always be considered with training history. I’ve coached 10 year olds with longer training histories than 30 year olds. However it does help to form a good idea about the opportunities in terms of training time available and other commitments. Youth athletes are extremely complex and depending on the stage of maturity there are a number of elements to consider. Some are bone and muscle growth, testosterone (or lack of) and the response of training to muscle development or cardio improvement. How can we maximise potential in different phases of growth?? Within cycling, there are much less opportunities for injury than in other sports but form and technique are no less important to teach good movement patterns at a young age – these are lifelong skills. Equally, as we age, muscle strength and bone density decreases, recovery takes longer and maximal heart rate reduces. However, it’s unequivocal that both strength training and cardio exercise are important to living longer. There’s a lot to consider! If you would like more info on either youth or older adult training, please comment below and I’ll write some specific articles. Next we’ll look at the effects gender has on programme design and consider expectations can sometimes not match reality (in both good and bad ways). #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

INDIVIDUALISATION PT 3: Along with training history probably goes movement efficiency. An athlete that has been coached from a young age (or for a considerable time) *should* have a greater range of skills when it comes to movement. This means that more exercise choices can be available, meaning a more varied programme can be applied. Examples could be split squats, Olympic lifts or jumping exercises, versus more conventional leg press, smith machine squat or body weight lunges. Variety can useful for increasing adherence and reducing boredom. I say *should* because some athletes stay away from exercises or movements that they don’t like. This can ultimately become a stumbling block down the road. Next comes injury. Considering past injuries and how the athlete now functions can guide and help choose exercises, or movements. This may be a reason why the athlete took up cycling in the first place, so be sure to factor that in. Also consider if any further improvements can be made to a previous injury. Was a rehab programme completed effectively, and can any large limitations be reduced with some attention? #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

INDIVIDUALISATION PT 2: Knowing enough about training principles to understand the general concepts of another athlete’s training programme and applying some of the concepts to your own training can be useful. But if you don’t understand it, don’t use it – simple as that. Equally, taking an average programme that you’ve seen within a magazine and applying it will provide average results. Do you want to be average, or do you want to be the best version you can be? Individualization of training will optimise results and enhance the desired adaptation to a training protocol. Bearing that in mind, here are the components to consider to properly construct an individualised plan: 1. Training history 2. Movement efficiency/literacy 3. Injury 4. Age 5. Gender Let’s explain these points. An athlete’s training history can determine the amount of training volume that they can tolerate. An athlete with a long and varied training history (without big gaps) can deal with a larger and more varied training programme. For instance 5+ sessions per week. This is important as it means that recovery can occur quicker, and training can be harder without causing too much damage. A beginner athlete doesn’t need this complexity to cause improvement – so keep it simple in this case. 3 sessions would be enough. #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

INDIVIDUALISATION PT 1: All athletes are different, with varying training history and therefore varying levels of response to a training stimulus. For instance, the athlete who has never trained for bigger muscles will see large improvements from a very basic hypertrophy programme, whereas the seasoned professional requires much more rigorous stimulus for small improvements. Essentially the distance to the training ceiling is much smaller. There’s always the temptation to re-create the training programme of an athlete that you admire. Generally, these will prove unsuccessful for a number of reasons, which I will explain throughout. What’s important to understand about re-creating a programme is that any form of training will show good levels of improvement in an untrained athlete (so why do something really hard?). However, the volume and amount of loading of an elite level programme will sooner or later lead to injury or burnout. It’s just not sustainable. #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

SPECIFICITY PART 3: A useful acronym to employ when determining which exercises (or indeed training style) to use is the S.A.I.D principle. It stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. Essentially, your body will adapt to the demand placed upon it. So over time, lifting heavy will improve strength and lots of sets and short rest can improve size. In terms of cycling, repeated 20-second max efforts will improve lactate tolerance etc… Another important consideration when employing specificity is to evaluate what part of the season you’re in. Options are pre-season, in-season, post-season and off-season. As an athlete transitions through these phases, the training can be more or less specific. If the aim is just to get strong for the season ahead, compound (multi-joint) movements such as a deadlift or squat might be perfect. Transitioning into the pre-season, this might change to elevated split squat and stiff leg deadlift, or even utilizing jumping exercises to increase velocity (speed) of the limbs. This is because the preparation is developing from a generalised training through to a more organised sport-specific programme. . . . #athletedevelopment #cyclinguk #cycling #variables #freeknowledge #cyclinglife #strongbody #procycling #strengthandendurance #performance #cyclingphotos #cyclingperformance #training #programming #ridefast #uciworldtour #cyclist #ucicontinental #strength #preevent #strengthtraining

