Strength Training Overview
WHY we should all be LIFTING heavy, not just for sports performance but for our long-term health.
The physiological adaptations we associate with improvements in sports performance are the consequence of our body’s hormonal and neural responses to exercise.
Different forms of exercise stimulate varying combinations of desirable metabolic, musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neural adaptations (1).
Broadly speaking, there’s a spectrum where at one end, endurance exercise stimulates adaptations in metabolic and cardiorespiratory function, whilst resistance training provokes predominantly musculoskeletal and neural adaptations. These adaptations are all desirable, arguably in equal measures for sports performance as much as our long-term health (2, 3, 4).
For those of you already starting to yawn, if you take only one thing from this article, let it be this: lift heavy at least once a week and aim for three or four hours of zone-two exercise each week if you want to have a longer, healthier life.
What I want to convey is that we can’t expect to perform at our best in our sport or be healthy without both types of training.
For now, I’m going to focus on strength training specifically with respect to principles and best practices for those of you whose main sport or pastime is some form of endurance exercise. Chances are, you didn’t start your chosen sport with a view to spending more time at the gym or doing yoga. Similarly, I’m sure we’re equally keen to avoid injuries that detract from the time we spend doing [insert sport of choice] or prevent it entirely. With this in mind, my aim is to set-out recommendations that make the most of your time.
There’s a well-established understanding of the benefits of concurrent strength and endurance training (5, 6, 7). In addition to sport-specific performance benefits, it’s clear that heavy weightlifting is also an effective tool to improve flexibility (8, 9, 10) and in turn, reduce our risk of overuse-type injuries.
I’d highlight a meta-analysis titled “Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion” that found short and long-term increases in flexibility as a result of full-range resistance training comparable to those of stretching.
Another way to consider this finding is that the primary and arguably the sole function of stretching is to improve flexibility. Where the primary objective of strength training is to get stronger, it also happens to offer a multitude of secondary benefits to our health and sports performance such as stronger bones and connective tissue, as well as improvements in flexibility comparable to stretching.
Adherence is arguably the greatest barrier to improved flexibility, so this finding is particularly helpful for the time-poor or uncommitted endurance athlete who finds it hard to make time for regular stretching. Whilst I don’t think weightlifting offers a complete substitute for dedicated mobility work, I do think this research helps to make clear that regular strength training should be a top priority for us all.
Below, I’ve set out some goals that in my experience, will offer the greatest reward for the least time.
• Lift heavy at least once a week •
I’ll set out an example workout structure for a workout that should take around 30 minutes to complete.
• Invest in your health and buy a kettlebell, COMRADE! •
The only programming in this respect is to pick it up often throughout the day. Do some kettlebell swings, thrusters, split squats, cleans or farmers carries around the house every time you see the kettlebell. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything else that will improve your strength and physical health for the same cost or effort.
Regarding weight, start with a kettlebell ideally no less than 25% of bodyweight. If you routinely ride for longer than three hours or run for more than 90 minutes, then I’d look to increase this to closer to 50% of bodyweight.
• EVERY HOUR SITTING (CHAIR OR BIKE) = 1 minute stretching key muscles/joints •
For every hour you spend sitting (on a chair or a bike) spend one minute per side at end range for the key muscles and joints used in your sport, either through PNF or static stretching, though foam rolling may be an equally effective tool for increased stretching tolerance. If you have particular problem areas, then focus your time on these, otherwise, keep it simple to make this a sustainable daily habit.
Self-assess your entry point and prioritise objectives accordingly
SUGGESTED WORKOUT FORMAT
I love programming. I used to write out weeks and months worth of sessions ahead of time - there was this one time where I wrote two years worth of run and gym training sessions ahead of time, right down to individual reps with specific weight targets - that was almost ten years ago. Truthfully, there was a time when I probably enjoyed the programming more than the training itself - which I don’t say lightly because I’ve always loved the time I spend in the gym.
