Ride More, Lose Less:

Why Ditching the Gym Sets You Back Every Season

Every year, when the trails dry out and the stoke goes through the roof, there's one big mistake riders make: dropping strength training completely.

We get it. You want to ride more, not spend extra time in the gym. But if you want to feel good all season, stay injury-free, and actually keep getting better, strength training needs to stay in the picture.

"While I wasn't the fastest at this weekend's Squamish Enduro, I was one of the fitter riders in my category. My ability to chat with the riders around me on the climb and feel fresh going in to the final stage of the day made for an enjoyable day out where I felt like I was able to give my best. At 41, I'm riding stronger than I ever have."

Why Keep Lifting During the Season?

1. Performance Gains Without the Burnout

Riding alone builds skill, fitness, and aerobic endurance. But strength, power, and force production come from targeted gym work. These are the qualities that:

• Make you faster out of corners

• Improve your short sprints and climbs

• Help you control the bike when the trail gets rowdy

Without lifting, you’ll gradually lose the neuromuscular edge that makes all that fitness usable.

2. Injury Prevention and Durability

In-season riding increases your total load, but it’s often imbalanced. More time in the saddle = more fatigue in certain tissues and movement patterns. Strength training is your chance to offset that and rebuild robustness. Be a healthy Human, not just a bike-pedalling machine.

Especially important for:

• Shoulders, core, and hips (all essential for bike handling and control)

• Eccentric strength for braking and absorbing force

• Tendon health and connective tissue integrity

3. You Can Still Make Gains — In Just 2x Per Week

Contrary to what people think, you don’t need 5-day gym splits to make progress.

Research-backed evidence:

• Explosive power & neural drive can be improved with just 2–3 sets per lift, twice per week (Cormie et al., 2011)

• Strength gains in trained athletes are possible with just 2x weekly exposure, especially when lifts are performed with intent (fast concentric phase)

• Hypertrophy can increase with as little as 4–6 hard sets per muscle group per week, especially if intensity and progression are managed well (Schoenfeld et al., 2016)

Mobility, alactic power, and anaerobic conditioning also benefit from regular but low-volume touches that preserve readiness and freshness.

“If your riding took off in spring but now you’re plateauing despite big mileage — it’s probably not your fitness. It’s your strength gains wearing off.”

Different Training Priorities, Same Weekly Window

Not every rider needs the same approach — but most riders can keep progressing in just 2 hours per week by focusing on the right blend of training qualities.

1. Key Lifts to Maintain and Build Strength

• Prioritize lower-body compound lifts, push/pull upper body work, and core strength

• Regularly practice the foundational movements to allow adaptation, but rotate through variations to avoid tissue overuse and keep adapting.

2. Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs for Mobility and Prep

• Use efficient warm-ups to activate key muscle groups and reinforce movement quality

• Cool-downs offer time to improve joint mobility and reduce stiffness from riding.

3. Conditioning Circuits for Energy Systems and Structural Balance

• Use circuits to train anaerobic and alactic power without overloading volume

• Great opportunity to hit less-trained movement patterns (rotational patterns, lateral work, etc.)

4. Smart Scheduling for Recovery

• High-stress sessions (e.g. heavy lower body) go earlier in the week or further from big rides

• Lower-stress workouts (e.g. plyometrics, core) can be closer to key rides without interfering with freshness

The goal is balance: stress the body enough to create adaptation, but not so much that you compromise your riding. Ride hard. Lift smart. If you're new to lifting in season, there will be an adaptation phase where things might feel a little tougher. But you'll soon be capable of lifting and riding on the samne day - i fyou have to.

The Synergy of Riding and lifting -

-One of the best recovery methods for sore legs after a strength session is to pedal your bike.

-While cycling is a great activity for developing overall health, it can create postural imbalances. These imbalances are easily dealt with in a well-designed training program.

To summarize, lifting helps you ride, and riding helps you lift.

Strength Training can be extremely minimal

Ready to Ride Strong All Season?

If you're ready to lift with purpose, ride with power, and recover responsibly, the Breakfast Club is where it all comes together.

👉 It’s our in-season program that keeps you progressing without burning out.

• 2x/week structured strength sessions

• Optional extras: mobility, power circuits, anaerobic efforts

• Designed to fit around your riding, not fight it

📲 Take the MTB Fitness Quiz to find your baseline and get started. It only takes 2 minutes — and it’s the first step to better riding.