Increasing Cycling Power: Strength Training, Plyometrics, and On-Bike Drills

What is the best exercise to increase cycling power?

While there isn't a single "best" exercise, a comprehensive approach integrating targeted strength training, plyometrics, and specific on-bike interval work is most effective for maximizing cycling power output by enhancing muscular strength, power, and metabolic efficiency.

Understanding Cycling Power

Cycling power is the rate at which work is performed, typically measured in watts. It's the product of force (how hard you push the pedals) and velocity (how fast you spin them, or cadence). To increase cycling power, you must improve either your ability to generate more force, your capacity to sustain higher cadences, or ideally, both. This involves adaptations across multiple physiological systems, including muscular strength, anaerobic capacity, aerobic endurance, and neuromuscular coordination.

The Multi-Faceted Nature of "Best"

The concept of a single "best" exercise for cycling power is an oversimplification. Cycling power is a complex output influenced by various underlying physical attributes. Therefore, an optimal training strategy involves a combination of modalities designed to address different aspects of power production:

• Maximal Strength: The ability to generate high levels of force.
• Rate of Force Development (RFD): How quickly you can generate force.
• Muscular Endurance: The ability to sustain force production over time.
• Anaerobic Capacity: The ability to produce power without oxygen, crucial for short, intense efforts.
• Aerobic Power (VO2 Max): The maximum rate at which the body can consume oxygen, fundamental for sustained high power.
• Neuromuscular Efficiency: The coordination between the brain and muscles for optimal movement patterns.

Key Training Modalities for Cycling Power

1. Strength Training: Building the Foundation

Strength training, particularly heavy, compound movements, forms the bedrock for increased cycling power. It enhances the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers (hypertrophy) and improves the neural drive to those muscles, leading to greater force production.

• Barbell Back Squat: Often hailed as the "king of exercises," the back squat targets the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings – the primary movers in cycling. It develops maximal strength and power, directly translating to pushing force on the pedals. Focus on full range of motion, controlling both eccentric (lowering) and concentric (lifting) phases.
• Deadlift (Conventional or Sumo): This exercise powerfully recruits the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, lower back), which are crucial for hip extension and overall stability during cycling. It builds immense whole-body strength and improves the ability to generate force from a stable base.
• Leg Press: A good alternative for those who find squats challenging, the leg press allows for high loads and targets similar muscle groups (quads, glutes, hamstrings) with less spinal loading.
• Bulgarian Split Squat / Lunges: Unilateral exercises are vital for addressing muscular imbalances between legs and improving stability. They mimic the single-leg drive phase of the pedal stroke, enhancing specific leg strength and balance.
• Calf Raises (Standing or Seated): While not primary power generators, strong calves contribute to ankle stability and efficient power transfer through the foot during the pedal stroke.
• Core Strength Exercises: A strong core (abdominals, obliques, lower back) provides a stable platform for power transfer from the legs to the pedals. Exercises like planks, side planks, bird-dog, and anti-rotation presses are crucial.

Rep Range and Progression: For maximal strength, focus on heavier weights with lower repetitions (3-6 reps). For muscular endurance, higher repetitions (8-15 reps) with moderate weights are beneficial. Progressive overload – gradually increasing weight, reps, or sets – is essential for continuous adaptation.

2. Power Training (Plyometrics): Enhancing Explosiveness

Plyometric exercises train the muscles to produce maximum force in minimal time (Rate of Force Development, RFD), which is critical for bursts of power like sprints, attacks, or climbing out of the saddle. They bridge the gap between pure strength and dynamic, sport-specific movements.

• Box Jumps: Develop explosive leg power and coordination. Focus on a powerful take-off and a soft, controlled landing.
• Broad Jumps: Similar to box jumps, but emphasize horizontal power, which can translate to forward propulsion.
• Bounding: A series of exaggerated running or jumping steps, excellent for developing powerful leg drive and elasticity.
• Squat Jumps: A simpler plyometric that can be done with or without light weight, focusing on quick concentric contraction.

Integration: Plyometrics should be performed when fresh, typically after a warm-up and before heavy strength training, to ensure high-quality, explosive movements.

3. On-Bike Specific Training: Translating Power to the Pedals

While off-bike training builds the engine, on-bike training refines its application to the specific demands of cycling. This is where strength and power developed in the gym are integrated into the actual pedaling motion.

• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Short bursts of maximal or near-maximal effort followed by recovery periods. This improves anaerobic capacity, VO2 max, and the ability to tolerate lactate, directly translating to higher power output during intense efforts.
  • Examples:
    • VO2 Max Intervals: 3-5 minutes at 100-120% of FTP (Functional Threshold Power) with equal recovery.
    • Tabata Intervals: 20 seconds maximal effort, 10 seconds rest, repeated for 4-8 minutes.
• Strength Endurance Intervals (Big Gear Efforts): Riding in a larger gear at a lower cadence (e.g., 50-70 RPM) on a flat or slight incline, focusing on sustained, high-force production. This builds muscular endurance and the ability to grind out power.
• Cadence Drills: Varying cadence between very high (100+ RPM, spinning) and very low (50-60 RPM, grinding) helps improve neuromuscular efficiency across the entire pedaling range. This teaches the body to apply force effectively at different speeds.
• Sprints: Maximal effort, short duration (5-30 seconds) sprints from a near-standing start or rolling start. These directly train peak power output and RFD on the bike.

The Synergistic Approach

The "best" approach is not to pick one exercise but to strategically combine these modalities. Strength training builds the potential for high force production. Plyometrics train the speed at which that force can be applied. On-bike intervals then translate these gains into specific cycling power outputs, improving both the aerobic and anaerobic systems.

Periodization and Progression

To maximize gains and prevent overtraining, training should be periodized. This means structuring your training into phases, with different focuses (e.g., off-season for strength, pre-season for power and intensity, in-season for maintenance and specific event preparation). Progressive overload is key – continually challenging the body as it adapts.

Recovery and Nutrition

No training program is complete without adequate recovery and proper nutrition. Muscles grow and adapt during rest, not during the workout. Prioritize sleep, active recovery, and consume a balanced diet rich in carbohydrates for fuel, protein for muscle repair, and healthy fats for overall health.

Conclusion

While the Barbell Back Squat is arguably the single most impactful gym exercise for building foundational strength directly transferable to cycling power, it's crucial to understand that no single exercise holds the title of "best." True cycling power enhancement comes from a holistic, integrated training program that systematically addresses maximal strength, explosive power, muscular endurance, and specific on-bike power output through a combination of heavy resistance training, plyometrics, and targeted interval cycling. By adopting this comprehensive, evidence-based approach, cyclists can significantly improve their power output and performance.