A Comparison of the Effect of Strength Training on Cycling Performance between Men and Women.

Olav Vikmoen,Bent R Rønnestad

doi:10.3390/jfmk6010029

Abstract

During the last decade numerous review articles have been published on how concurrent strength and endurance training affect cycling performance. However, none of these have reviewed if there are any sex differences in the effects of concurrent training on cycling performance, and most research in this area has been performed with male cyclists. Thus, the aim of the current paper is to review the scientific literature on the effect of concurrent training on cycling performance in male and female cyclists with a special emphasis on potential sex differences. The results indicate that both male and female cyclists experience a similar beneficial effect from concurrent training on cycling performance and its physiological determinants compared to normal endurance training only. Some data indicate that women have a larger effect on cycling economy, but more studies are needed to explore this further. Furthermore, the adaptations to strength training thought to be responsible for the beneficial effects on cycling performance seem to be very similar between men and women. Interestingly, increased muscle cross-sectional area in the main locomotor muscles seems to be an important adaptation for improved performance, and, contrary to popular belief, cyclists should aim for increased muscle cross-sectional area when adding strength training to their normal training. We conclude that both male and female cyclists can improve their cycling performance by adding strength training to their normal training.

Highlights

One of the few studies investigating the effect of adding strength training to the usual training of female cyclists reported no beneficial effect on cycling performance in a 1 h time-trial test nor in cycling economy [7]
Our review of the literature, which focuses on our own studies using similar strength training and test measurements in male and female cyclists, shows that both sexes improve cycling performance and can add heavy strength training to their normal training in order to improve performance
It seems to be difficult to improve cycling economy after concurrent training in very well-trained and elite male cyclists, indicating that improvement in cycling economy is easier in women

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. One of the few studies investigating the effect of adding strength training to the usual training of female cyclists reported no beneficial effect on cycling performance in a 1 h time-trial test nor in cycling economy [7]. We first present a short summary of the effects of adding strength training to cyclists’ normal training regimes regarding cycling performance and performance determinants regardless of sex. Thereafter, we compare these effects between male and female cyclists with an emphasis on our own studies using a similar training program and testing protocol in both male and female cyclists. We include a review of the adaptations to strength training thought to induce beneficial effects on cycling performance and discuss if these might be different between men and women

The Effects of Strength Training on Cycling Performance and Its

Sex Difference in the Effect of Strength Training on Cycling Performance

Mechanisms behind the Effects of Strength Training on Cycling Performance and

Findings

Summary