Why Cyclists Shouldn't Stop Strength Training During the Season

As cycling season ramps up, training priorities start to shift. Rides get longer, intensity increases, and race/event calendars begin filling up.

For many cyclists, this is also the moment when strength training quietly disappears.

It's an understandable decision. When riding volume increases, time becomes limited, and strength sessions can feel like something extra. But removing strength training during the season is one of the most common mistakes cyclists make.

Strength training isn't just an off-season tool; it plays an important role in maintaining the performance gains we built during the winter months.

The strength we built won't maintain itself

During the base period, strength training helps build muscle mass, strengthen connective tissue, improve bone density, and support better power production on the bike.

But the body adapts to the demands placed on it.

When strength training disappears for several weeks (and certainly when it disappears for months), the body gradually begins to lose those adaptations. Muscle mass declines, connective tissue resilience drops, and durability can decrease over time. Bones that had been getting biweekly doses of the stresses necessary to drive improved bone density lose their momentum.

That's why strength training shouldn't disappear during the season. Instead, it should shift into an approach focused on quality and consistency.

How much strength training do we need?

The good news is that continuing to build strength and the optimal adaptations from it requires far less work than building it. For most cyclists, two strength sessions per week are enough to maintain the benefits built during the off-season.

A simple structure works well:

• One harder strength session (overall RPE 7-8)

• One medium-intensity strength session (overall RPE 5-6)

These workouts don't need to be long or complicated. During the season, the goal isn't to set new strength records in the gym, but to continue to build the foundation that supports our performance on the bike and a healthier body.

When should strength training pause?

The only time it makes sense to stop strength training completely is around one major event of the year.

If you have your most important race coming up (one race), stop strength training two to four days before the event to ensure your energy stores are full and your muscle and nervous system are fully recovered. During that time, light activation exercises can help maintain muscle readiness without creating fatigue.

After the race, strength training can be gradually reintroduced, starting as soon as four days after, depending on the length of the event and the physical and mental strain it placed on you.

Don't replace strength training with only core work or mobility

Another common mistake is replacing strength training with core exercises and activation drills. While those movements are helpful as part of a warm-up or recovery routine, they don't provide anywhere near the stimulus needed to maintain strength, structural resilience, and spur/support new bone growth or meaningful further neural adaptations.

Strength training still needs to be part of the plan year round, without a break, especially for women and masters riders who want to keep their bones, hormone levels, and body composition healthy.

The goal during the race season

Strength training doesn't compete with your riding. It supports it.

By maintaining two focused strength sessions per week, you can preserve the gains you built during the off-season, support consistent performance, and reduce your risk of injury as training intensity increases.

During the season, the goal isn't to become stronger in the gym. The goal is to protect the strength that makes us stronger on the bike and to further our bodies' ability to do work and quickly recover and adapt.

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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.