{"id":331312,"date":"2025-12-05T04:04:18","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T04:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/331312\/"},"modified":"2025-12-05T04:04:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T04:04:18","slug":"4-week-strength-training-plan-for-faster-climbing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/331312\/","title":{"rendered":"4-Week Strength Training Plan for Faster Climbing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated6 min read<\/p>\n

The off-season is a great time to build new, off-the-bike training habits and set yourself up for a great year of riding ahead. You can take advantage of the lower mileage months of winter to shore up any muscle imbalances and other weak links in your fitness, or perhaps finally add strength training<\/a> to your routine for the first time (don\u2019t worry, I won\u2019t judge). <\/p>\n

And while a lot of the gains to be had in your climbing skills<\/a> can only be developed on the bike\u2014and we have a great training program for that<\/a>\u2014a solid strength training program off the bike<\/a> is just as essential. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udeb4\ud83c\udffd Ready to unlock your cycling power through strength training? Our Guide to Riding Stronger<\/a> will show you how! <\/p>\n

Either way, I\u2019m here for you with a strength training plan to boost your climbing power. During this strength training plan, I want you to focus on your posterior chain<\/a> and your anti-rotational core strength<\/a>, which are both all too often neglected. <\/p>\n

These two workouts are meant to complement each other, fitting together like a puzzle. I recommend you focus on your form first, making sure you master the movement and can execute it well before focusing on things like how much weight you\u2019re lifting.
<\/p>\n

Before you jump into your first workout, be sure you have a solid mobility routine <\/a>that you do to warm up<\/a>. If you are brand new to strength training and spend a lot of time sitting<\/a> (which is pretty much all of us), spend as much time needed to develop a healthy range of motion<\/a> first. While I understand that this can feel like a hurdle, instead think of your mobility work as a must-have part of your training and riding, not a nice-to-have extra thing to do \u201cwhen there\u2019s time.\u201d Because it really is that important.
<\/p>\n

How To Use This Program<\/p>\n

Do one of these workouts 3-4 times per week, alternating between Workout A and Workout B. For example, during week 1, you would do A, B, A and during week 2 you would do B, A, B and so on. For exercises that use weights, the weight should be the heaviest you can use while maintaining good form. Good form is always priority number one. <\/p>\n

Each workout includes two circuits with three exercises each that should be performed consecutively. For example, you would perform exercise 1a, 1b, and 1c back to back\u2014this would be one set. <\/p>\n

Then start the circuit from the beginning for the prescribed two sets. Repeat on the next circuit of 2a, 2b, and 2c. <\/p>\n

Rest for up to 20 seconds in between exercises and for 1-2 minutes between sets. <\/p>\n

AMRAP stands for as many reps as possible, meaning you do the exercise for as many reps as you can in the time prescribed.<\/p>\n

Related StoryYour Strength Training Plan<\/p>\n

download plan<\/a><\/p>\n

\"strengthHow to Do the Exercises Workout A<\/p>\n

Hollow Hold<\/p>\n

\"30<\/p>\n

Thomas Hengge<\/p>\n

Start lying faceupDrive lower back into the floor, engaging core.Raise legs off the floor, as little as possible while keeping them straight and keeping back pressed to the ground. (If back arches, lift legs higher.) Reach arms up toward the ceiling.If you feel stable, extend arms behind you, biceps by ears, creating a shallow U-shape with your body.Hold for 60 seconds while breathing diaphragmatically.<\/p>\n

Bird Dog Hold<\/p>\n

\"bird<\/p>\n

Thomas Hengge<\/p>\n

Start on all fours, knees under hips and shoulders over wrists.Keeping back flat, extend right arm and left leg straight out.Keeping your core and glutes engaged, stabilize and hold for 15 seconds.Extend back out, then return to starting position.Repeat from the start on the other side, left arm and right leg.
<\/p>\n

Wood Chop<\/p>\n

\"30<\/p>\n

Thomas Hengge<\/p>\n

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a dumbbell at left hip.Holding dumbbell in both hands, lift upwards at a diagonal with control, arms straight, until the weight is over right shoulder. Avoid using momentum by performing this move slowly.Bring dumbbell back down across the body to left hip. That is 1 rep.
<\/p>\n

Push-Up<\/p>\n

\"warm<\/p>\n

Trevor Raab<\/p>\n

Start in a high plank position with hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart and shoulders over wrists.Engage core and glutes.Maintaining a flat back and neutral neck, bend elbows to lower chest toward the ground.Don\u2019t let the low back sag or the shoulders round.Once you\u2019ve gone as low as you can, push back up to plank. That is 1 rep. <\/p>\n

