The power you are putting out on the bike is a combination of how hard you are pushing on the pedals (torque) multiplied by how fast you are turning the pedals (cadence).

Therefore, it goes without saying that if you are pushing harder on the pedals at the same cadence, then you will be putting out more power and riding faster. This is where strength efforts come in.

Reducing your cadence to between 50-60rpm (instead of the usual 80-100rpm that I’d recommend) will mean you are making your leg muscles work harder than normal for the same power. This encourages them to adapt and become stronger, with the idea being that once they have adapted they can push harder and you can produce more power!

This is especially important for those of you who are riding sportives in the summer with big climbs. When climbing most riders naturally drop their cadence and their legs muscles are forced to work harder. Work on your strength now and your legs will be ready for the climbing work that is to come.

Example session: 3×10 mins strength efforts

• Warm-up for 10mins zone two
• 10 mins zone three at 60 rpm
• 5 mins zone two at 90-100rpm
• 10 mins zone three at 55rpm
• 5 mins zone two at 90-100rpm
• 10 mins zone three at 50rpm
• Cool down 10-15 mins zone two decreasing to zone one