Ask a Coach: off-season training for cyclists
Featuring:
Brian Alison – Strength & Endurance Coach, 100 Year Athlete
Alex Wetmore, PhD – Director of Coaching, Minerstown Strength & Conditioning
This transcript was generated with AI and reviewed for accuracy by a human being.
Welcome & Introductions
Brian:
Hey Bike Utah, my name’s Brian Ellison — I’m a strength and bike coach here at Minerstown in Park City. I’m here with my colleague Alex to talk about how gym training and cycling fit together — and why they work so well in combination.
Alex:
I’m Alex Wetmore, strength and conditioning coach here at Minerstown. I’ve got a PhD in sport physiology and performance, and I’m excited to dive into your questions today.
Why Cyclists Should Lift Weights
Brian:
Let’s start with the big one — why lift weights if you’re already riding?
Alex:
It really comes down to balancing total workload and fatigue. Strength training helps performance in three key ways:
Force production — You can put more force into each pedal stroke, producing more watts with less effort.
Tissue resilience — Strength training protects joints, tendons, and muscles from overuse injury.
Movement quality — Well-designed strength work includes warm-up, mobility, and plyometric training to balance repetitive cycling movement.
Brian:
Exactly. Research shows stronger cyclists are more efficient — they produce more watts per unit of effort. You can gain strength on the bike, but the most efficient way is still in the gym.
Efficiency: Producing More Watts with Less Effort
Alex:
Imagine each pedal stroke requires 30 units of force. If you can only produce 50, you’re operating near max effort every time. But if you can produce 100, that same stroke is much easier — that’s improved movement economy.
Brian:
Exactly. That’s true for cyclists, runners, and triathletes alike. Strength training helps all endurance athletes sustain power longer.
The “Will I Get Bulky?” Myth
Brian:
A lot of people worry that lifting will make them bulky. Can we debunk that?
Alex:
Totally. In strength and conditioning we talk about the SAID principle — Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.
If hypertrophy (size) isn’t the goal, we don’t program for it. Cyclist programs focus on power and neuromuscular efficiency, not bulk.
Muscle growth also depends on genetics and total training volume. Cyclists do so much aerobic work that they actually suppress the pathways that build mass.
Brian:
Exactly. Look at Olympic lifters — incredibly strong per pound, but not big. That’s the model: high force per kilo, not size.
Periodization: How Rep Ranges Really Work
Brian:
Another question: “Do I always need to do 10–12 reps?”
Not exactly — it depends where you are in your training year.
In the off-season you might do 10–12 reps to build base strength.
As you move toward race season, you shift to lower reps (3–5) for max strength, then to power work — faster, explosive movements.
Alex:
Exactly. A good program evolves through the year to match your cycling workload and race goals.
The best results come when your gym and bike training are periodized together.
Managing Fatigue Between Gym & Bike
Brian:
So how do you balance lifting and riding without burning out?
Alex:
It’s all about managing total workload and fatigue.
You’ll have periods where fatigue is expected (heavy base blocks) and others where freshness matters (race prep).
Plan your week intentionally: heavy days, light days, and recovery days for both gym and bike.
Brian:
Right — and use feedback tools.
I track HRV (heart rate variability) daily. Combine that with your own check-in:
“How do I feel when I wake up? Am I hitting my target zones on the bike?”
If not, it might be time to rest.
Alex:
Exactly. Make your hard days hard and your easy days easy.
That’s polarized training — avoid the “grey zone” where you’re never working hard enough to adapt or resting enough to recover.
Organizing Your Training Week
Brian:
Should cyclists lift and ride on the same day?
Alex:
You can — just separate them by about five hours. Do the priority session first (usually the ride).
Brian:
For me, that means an easy ride in the morning and lifting in the afternoon.
Most endurance athletes only need two high-intensity rides and two heavy lifts per week.
Listening to Your Body
Alex:
Your warm-up is your daily check-in.
Ask:
Do I feel stiff or limited?
Am I fresh enough for this load?
Track readiness with a vertical jump or grip strength test — both indicate fatigue levels.
Brian:
Same on the bike.
If you can’t hit your power or HR targets, it’s okay to back off. Sometimes rest is more productive than pushing through.
Alex:
A mentor once told me: “Better 80% undertrained than 20% overtrained.”
Training Around Pain
Brian:
If something hurts — should I push through?
Alex:
Never without checking technique first.
If it’s a form issue, we can fix that fast.
If pain persists, train around it — there are always alternatives that maintain progress without risking injury.
Brian:
Exactly. The goal is consistency — not hero days. Don’t sacrifice long-term progress for one workout.
Warm-Ups That Actually Boost Performance
Brian:
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized warm-ups are crucial.
It’s not just spinning easy — I hit specific heart-rate targets, open my hips and back, and activate my glutes. It makes a huge difference.
Alex:
That’s called post-activation potentiation — activating muscles before you use them improves performance.
And warm-up counts as real training volume, not just prep. Skipping it means missing part of your plan.
Fueling for Performance
Brian:
Let’s talk fueling.
Muscles don’t fire properly without enough carbohydrates. That’s why Tour de France riders take in 120 grams of carbs per hour — and while we’re not pros, the principle is the same.
Alex:
Fueling affects how much intensity you can maintain — both in the gym and on the bike.
If you’re not planning your fueling, you’re leaving performance on the table.
Final Thoughts
Brian:
Thanks for the great questions.
Remember — winter isn’t just for skiing. Build your base now so you’re not playing catch-up in the spring.
Alex:
Absolutely. Thanks for tuning in — see you in the gym and on the trails.