SPECIFICITY PART 2: Knowing the muscles being used enables the coach to then start to determine exercises with similarities that would benefit cycling performance. It should also be recognised that each leg tends to work opposite to the alternate leg (one pushing and one pulling, or trying to push and pull a circle). Therefore single-leg exercises that push and pull would be beneficial. This is useful, as there is the theory of Bilateral Deficit that can be utilised to benefit performance further. To briefly explain – you can jump more than half of your double leg jump height on one leg. This is because your body activates more muscle fibres in single leg exercises. So, by using single leg exercises in training, it’s theoretically possible to produce bigger effects than using double leg exercises alone. That’s not to say that you should only do single leg work. Generally, the maximum weight you can lift will be on two legs, so variation is the key here. . . . #womenscycling #uciworldtour #cyclinguk #cyclingperformance #strongbody #strongbody #procycling #strengthandendurance #athletedevelopment #variables #freeknowledge #nutritionist #nutritionistapproved #programming #cyclingphotos #cyclinglife #cyclist #cycling #performance #training #ridefast #strength #preevent #strengthtraining #getstrongridebikesfast #cyclingphotosofinstagram #squats #strengthcoach

SPECIFICITY PT. 1 The term ‘specificity’ within training is where an athlete is trained in a particular manner to produce a certain adaptation or training outcome. For instance, this could be where you are training for a 10-mile time trial. There would be little or no benefit from training longer than the event. Alternatively, it could be that you are struggling with climbing – so increase your training volume of hill reps. When applying specificity to resistance training, it’s important to ensure that we are choosing exercises that use the muscles that are also prevalent within cycling. Equally, it’s important to understand the movement pattern and the muscle action (for instance speed or force application of an exercise). However, that doesn’t mean that a replication of the cycling movement is performed in the gym. A squat is a fundamental exercise for improving jump height – but the exercises don’t particularly look the same. For instance, the speed of movement, displacement and force required are very different. But the movement pattern and extra force required for a squat link nicely to jumping. FOR MORE INFO, LINK IN BIO ☝️ . . #strengthandconditioning #ucicontinental #strengthandendurance #strongbody #cyclingperformance #cyclinguk #worldcycling #athleticdevelopment #womenscycling #strengthforendurance #strengthandpower #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclocross #athletedevelopment #ucicycling #roadcycling #cyclingstrength #highperformance #procycling #uciworldtour #variables #freeknowledge #nutritionist #nutritionistapproved #programming #cyclist #cycling #performance

HYDRATION Hydration is a big issue in high intensity, or long lasting events such as cycling. To know how much fluid to drink to ensure you are fully re-hydrated, weigh yourself before and after your ride. Whatever weight you have lost, you need to consume this back in water. For example, if you are 1 kg lighter after your ride, you need to consume 1 L of water (1000g=1000ml). There is no rush to drink this – consume it gradually over several hours post exercise. Some research suggests you should consume 1.5x the weight lost instead of 1x weight lost, but you can trial both methods and see how you feel. Generally, a larger focus on hydration needs to be made if the ride was particularly long or hot, when sweat rates are higher. Electrolyte drinks are also helpful here, in some cases they re-hydrate better than water itself and help to replenish the salts that are lost through sweat. Gels and sports drinks all have a specific balance of this, but if you want a cheaper alternative, add a little sugar and small amount of salt to some water! . See our nutrition blogs by @katpaice for more info. Link in bio ☝️ . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

