Dr Andy Galpin is one of the leading researchers on muscle physiology, and I have been wanting to get him on to talk about a topic that affects a huge portion of our audience: what happens to muscle after 40, and what cyclists specifically need to do about it.
The conversation started with a reality check. Andy explained that cyclists are in a uniquely bad position when it comes to age-related muscle loss. Endurance training keeps your slow-twitch fibres in good shape, but it does almost nothing for your fast-twitch fibres. Those are the ones responsible for sprinting, punching over a climb, and closing gaps in a bunch. After 40, if you are not deliberately loading those fibres through strength work, they atrophy at an alarming rate. Andy called it a use-it-or-lose-it situation with a ticking clock.
What I found reassuring was how little it actually takes to fight back. The minimum effective dose is two sessions per week of compound movements — squats, deadlifts, lunges — at a load that is actually challenging. Not sets of 20 with light dumbbells. Proper resistance that forces recruitment of high-threshold motor units. Andy was clear that these sessions do not need to be 90-minute gym marathons either. Thirty to 45 minutes, in and out, twice a week.
We talked about nutrition, and protein timing came up as a bigger deal after 40 than it is for younger athletes. The muscle protein synthesis response becomes harder to trigger with age, so getting 30 to 40 grams of quality protein close to your strength session matters more than it used to.
I asked the question I know many of you are thinking: will this make me heavier and slower on the bike? Andy shut that down quickly. The muscle mass you gain from two sessions a week is modest, but it protects your joints, improves your force at low cadence, and keeps your neuromuscular system sharp. The research backs this up consistently.
If you are over 40 and your only training is riding your bike, this episode is a wake-up call you need to hear.
Join the free Roadman community: https://www.skool.com/roadmancycling
LIKED THIS EPISODE?
Join the Clubhouse to discuss this episode, ask Anthony your questions, and connect with serious cyclists.