Post Your Strength Training Routines

Training
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For most of us in the Northern Hemisphere we are either approaching or thoroughly in the off-season. The early off-season is a good time to get some extra strength training in. So for those of you who do incorporate strength training into their regime, please post your routine below. Also, maybe some notes on how you balance strength training, TR workouts, and outdoor rides.

Here is what I have been up to:
An A/B split 3x a week (M,W,F). Endurance rides on T,Th, and a longer outdoor endurance ride on the weekend. I have committed to doing this until the new year, at which point I’ll start MV SS Base plans and do strength training 2x a week.

A)
Squats 3 sets of 5
Overhead Press 3x5
Barbell Reverse Lunge 3x10
Inverted Rows 3x as much as I can do

B)
Squats 3x5
Bench Press 3x5
Deadlifts 1x5
Pull-Ups 3x as many as possible

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I’m doing something very similar. Using the stronglift apps for all of my weight adjustments. The goal is to do 3x a week (MFW) which is also when I do my LV plan workouts. Tuesday and Thursdays are either completely off or a recovery style ride (Pettit, Taku, Dans, etc). In reality I usually end up doing 2x a week for the weightlifting sesisons.
A)
Squats 3x5
Bench Press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pullups 2x6 (goal is 2x10)
Dips 2x10 (goal is 2x15)

B)
Squats 3x5
Overhead Press 3x5
Hang Power cleans 5x3
Pullups 2x6
Dips 2x10

In terms of balance, I always go for my TR workouts first, usually at lunch time. My weightlifting workouts are done after the kids go to bed around 8:30pm. Outdoor rides are tricky, right now the weather is getting colder so it makes it easier to stay indoors. During the summer months, if it’s a nice day, I just say F*$% it and ride outdoors and try to make it back during week (another perk of LV plans).

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Each session is 30mins and I switch off (A or B) every other week in-season. Might do both in a given week during winter. (last rep is feasible but very challenging). Always hit full range of motion for all activities year round. I warm up with 5-10min easy spin and sometimes spin easy during recovery from the key compound lift (squat or DL).

I also lift on my key cycling workout day after my cycling workout (2 a day or immediately following) or I do it the day after my key cycling day. I do love to lift but it is supplementary to my cycling workouts - I don’t lift before to compromise quality of cycling key workout
A)
Deadlift 4x5 heavy
Shoulder press & pull ups
Hip stuff & 5min core

B)
Squats 4 sets x 5 heavy
Hip stuff and core
Farmer’s carry

I reach for heavier weights and progress up when I don’t have key workouts on the bike and/or a manageable cycling load that week.

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This is the bones of it:

M Lift
T Run
W Lift
Th Swim
F Lift
S Run
Su Bike

Using the Stronglifts app, and programmed into Garmin

A)
Squats 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
Chin ups 2x3

B)
Squats 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pullups 2x3

There’s no hard days yet so no need for a recovery day.

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It doesn’t always start on Monday depending what ride I do or don’t do on Sunday. I have pulled back on the legs a bit as I am fine with my Squat and DL numbers for now.

Monday
Squat 2x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

Wednesday
Bench 3x5
OH Press 3x5
Pull Ups - 3 Sets

Friday
Squat 2x5
OH Press 3x5
Pendlay Row 3x5

Ride M,W,Th and Sat and / or Sunday.

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Have had good results last couple years running Johnny Candito’s programming. Started with the 6 week strength as I had a power lifting objective (bench squat dead). His linear programming for strength/power would be solid for cyclists. Link below and you can see his stuff for free. If you use it, send him a few bucks as suggested.

As I progressed, did some experimentation and found I needed more volume and moved to more intermediate programming. But that was with a specific objective to increase some lifts and not to complement cycling objectives.

Take home is you don’t need to be overly complicated and don’t need dozens of lifts. A solid program with the basics and consistency is gonna work wonders.

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Pretty cool schedules out there already!

I’m still mostly just fooling around enjoying a break from anything structured and mostly working on strength endurance. It’s either:

  • Workouts borrowed from the 10,000 KB swing challenge;
  • Sandbag shouldering supersetted with KB overhead press in an AMRAP fashion, 20-25mins.

I’ll dive into strength sessions in a few weeks, the bulk of it being:

Workout 1
A1: Deadlift variation;
A2: Overhead press;
B1: DB Row;
B2: Suspension trainer push ups alternating with a “superman” (?) pose;
C: Core work.

