How To Improve Your Strength On The Bike

[@IsraelHV]

When I climb I forget about everything, just me, the hill, my bike and the sound of my heart in my ears

[@Kaisooo-l]

same and i get dizzy

[@greatkangkong]

I forget to see everything too. All i see is black

[@rodrigorecalde5234]

Yeah and the black dots in my sight

[@dabii1375]

Indeed

[@cristianvasilachi6215]

Very true

[@Moostery]

I feel like this can basically be summed up as "Ride hard, ride uphill, and get adequate rest between laps"

[@eddyshah3959]

You just saved me 6 minutes! Cheers!

[@nmlogistics5098]

Which basically means ride your bike

[@0741921]

or even shorter as feel the burn

[@MaQuGo119]

Based

[@progrockUSA]

I do this every ride, so I guess I'm doing it right.

[@matistysk79]

I do 2-3 sprint on my way to work every day and my strenght has really improved.

[@barnettkr]

I love Emma’s comment, “Sounds horrible Chris, show us how it is done.”

[@davidcorbett5252]

The best way to improve power on a bicycle is to LIFT WEIGHTS! Heavy squats or leg presses, lunges, calf raises etc. I do it once a week and I'm far stronger on the bicycle than times I have not lifted weights with my legs.

[@patricj951]

Absolutely true, cycling cannot give strength like lifting weights. But there are different kind of strength I think. Pushing a heavy load for few repetitions are not really the same as pedalling a high gear uphills for several minutes. Lifting weights are good mainly for sprints and increasing top speed. Or did you gain even endurance strength by it?

[@davidcorbett5252]

@@patricj951 I gain tremendous endurance from weight lifting. On long rides 45-70 miles I have more power to keep cranking that I didn't have when I didn't use heavy weight training weekly on my legs. Try it and you will feel it.

[@carlcolvin8320]

I would when the gyms are back open.

[@Caldermologist]

Surely this is why they invented brake discs for lorries and buses. I get to lift and move some almost every week at work.

[@petyrkowalski9887]

Static strength is OK but unless you are a track cyclist, road biking is predominantly about endurance.

[@Whitehawkvisionfilms]

Emma is awesome! She is a great speaker and explains things well and delivers her message well! Glad to see a talented woman on GCN!

[@boborrob]

Love hills! Climbing just makes my mind clear and the flats more relaxing.

[@gavinhiggins231]

💜👍

[@Bnannannaoil]

Im soooo hopeles on climbs its like sooooo hard for me im looking about what muscles to train for me to make more easy

[@sepg5084]

@@Bnannannaoil climb regularly and you will get stronger eventually.

[@javorgeorgiev6130]

Was already doing something similar to this. Now I feel more confident it'll give results. I like having a strong pace uphill, but I wanna be able to accelerate hard as well. Besides, my out of the saddle form can always use improvement. Less of going all over the place or having very uneven right versus left leg pedal strokes.

[@philismable]

Finding this channel really helpful as a beginner road cyclist.

[@Andramelach]

Watching vids like this give me confidence that running only single speeds is really worth it. Best experience on a bike, because strength builds naturally, and it's just fun to feel like it's you and not the bike.

[@New-ye2fl]

Aye if you live in a viable city for a single speed I’m sure it’s great

[@Saundersstrong]

Just got my first road bike , pretty excited to rip in the spring . G’day from Canada!

[@Saundersstrong]

@CycleQ oh yes its been aweome ,i have 2 now!! an old 80's racer that ive done a good 400+ miles on and a newer norco i love them both!!!

[@iufanboy5932]

@@Saundersstrong good for you

[@dusanbabovic3454]

how its going brother? i want to buy a road bike next year

[@damasoujano2679]

Thank you for teaching filipino cyclist here!!

[@odingvirtue166]

Uyy Nanalo ako sa frits friendly Sprint ko sarap sa feeling gusto pa lumakas hha goodluck

[@texabara]

I am a swimmer (masters,43 years old) My event is the 50m breaststroke, but I also swim the 100m and the 200m. I commute to work in bike. I got a cheap mountain bike. The bike really may improve my leg strength and my resistance to strength!!

[@da14a49]

Haha, I have myself a cheap mountain bike and when I can finally afford a decent road bike that does not weigh 17kg.

[@supa8278]

emma + chris = good videos 😍

[@tempaccount2585]

They are a good pair.

[@overthinkerblue4637]

I’m out of breath just watching how to get better.

