Originally Posted by Hermes

Here are a couple of ideas for you.

Weight training on the bike - The pedal stroke is round and slightly non linear. And there is a speed of muscle contraction that is generally greater than done in the gym. And one uses one leg at a time versus pushing with both at the same time. Strength coaches for sprint teams know that and adjust weight workouts in the gym even going to the trouble of taking videos of pedaling and attempting to match the setup of the leg press to match individual style. One leg box jumps are also in their repertoire.

So when one is on the bike. one can do seated starts and standing starts that will mimic one leg dead lifts and the muscle action and speed are perfect for cycling. One can put the bike in a big gear and do flying 100 meters to improve strength on the bike. This is right out of the playbook from Team USA sprint team.

Will any strength work that increases muscle strength as well as muscle size and weight improve endurance? The answer is yes, stronger muscles fatigue less assuming that they are then trained for endurance. If all one does is strength work then one will have little endurance. Every sprinter knows that endurance is a speed killer. So track sprinters have just enough endurance to get through a sprint competition. That does not mean that they could not have endurance it means that they choose not to.

One way to make sure that strength gains in the gym are locked in and the proper neurology is developed for that increased strength is to ride the bike directly after the weight workout and do lower cadence higher power short intervals. Of course, this trashes ones legs but it will build strength, power and endurance and maximize the time in the gym with a focus on endurance improvement. Also, keep the muscle movement in the gym faster being careful not to use too much weight and go for more sets and reps with focus on one leg movements. One leg dead lift. Not so easy to do.