Summer strength training: Keep showing up

With the 2025 edition of the Tour de France started, the summer riding season is officially in full swing here in the northern hemisphere. For many of us cyclists, this season means heading out to tackle more challenging rides or perhaps moving into the final preparations for our A event of the year. It also often means shifting away from our strength training in an attempt to either gain more ride time or to "rest" more.

While it may seem very reasonable (after all, strength training is a stressor, and we are cyclists), the truth is that this is the time of year when the fruits of hitting the weights consistently can shine through.

But we need to continue to show up.

And do the work.

It's this second part that many of us trip over as we attempt to maintain previous weeks' weights or volume (the total amount of weight moved, also thought of as sets x repetitions).

As we get into this part of the riding year, strength training serves to help us balance out all those hours behind bars, hunched forward and working through wind, inclines, and the beating sun.

The goal of strength training this time of year is not to max out or feel tired, but rather to give our bodies a stimulus that they don't get on the bike, which serves to help keep our muscles, joints, and mind balanced and in touch with good, high-quality postures and movements.

Think of strength training right now like Miracle-Gro.

We need just enough at the right time of the season to super-boost our returns.

Just like a tomato plant, if we add Miracle-Gro too late in the season, or if we neglect adding it in at the right time, the results will still be there...just in much smaller amounts.

Here are three rules to help us stay consistent in strength training this July so we can see fantastic results on the bike and feel the best we've ever felt during the peak season.

Never sacrifice sleep for strength training.

Sleep is exactly what we need right now; it's where the vast majority of tissue repair and neuromuscular adaptations happen. Cutting back on sleep will have the exact opposite effect and leave us wondering what happened.

Instead, talk with your coach to figure out where and how you can continue to show up at least once a week for an abbreviated strength session as you've been doing.

Show up.

Especially when we're feeling a bit tired from riding, showing up and starting with a dynamic warmup will not only check the box for getting in strength training, but also, more often than not, we'll find our energy levels will rise as we move through the dynamic warmup, and we'll be able to complete the strength session feeling better and more energized.

Instead of skipping, start your dynamic warmup. Don't try to add reps or sets; just move through the warmup with a focus on quality. If by the third exercise you're feeling more tired, stop and call it a day.

RPE is king.

Many cyclists make the mistake of trying to increase weight or reps each week in the gym. But because we're out there riding, we're accumulating more overall fatigue. Train smarter by being aware of how the weight feels to you (with great technique) on a scale of 1-10, and let that guide your weight selection.

Rather than trying to PR in the gym, focus on getting what you need out of your strength training. The movement itself and how hard/heavy it feels to you on each day at that time is what gets you the results.

Have a fantastic July, and ride strong!

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At BaseCamp, we believe that every cyclist has the potential to achieve greatness, no matter where they start. Our mission is to create a community-driven training environment where cyclists and triathletes of all levels can train together, support each other, and grow stronger, faster, and more confident in their abilities. Our cycling training programs are expert driven and tailored to your needs. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, BaseCamp is where you belong.