[@davidcorbett9636]

Lift heavy weights for legs 1 day a week!!! I do 12 sets a week consisting of leg presses, lunges and calf raises. You won't believe the difference in the power in your legs!

[@evilmorty1440]

Greetings from Brazil. I love you guys.

[@kwintin]

I love Emma!

[@damon123jones]

Me too

[@davidehrlich5140]

Great video. It would be great these workouts could be added to the GCN Zwift workouts.

[@Jewish.Hotdog]

Holy shit I live in sf and do deliveries all day. It’s flats and hills for days here. My explosiveness has improved so much

[@michaelhess3783]

Unless you rely on The Wiggle to get up the hill. Some days you just need The Wiggle.

[@jprojas85]

Great tips, I'm gonna try them on the trainer!

[@00tohsaka9]

I am amazed. These presenters are so pro.

[@DatBaataR]

3:05 Just a random cat lying on the street

[@rorydenholm7943]

Whatever it is I think it’s dead

[@balazsbelavari7556]

@@rorydenholm7943 sssshhhhh it’s taking a nap

[@AI_and_facts]

You can't outtrain a bad diet... I learned that the hard way training so hard and having poor results. Then I started following the Agoge Diet, and I finally started seeing some amazing results.

[@joshuawiens1344]

I was gonna say barbell squats are the best way to seriously improve leg strength, but I see I’ve been beaten to the punch

[@erlendsteren9466]

Thanks for good video with good ideas. I definetively will put in more superheavy geared efforts. Starting today. And also more light with high cadence. And heavy with high cadence.

[@Dennis4523]

I started on the bike with a 50 watt ftp and only doing 5 miles , now I can hold 100 watts and travel at most 50 miles . (6 months into cycling)

[@fredrikoman9535]

weird flex but ok

[@prestachuck2867]

You are awesome, and I would go for a ride with you anytime. Rock on,

[@Dennis4523]

It was weight and the fact that I was bored and it was summer time . I was about to go on the computer and play games all day like I have been for over 7 years now , so i wanted a change . And I randomly choose cycling because I remember how nice it is to ride a simple bike a mile or two . Also I lost 13kg

[@Dennis4523]

I would too like to have someone to group ride with , I am just all alone in my household cycling

[@Mububban23]

Not sure where you live, but lot of local bike stores organise, or know of, weekend and week day group rides. Call a few and see what you can find. If you find the right group they will cater to your speed and fitness, and riding in a group and chatting away while exercising is great fun :-)

[@agungsugianto8411]

Thank you Emma and Chris, Greetfing from Indonrsia

[@ChannelZeroOne]

Go for a ride until you are beat. Then do Squats, to the point of failure. Then eat 2 to 3 grams of protein for every kilo of bodyweight to recover. Repeat once healed up in a few days. It works. The gym where I am has a squat press machine. I got the membership for this machine specifically. I also use the calf machine. My times have improved exponentially.

[@nonamehawg7068]

@ 370-lbs, I am just happy to be riding. #countyourblessings

[@Skywalkaaa]

Or lift. My FTP has gone up drastically just by including HIIT weight workouts along with normal base block rides.

[@PB_Chill]

Some High school Physics for this vid: Force = (power x time)/displacement or power/velocity Then Power = (force x displacement)/time or force x velocity, and Torque is force with rotation.

[@okantichrist]

Paul Burns 💤

[@lpsmaduk]

N+1 is all I know!

[@prestachuck2867]

Here are some cycling physics for you.. 1 World Championship+1National Championship+1 Phd= better cyclist than any of us ever will be and someone we ought to listen to.

[@ronbyers9912]

I was amused watching this video. It stresses doing exactly what I did when I started cycling last spring. I would hit a short hill and attack it grinding in the hardest possible gear. I exhausted myself in the first minute or two. I am told that what I did is pretty common for old timers like me who hadn't ridden a bike in decades and originally learned grinding away on old heavy cruiser bikes that were popular with kids in the days before multiple gears and rim brakes. In short it is a throw back to the time when equipment wasn't nearly as good and cycling wasn't nearly as much fun. :)

[@Ryan2020]

I started cycling 1st August this year. I haven’t done an FTP test as I can’t afford the equipment, I’m 17. Strava says I average about 110-130w per ride which is like 45km in 1h 30. I aim to start competing when I’m not a junior which is in 2020 :) Hopefully I will be up to scratch by then :) Still got a long way to go until I reach 25mph currently at 18mph after 4 months.

