How Many Times a Week Should Runners and Cyclists Strength Train?

Runners and cyclists don’t have to spend several hours in the gym, multiple days a week, to benefit from strength training. 

Two full body sessions, 30-60 minutes each, is probably the optimal dose for someone who is already doing their endurance training several days a week while trying to juggle work and family obligations. More frequent shorter sessions (15-20 minutes) can also give you a lot of bang for your buck too and might be better in some situations. 

Note that by “strength training” I’m talking about quality workouts where you’re putting some serious load through your body, not foam rolling, light band work and mobility stuff, which can be done more frequently or even daily. 

Some people might be able to get away with three or even more days of strength training, especially in the winter, when endurance training is typically reduced for a few months, or if they just really enjoy it. But you have to be careful to not overdo it, especially if your goal is to become a better runner or cyclist. 

On the flipside, even just one focused session a week can be enough to maintain your strength through the summer or a busy period of racing or endurance training, but it would be tough to progress off that long-term. 

So when it comes to strength training for the majority of runners and cyclists, 2 full body sessions a week will probably be sufficient for most of the year. 

Remember, strength work should complement your life and endurance training, not detract from it. More is not always better, especially if your strength programming is random and haphazard. Do as much as necessary, not as much as possible.