PROTEIN & CARBS… The most obvious focus for recovery nutrition is protein. Predictably, if you damage the proteins, consuming more proteins helps to rebuild and repair them. However, proteins are more effective when consumed with carbohydrates (think high glycemic index foods, which are easily broken down, such as white bread or rice or some sweets). - It seems it doesn’t necessarily matter what the amount or ratio of the nutrient is, as long as there is some of both. Studies have used 25-55g protein and 8-50g carbohydrate, all with relatively equal improvements to recovery. . Click link in bio for more info ☝️ . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning #nutrition #protein #carbs

MY PROGRESS… Although my programme varies, I just looked back and I’m at the same point of training as I was 8 months ago. I’m getting towards a peak in my training in the next 6 weeks. I weight train 2x p/week I use trainerroad 2x p/week I ride outside 1x p/week From June 2021-March 2022 my bodyweight has maintained relatively consistently at 79-81kg. I could probably do with dropping 5kg, but I’ve been focussed on strength, meaning if anything, a calorie surplus. my FTP has increased from 276-299 (I think I’ve got 300+ in the tank for the next test). So that’s 3.45 w/kg to 3.74w/kg at an average 80kg bodyweight. Click across to see how my weights have progressed 👉 Remember, I’m no heavier. But I’m a bit stronger and that’s positively effected my FTP and therefore performance on the road. Weight training helps cycling. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

POST TRAINING NUTRITION Training doesn’t make us better at cycling. In fact, cycling (or any exercise for that matter) makes us worse. Exercise is taxing on the body, using up energy and inhibiting muscle growth. Training only allows us to improve when we appropriately fuel for recovery, allowing our muscles to repair, grow and become more resilient. Learn more from the links in bio ☝️ #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

NEW BLOG!! @katpaice has added a recovery article to the CSC website. Give it a read if you get chance - lots of excellent information that’s easy to apply for improved performance 🍲 . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #cyclinglife #squats #power #nutrition #recovery #recoverwell #nutritioncoach #nutritiontips

Who’s riding this weekend?? It’s dry and sunny, let’s gggoooooooo!!!!!! . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

SPECIFICITY: The term ‘specificity’ within training is where an athlete is trained in a particular manner to produce a certain adaptation or training outcome. For instance, this could be where you are training for a 10-mile time trial. There would be little or no benefit from training longer than the event. Alternatively, it could be that you are struggling with climbing – so increase your training volume of hill reps. When applying specificity to resistance training, it’s important to ensure that we are choosing exercises that use the muscles that are also prevalent within cycling. (That’s one of my bikes and I think it’s awesome). . More info, link in bio ☝️ . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Easy week of training, massively needed from last few weeks. I’ve been having a gruller…. - Also started playing around with #HRV for tracking fatigue and recovery. Will report back 👌 . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Hurry up, better weather… . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning #trek #topbike

