I have done the google thing here but not found much consistency so thought I would check the brain trust here 
Coming back from injury, my physio has suggested I do weight work for my overall health. Upper body has been no problem but Iām finding the my legs are tired now we are in season (they completely went second Bamberg lap yesterday at higher (for me) power)
I have been doing lower body work 2 or 3 times per week (Romanian deadlifts, split squats etc). I have read one article to drop it down to once per week but others to say keep going as is?
Also question about timing, when is the best time to do it? Iām guessing after intense rides would be best and give me time to recover?
Hey Oliver,
I think Dylan Johnson (pro gravel racer) is a pretty go-to resource for training information. Hereās a video of him discussing strength training, including what to do during the on-season: https://youtu.be/U11QNOq0npg?si=nSh3D8TwyhiAco7Z
Also, if you like podcasts, the Matchbox Podcast with Johnson and fellow coaches is pretty helpful and accessible (ie not crazy sciencey). This episode says they talk about strength maintenance, but I didnāt listen back: Episode 96 - Training on Less ā¦āThe Matchbox - A Cycling Podcast ā Apple Podcasts
And just for fun, if you like āthe hangā style podcasts, Johnson and other coaching/racing friends also have a podcast called Bonk Bros. Thereās less training talk on that one, but thought Iād mention it.
I think you might get different people saying different things on this topic and it depends on your goals, so you might need to experiment a bit. Probably being cautious with fatigue from leg strength work when youāre also in a period of working hard on the bike would be wise. Just my two cents.
Good luck!
1 Like
Everyone is different (obvious statement) so your situation will be differentā¦
For me, āIn Seasonā is the winter (yay track season!). During this time of regular training rides on the track and races pretty much every 1-2 weeks, i move to lower weights and higher reps to maintain flexibility and some form mostly with my upper body (core, shoulders, arms) and flexibility focus on legs (some lighter weights depending on timing around āthe big twoā races).
Summer (āoff seasonāā¦e.g now) Iām higher weights, lower reps, full body. Which is uber fun on road rides when legs/arms feel jello-y at the start of the club ride! 
1 Like
Big fan of strength training year round even though itās the first thing I skip when life gets busy. A lot of proven benefits as we age and also for cyclists in particular to help bone density issues.
I will often periodize my lifting opposite the cycling where I try to push things in the gym more in the winter then back off the intensity/load in the summer. I also seem to be less sore doing something like 4x4 with higher weight compared to 3x8 with a bit less weight. The last thing to consider is what days you lift on. Some people do better lifting on the same day as their hard bikes so they can have truly easy days in between or some people lift opposite to the hard training days.
I try not to get to lost in the weeds of optimizing the workouts and are signals from one blunting the adaptations of the other.
4 Likes
Iām similar to Alex. I lift year round and lighten the weight and focus more on core and muscle balance work in season. Winter is heavy training for me and I typically put on over 5kg in the winter just from lifting and relatively less volume on the bike.
2 Likes
I lift all year round. Itās healthy, and is even more beneficial with age. Proper recovery matters, but so does focusing on the goal of weight training. Timing can be tricky because too close before a hard ride can make you suffer on the ride, but immediately after a hard ride means you may compromise the weight training.
Honestly itāll be some trial and error. I had physio today, was quite sore after. So a chatty zone 2 kinda ride. Tomorrow Iāll do a hard 5am workout, probably good for efforts on the bike Saturday.
Personally, I workout mornings usually during the week, gives me a good 8 or 9 hours before I ride to get all the hydration and food in me I can
1 Like
There is some good advice here. I know you would all come through Much appreciated!
I think Iām going to play with timing and certainly reduce the amount of leg days Iām doing in season to hopefully maintain muscle mass but not leave my legs feeling so tired.
1 Like
Hey Oliver, in season is maintenance work all around typically 2x per week with core and mobility always. No need to go max weight but focus on maintaining and working in both stability and balancing out any weaknesses. If you need help let me know or if you want a program to follow for progress. Sometimes form is an issue and getting to know proper form with someone watching can be very beneficial.
All the best!
Kelly
1 Like