[@robbchastain3036]

I'd respectfully suggest, Wanderlust, that if you want to compete, if you want to race, if you want to see how you fare against your peers, pin on a number and line up and see how you do. Now. And you'll know soon enough if you want to pursue it. Like with me, in '79, I was living in Northern California for the first time since '74, and although in '78 I had lived in Ohio and owned and rode hard two race-campaigned Honda 125cc Elsinores--my last day on the second of those motocross motorcycles ended shortly before my return to California when I snapped the aftermarket DG box-aluminum swingarm in a riding area called The Pits in Canton--and although I had actually won a couple of bicycle road races, I really wanted to experience BMX racing. And so, as a 19-year-old, I got a novice license with the National Bicycle Association and competed in a handful of races--one in San Francisco, two different tracks in San Jose, one in Lodi. And what did I learn? I liked the experience, the scene, but I wasn't cut out for BMX racing--the races were too short, just 45-seconds or so, and I wasn't into pushing and shoving my way through the first corner. And the races were pretty much over after the first turn. But it was all a kick and I am glad I showed up. And I continued to ride what became known as BMX freestyle for another couple of years, then left it and moved on to road bikes and mountain bikes.

[@carlcolvin8320]

Some pretty good info, thanks. I have been thinking of adding a half a scoop of createn before I leave for a 10 mile ride

[@JohnWick-cu3ne]

Creatine* take 5g daily with any liquid: that’s it.

[@nolongerhavetowork]

Which of the following muscles would be used during stabilisation whilst pedalling standing up? (Select all that apply) Transverse abdominis Multifidus Hamstrings Quadratus lumborum Internal obliques Gluteus medius

[@rodneyjones1935]

Thanks GCN, I appreciate your expertise. Would you our some of the other viewers please comment on one of my strength training workouts? 1600m 8-10% grade 6 reps in 50 minutes Summary: I ride up the 1600m hill as hard as I can, usually have HR 168-170BPM 2 min recovery, then fly down the hill and start over. Does anyone think this is useful or am I waisting my time?

[@buffchicken8500]

Damn Bro keep training The avaage us 90 BPM and u do 170BMP Keep going too fast damn its up hill The avarage is 70BPM in up hill

[@onn.drummer]

Everything cool but I am a visual learner and this video could be better if you make also these training methods in graphical form ❤️😉😉

[@russelldomzskie4073]

I always do biggest ring smallest cog here and loop at the old unused airport here at my place.

[@therealpinkyskull]

Chris did all the hard work.

[@CoxsSandpiper]

A test of the btwin ultra 900 cf would be interesting :)

[@3zisme]

I second this!

[@ashkanahmadi]

They mostly do the sponsored brands, unfortunately.

[@Engineer_Eric_59]

Awesome video. Thank you!

[@user-eh4jv6xw4l]

Just curious if you have va video about pre and post warm up and cool down exercises specifically for cycling. If not, can you post one? Today, I was dead even though I had a day off from cycling, but did an hour workout the next day. My whole body ached this morning too. Any ideas?

[@antonioguadalupe5365]

Hey guys. Love!! Your Blogs! specially for me who’s starting again

[@karlzabdieladriano9949]

LUKE 1:37 For with God nothing is impossible🙏🏻

[@robertoe.germanjr.2631]

Tnx for the tips guys, god bless! Good speed?

[@josemanuelreuss9604]

So... 6-10 min rest between each interval? Awesome video btw!

[@McBlick]

If you’re ever in the Bay Area, go check out this hill called Marin in Berkeley. That shit will make a believer out of a rider. Me and my team ride Bmx bikes up it and road & MTB riders look at us like we are crazy 😜

[@masonnosi8333]

I have a 53/16 single speed, every ride is beneficial specially the hills

[@mantiq7768]

Oh I wish I could take my bike to Oman and cycle

[@HikingFeral]

Think that girls like the 5th GCN presenter I've seen once and never again. Hard to keep up.

[@natalijalaonar8187]

How to improve your strength on anithing phyzical? Do it. A lot. Hard. Repeated. Don't overdo. Eat right. Take enough suplements (and a touch of juice here and there ;) ). Good vid. I'm a casual cyclist at best (powerlifting is my thing), but it's a good way to get some extra cardio going betwen sessions. And a great way to comute around city.

[@albr4]

how to improve strength? buy a fixed gear or single speed with a big chainring and ride it on all terrain.

[@Dennis4523]

Alan you can’t even climb hills or speed down deserts faster z

[@daynajohnson8070]

The secrets out. Really is a great way to improve.

[@jaybloomfield5082]

Wouldn't that damaged my knees going up a hill?

[@HumaneNewt]

@@jaybloomfield5082 yes.

