After recording a podcast with Keegan and Landry about strength training, I wanted to break down our discussion into the key takeaways that really stood out. What I love about these conversations is how three different athletes, with totally different backgrounds and approaches, can align on so many fundamental principles while still having their own unique takes on implementation.

Less is More - The Hardest Lesson to Learn

If there's one thing all three of us learned the hard way, it's that crushing yourself in the gym doesn't make you faster on the bike. Keegan put it perfectly when he said you don't need to leave the gym feeling destroyed. I think every cyclist who's tried strength training has gone through that phase - I know I did. You hit the weights hard, thinking "more is better," then wonder why you can barely turn the pedals the next day.

What's wild is how this mindset shift from "destroy myself" to "strengthen and activate" completely changes the game. Keegan mentioned he now does his strength work before riding, even before threshold intervals. That would have been unthinkable in the older approach where you'd be too wrecked to even consider it.

I've noticed in my own training that when I leave the gym feeling energized rather than demolished, that's when I see the best carryover to the bike—the strength work primes the system rather than depleting it. This was probably the biggest breakthrough in my own training - realizing that feeling fresh enough to still ride well was actually the goal, not a sign I wasn't working hard enough.

Year-Round Consistency is Beneficial

Here's something we all agreed on without hesitation: you can't just strength train for a few months in the winter and expect it to carry you through the season. Yes, you physically can only strength train for a few months, but that will probably only last through the spring…the gains are gone before the biggest races of the year. This was actually one of Keegan's main points about why he'd never stuck with it before - the all-or-nothing approach just isn't sustainable if you are constantly going too hard or doing a routine that leaves you feeling depleted and not energized.

What's interesting is how we've all found different ways to make it work year-round. For Keegan, it's keeping it super simple with just a couple of key exercises he can do at home. Landry drops to one heavy session plus one activation session during race season. I tend to keep more frequency but adjust the intensity and volume.

The key thing we all emphasized is that something is always better than nothing. You don't need to maintain the same exact routine year-round—that's probably impossible for most cyclists anyway. But keeping some form of strength work in your program, even if it's just maintenance, makes a huge difference.

Unilateral Exercises - The Game Changer

If there was one exercise that got us all excited, it was the Bulgarian split squat. Three different athletes, with different approaches to strength training, all swear by it as a quality addition to their program.

What makes unilateral work so effective for cycling? I think it's partly because cycling itself is essentially a series of single-leg movements. It's also about the stability and control you develop. Landry mentioned working up to 130 pounds on Bulgarian split squats, which is impressive, but what's more interesting is how directly he felt it transfer to power on the bike.

The Old Mindset Was Wrong (Really Wrong)

This part of our discussion actually made me laugh - we all had stories about being told early in our careers that strength training would ruin us as cyclists. Landry's story about his early mentor gaining "20 pounds of muscle" and ruining his season is classic. It's wild to think how prevalent this mindset was (and still is in some circles).

What's fascinating is how this belief persisted despite a total lack of evidence. As Landry pointed out, there's no research showing properly executed strength training hurts cycling performance. Yet the myth of the fragile cyclist who'll bulk up like a bodybuilder from touching a dumbbell somehow became cycling gospel.

Exercise Selection - Our Differences

This is where our approaches really diverged, and I think that's actually a good thing for this post, to highlight the many ways YOU can find exercises that work for you. If you already have a routine, it might be a reminder to keep your eyes open to other exercises.

Keegan's minimalist approach of focusing on just a couple of key exercises works for him as a pro with a packed schedule. Landry includes more variety but still keeps it focused. I probably do the most variety, including upper body work, which I really think helps with overall athleticism.

The most important aspect of this is that we're all seeing benefits despite these different approaches. This shows there's no one "right" way to strength train for cycling. The key is finding an approach that:

You'll actually stick with consistently
Doesn't interfere with your riding
Gives you the benefits you're looking for

Training Frequency - Finding Your Sweet Spot

Another area where we each have our own approach. Keegan's twice-weekly sessions, Landry's seasonal variation between two sessions and one-plus-activation, and my three sessions when I'm not racing. We've all arrived at what works for us through trial and error.

The key here is understanding your own recovery capacity and how strength training fits into your overall training load. For a pro like Keegan, riding volume and intensity is already high, so two focused strength sessions is plenty. For age-group athletes or those with different goals, three sessions might be totally manageable.

The Bigger Picture

Most of us in the cycling space have moved from "never touch a weight" to understanding that strength training, when done properly, is a valuable tool for cycling performance.

What's also clear is that there's no need to overcomplicate it. Whether you're doing Keegan's minimalist approach or a more comprehensive program, the basic principles remain the same:

Don't do too much
Stay consistent year-round
Focus on exercises that transfer well to cycling
Listen to your body and adjust accordingly

For anyone still on the fence about strength training, I'd say start simple. Maybe it's just Bulgarian split squats and a couple other exercises. Maybe it's bodyweight work at first. The important thing is to start somewhere and build gradually. You don't need to jump into complex programs or heavy weights right away.

Remember, the goal isn't to become a powerlifter - it's to become a better, more resilient cyclist. Keep that in mind, and you'll be much more likely to find an approach that works for you long-term.

What I love most about having these conversations is how much we can learn from each other's experiences. Three different athletes, three different approaches, but all finding success with strength training. It just goes to show there's no one-size-fits-all approach, but there are definitely some universal principles we can all benefit from.

The Evolution of Strength Training in Cycling: What Actually Works