Accommodation Part 3: In terms of the muscular system – a movement or exercise only uses a certain percentage of a muscle (known as muscle fibres), not the whole muscle. Why not? you might ask… Generally, this is because it doesn’t need to, and equally – you’re not strong enough to activate them. Let’s look at it on the graph (pic 2). The line indicates the performance gain over time of either an exercise, or a training programme type (so, a barbell back squat or repeated lactate efforts) or the training load used. You’ll see that it starts off going great, but reduces as more sessions are completed. That doesn't mean that you have to change the exercise all the time - it just means that you should expect a decrease in the effectiveness of the SAME programme over a prolonged period of time (say, 8-12 weeks). This is totally normal and helps to indicate that a change in the programme might be in order. It's known as the Principle of Diminishing returns. This might require a subtle change such as the repetitions used, the weight lifted or a more significant change, such as with the exercise used. This could be changing from a front squat to back squat, or variations of a deadlift as examples. Beginner athletes will have significant improvements from a change in exercise. Whilst a seasoned professional or elite athlete will still have an improvement, but it will be small in comparison. Typically, the time period for this to occur for reps and sets is between 4-6 weeks before progressions slow. Generally this is due to your body's nerve and muscle fibres becoming used to that type of training, and have streamlined the response. So, by applying a different stimulus (heaver weights, different reps and sets, or a different duration intensity) that response will push back up on the scale. The important part to remember is that the exercise can stay the same until you’ve squeezed all the juice out of it. For more info & programmes, link in bio ☝️ . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Accommodation Part 2: As we train at a specific intensity or use a specific exercise for a period of time the effectiveness of it reduces. To give you an example, think about how you felt after your first espresso… Probably ready to conquer the Stelvio Pass. But do you still get the same effect now as you did then? Maybe it’s a little reduced – or maybe you have 2-3 espresso’s before you get the same feeling. This is because your body has adjusted to the effects of the caffeine. Turning our attention to weight training, when a new movement pattern is introduced, the nervous system learns which muscles to activate and when (known as recruitment and rate coding). To begin with, it’s common to notice large jumps in the weight that can be lifted, or the number of repetitions completed. This is the brain learning how to generate more force from available muscle. As training progresses and the load being lifted gets towards a maximum, increases slow down and rate of progression reduces. This is because the nervous system is using all available nerves and signals are being sent to the muscles as fast as possible. An example of this would be a back squat. The first couple of weeks show large percentage jumps in weight. However, over time, those jumps get smaller and improvement becomes more difficult to achieve. This is totally normal, but it’s likely that you have ‘accommodated’ to that exercise. . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Accommodation, Part 1: Are things getting a little too easy? Now that we understand the principles of adaptation and overload, we can now look at how and when to change our programme to get the best results. The saying ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ should be applied here. Over my time as a strength coach, I’ve seen hundreds of programmes from students. When they start out, one similarity between them is that they try to include every exercise that they have ever seen…. Maybe this it to show their knowledge of exercises, or possibly because they think greater variety leads to greater results. In any case, don’t get carried away with making it look flashy, make it usable. Here’s some examples of why an exercise should be changed: 1. The athlete doesn’t like it 2. The athlete still can’t perform it safely, following coaching (range of motion/previous injury issues/not strong enough in certain areas etc…) 3. Facility/equipment changes force an adaptation to programming 4. The athlete is no longer getting performance improvements from that exercise. Link in bio for more info ☝️ . . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Overload should go hand in hand with adaptation – if training is to be effective. Overload is what happens when you apply a stimulus to the body above what it is accustomed to. The reason that it’s important to your improvement is because we need to track it in order to ensure that we apply just enough to improve, and not too much to cause issues. A bit like the Goldilocks principle – get it just right! Overload is concerned with the magnitude (or size) of training load. In order for improvements to be made, we need to ensure that it’s above your habitual level. For example, if you want to ride a century, you’ll probably increase the distance you ride each week leading up to the event. This is known as progressive overload. Let’s say you can already ride a century, your overload comes by increasing the speed at which you complete it. You would overload via intensity of effort in order to improve your time. Within the gym scenario, once a weight becomes easy to lift, you need to increase the weight to continue to cause improvements. Check our links for more info ☝️ . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #overload #power #strengthandconditioning

Adaptation is your body’s reaction to a stimulus. That stimulus can be from many sources, such as a type or intensity of training. For example – if you begin to incorporate more high intensity efforts regularly within your training, it’s likely that over time you would start to create a better tolerance to the build up of lactate within your muscles. Equally, if you start some strength training, this will provide benefit for a time until your body 'adapts' to the load. This is where weighted exercise becomes important. Using an external load will cause you to continue to adapt and not plateau. Read more in our blog articles, link in bio☝️ . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Pre Event Nutrition Part 4: The last meal... The final meal before an event is your final opportunity to optimise your glycogen stores and to settle your stomach. No one wants to race feeling hungry or too full. As before, avoid high fibre or high fat foods which may upset digestive systems and take a long time to digest. Focus on 1-4g per kg of bodyweight of carbohydrates in your pre-event meal at within 1-4 hours of the beginning of the race. Eating carbohydrates within an hour of racing may cause excessive utilisation of carbohydrates, causing them to be used up too quickly. Cereal and fruit, crumpets and honey, baked potatoes or sandwiches on white bread are suitable options pre-event. For those who struggle to eat early in the day or who suffer from pre-event nerves, smoothies or meals blended into soups may help with adequate food consumption. Also consider the importance of hydration. Carbohydrates store water with them, which means we must drink more when consuming high volumes. Before a race, drink plenty of water a reasonable amount of time before the event, so that you have time to visit the toilet before start line, which takes about 30-60 minutes. Easing back on the hydration in the hour before the event may reduce the need to go during the race. More info from amazing @katpaice Link in bio ☝️ . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Sometimes, squatting positions can be uncomfortable, or you might just want a change of exercise in your programming. The deadlift is a good alternative to use. Plus, you can load the bar heavier than you would do in a squat movement pattern. Therefore the overload can be greater, and that’s always good. Although I use an overhand grip in this example, you can also use a mixed grip (one overhand one underhand) to prevent the bar from rolling out of your hands. This exercise focuses on your posterior-chain muscles (glutes, hamstrings etc). Finally, don’t over-extend at the top - it does nothing except expose your lower back to potential injury. . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning #deadlift