[@jaybloomfield5082]

@@HumaneNewt thank you, I was considering not having a bike with gears, and then I tried my bicycle in high gear for the whole ride including up hills, for a few days, and my knees were killing me.

[@LJMadrigalMusic]

I'm currently 25 years old and I know my maximum heart rate is about 190-195. I can sustain a heart rate of 150-160 when riding fast in flats but when it comes to climbs my heart rate will slowly or most of the time quickly rises up to 180-190 even with my easiest gears. I feels hard but momentarily and I sometimes think I have a heart problem. Or is it good because I have a good heart reserve?

[@price3410]

My roadbike is 15kg cuz it's made of steel, and my daily route is a 20km long uphill for my first ride, then rest for 20mins, and then a 47km long flat with a few climbs for the second ride

[@ABHI-dl4dc]

Strength matters if you will upgrade in future too carbon or aluminium then u will be overwhelmed by the results

[@SherpaUnited]

I've been biking for a month now been stuck on 24-25-26km/h. Hoping to get to 30 eventually. Building up muscle strength in the legs is a hard one.

[@vantablack5563]

I'm at half that, same time on a bike. It's a MTB but still.

[@SherpaUnited]

@@vantablack5563 I notice it get's better everytime I go out. Keep going!

[@Synthwave89]

@@vantablack5563 MTB will always be slower all else being equal. I can go nearly a third faster on my road bike than on my MTB. just less mass to pedal around.

[@rigobertoitachijohnson]

you should'nt worry about time when riding with an MTB...

[@tonsheinofficial1040]

Nice bike.. i want this kind of road bike someday...

[@federicomaisch6812]

Thank you

[@sammyngichabe8355]

Great video👍👍

[@AfroPoli]

1. Train more, eat clean (Scooby) or 2. Train more, eat clen (Alberto C.) both work.

[@pufferz6788]

LMAO

[@keithohalloran8523]

Love the red canyon bike 👍🏻what model are you using ?. Awesome tips 👍🏻 thank you 🎅🏻.

[@aaronwalderslade]

When I break into a sprint, I tend to stop breathing for at least 30 seconds, or often for the entire duration of the sprint. It's not intentional, it feels completely natural. I'm guessing it's some kind of energy conserving mechanism combined with anaerobic breathing.

[@neoneherefrom5836]

It’s not supposed to use oxygen so that would make sense! Just don’t pass out! Lmao

[@grid9124]

Thank you for all the tips, could you also suggest the type of cycle one must have? Please suggest some good models if possible...thanks in advance..

[@eecak1973]

Would cycling out of the seat for prolonged amounts of time improve strength also?

[@mettacitta2000]

Absolutely, Alberto Contador did just that. Legend has it he occasionally does training sessions uphill out of the saddle for 20 -30 mins without sitting down!

[@t.b.r.2844]

please explain why she says Chris can produce more power than a family-car? If he has more than 100 hp in his legs i understand

[@deanrobbins8102]

If your knees are the weak spot, can you substitute a higher cadence? Or is it all about that hard push?

[@naniv]

I thought this video was gonna show me how to do pushups on the bike

[@Navneetartist-03]

Please let me know How we can take start in cycling

[@LawAbidingCitizen117]

Do this and your legs would hurt for days! But they will get stronger and stronger every time.

[@frankburdodrums8984]

By pedaling?

[@martinattard4890]

Hi this is Martin from MALTA. I'm 50 but I'm still fit. I would like to know better what type of training should I do on the bike, please?

[@dominicvirtudes6593]

I use fixie so maybe this video might help me

[@lowamc]

How about going full throttle on a large tire mountain bike?

[@na-dk9vm]

Generally, how long does it take to ""absorb"" fitness from a long ride?? Last week I did my longest ride, 70kms. That's long for me, for now. My goal for my next session is 100km. I'll slow down on the session if I have to, to get 100km. Roughly, how long between big rides should you wait to have the fitness from the previous long ride absorbed, so that you can go further on the next one?? Thanks

[@chrismorton1982]

Can you do a mixture of these efforts in one session?

[@dongskirojas]

Thank you that's great

[@frazergoodwin4945]

Never thought of Belgium as being like Oman before but "short sharp climbs and miles and miles of rolling terrain" kind of sums up the riding here too. So, just take away the heat, sun and the desert but then add the wind, rain and the cold and you'd make Oman into Belgium!

[@reactionhype4904]

Im planning to go back at this hobby, do you think squat will improve my bike strenght?