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift<\/p>\n

\"mallory<\/p>\n

Thomas Hengge<\/p>\n

Start standing with feet hip-width apart.Shift weight to the right leg and drive the right foot firmly into the ground. Tap the left toes slightly behind you.Think of your body as a long straight line from the top of the head through the left toes, and hinge at the hips by sending the butt straight back and keeping the shoulders down and back. Allow the left leg to lift behind you and maintain a slight bend in the right knee.Lower until you feel tension in the right hamstring or until you\u2019re about parallel to the floor.Then, drive through right foot to stand back up, extending hips. That is 1 rep.Repeat for the programmed number of reps. Then switch legs.
<\/p>\n

Single-Leg Hip Thrust<\/p>\n

\"mallory<\/p>\n

Thomas Hengge<\/p>\n

Lie faceup with your upper back resting on a bench, feet flat on the floor about hip-distance apart, knees bent to 90 degrees, arms crossed over chest.Bend knees so hips drop toward floor with back straight.Keeping your back straight, squeeze glutes to lift hips, lifting left leg (knee still bent) fully off the floor, creating a straight line from shoulders to right knee.Pause, and then lower back to the starting position. That is 1 rep.Repeat for the programmed number of reps. Then switch legs.Workout B<\/p>\n

Side Forearm Plank<\/p>\n

\"monique<\/p>\n

Trevor Raab<\/p>\n

Start lying on side with right forearm on the ground.Form a straight line from head to feet, stacking feet, knees, and hips on top of each other.Make sure left elbow is directly under left shoulder and place right hand behind your head.Lift hips up as high as you can and hold for 60 seconds.Repeat on the opposite side. <\/p>\n

Dead Bug<\/p>\n

\"ImageLie faceup. Reach arms straight up toward ceiling over shoulders, palms facing away each other. Bring legs up, bend knees, making a 90-degree angle. Knees should stay directly over hips. This is your starting position.Slowly lower right arm behind you toward the floor, and simultaneously straighten and lower left leg toward the floor.Return to starting position.Repeat with the other side.Continue alternating for programmed number of reps per side.<\/p>\n

High Plank Shoulder Tap<\/p>\n

\"ImageStart in a high plank position, with shoulders lined up over your wrists.With your body in a straight line and core and glutes engaged, lift right hand up and tap left shoulder. Don\u2019t move the rest of your body.Return to starting position.Then bring left hand up and tap right shoulder.Repeat for programmed number of reps per side. <\/p>\n

Single-Arm Bent-Over Row<\/p>\n

\"30<\/p>\n

Thomas Hengge<\/p>\n

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in the right hand.With a soft bend in knees, hinge at hips, sending butt straight back, and lowering torso toward the floor, so it\u2019s almost parallel to the ground. (If you have tight hamstrings, you may not be able to lean that far forward; just go as far as your mobility allows.)Make sure the back is straight, core engaged, shoulders pulled down away from ears, and neck neutral. (Keep gaze down and out to do so.) Arms should hang straight down with palms facing each other. This is the starting position.Slowly pull the right elbow up and back and squeeze shoulder blades together, keeping elbows hugged into sides.Pause when the weight is just below chest, close to rib cage.Then slowly lower the weight to return to the starting position. That\u2019s 1 rep. <\/p>\n

Bulgarian Split Squat
<\/p>\n

\"mallory<\/p>\n

Thomas Hengge<\/p>\n

Stand in front of a chair, bench, or couch, facing away from it. Place right foot on top of chair. Place hands on hips or in front of chest.Bend left knee and lower toward floor. Keep left knee tracking over toes and lower as much as possible, aiming to get back knee to lightly tap floor.Pause, then push through front foot to stand up. This is 1 rep.Repeat for the programmed number of reps. Then switch legs. <\/p>\n

Single-Leg Hamstring Slider Curl<\/p>\n

\"workout<\/p>\n

Adam Hoff<\/p>\n

Lie faceup, knees bent, and heels planted on sliders underneath feet.Drive through heels, contract the glutes, and lift hips up toward the ceiling. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to knees. This is the starting position.Slowly extend one leg out straight, then pressing heel into the floor, pull heel back toward glutes. Keep hips high.Repeat on the other side.Continue alternating. If this is too easy, do both legs at one time. Member Exclusive: Check Out Our Top Cycling Stories\"Chevron\"Chevron\"Lettermark\"<\/p>\n

Natascha has been a NASM-certified personal trainer for over ten years, focusing on functional strength training and corrective exercise\u2014which is a fancy way of saying her passion is teaching people how to move better, with more strength and less pain. She holds multiple certifications, including specializations in corrective exercise, stretching and flexibility, behavior change, nutrition and more. She\u2019s also been into bikes for almost three decades, and has at various times been a bike mechanic, a frame builder\u2019s apprentice, a grunt at a bike messenger company, a fitness studio owner, a Spin instructor and a few different things at a few different bike companies. These days, she\u2019s one of Bicycling\u2019s Health and Fitness editors.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"6 min read The off-season is a great time to build new, off-the-bike training habits and set yourself…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":331313,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[4059,337,97],"class_list":{"0":"post-331312","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-core","9":"tag-fitness","10":"tag-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=331312"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331312\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/331313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=331312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=331312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=331312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}