Pre-event Nutrition Part 3: What do you need to eat in the build up? It is suggested that on the second day before an event to focus on carbohydrate-rich foods at 6-10g per kg of bodyweight a day, so about 390-650g of carbohydrates in one day for a 65kg male (e.g. 6g x 65kg = 390g/kg), or 300-500g for a 50kg female. The carbohydrate intake should match the length of the event, so eat towards the top of this range for longer events. Brown pasta, fruit juice, wholemeal bread products and potato are all suitable foods. On the final day before the event, try to focus your carbohydrates into lower fibre, more sugary options (white bread/pasta/rice and fruit juices, not wholegrain) which are broken down quickly and reduce residue left in the digestive system. This can aid a small reduction in body weight before the event, which may help to compensate for any water retention. Link in bio from our amazing @katpaice ☝️ . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Jump squats… this exercise provides an excellent stimulus for your body to develop an increase in rate of force development (RFD). Lots of sporting actions are determined by how fast and forceful you can produce a movement. Essentially, the more force you can produce in minimal time, the better. For instance, the ability to apply more force on each pedal stroke when sprinting, or starting from a track start in the velodrome. Equally, climbing a hill faster can be down to your power output. If it takes you ages to generate force (like when you lift a maximal deadlift), you’ll never be able to exert that ‘potential’ force in the real world. You’re too slow. Get fast, lift quickly and use power exercises like cleans, loaded or unloaded jumps in your training for actual usable strength improvements ✌️ . . . #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingperformance #cyclingstrength #strengthandconditioning #strengthforendurance #strengthandendurance #strengthandpower #strongbody #highperformance #athletedevelopment #athleticdevelopment #cyclinguk #worldcycling #ucicycling #procycling #uciworldtour #ucicontinental #womenscycling #roadcycling #cyclocross #trackcycling #timetrial #sportive #cyclinglife #squats #power #strengthandconditioning

Although the use of a power or hang clean is not commonly incorporated in concurrent strength and endurance training literature, 2 recent practical review papers have recommended the inclusion of these exercises because they focus on posterior chain muscles that are used during endurance events and have a strong training transfer effect. Furthermore, a power or hang clean can improve hip extension RFD while also improving upper body strength. If the athlete finds the power or hang clean movement too complex, this may be regressed to a triple extension movement through the lower limbs and an emphasis must be placed on managing the load appropriately. Baldwin et. al. (2022). Strength Training for Long-Distance Triathletes: Theory to Practice. Journal of strength and conditioning research. VOLUME 44 | NUMBER 1 | FEBRUARY 2022 . . . #cycling #cyclingstrength #cleans #power #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclingcoach #preseason #performance #hangclean

This is the Romanian deadlift - the stiff leg deadlift starts at the floor each rep (a subtle variation, with the Romanian providing more time under tension). The Romanian version is a great focus exercise for the posterior-chain muscle groups. Particularly the hamstrings. Cyclists are known to have over-developed quads, but can suffer from weak hamstrings in comparison. This can lead to injury, or as a minimum just not getting the most out of your massive quads. This is because the muscles work in what’s known as antagonistic pairs. During the pedal stroke, the quads switch on and off to produce the movement. The hanky’s are taking the strain in between, so it’s important that they are as strong as your quads are. Start slightly lighter than you think necessary for this one - you’ll thank me later 💪 Check out or programmes available on the website. Link in bio. #cyclingstrengthcoach #cycling #cyclingstrength #hamstrings #glutes #strengthandconditioning #coaching #baaw #gym #strength #barbell

