Lift to go long. Strength training can improve running and cycling performance, says new Norwegian research.
The review looked at studies in which experienced runners and cyclists performed either heavy slow exercises, like barbell squats, or explosive moves with lighter weights, like kettlebell swings. The cyclists benefitted most from the heavy training, while the runners saw results from both.
Why? “It’s simple: They just got stronger,” says Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., founder of Turbulence Training. “The stronger you are, the more force you can generate, and the greater your power output.”
That explains why the cyclists saw a big performance boost from heavy strength training alone, since they pedal against resistance.
Ballantyne says it’s likely the athletes learned how to have better control over their muscles, which helps them to actually use more of the muscle in each movement—making motion more efficient. In other words, you use less energy per movement so you can get faster or go longer in endurance sports.
If you have a race coming up this fall, don’t just spin your wheels with long rides and runs—hit the gym, too. Try our strength training plan for cycling, or this explosive 4-week workout to power up your performance.
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