Mirafit athlete Andrew Feather is a British Cycling Hill Climb Champion, so he knows a thing or two about leg day. It takes a lot of power to endure hill climbs, which is why Andrew uses the gym as a fundamental part of his lower body training. Even though endurance sports such as cycling are focused on cardiovascular performance, strength plays a big part in it too.

We interviewed Andrew Feather to discuss why strength training is so important for cycling and some of the key exercises he incorporates into his training.

Why is Strength Training Important for Cyclists?

Strength training is crucial for cycling because it requires a lot of lower body strength. Building strength in the gym means that your legs have more power behind them on the bike. It is also especially important as you get older (like myself at 38). Not only does it increase muscle strength but also improves bone density, something that is crucial in older age when you’re more at risk of arthritis and osteoporosis.

What Key Muscle Groups Should Hill Climb Cyclists Focus On In Strength Training?

Quads and hamstrings are two of the key muscle groups which hill climb cyclists should focus on. In particular, the quads are crucial to performance in cycling in order to produce the power to push and pull the pedals.

I also focus on core strength for other parts of the body because you need a lot of core stability to stay strong on the bike and make yourself as efficient as possible. A discipline like hill climbing requires explosive strength, so each day I try to do a set of 30 abdominal crunches on the Mirafit sit up bench and 20 press-ups on the floor. These are easy exercises to do anywhere.

What are the Best Leg Day Exercises for Developing Power for Hill Climbs?

Squats are essential, whether that be with a barbell or medicine ball. Because squats are primarily a quad dominant exercise, they focus on the muscle group that requires the most strength in cycling. Lunges are also a great exercise as they target quads, hips, and hamstrings. Any compound movements that target the lower body muscle can improve cycling performance.

How is Your Training Structured?

My typical daily training usually consists of two hours on the bike with a couple of hill climb efforts (3 to 5 minutes each in duration). Then I will also do a 15-20 minute strength session, incorporating the exercises above that primarily target the lower body and core. I try to give myself one day off per week to allow for recovery.

Do You Have Any Tips for Improving Cycling Performance?

Power to weight ratio is fundamental to anyone generally wanting to improve their climbing. This is one of the most common measures of performance in cycling, dividing your power output in watts by your bodyweight. You can measure your power output with a power meter, they easily attach to a normal or static bike and will measure watts. As you become more experienced, your power to weight ratio should increase. Strength work really does help increase power by targeting different muscles. For me, the weight element comes down to having a healthy, balanced diet and not being overly obsessive.

Whether you’re hitting the hills, or you want to improve your lower body strength for your daily cycling commute, remember that strength training should be an important part of your routine. However, for traditional cycling training, you could also consider an air bike.

If you really want to target those legs, check out our guide on how to use a leg press machine.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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Tags: Exercise Type > Strength ; Misc > Mirafit Ambassadors