Workout 2
A1: Weighted pistol squats;
A2: One-arm pushups;
B1: Split squats;
B2: Pull ups;
C: Core work.

This will include low cadence work and some sprint workouts. I’ll basically be following Fascat’s 32-week base program, but playing around with the strength workouts.

Later this fall/winter, the power phase will include jump squats, KB swings, sandbag shouldering and DB snatch, I have yet to think of a scheme.

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Maybe not what you are looking for:

Bouldering. I hit the bouldering gym a couple times a week. Hits all the muscles I want to hit; core, shoulders, hands. Compliments MTB so well.

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Every workout should have this, especially a ramp test :laughing:

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I plan on more strength and less riding over the winter:

Warmup includes thoracic mobility, hip mobility, and rotator cuff strengthening (daily)

Warmup set
3 sets x 8-10 reps

Workout 1
Spin Bike Warmup
Squats (safety bar - shoulder rotation issues)
Bench Press
Dumbbell Arnold Press
Romanian DL
Landmine Press
Tri-bar Skull Crushers
Chest Dips

Workout 2
Spin Bike Warmup
Landmine Squats
Landmine Row
Hex Bar Deadlift
Cable Trap Raises
EZ-bar Curls
Cable Lat pull downs
Tri-bar Preacher curls

I alternate between them with a day off between and two days off after four workouts.

1 Like
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my routine is more core/strength, and designed for injury prevention (based on what I see in patients i treat), and to complement swim/bike/run:
pushups x30
supermans x30
supine leg lowers x 30
single leg bridge w/ 40#, 2x12 ea
bicycle sit ups w/ resistance band x 30
sidelying clamshells w/ band x 60 ea
kayak rows x30
seated row w/ band 4x15
“hugs”/scap protraction w/ band 4x15
horizontal abduction w/ band 3x10
shrugs w/ band 3x15
triceps extension w/ band x30 ea
supine punch w/ 25# x12 ea
supine bench (single arm) w/ 25# x 8 ea
goblet squat w/ 25# x 20
single leg calf raise w/ 25# 3x30ea
Romanian split squat w/ 25# x15 ea
hip hike w/ 25# x 20 ea
seated heel raise w/ 25# x50 ea
5x1 min with a Stealth ab board (dynamic planks), usually the Mountain Bike Madness routine

do this M-W-F before work, recovery or endurance ride after work

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My early base phase is looking something like this for a couple of months.

M: 60 min easy Z2
T: 90 min Tempo PM, Strength Eve
W: 90 min high Z2
Th: 75-90 min Tempo PM, Strength Eve
F: 60 mins high Z2 or rest if I venture into the office
Sat: 90 mins+/- Mtb with wife sans power meter. RPE 3 or 4/10 in AM, Strength PM
Sun: 180 mins high Z2

Weekly TSS is quite low for now, and I’m gradually increasing the Tempo workouts by power/interval length and will increase the long Sunday rides a little.

As cycling load increases I’ll go from 3>2 weight sessions per week, and down to 1 in the new year when I start some harder stuff.

Now in week 4 I’m reaching somewhere near the max I can fit on the bar of my cheap barbell! I started fairly low weight, high rep and have steadily moved to the inverse. I only suffered with DOMS (well it was acute tbf, not so delayed) after my first session, which was a surprise, having not done weights for about 10 months and no lifting background. My strength sessions look like this:

Back squat - 4 x 4-6 @ 100% bw
Deadlift - 3 x 6-10 @ 110% bw
Bulgarian split squat - 1 x 10 @ 20% bw
Romanian deadlift - 1 x 10 @ 20% bw

I’ll incorporate some press ups and planks once the heavy stuff feels a bit easier.

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The following has given me good balance lately. The lifting is heavy but low enough daily volume that it doesn’t wear me out nor seem to interfere with bike workouts.

M: morning endurance ride, evening 3x5 bench and rows
T: morning hard ride, evening 3x5 squat and 3x5 lunge or split squat
W: morning endurance ride, evening 2-3x5 power clean pull
Th: morning endurance ride, evening 3x5 press and some chin-ups
F: morning hard ride, evening 3x5 trap bar deadlifts
Sa: morning endurance ride, evening 2-3x5 snatch pull
Su: off

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Monday: 3-7 Reps X 5 Squat, Deadlift, Paused Squat, and Pull Up + Evening endurance ride
Tuesday: 3-7 Reps X 5 Bench Press, Push Press, and Incline Press
Wednesday: Structured workout on bike
Thursday: 3-7 Reps X 5 Deadlift, Front Squat, and Barbell Row
Friday: 3-7 X 5 Reps Overhead Press and Close Grip Bench + structured workout on bike
Saturday: Endurance ride
Sunday: Endurance Ride