Part 2 of Pre Event Nutrition: The classic principle of carbohydrate loading is to deplete glycogen stores in the muscles by completing exhaustive training paired with a low carbohydrate diet about a week before the event. Once the glycogen levels are low, carbohydrate intake is significantly increased and exercise tapers off. This allows super-compensation to occur, allowing 4-5g of glycogen to be stored per 100g muscle compared to 1.7g normally. There are several issues with this practice. It is questionable if completing exhaustive exercise within a week of an event is a good idea, as well as cutting carbohydrates so drastically low. The sudden increase in carbohydrates after this is associated with stomach upsets and considerable water retention and weight gain. Instead, it is now suggested that simply matching rest with a carbohydrate intake of 6-10g/kg in the 24-36 hours before an event should be plenty to have a super-compensating effect, whilst minimising the negative side effects. Learn more on sports nutrition from our excellent @katpaice on the link in bio ☝️ . . . #cyclist #nutritionistapproved #programming #training #nutritionist #cyclinglife #cyclingphotos #performance #strengthandconditioning #cyclingphotosofinstagram #preevent #cyclingstrengthcoach #freeknowledge #strengthtraining #squats #cycling #ridefast #strength #variables #getstrongridebikesfast #trainsmarternotharder🏋️‍♀️ #strengthcoach #nutritionistapproved👍 #vo2 #vo2max #halfsquat #squatspo #squatsfordays #glutebridge #squatchallenge

A goblet squat is a great way to build lower body strength, work on movement issues and to lift if you haven’t got much kit available. You can use anything that will overload the movement (you need to do this in order to get stronger). Body weight doesn’t cut it, for this movement. So use whatever you have available to you - a bag of books, kettlebell, a pet or the weight of everyone’s expectations. You choose. Because the weight is in the line of your centre of mass, it’s really easy to balance the weight. This makes it a great exercise to use with children as an introduction to weight training, as well as adults. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and you push up through your heels. Only go as deep as good form allows - no bending forward or lifting your heels up. #cyclingstrengthtraining #cyclingstrengthcoach #cycling #strength #coaching #weights #gym #strengthandconditioning #strengthcoach #goblet #gobletsquat #squat #glutes

Similar to the split squat, the Bulgarian variation is a focus exercise for your front leg. You can swap out the barbell for a variety of equipment, such as dumbbells, kettlebells or my personal favourite, a couple boxes of wine. Elevating the rear foot means you’re working through range on your rear hip flexor, whilst also making sure you can’t engage it to help you with the lift (no cheating here!). Make sure you don’t lean forward, keep your chest up and head looking forward. Good form is paramount. Drive your heel into the floor and push up with with as much speed as you can. Develop excellent force application. Go get it, tiger 🐯

Split squats are an excellent alternative to a front or back squat. Particularly if you have issues to work on like ankle mobility, hip flexibility or strength differences between legs. Because it’s a focus exercise for single legs, you also get more muscle activation than when using 2 legs. A theory known as ‘bilateral deficit’. This can mean some great improvements in strength. Because it’s a single leg focus, it’s also great for cyclists, due to it mimicking the single leg application of force to the pedals. Plus you’re actively stretching out your hip flexors, which is a common issue for cyclists. . . . #cyclingstrengthtraining #cyclingstrengthcoach #strength #strengthtraining #cycling #baaw #splitsquat #glutes #quads #strengthandconditioning

Ok, the majority of people struggle with either ankle or hip restrictions, which means squatting deep with good form isn’t going to happen right away (or ever). You should still squat, but only in the range you can maintain good form (and therefore avoid injury). Squats are an excellent lower body strength exercise - that’s why you should use them. However, mid-range squats don’t activate your glutes, therefore we need a work-around to ensure they’re strong. Single leg loaded glute bridges ticks that box perfectly. A good fitting bike will put you in a position that you use your glutes to help push the pedals, increasing your watt/kg. Loading the exercise with a kettlebell/barbell/dumbbell/small child or bag of sand helps you to overload the exercise and produce force. Increased force means more strength, more strength means more watts, more watts means more speed. And that’s cool. . . . #cyclingstrengthtraining #cyclingstrengthcoach #cycling #strength #gym #glutes #coaching #fitness

