Strength Training Will Make You More Efficient

Nov 5

Jay Burke mountain biking fast, airborne, with snowcapped mountains in the background.

Strength Training Will Make You More Efficient

Strength training can help you build muscle while losing body fat. This means that more of the weight on your bike will contribute to performance. Simply put, 10 lbs of muscle is more helpful on a 50k run or ride than 10 lbs of fat.

Additionally, the stronger you get, the less effort each pedal stroke at a certain speed will take. Think of curling a 10 lb dumbbell. If your max curl is 12 lbs, then you will only be able to do a couple of reps. But if your max is 25 lbs, you will be able to do a ton of reps before getting tired.

As a bonus, strength training develops better blood flow to the muscles and improves buffering, meaning your body will clean up lactic acid quicker, helping you avoid that burning sensation in your legs as you get tired.

References

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/16/5/article-p663.xml

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2009/08000/The_Influence_of_Strength_and_Power_on_Muscle.00017.aspx; https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/Abstract/2006/06000/Maximum_Strength_and_Strength_Training___A.8.aspx

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.14814/phy2.12033; https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.1999.276.2.R591

Ben Van Treese

FOUNDER

Ben is the Founder of OTM and an expert on injury prevention and training for longevity in mountain sports. His approach starts with the joint health and mobility athletes need to perform their sport with technical precision and safety. He has worked with Olympic athletes and X Games competitors as well as professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, and NHL. He is the author of A Cyclists Guide To Back Pain: Why Stretching Won't Work And What To Do Instead.

Ben earned a BS in Human Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Ohio State University. He has 15 years of experience in the field and is interested in the balance between performance and staying power in the mountains. These days, Ben is an accomplished rock climber (for a big dude) and chases fresh powder all over the Wasatch.

Born in Ohio, Ben grew up in a family of professional water skiers. His mother, a national champion several times over, raised Ben around elite coaches who fueled his interest in the power of training. By the end of college, though, Ben’s spine was fried from too many water skiing wrecks. That’s when he discovered Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), which not only enabled him to return to sport but motivated him to train people for longevity, not just short-term performance.

Strength Training Will Make You More Efficient

Why Strength Training Will Make You a Better Mountain Athlete

100 Year Athlete - James Dumas

CONNECT