We've learned over the years that adding strength training to a cycling training plan can cause adaptations that allow us to recruit more muscle fibers and create more power on the pedals. More power is good! And we're not talking just sprint power--increased muscle fiber recruitment can also help to increase things like functional threshold power and critical power, too.
By now we should all have a pretty good understanding that weight workout won't just leave us "bulky". Actually, when worked in to an aerobic training plan such as cycling, the mass added will be negligible. Indeed, many of the adaptation will be neuromuscular, which is virtually weightless!
This plan is designed to be built in to your own cycling training plan rather than simply added in to it. Weight sessions are difficult, so care should be taken when incorporating intense bike workouts.
This plan is 17 weeks long, and features an array of workouts built across 3 days per week. There is progression in reps/sets as well as volume of workouts. There is a heavy focus on dynamic lower body movements, which arguably covers bases of core strength as well. At the same time, upper body workouts are incorporated. Thus, you should be able to use this program to form the foundations of a complete athlete.
The final 2 weeks of this plan show an idea of the structure you can have when the season is in full-swing and you have more of a chance to ride.
You'll test yourself periodically to assess your upper and lower body strength-endurance and aerobic ability.
While it is OK to move the weekday workouts around a little (to a weekend day, for example), it is highly recommended to keep at least 1 day of rest or easy exercise between these workouts.
Matt Miller is a specialist MTB coach working with professional and amateur athletes in Enduro, XC, DH and road. He has over 20 international publications focused on MTB performance, including pioneering research into FTP and braking (BrakeAce) in MTB. Matt has 20 years of personal race experience, including elite level in XC and EWS. Athletes Matt has worked with have achieved 8 USA Nationals wins (XC & Enduro), 7th overall in the EWS, 11th in an XC World Cup and top 40 in the DH World Cup.