Shared workout · Cycling
Cycling Muscular Strength
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THE WORKOUT, STEP BY STEP
CYCLING1h 15min
Cycling Muscular Strength
Purpose: build cycling-specific muscular strength, pedal force, climbing power, and fatigue resistance without turning this into a sprint or all-out cardio session. Structure: 18 min progressive warm-up, 5x low-cadence torque intervals, 12 min cooldown. Work intervals: seated, 5 min each at 50-65 rpm and 80-90% FTP (or RPE 7-8/10 if no power), using a gear that feels heavy but still smooth. Recoveries: 4 min easy spinning at normal cadence. Gearing: choose the largest gear you can turn smoothly while staying seated; shift easier immediately if cadence drops below 50 rpm, hips rock, or pedal stroke gets jerky. Phase purpose: warm-up raises temperature and primes neuromuscular control; main set targets high pedal force and climb-specific force production; cooldown flushes fatigue and restores smoothness. 4-week progression: W1 4x5 min; W2 5x5 min; W3 5x6 min or same volume with slightly higher resistance; W4 deload to 4x5 min or reduce power by ~5%. Stop/reduce if knee discomfort appears, cadence cannot stay in
WARMUP8 minTarget: 55-65% FTP • Cadence 85-95 rpm
Easy progressive spin to raise temperature and prepare legs; stay seated and smooth.
WARMUP5 minTarget: 60-70% FTP • Cadence 80-90 rpm
Build gradually toward steady aerobic support; keep cadence controlled and pedal stroke quiet.
WARMUP5 minTarget: 65-75% FTP • Cadence 75-85 rpm
Final warm-up build to prepare for low-cadence torque work; still smooth, seated, and controlled.
ACTIVE5 minTarget: 80-90% FTP • Cadence 50-65 rpm
Main interval: seated low-cadence torque work. If no power data, ride by feel at RPE 7-8/10.
RECOVERY4 minTarget: 45-55% FTP • Cadence 85-95 rpm
Easy spinning recovery at normal cadence; keep legs moving and reset for the next effort.
COOLDOWN12 minTarget: 45-55% FTP • Cadence 85-95 rpm
Easy cooldown spin to flush fatigue and restore smooth pedal mechanics.
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