Athlete summary
During base, Koyaro’s strength template is heavy (≥80% 1RM), about 2 sessions/week — inside the evidence band of 1–3×/week for 5–25 weeks. That kind of lifting is associated with better cycling efficiency, anaerobic power, and time-trial / time-to-exhaustion performance.
It is not a VO2max or threshold (MMSS) hack. Meta-analysis certainty is GRADE low — useful signal, not a guarantee.
In peak / taper, you keep one heavy, low-volume session per week (~every 7–10 days). That is maintenance, deliberately below the development dose so bike intensity can lead.
What the engine locks
| Constraint | Engine behavior | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy load | Max-strength + maintenance intensity floor ≥80% 1RM | llanos-lagos-2026-heavy-strength |
| Development frequency | Max-strength 2×/wk (inside 1–3×/wk) | same |
| Development duration | Literature window 5–25 wk (documented; plan length still from cycling phases) | same |
| Supported outcomes | Efficiency, anaerobic power, TT/TTE | same |
| Never claim | VO2max / pVO2max, MMSS / threshold, anaerobic capacity | same |
| Certainty | GRADE low — say so; do not oversell | same |
| Maintenance | Peak/taper 1×/wk at ≥80% — retain, not develop | same + ronnestad-mujika-2014-strength |
| Periodization shape | Adapt → max strength (base) → power conversion (build) → maintain | ronnestad-mujika-2014-strength |
| No gym | Documented on-bike high-force / torque substitute; schedule still skips gym when gym_access=false | biol-sport-2025-on-bike-rt |
What this is not
- Not a claim that lifting raises VO2max, pVO2max, or sustainable threshold (MMSS), or anaerobic capacity (Llanos-Lagos nulls — GRADE low overall).
- Not an invented load-progression model or new in-season maintenance scheme — peak/taper keep the existing 1×/wk (~7–10 d) template after evidence review; that sits below the 1–3 development band on purpose.
- Not a hypertrophy-aesthetic rewrite of the lift library.
- Not replacing cycling volume with gym work.
- Not resilience / durability training role — cross-link only.
- Not fatigued-CP or CHO×durability coupling.
- Not a parallel planner path — strength stays a
PlannedBodySessioncitizen viabody_schedule. On-bike substitute when gym is nil is coach/KB guidance only;gym_access=falsestill skips gym.
Literature
- Llanos-Lagos, P., Ramirez-Campillo, R., & Sáez de Villarreal, E. (2026). Heavy strength training effects on physiological determinants of endurance cyclist performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 126, 193–222. doi:10.1007/s00421-025-05883-2
- Rønnestad, B. R., & Mujika, I. (2014). Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 24(4), 603–612. (periodization / transfer framing)
- Biol Sport 2025 — high-intensity on-bike resistance (maximal intended pedal strokes) as a gym-access substitute (doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.146790)