However, instead of example workouts or an eight-week session plan, I’ll leave you with a more powerful tool in the form of a workout format with some guidelines to follow. Whilst you could follow a plan down to the letter, I think it’s more useful to set a framework that helps you to get the most out of your time, whilst allowing freedom for individual preferences and flexibility to meet goals specific to you.
SOME PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES
Move well whenever you’re in the gym, from as soon as you enter the door, think about your movements and ask yourself if you could hold better posture whilst you fill up your bottle, tie your shoes or load the bar.
Whilst you’re lifting, move with the fullest range you can without compromising form. If you’re struggling to squat or deadlift to depth with good form then consider using some fractional plates to raise your heels until your mobility has improved.
Speaking of loading the bar, I think it’s good practice to only load the bar with plates you can carry to the bar in one hand. Whilst entirely arbitrary, it’s a good benchmark for grip strength as well as offering some extra work on our grip.
Speaking of plates, don’t waste your time with fractional plates. Faffing around to add 5 or even 2.5kg worth of fractional plates is wasting time you could be lifting. Instead, just adjust the rep scheme for your workout. Let’s say you had planned to do a 5x5 for your deadlifts at 100kg, 110kg is too big a jump but 100kg is slightly too light, do 5x8 instead - it’s not going to make or break your workout.
Speaking of reps, unless you’re planning on becoming a competitive power-lifter, forget about 1RMs - maxing out isn’t worth the injury risk. Besides, as an endurance athlete, nobody cares about how much you can lift anyway. Similarly, leave chalk, lifting belts, smelling salts and knee wraps to strength athletes.
Aerobic Warm-uP
Don’t skip the warm-up, your joints will thank you later.
Mobility
Focus on the key joints and muscle groups you’ll be using during your lifts. This could be dynamic stretches or movements like reverse lunges, in some cases foam rolling may be acceptable too but I’d avoid static stretching.
PROPRIOCEPTION
There’s no exact definition for proprioceptive exercises, except that broadly, this involves trying to find stability in unstable positions or movements. Personally, I like two particular exercises in this style, though there are many ways this work can be completed.
I recommend you do these types of exercise without shoes or socks to better engage with the movement of our feet, I’d also note that these are far more difficult with loud music on, so headphones off for this one (and probably the rest of the workout too if we’re being honest).
*PLYOMETRICS
If you’re confident in your ability to lift well and have time then I’d consider adding 10-15mins of plyometric exercises to your workout after the proprioception exercises but before weightlifting. Single-leg hops, box jumps, rebound box jumps, jumping lunges and lateral skater jumps can all be effective tools but my personal preference is for some combination of 4-way single-leg hops (for balance) followed by box jumps (think highest jump, not highest box) and some form of rebound box-jumps.
LIFT HEAVY
All you need is love deadlifts. Simply put, there’s no better movement to stimulate the kind of adaptations we’re after. The goal is to lift heavy, for which, the deadlift is the most effective tool. When you’re training for strength, you’ll likely see the greatest strength gains if you focus your strength set on a single movement - which is just as well, because there’s little point in working anything else.
Conversely, I can’t find a convincing argument for why endurance athletes should do heavy back squats, yet these are often one of the first exercises to be prescribed for cyclists and runners. Full-range heavy back squats require strength and mobility that most of us don’t possess, heck, most people can’t squat well without any weight.
As a movement pattern, squatting can be beneficial for most cyclists but you’ll be able to work a greater range of motion whilst maintaining an upright torso (thus reducing risk of back injuries) with single-leg squat variations and achieve the same gains, perhaps more. Research into unilateral exercises often shows strength gains in the resting limb, likely due to the neural adaptations that occur as a result of strength training.
