Combined Endurance & Strength Training, by Karoly Spy

Athletes often ask me to integrate strength training into their training programs.

I am still somewhat reluctant to recommend this to amateur athletes with little training time, because the most important factor for improving endurance remains the specific training volume, which must remain stable.

An endurance program incorporating 2 maximum-strength training sessions per week for at least 8 weeks can have a positive effect on improving endurance performance ( energy cost, fraction of VO2max utilization, anaerobic power indicators).

It should not be forgotten that endurance training is the most important factor for improving the performance of an endurance athlete (cyclist, triathlete, runner, skier, etc.).

A maximum-strength training session should not replace an endurance session; it should be added on top of it.

For example, a cyclist who can only complete 3 or 4 training sessions per week will benefit more, in terms of progress, from maintaining their cycling-training volume than from going to the gym. In fact, to see benefits from strength training, you need to complete 2 sessions per week. In that case, the cyclist would have only one or two cycling sessions per week left, which is too little to generate specific metabolic adaptations.

If you have plenty of time to complete strength-training sessions without reducing your endurance-training volume, then YES, maximum-strength training can help you make further progress.

However, be mindful of specificity when choosing your strength-training exercises:

The muscle action, the muscles engaged, and the movement pattern should be relatively similar to those used in the sport being practiced.

Example in cycling:

The main force produced during pedaling is achieved through concentric muscle actions during the downward phase of the pedal stroke.

Maximum force during pedaling occurs when the crank arm reaches an angle of approximately 90°, which generally corresponds to a knee angle of approximately 100°.

You should therefore target strength-training exercises with a knee angle between 90° and an almost complete knee extension.

A maximum-strength session cannot be performed on the bike!

Unfortunately, it has been demonstrated that pedaling at a low cadence (≈40 rpm) with relatively high force has no effect on maximum leg strength or cycling performance.

Example for a runner who should prioritize plyometric exercises, with a focus on increasing the eccentric load during the landing phase.

If you still choose to do strength training, here are the recommended sessions:

2 sessions/week outside the competition period

2 to 3 sets

Between 4 and 10 repetitions at maximum strength (75 to 90% 1RM)

2 to 3 minutes of recovery between sets

The exercises: half squat, single-leg half squat, single-leg press

During the competition period, you need to maintain 1 strength-training session per week; otherwise, you will lose almost all of your strength-training adaptations.

This article was written by Karoly Spy, a coach specializing in endurance sports.

• Founder of KS-Training in 2007 to support athletes in their performance goals
• Founder of the GUTAÏ Training app (2016–2021)
• Coach educator
• Technical advisor for the Franche-Comté Triathlon League (2005–2007) and the Provence-Alpes Triathlon League (2007–2012)
• Coach at an athletics club (Vitrolles, OM Athlé, SCO) and at a triathlon club

Find his website: https://ksendurancetraining.com/