Are you wasting your time in the gym trying to get stronger on the bike?

A recent study claims that high intensity strength sessions on the bike are just as effective as high intensity resistance training exercises in the weight room.

The Institute of Sport’s National Research Institute study was published in Biology of Sport last month. It concludes that cyclists do not need to incorporate any resistance training outside of sessions on the bike to “increase strength, muscle-tendon structure, and pedaling performance,” beyond what a cyclist can achieve on-bike.

The study investigated the outcome of high-intensity resistance workouts comparing their effectiveness when done on the bike and off the bike.

How the study was conducted

Put to the test were a total of 37 cyclists who followed a resistance program for 10 weeks. One group performed the workouts in the gym doing squats while the second group performed all-out pedalling efforts on the bike. Intensity, volume, sets and rest were identical for both groups.

A third group that didn’t follow any resistance program for the 10 week period was used as a control group. This final group continued their regular training routine with no additional resistance training.

The study revealed “no significant differences were found between off- and on-bike RT (resistance training) in any parameter.” Both off-and on-bike groups improved maximal aerobic power at ventilation threshold and off-bike maximal dynamic force (MDF).

Differences found were negligible

Only slight differentiations were recorded. The group focusing solely on resistance training on the bike significantly increased pedalling MDF. Quadricep size of the group focused on training in the gym was “significantly” increased, while the on-bike group experienced an “enhancement” of quadricep size and patellar tendon size.

Both resistance training groups saw improvements in time-to-exhaustion capacity, though not significantly. The off-bike group saw an increase in injury-related symptoms.

The control group did not see gains in MDF or quadricep size. The study’s research concluded that the “findings suggest that high-intensity on-bike RT is an effective alternative to off-bike RT to safely increase strength, muscle-tendon structure, and cycling performance.”

Control group did not improve strength

The control group, which did not focus on resistance training, did not see any significant gains in pedalling MDF, quadricep size, strength, muscle-tendon structure or injury-related sysmptoms, such that the two other groups did.

Interestingly, there was no strong evidence that low-cadence “torque” training that this type of training on-bike effectively improves neuromuscular and cycling performance.

“The relative force achieved during traditional torque training is overall low (<50% of cyclists’ maximal pedaling force), which in turn might explain why the desired neuromuscular adaptations might not be attained using this method,” it stated.

The study’s research was based on 100 per cent compliance of all participants, and there were no dropout.

Read the full study here.