WHO THIS IS FOR
IS THIS YOU?
The rider unsure how to fit gym work into a training week
You want to strength train but worry about it interfering with your key ride sessions.
The masters cyclist maintaining power year-round
You understand strength is non-negotiable but need a frequency that fits a full training load.
THE ROADMAN VIEW
The Roadman view
The question Anthony hears most often from cyclists who want to start lifting is 'how often?' And the answer is simpler than most people expect: twice a week for most of the year, once a week when you're in peak race season. That's the minimum effective dose, and it's where the research and the coaches converge.
Derek Teel has made this point clearly: the error cyclists make is thinking more gym sessions means more benefit. For an amateur doing 8–12 hours on the bike per week, three or four strength sessions is starting to compete with the riding. You're not a powerlifter — the gym is a support tool, not the main event.
The scheduling matters almost as much as the frequency. Stack your gym sessions on the same days as your hard rides. That way, your easy recovery days stay genuinely easy and your body can adapt to the combined load from one stress hit rather than two spread across the week.
EXPERT EVIDENCE
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
- Derek TeelStrength coach for cyclists (Dialed Health)
For cyclists in season, two sessions a week is where strength develops and the training load remains manageable alongside riding. The mistake is chasing gym frequency for its own sake. When riding volume climbs in summer, dropping to one session keeps the strength stimulus without wrecking recovery.
Hear it: Strength Training For Cycling Simplified | Derek Teel - Joe FrielAuthor of The Cyclist's Training Bible; co-founder of TrainingPeaks
Friel's periodisation model treats strength as a phase-specific tool. Heavy emphasis in base, moderate in build, minimal maintenance in peak and race phases. The key principle is that strength work should complement the riding plan, not compete with it.
Hear it: The Training Secret To Going FASTER After 40 | Joe Friel
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
DO THIS WEEK
Map your week by ride quality
Identify your 2–3 hardest ride days. Attach your gym sessions to those same days — either before the ride with 4+ hours between, or directly after. This keeps your easy days completely easy.
Reduce to 1 session when race load is high
When you're doing 3+ hard ride sessions per week in peak season, keep just one 30–40 minute gym session. Prioritise the exercises that protect your back and maintain single-leg strength: split squats, Romanian deadlifts, core.
Build to 3 sessions in the off-season
When riding volume drops in autumn and winter, this is your window to build meaningful strength. Three sessions a week for 8–12 weeks can substantially change your baseline before you start riding seriously again.
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG
MISTAKEDoing 3–4 gym sessions while also riding 10+ hours per week.
FIXTotal training load matters. Two quality sessions a week alongside a full riding schedule is the ceiling for most amateurs.
MISTAKEStopping strength entirely in summer and starting again from scratch in autumn.
FIXOne maintenance session a week in season is enough to hold your gains. Stopping and restarting means rebuilding every year.
MISTAKEScheduling gym sessions the day before key intervals or long rides.
FIXLeg-heavy lifting the day before a threshold session or long ride blunts both efforts. Stack sessions on the same day or add at least 24 hours between.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I do strength and cycling on the same day?
Is 1 strength session a week enough?
Should I lift in the off-season or year-round?
How long should each strength session be?
Do beginners need more sessions than experienced lifters?
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