What Are the Best Strength Workouts for Cyclists?
You don’t need a full gym to get stronger as a cyclist, but if you do have access to weights, they can help you progress even further.
Whether you’re training at home with bodyweight exercises and resistance bands or adding dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells in the gym, strength training can help cyclists build power, improve durability, and reduce injury risk.
The key is choosing exercises that support the demands of riding: single-leg strength, hip stability, core control, and force production.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to approach strength training for cyclists at home or with weights, plus the best exercises to include in your program.
Why Cyclists Should Strength Train
The primary focus when it comes to strength training for cyclists is to train in a similar motion to cycling with the lower and upper body while increasing overall core strength and muscular endurance. The main goal of strength training is to create a stronger support system for your prime movers while on the bike.
The aerobically stronger your assistance muscles and core, the less fatigue you’ll experience late in an event. Additionally, you’ll have more potential for increasing power.
Adding strength training can help cyclists:
- Improve force production and sprint power
- Build more durable muscles and connective tissue
- Address imbalances from repetitive riding
- Support better posture and bike control
- Reduce injury risk
For most cyclists, even one to three strength sessions per week can make a meaningful difference.
Pro tip: Log and track your strength training with TrainingPeaks’ Strength Builder. It allows you to easily create a workout with these movements and load it into your calendar, so you can track it along with all of your bike workouts!
At-Home Strength Training vs. Weighted Strength Training for Cyclists
Both approaches can work. The right one depends on your training age, available equipment, and time of year.
At-home strength training for cyclists
At-home workouts are great for:
- beginners
- busy athletes
- travel weeks
- maintenance during race season
Bodyweight exercises, bands, and light dumbbells can go a long way when paired with good technique, control, and consistency.
Weighted strength training for cyclists
Strength training with weights is useful for:
- building maximal strength
- progressing overload more easily
- improving force production
- advancing beyond basic bodyweight work
Weights are especially helpful in the off-season or general preparation phase, when cyclists have more room to build strength without interfering with key rides.
The good news: you do not have to choose just one. Many cyclists benefit from combining both.
Strength Training for Cyclists At Home
Planks with Variation
Planks are one of the simplest exercises in the book and one of the most effective at increasing core strength. Planks can be done anywhere and can be used year-round. Planks target your shoulders, abdomen, and lower back. Lifting one leg can add a degree of difficulty to each set and further target the lower back. Start with hold times of 30-60 seconds per round and progress to 60-90 second hold times as you go through offseason training.
Lunges
Lunges are very cycling-specific since they are worked one leg at a time, targeting your quadriceps, hips and hamstrings. It is highly advised to start without weight in order to practice good form. Two common mistakes with lunges are letting the knee extend beyond the leading foot and flexing the torso forward/ jerking it back during the forward and backward movement phases. Focus on higher rep ranges of 15-30 reps per set, with the goal of 3-5 sets.
Leg Lifts
Leg lifts target the abdominals and hip flexors. A simple variation includes placing hands overhead to target the upper abdominals. Perform 15-25 reps per set with a goal of 3-5 sets.
Burpee
The burpee is a great full-body exercise. The movement involves all the major joints and is intended to be performed with an explosive movement. Some variations can include adding pushups and a standing jump at the end. Focus on fast repetitions in the 10-20 rep range, completing 3-5 sets.
Strength Training for Cyclists With Weights
Renegade Rows
Renegade rows are a full-body workout that targets similar muscles as the plank, with the addition of the upper back and arms. Rows will help build great endurance within your upper body. To add a level of difficulty, add a push-up between reps. Perform 15-30 reps per set, taking 30-90 seconds rest between sets, with a goal of 3-5 sets.
Kettlebell Swings
When speaking about power endurance, Kettlebell swings are the first exercise that comes to mind. Proper technique is important, so start with a lighter weight and progress from there. Keep your core strong, back straight and thrust from your hips and lower body, propelling your arms and weight to swing forward. Kettlebell swings will target your quads, hamstrings and hips.
Perform swings with an explosive movement and hold onto the kettlebell tightly! Begin in the 15-25 rep range with 1-2 minutes of rest between sets and 3-5 sets as a goal. Stop the set as soon as your form gets sloppy.
Single Leg Deadlifts
Single-leg deadlifts target the hamstrings and hips. Incorporating single-leg exercises help correct muscle imbalances since each leg is forced to support the load independently. It is highly advised to start with lighter weight (20-40lbs), working 8-10 reps per set. Spend a few weeks to get the muscle to adapt to greater loads, and then start incorporating slightly more weight. Work with a straight or slightly flexed back, slightly bent knee and strong core. Perform each rep with a slow, steady movement.
Front Squats
Squats should be a staple in the offseason training regimen. Front squats work the hips, quadriceps and hamstrings and are great to use through your max strength and muscle endurance phases. Always start with light weight, building a base with higher reps (15-30) before incorporating heavy weight and always use a spotter to judge form and help with safety when lifting greater loads.
Using these eight exercises will help you build the type of strength you can use when you’re on the bike. They require little in the way of equipment, and some can be done at home with no equipment. Taking the time to build strength in your shoulders, core and legs will help you ride longer and stronger all year.
