THE SHORT ANSWER
Friel's been one of the steadiest voices on what changes after 50, and he doesn't dress it up: the priorities shift. More strength work, slightly fewer high-intensity sessions, and longer recovery between the hard days. The engine doesn't have to fade the way most riders assume, but the recovery window gets longer and the body punishes you faster for ignoring it. His advice is to protect the gym work, cap the weekly intensity, and judge progress over a season rather than a single test. Getting older isn't the end of getting faster — it just means training smarter than you did at 30.
WHO IS JOE FRIEL?
Joe Friel wrote The Cyclist's Training Bible — the book that taught a generation of amateur cyclists how to think about periodisation, training stress, and the structure of a season. Co-founder of TrainingPeaks and former chairman of the USA Triathlon National Coaching Commission, he is the bridge between sports science and the home-trainer cyclist trying to peak for one event a year. Most modern amateur coaching software still leans on his vocabulary: periodisation, A/B/C races, base, build, peak, recovery weeks.
FRIEL ON STRENGTH AFTER 40
Friel’s key positions on strength training after 40.
- Periodisation: structure your year into base, build, peak, race, and transition phases — each with a different physiological focus.
- Train your weakness, race your strength — the off-season is for fixing limiters, the in-season is for sharpening what already works.
- Recovery weeks every 3-4 weeks are not optional — they are the mechanism that allows training stress to convert to fitness.
- Heart rate zones are still the most accessible intensity tool for amateurs, and pair well with power for the riders who have both.
- After 50, the priorities shift: more strength work, slightly fewer high-intensity sessions, longer recovery between hard days.
IN FRIEL’S OWN WORDS
Verbatim from Joe Friel’s appearances on the podcast.
“the first thing that athlete becomes very aware of as they get older is their VO2 max is declining the aerobic capacity is going down you may not be aware of it at first it's actually starting someplace probably in your early to mid to late 30s depending on your your training but it's going to go down there's no question about it”
HEAR IT ON THE PODCAST
Episodes where Joe Friel covers strength training after 40 and related ground.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
What does Joe Friel say about strength training after 40?
Friel's been one of the steadiest voices on what changes after 50, and he doesn't dress it up: the priorities shift. More strength work, slightly fewer high-intensity sessions, and longer recovery between the hard days. The engine doesn't have to fade the way most riders assume, but the recovery window gets longer and the body punishes you faster for ignoring it. His advice is to protect the gym work, cap the weekly intensity, and judge progress over a season rather than a single test. Getting older isn't the end of getting faster — it just means training smarter than you did at 30.
What is Friel's main point on strength after 40?
Periodisation: structure your year into base, build, peak, race, and transition phases — each with a different physiological focus.
Which Roadman Cycling Podcast episodes cover Joe Friel on strength after 40?
Friel discusses strength training after 40 in these episodes: "Joe Friel's Cycling Training Plan Structure | Roadman Cycling", "The Training Secret To Going FASTER After 40 | Joe Friel".
MORE FROM FRIEL
EXPLORE THE TOPIC
Strength & Conditioning— The Complete Guide →OTHER EXPERTS ON STRENGTH AFTER 40