Pedal My Way

A common misconception about power-cycling is that it requires an expensive gym membership, a personal trainer, and a complex program designed by exercise scientists. While working with qualified coaches and having access to proper equipment is beneficial if you plan to compete seriously, it’s not necessary to begin seeing improvements.

Here’s how to start power-cycling today:

• Use what you have available. Whether it’s a basic gym, a home setup with adjustable dumbbells, or even bodyweight exercises in your living room, you can begin building cycling-specific strength. A program focused on squats, lunges, planks, and single-leg work will deliver results regardless of fancy equipment.
  
  
  
• Home workout options are highly effective. You don’t need a gym membership to build cycling strength. Bodyweight exercises like pistol squats, Bulgarian split squats (rear foot elevated on a chair), single-leg deadlifts, and jump squats provide excellent training stimulus. A pair of adjustable dumbbells (20-50 lbs) opens up goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, and weighted step-ups. For those wanting to maximize home training, a sandbag (40-100 lbs) is incredibly versatile and cycling-specific—sandbag squats, shouldered lunges, and carries build functional strength and core stability that translates directly to bike handling and power transfer.
  
  
• Start with foundational movements. Don’t overcomplicate things with dozens of exercises. Focus on the basics: squats, deadlifts (or their variations), single-leg work, core stability exercises, and some upper body pulling movements. Master these patterns before adding complexity. Bodyweight mastery should come first—if you can’t perform 20 quality bodyweight squats or hold a plank for 60 seconds, start there before adding external load.
• Begin with two sessions per week. Most cyclists can see significant benefits from just two 45-60 minute strength sessions per week during the off-season. This is manageable alongside your riding schedule and won’t lead to excessive fatigue.
  
  
• Follow a simple progression. Start with bodyweight or light weights to learn proper form. Gradually increase resistance over 4-6 weeks. Track your progress—whether that’s reps completed, weight lifted, or simply how you feel on the bike.
  
  
• Time it strategically. Schedule strength sessions on the same days as hard riding efforts, or the day after, so your easy riding days remain truly easy. Allow at least 6 hours between a hard ride and lifting when possible.
  
  
• Listen to your body and adapt. Some fatigue is normal when adding strength work, but you shouldn’t feel destroyed for days. If strength training is significantly impacting your riding quality, reduce volume or intensity. The goal is to enhance cycling performance, not compromise it.
  
  
• Evaluate and adjust after 6-8 weeks. Pay attention to how you feel on the bike—particularly during sprints, climbs, and at the end of long rides. Note any changes in power output, climbing ability, or resilience. This feedback will guide your program going forward.