[@bmp2046]

Been cycling since a kid and like most kids learn’t this climbing any hill 1. Full blast standing for short burst 2. Sit and pedal through the momentum and as soon as you slow back to 1. I guess most cyclists would do this naturally is that a good or bad technique?

[@deadendfriends1975]

I prefer the old Dutch method. Ride into the wind or up and down bridges.

[@toomuch9762]

Lift weights lift weights lift weights. End of

[@WarIII941]

Hi guys, did you know the uphill you just did what % are? 😊 thank you

[@terratrek805]

Great vids ❤️

[@MrBJPitt]

1:31 Emma says a good sprinter can produce more force than a small family car. Hyperbole given 2000 watts is well short of the 100kw or 100,000watts a small family car will produce....

[@b3anss]

I think she meant more torque instead of power. Track cyclists can hit over 300Nm of torque when cranking low cadence, which is more than a petrol family car can produce.

[@MrBJPitt]

@@b3anss maybe, but as I said, it's a hyperbole statement. Most cars idle at 700 rpm. When they produce 150 they are revving at 2500 or so and producing far more power, 100,000 watts. A world class track cyclist producing 300nm at

[@b3anss]

​@@MrBJPitt I agree, it is just well under 100 rpm where the cyclist will beat a regular automotive petrol engine and only in regards of torque. Still a fun thought! Holy crap, I would love to see a 70kg cyclist putting out 100kW and also the bike that could take that kind of power :D

[@MrBJPitt]

@@b3anss yeah, I don't think the bottom bracket and chainstay would be able to cope with that power 😂

[@hogdog567]

b3anss Force is measured in Newtons.

[@JS-qg1ie]

Get a mountain bike with road bike gears and 2.2 tyres. You’ll need a loud bell though 😉

[@barryburns8239]

basically been doing the short efforts for 30 years, now my effort is throwing the leg over the bike, however these efforts hurt and hurt helps

[@yatharthagarwal1813]

What do you do if you can't go more than 5 kilometers at a normal pace without exhaustion?

[@yazzijazzi5152]

Cycle more.

[@funkydisciple]

I’m too fat for road biking....but i still do it.

[@JohnWick-cu3ne]

Keep going

[@funkydisciple]

@@JohnWick-cu3ne hey man. I did it. I went from 115 kg to 85kg!

[@kierenkd]

I'd be interested to hear thoughts on heavy barbell training for cycling, primarily low back squats and deadlifts. #askgcn since I have about 35 minutes lunchtime weights access

[@404nobrakes]

I had a lifting background before starting cycling and it gave me a huge advantage over beginners. However, when I tried to lift and ride at the same time, I was unable to recover adequately and saw a massive drop in performance. This was mainly because my nutrition and sleep were subpar. So if you can stay disciplined about those, I highly recommend it.

[@kierenkd]

Thanks. I cycle commute 42km a day but average 3x a week. I was never really a weight lifter but in the past, barbell squats fixed a bad back, so keen to introduce the routine again at least a couple of times a week.

[@lordalfa600]

Wow. Emma can pedal at a higher cadence than Chris. Yay for short legs and short cranks!

[@Pratalax]

awesome!

[@amorinfinito6500]

great video.But 10 minutes is really necessary to recover from a sprint?I think that 2,3 minutes is enough,what u guys think

[@jerechosison]

isn't high gear, and not low gear as mentioned for the 10 minute effort?

[@fabianwylie8707]

Alway love watching you guys and I shared this video 💪🚴‍♀️❤️👍

[@gcn]

Thanks Fabian!

[@matthewclarke5008]

Do exercise bikes go to higher intensity levels than normal bikes or?

[@ibrahimalkharusi3234]

I know this place is in my country Oman

[@richaw6689]

More useful stuff.. thanks guys 🚴🚴👍👍

[@LUCYDIAMONDBOXER1]

I hit 1530W once.... I held that for 3 nano seconds. You could say just a really quick FTP.

[@cliffordromina3527]

I can reach 2100W for one revolution of of the cranks..

[@japadogi]

BEAST

[@dazzershell]

Tension sensor detects pressure, calculate torque and multiply it by rotating frequency. Then you hit pedal, your peak measured momentum can be enormous high, multiplyed by revolution speed you can reach MWatts)

[@styxxtheanimal5720]

@@cliffordromina3527 I can reach 4000 watts , over a period of 20 watts per ride lol

[@samhouston2000]

I thought you will be sharing a technique or the trick.

[@apsamansky]

Hi Chris. What size tires are you running on your Aeroad? Thanks.