Part 2 - a front squat is useful (but sometimes difficult) exercise for building strength in the glutes and quads. However, the rack position can be awkward to get into if you don’t have good flexibility in your wrists and shoulders. It’s important you lift your elbows up so you don’t hit your thighs at the bottom position. Try flicking your little fingers over the bar to increase wrist flexibility, as well as stretching out your forearms and lats. Due to the centre of mass being in front of you, it’s also a useful exercise for strengthening your back. Remember to drive up through your heels. So they need to stay on the floor through the movement. If they lift, work on calf flexibility to get deeper.

The back squat is probably the first exercise on gym training programmes because of the similarity to other sporting movements. Most sports use the lower limbs and this exercise strengthens lots of muscle groups at once, saving time. Common issues are heels raising up or the back rounding. If these start to happen, you’ve reached your limits of range of motion for the exercise. Work on calf and front hip flexibility to fix this. Driving through the heels helps you to activate the glutes. If you can’t get into a deep squat, use a glute bridge exercise for this part and the squat for quads and hamstrings.

Pre event Nutrition 1: Before we decide what to eat, we need to understand how we use energy. Cycling is one of the few sports which taxes both the aerobic and anaerobic systems considerably. This means we rely on both carbohydrate stores and fat stores to fuel the ride. Lower intensity, aerobic phases (training zones 1-3) utilises mainly fats whereas higher intensity efforts, such as sprints and hill climbs (zones 4+) taps into our valuable carbohydrate stores in its usable form known as glycogen. There has been much debate in recent years over the optimal fuel for endurance events, such as cycling. Fat is an essential fuel for endurance cycling because it requires low intensity, oxygen rich activity to be utilised. Luckily we have plenty of it and it provides considerable amount of energy, making ideal for these events. There is a school of thought that by increasing fat consumption and adding in practices such as gentle fasted rides or intermittent fasting, we can improve our fat utilisation. This has been found to protect vital glycogen stores during endurance events and ultimately improve endurance performance. However, despite this low-carb-high-fat hype around endurance events, carbohydrate remains the king of fuel for cycling. Maximising glycogen stores prior to events remains unequivocally the most effective way to fuel for event day. Effective carbohydrate loading practices are known to improve effort, mood, decision making and most importantly, time to fatigue. More info on nutrition from @katpaice, link in bio ☝️ . . . #cyclingphotosofinstagram #programming #strengthandconditioning #cyclingstrengthcoach #cyclist #performance #strengthtraining #freeknowledge #cyclingphotos #cyclinglife #training #nutritionistapproved #nutritionist #preevent

Strength Training Pro’s and Con’s 6: It’s a common to think that lifting weights will cause you to gain lots of weight. Obviously this is a negative when thinking about watts/kg because heavier means slower. But this type of training (for muscle size, like bodybuilding) can be avoided, to give the benefits of strength without the weight increase. Now, there is the possibility of some weight gain - but this is probably going to be a fairly insignificant amount given the total volume being completed. If you think that bodybuilders eat a calorie surplus, train 5-6 sessions per week and in most cases do small amounts of cardio, the chance of a cyclists ‘bulking’ is extremely slim. If you don’t believe me - PLEASE, try and make some significant gainzzz. It’s extremely unlikely. Another reason that weight gain is unlikely is the time spent in what's known as a catabolic state when riding for anything longer than an hour at a moderate intensity. Briefly, this is because once your body runs out of available carbohydrate stores, it turns to the breakdown of amino acids (your muscles) to continue to fuel for exercise. Breaking down the massive muscles you made from that couple of hours you spent in the gym last week. Here’s how to avoid weight gain and get stronger, improving your watt/kg: Work up to lifting heavy (with good form). Lift for less than 6-8 reps per set. Lift for 3-6 sets. Leave long rest periods between sets. Use compound lifts, rather than isolation exercises. Hope that helps to encourage you to try something new. More info, link in bio ☝️

