Why Cyclists Should Lift Weights: The science, benefits and best exercises

Coaches Sierra Sims and Andrew Giniat reveal the science-backed benefits of weight lifting for cyclists in our latest podcast.
Using insights from top research by Vikmoen and Rønnestad, they break down our 4-phase weight lifting plan specific to cycling, including:
1. The physiological advantages of strength training
2. Key considerations for optimal performance.
3. Step-by-step guidance for executing each phase effectively.
🎧 Listen till the end to learn how to maintain your strength gains all season long-without sabotaging your interval sessions.
Want to add weight lifting to your cycling training and get Coach Sierra or Andrew's help? Please visit fascatcoaching...
to learn more about them, fill out a new athlete questionnaire and to schedule a coaching consultation with them!
Not ready for a Coach yet but still want to improve under the guidance of a coach? Try CoachCat! Its like hiring a Pro Coach for a fraction of the price of personal coaching.
Getting started is as easy as 1,2, 3 and the 1st month is free, go here ➡️ tinyurl.com/47...
Then:
1. Build a Custom Annual Training Plan [with our 10 week weight lifting plan talked about in this podcast]
2. Sync all your Data: Power & Wearable
3. Use CoachCat for help following your plan - when life gets in the way with your workouts!
Save 43% when you commit to your training for the year because the #1 best way to improve is to follow a training plan designed for the time you have to train and your goals.

[@dlwilliamson5644]

Sierra is the best! (In my opinion. )

[@DaveWall-r2g]

Hopefully this year round strength training will show up on the list training programs. Strength training is a year round requirement especially for folks over 50

[@FasCatCoaching]

technically its one workout that you can do weekly alongside any of the plans you may be following. It will be in the workout library for you to put on your training calendar

[@dlwilliamson5644]

I know and I am so guilty of. not following through. I will improve!

[@elscooter]

What coach Andrew says about hypertrophy at 21:36 and being in a caloric deficit was slightly confusing (or reversed). I heard, "You're not going to undergo hypertrophy if you're not in a caloric deficit..." I believe what was meant was, "When you're in the hypertrophy phase, do NOT put yourself in a caloric deficit. Your body needs the calories here to put on this extra muscle." Lots of people/athletes/cyclists will make various attempts at cutting weight by reducing what they eat; don't do that here, folks!

[@andrewginiat3611]

@elscooter I totally misspoke there. What I meant to say is, you will not put on muscle if you are in a caloric deficit. I'm not necessarily saying you should or shouldn't put on muscle though; it just depends on your goal =)

[@elscooter]

@@andrewginiat3611 I figured as much, thanks very much! And great final note about "depends on your goal".

[@user-hl1vp8ul7t]

I probably missed it, but with in-season strength maintenance training, how often? I'm guessing once a week? And, on a non-cycling day, say after weekend (when more active on bike)? Also, not sure how to adapt the FasCat weight exercises (squat, leg press & leg curl) to just the concentric movement (I will see if I can google/youtube that, for examples). Thanks :)

[@FasCatCoaching]

all the instructions, sets, reps, everything is in the plan that you can follow here fascatcoaching.com/collections/training-plans/products/weight-lifting-for-cycling-1

[@brian-bp7gk]

Unable to hear Sierra. Only Andrew

[@johnrines-om8mu]

Not sure if you’re listening in both ears, but Andrew is in my left ear and Sierra is in my right ear

[@FasCatCoaching]

I wonder what is wrong? We can hear both fine, hmmm

[@brian-bp7gk]

@@FasCatCoaching I was using a headset with one speaker and boom microphone. That was the first time I was unable to hear someone. As someone stated above, he would hear one person in is left ear and the other person in the right ear.

[@brian-bp7gk]

@@johnrines-om8mu I was using a single speaker headset with a boom mic. That was the issue

[@CarnivoreDMD]

So, you describe a “traditional” training approach from the 1990’s😅. If you want to TRANSFORM your strength & fitness, I’d suggest a few things. Not everyone can do this as it requires dedication to the process. 1) Lighter weights to failure using BFR (blood flow restriction) as used by the US Olympic Ski Team-& cyclist. 2). Muscle size does NOT correlate to muscle strength 3) Fatigue is a CNS protective response to low blood sugar, not usually low muscle glycogen. No CARB loading! Just 10-20g glucose per hour while exercising. 4) I highly suggest you getting Dr Tim Noakes et al’s Medical training manual. I’ve been studying this since the 1980’s & you slowly see the New athlete emerging. Drink less liquids, higher salt intake, very few carbs. It’s more natural & promotes long term health benefits ❤

[@DittersGustav]

About plateauing in strenght gains, if you dedicate to it, you might plateau when you're squatting 400 for reps, so not much of a plateau 😂