STRENGTH TRAINING FOR CYCLISTS
OVER 30
BUILD THE STRENGTH THAT KEEPS YOU CYCLING FASTER, LONGER AND REDUCES YOUR RISK OF INJURY WITHOUT SPENDING HOURS IN THE GYM.
RIDE FASTER? LONGER? STRONGER? DON'T GET INJURED AS OFTEN? TRAIN FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME? WITH LITTLE EQUIPMENT NEEDED?
START THE 12-WEEK BUILT TO RIDE OVER 30 PROGRAMME TODAY!
WHY STRENGTH TRAINING BECOMES ESSENTIAL AFTER 30?
We’ve all been there…
Feeling more achy in the mornings.
Needing an extra day (or two) to recover after hard rides.
Noticing your watts are harder to hold, your FTP won’t budge, and climbs bite sooner than they used to.
Lower-back or neck niggles after long hours in the saddle.
Ageing is inevitable. Losing strength, speed, and resilience isn’t.
After 30, your body changes: slower recovery, muscle loss, reduced tendon stiffness, and hormonal shifts.
Strength training for cyclists of any age is invaluable.
But for cyclists over 30, it’s non-negotiable.
Here are 5 science-backed reasons why:
1. You’re Losing Muscle Mass (Sarcopenia)
From the age of 30, you naturally lose 3–5% of skeletal muscle mass per decade, and that loss accelerates as you hit your 6th decade.
Less muscle = less force each pedal stroke.
Strength training slows that decline, helping you sustain power, sprint capacity, and climbing strength. It’s why many riders set lifetime bests in their 30s, 40s, even 50s, once they finally add proper strength work.
2. Overuse Injuries Spike After 30
Research shows most cycling overuse injuries occur after the age of 30, it’s the accumulated strain of long hours in the same position.
Lower back pain and neck and shoulder fatigue are common complaints.
You can spend hundreds on a bike fit and aero kit to drop your CDA, but if your core collapses and your back gives out after 20 minutes in position, all those gains are wasted.
This is where strength training steps in and the results are that you're more stable power, have less back pain, and the ability to hold aero longer (so your expensive fit and kit actually pay you back).
3. Better Mechanics & Balance
Tired late into a ride? Your posture gets sloppy, reaction times slow and handling gets a little off.
Strength training improves neuromuscular coordination, balance, and postural control reducing your risk of crashes, improving your power transfer and safer bike handling when you're tired. It's one of the most overlooked benefits of strength training for runners.
4. Improved Body Composition & Metabolism
After 30:
- Men see testosterone decline.
- Women experience hormonal changes in perimenopause and menopause.
Both sexes find it harder to shift weight.
Each pound of muscle burns ~6 calories/day, while a pound of fat burns only ~3–4. Lose 10lbs of muscle, (remember you're naturally starting to lose muscle mass after 30) and your daily calorie burn drops.
Strength training helps maintain lean muscle and metabolism, making it easier to stay lean, strong, and energised.
5. Stronger Bones, Lower Injury Risk
Cycling is largely non-weight-bearing, and bone density can suffer increasing fracture risk from crashes or simple falls. Peak bone mass is around 30; decline typically starts mid-30s (faster post-menopause for biological women).
By stressing your bones safely, strength training slows this decline and strengthens bone density, protecting you against injuries long term both including those outside of cycling.
SAMPLE STRENGTH TRAINING PLAN FOR CYCLISTS
Here’s a sample strength training plan pulled directly from the training principles I share weekly in BUILT TO ENDURE's free newsletter:
Dynamic warm up.
Main set:
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3x 20s Cossack squats
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3× 10 reps Romanian deadlifts
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3× 8 reps each leg RFE split squats
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3× 10 reps each arm single arm bench row
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3x 30s bear plank knee drives
Accessory set:
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2x 10 reps press ups
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2x 8 reps 1/2 kneeling shoulder press
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2x 45s side plank
Aim for an RPE around 7 (you should finish sets with 3 reps “in the tank”).
START STRENGTH TRAINING FOR CYCLISTS TODAY!
Whether you’re chasing a 10 mile time trial PB, training for your first century, or just want to feel stronger and reduce your risk of injury, strength training is the missing piece.
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Onboarding coaching call and follow up:This is where we craft your training plan around you and your goals. We get into the nitty-gritty of your availability to train, your current work and lifestyle schedule and commitments, your training experience and your previous injury history.
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Regular coaching check-ins and communication:Each week I will personally analyze your training and look at how you are responding to the stimulus. We will have back and forth conversations to see how you are feeling with the training stimulus itself as the data does not capture the whole picture.
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Flexibility and no decision-fatigue:Upcoming holiday? Unexpected sickness? Called late at work? All of these things happen and a generic static plan leaves you in the ambiguous position questioning: "What do I do?" "Which workout should I not miss?" "How do I get back on track after being poorly?" I am on stand-by to make sure the unexpected does not derail your training plan. This really is the key to your success.
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Expert strength and conditioning:Industry-leading strength sessions made entirely for you. Designed to improve your endurance performance and reduce your risk of injury. These strength plans are dynamic and individualized to you and your muscular imbalances, we very much have open conversations about the exercises and how you are responding to them. I also recommend you record videos of yourself completing exercises for me to provide feedback on your technique and movement mastery. Your strength workouts will progress throughout your season to prime your endurance performance with a focus on speed, power and robustness.
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Beginner-advanced coaching:I have worked with a vast range of runners, cyclists and multisport athletes in my coaching experience. Regardless of your starting point, our High Performance Coaching is guaranteed to help you reach your goals as it has done for so many individuals like you.
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Workouts made for you:As your fitness grows, your workouts need to adapt. We work to a range of metrics which are tailored to you and your training zones. Ensuring we are on top of this ever-changing dynamic helps ensure your training is eliciting the best response from the work you are putting in.
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Your coach on your wrist:Each workout is tailored to your personal zones and if you're not in those zones, your training device will make you aware of it! It's like having me, your coach, on your wrist reminding you where you need to be and keeping you on track.
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Workouts sent directly to your training device:Each workout is sent directly to your compatible training device, eg. Garmin/Polar/Apple/Coros etc.
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Lifetime access to the plan:An ever-dynamic plan which you can revisit to support your training journey. No onboarding coaching set up fee when you pay 3 months upfront: The £65 onboarding coaching fee is removed when you pay 3 months upfront. There are very limited spaces for our High Performance coaching options, please get in touch to discuss further.