Strength Training with the Outdoors in Mind
I help runners, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts become stronger so they can do more of what they love, and feel better doing it.
If you’re an endurance athlete, you’re probably already aware that strength training can have a profound impact on your sport and well-being, from improving your performance and durability to helping you experience a better quality of life outside of sport.
But most people already have a lot on their plate, and it’s a struggle to even find the time to run or ride between work and family obligations. I get it. Plus, their is an overwhelming amount of information about strength training out there to sift through. It’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed and confused and never even get started.
Then, the endurance athletes who do try strength training go about it all wrong. They lift like bodybuilders and crossfitters, and wonder why they are always sore or their endurance performance has declined. Or worse, they got injured and it took them away from their sport. This should NEVER happen.
Stop trying to figure it out on your own. Let me help you make sense of it all so you can train optimally with the time and equipment you have available. Whatever your age, ability, or ambition, we’ll create a strength program that is right for YOU and helps you feel stronger in sport and in life. One that is safe, manageable, and effective (and maybe even fun).
You only get one body. Let’s make the most of it.
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”
Four Ways I Can Support You on Your Training Journey
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Free 60-Minute Consultation
A no obligation conversation so we can get to know each other, discuss your goals and training, and answer any questions you have about strength and endurance training. Includes follow up notes from our discussion with relevant links and resources.
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Strength & Endurance Coaching
This all-inclusive, holistic coaching option is for individuals seeking the highest level of support and communication, and is ideal for those with busy or unpredictable schedules, ambitious race and performance goals, and those who wish to leave no stone unturned on their strength and endurance journey.
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4-Week Custom Strength Program
One-on-one coaching isn’t for everyone. The next best thing is a custom training plan. This is perfect for those who want a strength program to supplement their endurance training, but perhaps want something a little more affordable than one-to-one coaching. It is also great for those who want some guidance, but feel comfortable executing the plan without frequent communication with a coach.
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In-Person Strength Training
For those local to the Pioneer Valley, I offer one-on-one in-person personal training, both in-home and at Commonwealth Strength in Sunderland, MA.
Your Point to Point Roadmap
Schedule A Free Consultation
We’ll meet virtually or face to face to get to know each other, discuss your training and goals, and determine what the best course of action is for you.
2. Make a Plan
If you’re happy to go ahead with coaching, we’ll work together to design a strength program tailored to your unique needs, goals and life context.
3. Execute the plan
Follow through on the plan with support along the way and and enjoy improved performance, resiliency, and quality of life.
Why Work With a Strength Coach?
You have a big endurance goal or event on the horizon. You need to make sure your body is fit to handle the demands you will place upon it, and want someone to help take you from where you are to where you need to be in the most effective, stress-free way possible.
You’ve tried online templates and cookie-cutter training programs in the past, but are frustrated by their lack of individuality, and you don’t know how to adjust things when you miss a workout, get sick, or if things seem too hard or too easy. You want a plan that meets you where you’re at and that fits you and your life, not the other way around.
You know you should be doing something, but are struggling with information overload–How many exercises? Which ones? How heavy? How often? Should I be sore after? Where in my already busy schedule? Before or after endurance training? All year? You want someone to help you make sense of it all.
You are motivated and have no problem doing the work, but you have a lot on your plate, trying to balance family, work, and other obligations while trying to pursue your endurance goals. You want someone to handle the mental load of training so all you have to do is show up and execute.
You feel like you’ve plateaued and aren’t making the progress you’d like, or keep ending up injured and needing to take time away from training every few weeks. It’s obvious that what you’re doing isn’t working. You want someone to audit your current training, point out what could be changed, and show you a better way.
Latest Articles
Exercise technique tips, training advice, and race reflections that you can apply to your own strength and endurance training.
"The word endurance means “the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.” If you are an endurance athlete, or you want to be an endurance athlete, you know this feeling in your heart. Ryan’s services can play a critical role in your development and will spare you from the unpleasantries and arduous process of training alone.
I started training with Ryan over a year ago and have gradually returned to running after a broken ankle took me out for about five years. Over the course of the year of training, I have gone from running 5k to 50k, and I do not believe I will be stopping there.
Ryan’s approach to training is consistent and easily understandable, his demeanor is calming, approachable, and reassuring.”
— Jen
I am a female athlete in my mid 50's. I do some running but my main sports are marathon canoeing and dragon boat racing. In the post-pandemic world, I have had a hard time getting back into a routine and rebuilding the strength, flexibility, and endurance I had pre-COVID. After an unsatisfying 2023 canoe racing season, I decided to work with Ryan to get myself back on track. I have a hectic work schedule and can’t make regular training sessions in a gym, so working with Ryan remotely has been ideal.
One thing he told me early on in my training was ‘consistency is the key’ and this has been a great mantra over the winter months in the gym. I have seen a huge improvement in strength and flexibility. The exercises were fun to work through because many were new to me and out of the norm of the basic weight lifting I was accustomed to. Ryan provided great videos of each exercise to help me with form and modifications when needed. Overall, Ryan was a huge asset to my confidence and performance as an athlete this year.
— Karen
Hi, I’m Ryan.
I am a strength coach and endurance athlete with experience training for and competing in both running and cycling races, as well as multi-day hiking adventures. I’ve always considered myself an “uphill” athlete first and foremost, being especially drawn to trail and mountain running as well as gravel races and hill climb time trials on the bike. The steeper the better (just don’t ask me to go downhill).
Unlike many coaches out there, I am not an ex-pro or collegiate level athlete. I also don’t have an impressive or lengthy resume of race results and podium finishes outside of a handful of local events. If that is what you value in a coach, then I’m probably not for you.
I consider myself a working class coach and athlete, someone who “walks the same streets” as the individuals I work with. Like me, you probably don’t have the best genetics, unlimited resources to buy all the latest gear and tech, or all the time in the world to train or race. Running or riding your bike is just one piece of a larger tapestry that is your life, and this gives it even greater meaning and significance.
Like many of you reading this, I love training. I love riding my bike and going for a hike in nature. I love the thrill and discomfort of racing, and the feeling of pushing your body and mind to the absolute limit. To some, it might seem like I take this all too seriously, especially as someone who will probably never be “that” good. But I couldn’t imagine going about this any other way. You only get one body, one lifetime to see what you’re capable of and where your unique potential lies. So why not make the most of it?
I came into this profession from a place of struggle. More than any degree or certification program, my training and coaching philosophy is the cumulation of years of self-directed learning and hard-earned lessons “in the field” training and racing and tinkering in the gym. I’ve seen first hand on myself and those I work with the pivotal role that an integrated strength program can play in propelling individuals to new heights of performance, resiliency, and quality of life.
I believe in the transformative power of consistency in training, and a “gentle yet firm persistence” applied over days, weeks, and seasons. And for strength training to be performed consistently, it has to be enjoyable, manageable, and effective. Checking these boxes in training is priority number one for myself and the athletes I work with.
I’ve spent my career working with a diverse range of clients, from athletes returning to high performance after an injury, to 80-something year olds who want to maintain strength and independence, and everyone in between. While I am especially fond of working with runners and cyclists, my ideal client is anyone with a positive attitude, a meaningful goal, and a willingness to do the work, regardless of your age, ability, or ambition.
Remember, no goal is too small that it shouldn’t be taken seriously.
If you are interested in working together, click the button below. I would love to help.