If your aim is to build strength then stick to 3-10 reps across 4 to 6 sets. If you’ve followed the workout structure above, it should only be necessary to do a few sets of warm-up lifts at lower weights. If you’re using multiple plates then I’d start your warm-up with the heaviest plate you intend to use. Let’s say you’re planning to deadlift 100kg for a 5x5, I’d practice a few warm-up lifts (2-3 sets of 4-8 reps) with 2x25kg plates for a total of 70kg (including a 20kg bar) then progress on to your main set.
Lift heavy then go home. If you want to make the most of just one gym session a week then save the core exercises, bicep curls, kettlebell swings or otherwise for home or another day at the gym. Your goal is to make the most of lifting heavy, don’t dilute the stimulus by adding in extra work at the end.
REFERENCES
1 - Adaptations to Endurance and Strength Training (2018)
2 - Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health (2018)
3 - Exercise Promotes Healthy Aging of Skeletal Muscle (2016)
4 - Lifelong physical exercise delays age-associated skeletal muscle decline (2014)
5 - Heavy strength training improves performance-related measurements in elite cyclists (2016)
6 - Effect of heavy strength training … in well-trained cyclists (2009)
7 - In-season strength maintenance training increases well-trained cyclists' performance (2010)
8 - Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion (2021)
9 - Full squat produces greater neuromuscular and functional adaptations and lower pain than partial squats …
10 - Acute and chronic effects of foam rolling vs eccentric exercise on ROM and force output of the plantar flexors
READING LIST
I found these ones to be the most informative
1 - Neural Adaptations to Resistive Exercise: Mechanisms and Recommendations for Training Practices
2 - Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training
3 - Heavy strength training improves performance-related measurements in elite cyclists
4 - Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion
5 - Assessment of Metabolic Flexibility by Means of Measuring Blood Lactate, Fat, and Carbohydrate Oxidation Responses to Exercise in Professional Endurance Athletes and Less-Fit Individuals
I also read these in writing this article, many were helpful, though I’m less sure how quick I’d be to recommend all of them.
1 - Lifelong physical exercise delays age-associated skeletal muscle decline
2 - It’s not just muscle mass: a review of muscle quality, composition and metabolism during ageing as determinants of muscle function and mobility in later life
3 - Exercise Promotes Healthy Aging of Skeletal Muscle
4 - Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health
5 - A Comparison of the Effect of Strength Training on Cycling Performance between Men and Women
6 - Assessment of Metabolic Flexibility by Means of Measuring Blood Lactate, Fat, and Carbohydrate Oxidation Responses to Exercise in Professional Endurance Athletes and Less-Fit Individuals
7 - Differential responses to proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretch techniques
8 - To stretch or not to stretch: the role of stretching in injury prevention and performance
9 - A mechanism for altered flexibility in human skeletal muscle
10 - THE EFFECTS OF SELF‐MYOFASCIAL RELEASE USING A FOAM ROLL OR ROLLER MASSAGER ON JOINT RANGE OF MOTION, MUSCLE RECOVERY, AND PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
11 - The Foam Roll as a Tool to Improve Hamstring Flexibility
12 - The Effect of Foam Rolling for Three Consecutive Days on Muscular Efficiency and Range of Motion
13 - Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A systematic review
14 - Resistance Training vs. Static Stretching: Effects on Flexibility and Strength
15 - Effect of plyometric training on the fascicle length of the gastrocnemius medialis muscle
16 - Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper From the National Strength and Conditioning Association
17 - Skeletal Muscle Remodeling in Response to Eccentric vs. Concentric Loading: Morphological, Molecular, and Metabolic Adaptations
18 - Muscle Architectural and Functional Adaptations Following 12-Weeks of Stretching in Adolescent Female Athletes
19 - CURRENT CONCEPTS IN MUSCLE STRETCHING FOR EXERCISE AND REHABILITATION
20 - Acute effects of static versus dynamic stretching on isometric peak torque, electromyography, and mechanomyography of the biceps femoris muscle
21 - Effect of submaximal contraction intensity in contract-relax proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching
22 - The effect of static stretch and warm-up exercise on hamstring length over the course of 24 hours