NEOPRO Strength Training
At Neo Pro we take strength training very seriously, and strongly believe it has a place alongside a cyclist training programme. An appropriately planned strength phase is a crucial element of winter training for many pro athletes and can help increase power, improve muscle efficiency on the bike, prevent injuries, improve overall fitness and give you a more balanced body. Wether you’re a sprinter trying to improve max power, or a TT rider who wants to improve their efficiency and flexibility, we believe that some strength work, alongside your aerobic training through the winter, could be highly valuable.
Training for 45-60 minutes, once or twice a week, can help with muscle balance; strengthening areas of the human anatomy which are often neglected in a conventional cycling training plan. Other benefits of some exercises with impact will help increase bone density and limit the chances of having osteoporosis, a common health condition found in cyclists towards the end of their careers and in their later lives. Working with weights also releases exercise-induced anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and growth hormones, which enables the recovery process and the ability to adapt to high training loads.
Training for 45-60 minutes, once or twice a week, can help with muscle balance; strengthening areas of the human anatomy which are often neglected in a conventional cycling training plan. Other benefits of some exercises with impact will help increase bone density and limit the chances of having osteoporosis, a common health condition found in cyclists towards the end of their careers and in their later lives. Working with weights also releases exercise-induced anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and growth hormones, which enables the recovery process and the ability to adapt to high training loads.
It is important to begin strength training with low weights and high reps to allow the muscles to adapt, learn the correct movement patterns and avoid injury. We would always recomend getting a professional to teach you the ropes with the exercises, as doing them incorrectly could result in serious injury. A common misconception is that you will gain lots of weight from doing strength work. One study showed that a 12 week strength programme, alongside your usual endurance training (not replacing it) resulted in no weight gain over the board, but significant strength improvements on and off the bike, lower perceived effort when fatigued on longer rides, and big improvement for many who previously suffered from lower back pains during rides.
Below is a great example introductory session we might prescribe to our riders. The aim of this specific session is to focus on muscle groups used on and off the bike, avoid pain on the bike, fend off injuries and increase recovery. We always finish our gym workouts with a core session. Having a strong core is essential for solid power transfer and can massively improve your sprinting and ability to produce power in an aero position.
Below is a great example introductory session we might prescribe to our riders. The aim of this specific session is to focus on muscle groups used on and off the bike, avoid pain on the bike, fend off injuries and increase recovery. We always finish our gym workouts with a core session. Having a strong core is essential for solid power transfer and can massively improve your sprinting and ability to produce power in an aero position.
The load should start at 40% of your one repetition max when you begin weights, but we would recommend a couple of weeks bodyweight to begin with to get used to the new movements that you might not be used to from solely riding your bike
Recovery between sets should be 30-60secs.
Perform 2 sets of the strength workout and 1 set of the core session.
10 min warm-up in Z2 on a treadmill, exercise bike or rowing machine
2x15 Squats
2x15 Goblet Squats
2x10 Bulgarian split squats (without load)
2x10 Lateral Pull downs
2x15 Press-Ups
2x10 Bent-Over Rows
2x15 Tricep Dips
Core:
20x Cycling Crunches
20x Flutter Kicks
40secs Russian Twists
40secs Front Plank
20x Heel Touches
40secs Swimmers
Creating self awareness is always encouraged, so after a couple of sessions, progress the reps, get solid with the movements, then when ready, start to include some small weights. Always listen to the body, and progress depending on how you respond. Some can progress much quicker than others, one size doesn’t fit all.
Recovery between sets should be 30-60secs.
Perform 2 sets of the strength workout and 1 set of the core session.
10 min warm-up in Z2 on a treadmill, exercise bike or rowing machine
2x15 Squats
2x15 Goblet Squats
2x10 Bulgarian split squats (without load)
2x10 Lateral Pull downs
2x15 Press-Ups
2x10 Bent-Over Rows
2x15 Tricep Dips
Core:
20x Cycling Crunches
20x Flutter Kicks
40secs Russian Twists
40secs Front Plank
20x Heel Touches
40secs Swimmers
Creating self awareness is always encouraged, so after a couple of sessions, progress the reps, get solid with the movements, then when ready, start to include some small weights. Always listen to the body, and progress depending on how you respond. Some can progress much quicker than others, one size doesn’t fit all.