Get Stronger And Faster

Strength training in the gym is a must for cycling. Do these four easy moves to transform strength into speed.

Unfortunately pure weight lifting teaches your muscles to produce power at slow speed. Sure, you'll get stronger, but unless you teach those newly formed fibres to fire like lightning, you won't get faster. High-cadence pedalling power takes high-energy, high repetition moves to train your muscles to detonate on demand.

To turn all your hard work in the gym into cycling-specific strength, do this routine twice a week for four weeks on non-consecutive days. Perform two or three sets, or until you can no longer perform the moves quickly with good form. Rest two to three minutes between sets. Finish each session with 10 minutes of low-resistance, high-rpm spinning on your bike or trainer to flush out your legs and train your muscles to continue firing fast while fatigued.

- Selene Yeager

HIGH STEP
Stand facing a box that is knee high. Plant your right foot on the box so your left leg is extended behind you with only your toes on the ground. Raise your arms in front of you for balance or place your hands on your hips. Keeping your right foot planted, step up on your right leg, touch the box briefly with your left foot, and lower your body back to start, keeping your right foot on the box. Repeat for a set, then switch sides. Aim for a cadence of one rep per second, or faster if you can do it without losing form. Do 15 to 20 reps per leg.

JACK SQUATS
Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart, arms at sides. While raising your arms straight out in front of you, bend your knees and hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to start. Do 30 reps.

LUNGE JUMPS
Stand with your right leg forward and your left leg extended behind you. Bend your right knee and dip your left knee towards the floor, so you're in a lunge position. With arms straight out in front of you, swiftly jump up and switch legs in the air, landing in the opposite position. When your back knee touches the ground, jump again. Do 12 to 15 reps.

APPLAUSE PUSH-UP
Lie facedown on an exercise ball with both hands on the floor. Walk your hands out until they're directly below your shoulders and the ball is under your legs (under thighs is easiest; shins is hardest). Keeping your torso straight, bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the floor until your arms are bent 90 degrees. Push up as hard as you can, clap your hands once, and return to the starting position before immediately dropping into another repetition. These are tough; start with a few and work up to 10 to 15 reps.