Strength Training Pro’s and Con’s 5: As we age, we lose muscle mass naturally. Research suggests that this can be dramatically reduced from consistent loaded exercise. Something that cyclists can miss out on. Bone health also takes a hit, but strength training can reverse these effects. It's been reported that Grand Tour riders will reduce bone density throughout the season by up to 3% in their lower limbs, hips and lower back due to the lack of impact that you would normally get from walking or running. Strength training isn’t just performance-based, it’s health based, too. Be more independent as you age. #freeknowledge #cyclingphotosofinstagram #cyclingstrengthcoach #performance #strengthtraining #strengthandconditioning #cycling #cyclingphotos #ridefast #strength #programming #variables #cyclist #squats

Strength Training Pro’s and Con’s 4: Research suggests that replacing cardio sessions with strength training has no detriment to cycling performance metrics (typically measured as VO2 max, lactate threshold or FTP). This means that you could become more time effective with your training. Imagine reducing your weekly training hours and not reducing your performance! This would be 2-3, 45-60 minute strength sessions per week. More time to spend looking at bikes and bike parts, if you ask me… winner, winner!! I’m trying to think of a Con to go with this post, but this time, ifs difficult… maybe the cost of a gym membership?? £20 a month Pure Gym doesn’t seem a lot? 🤷🏽 #trainsmarternotharder🏋️‍♀️ #performance #cyclist #cyclingstrengthcoach #cycling #freeknowledge #strength #squats #ridefast #programming #strengthtraining #cyclingphotos #variables #cyclingphotosofinstagram #strengthcoach #getstrongridebikesfast #cyclinglife #strengthandconditioning

Strength Training Pro’s and Con’s 3: By lifting external loads, and increasing this over time, your body learns to activate more muscle fibres within the working muscles. That’s right - you don’t activate 100% off the muscle when you lift. Lots of fibres stay dormant because they haven’t been stressed enough to be needed. Strength training adds another form of stress that can, over time, help to activate the dormant muscle fibres. This means that you are able to spread the ‘load’ over a larger area, and therefore reduce overall fatigue. That might not mean a massive amount to a Saturday cafe ride, but it would make a significant difference to recovery and performance if you want to ride multiple days such as training camps, or racing. The down side might be muscle soreness to begin with, but I suppose the benefits outweigh the short term pain. For more info, click the link in bio ☝️ #freeknowledge #cyclist #training #ridefast #performance #cycling #cyclingphotos #squats #strength #strengthcoach #cyclinglife #strengthtraining #cyclingphotosofinstagram #variables #programming #cyclingstrengthcoach

Strength Training Pro’s and Con’s 2: Adding strength training to your training programme will hopefully make you stronger. That added strength can be useful when climbing. Essentially, being stronger means you’ll use less of your total available effort for the same amount of watts. This saves your energy for later in the ride, or means climbing faster (and more K/QOM’s 💪). To be a balanced argument, if you can only fit in 3 training sessions in a week, that would be better served by cycling in all 3. Time on the bike is crucial to improvement - strength training comes in once you’re structured training allows it, which will push you on to the next level of performance. For more info, click the link in bio ☝️ . . . . #cyclingstrengthtraining #Strengthandconditioning #cycling #cyclingstrengthcoach #roadbike #climbhillsfast #KOM #QOM #strengthtraining

Strength Training Pro’s and Con’s 1: By increasing your strength, you can apply more force to your pedals. A benefit of this is that you are able to increase your watt output and therefore sprint faster. A (potential) downside to strength training is that it might mean less time on the bike in order to fit in enough to cause a noticeable improvement (2x weekly). However, in the winter when outside training time might be weather limited, this time could be better spent using other training modalities that compliment your cycling. Link in bio for more info ☝️ #cycling #cyclingstrength #cyclingstrengthcoach #strengthtraining #strength #strengthcoach #basics #learning

🚨Get 20% off our 3-month off season strength programme. Use code SAVE20 at the checkout🚨 It’s the perfect time to start for the season ahead, following it up with our in-season training, being released in February 👌 Link in bio up☝️