  • Note I am following the Stronger By Science strength program with last set reps in reserve plan. Best $15 I ever spent.
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Tuesday, Squats, Deadlifts, Bulgarian Split Squats with dumbells, Calf rasises, Pullups, Overhead Press, Dumbell pulls(upper back) and Bench Press. I’m following the Starting strength protocol, increasing weights by 5 lbs each week, Usually 3 sets of 5 reps.
Friday Core: Leg raises both legs and) single leg, crunches, front and side planks, ab roller, Mountain Climbers, Bird Dog.
At 67, I’m trying to maintain and increase muscle. My goal is 10 pullups (currently 8), above body weight for 3 sets of 5 on squats, and deadlift 50 lbs over body weight. Once I hit those marks, I will switch to lighter weight, much higher reps to induce hypertrophy.
Also doing the Sweet spot Base Low Volume. I did a cross country ride this summer 3872 miles in 57 days, so I’m sort of starting over with the strength work.

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I arguably do too much – too many exercises. But, I’m doing strength training to balance out muscle development for the bike, the rowing erg, and for rucking, so I’m doing more than I did when I was just lifting for the bike.

After March 2020, I stopped the gym (closures) and discovered the joys of the sandbag. For me, 60lbs of sand is enough – the Garage Fit brand bag I have has a 75lb capacity, so 60lbs still allows it to shift around as you lift, which is the point (depending on how much the weight is shifting and how many planes you move it though, it becomes 2-3 times harder to lift than a barbell with the same weight).

Supersets:

High Pulls alternating with Rotating Lunges

5-5-5 Back Squat-Front Squat-Bear Hug Squat (5 reps, then move the back, count to 10, do the next exercise – 5 reps is all I can do on these, in the gym I can only do 5-6 reps at 135 for a good depth back squat) alternating with Push-Ups with a 20lb weight vest.

Single Leg Dead Lifts alternating with Bent Over Rows

Single Leg Romanian Dead Lifts alternating with Pull-Ups

Hip Thrusters alternating with Shouldering Cleans (hold the bag from underneath like you’re lifting a log, say, then clean it and finish with it over your shoulder – alternate left and right sides as you lift).

I do this a few hours after doing a hard Fartlek session on Saturday, and I do it first thing Wednesday morning (4:30 AM), the day after a hard interval or fartlek on Tuesday night, then ride 12hrs later on Wednesday afternoon/evening.

I’ve been barbell lifting for years (like, 30) and a combination of lots of endurance training combined with being tall and skinny with long arms (I’m six one, 165, six-five arm span) means that I’ve never been able to lift much in the gym. The 60lb sandbag kicks my butt.

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Cheers, fellow sandbag lifter!

Probably my favorite tool in the gym. Have you ever taken it outside, like this routine for instance? Pretty cool workout that also sparks conversations around the track.

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usually hit the gym 1x-2x a week. Almost always the same routine with a heavier lift thrown in depending on how i’m feeling or phase/time of year or less if i’m in a race week/tapering:

  • TRX shoulder/back stretch
  • 5x Climbing hold pullups - clearly need to improve here
  • Hip Hing machine (kind’ve like a rip-row only fixed machine)
  • 100 angled bench sit-ups
  • 40 Back extensions
  • 5 sets of 10 rows
  • Bench press 5x10 sets
  • either a kettlebell CX suitecase lift 3x10 sets and/or a weighted bar lift and side-2-side sprint
    on to legs
  • 5x10 calf raises
  • 5x10 leg press
  • 5x10 deadlift (hex bar)
    Then hit the sauna for 20-30 minutes for recovery/heat adaptation
    I can usually knock this all out in 1hr to 1.5 hours
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I plan on trying FasCat’s 10-week strength plan starting at the end of November. Ive never taken a true off-season and am curious what it will do. TBH, I’m nervous about losing the cycling fitness I’ve gained this year.

I’ve been lifting upper body in “maintenance mode” along the way and plan to continue to do so via a heavily modified P90X routine (just the upper body and ab workouts, no legs or plyometrics).

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Out of interest, any reason why you leave some of the bigger, heavy compound lifts like Deadlifts towards the end of the workout?
I would have thought having Deadlifts before your Back Extensions, Rows, etc. would be the more optimal place for them?

1 Like