Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad

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// TOPICS COVERED
(00:00:00) Does Strength Training Make You Faster?  
(00:07:02) How Often Should Cyclists Strength Train?  
(00:10:43) Why Women May Gain More From Strength Training  
(00:13:57) Strength Training for Older Cyclists  
(00:23:28) Year-Round Strength Training Beats Cramming  
(00:28:44) How to Avoid Strength Training Soreness  
(00:38:25) Can Mathieu van der Poel Win MTB Worlds?  
(00:49:10) Do Pull-Ups Help Cyclists Sprint?  
(00:56:21) Is Tonal Worth It for Cyclists?  
(01:02:32) Strength Training for a Bigger Sprint
(01:16:40) How to Train Around a Broken Wrist

In this episode of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast, presented by TrainerRoad, Coach Jonathan Lee welcomes Derek Teel of Dialed Health to discuss strength training for cyclists. Jonathan shares an observational analysis of a filtered 24-month sample of more than 120,000 athletes, examining how strength-training frequency and year-round consistency correlate with FTP, watts per kilogram, and power across cycling durations. Derek explains how lighter, more frequent sessions can reduce soreness, how pull-ups and full-body strength may support sprinting, and what the data suggest for women and older cyclists. They also compare Tonal with kettlebells and free weights, cover injury prevention and limiting muscle loss during Jonathan’s wrist recovery, and assess Mathieu Van der Poel’s prospects at the Mountain Bike World Championships.

// RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠
- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad 
- Follow Dialed Health on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dialedhealth 
- Strength Training Blog Post: https://www.trainerroad.com/blog/how-often-should-you-strength-train-for-cycling/

// TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!
https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.

// HELPFUL LINKS
- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: https://www.TrainerRoad.com/podcast 
- TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠
- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠
- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠
- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠
- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ 
- Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ 
- Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠
- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠
- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN

🚀 Try TrainerRoad risk-free! 👉 ⁠www.TrainerRoad.com⁠

- Donate to Jonathan’s Leadville Foundation Fundraiser: https://give.ltfoundation.org/leejonathan

// SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST!
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Google Podcasts: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/google⁠

// TOPICS COVERED
(00:00:00) Jonathan’s Leadville Injury and Training Update
(00:12:20) Becoming a More Well-Rounded Athlete
(00:15:15) How the 2026 Leadville Course Changed
(00:19:25) The FTP and W/kg Needed for a Leadville Buckle
(00:24:05) How Rare Is Buckle-Level Fitness?
(00:26:45) How Much Altitude Acclimatization Helps
(00:28:15) Why Aerodynamics Matter More This Year
(00:31:10) Final Leadville Buckle Targets and Takeaways

The 2026 Leadville Trail 100 MTB course is shorter, climbs nearly 1,900 feet less, and has tighter belt-buckle cutoffs. Coach Jonathan Lee breaks down the FTP and watts per kilogram needed for the big and small Leadville buckles, how rare that fitness is by age and gender, and why altitude acclimatization and aerodynamics matter more than ever, plus why a fractured scaphoid ended his own Leadville race before it even began.

// RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠
- Follow Keegan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keegels99 
- Specialized Off-Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialized_offroadracing 
- Donate to Jonathan’s Leadville Foundation Fundraiser: https://give.ltfoundation.org/leejonathan 
- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad 

// TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!
https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.

// HELPFUL LINKS
- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: https://www.TrainerRoad.com/podcast 
- TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠
- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠
- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠
- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠
- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ 
- Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ 
- Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠
- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠
- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN

🚀 Try TrainerRoad risk-free! 👉 ⁠www.TrainerRoad.com⁠

- Donate to Jonathan’s Leadville Foundation Fundraiser: https://give.ltfoundation.org/leejonathan

// SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST!
iTunes: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/apple2⁠ 
Spotify: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/spotify2⁠
Google Podcasts: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/google⁠

// TOPICS COVERED
(00:00:00) Welcome!
(00:02:32) Potential Leadville Course Changes
(00:07:53) How to Pace the New Course
(00:16:36) Tires, Gearing, and Bike Setup
(00:24:47) Fueling for a Faster Leadville
(00:28:00) Leadville Aid Station Strategy
(00:30:22) Jonathan’s Sub-7 Race Plan
(00:39:14) Staying Warm on Race Morning
(00:43:18) Downieville Race Preview
(00:45:39) How to Pace Downieville

Keegan Swenson joins Coach Jonathan Lee to examine how potential Leadville course changes could affect this year’s race. They discuss pacing, fueling, gearing, tire selection, aid-station strategy, cold-weather preparation, and why riders should still approach the race according to their own abilities, regardless of the final route.

// RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠
- Follow Keegan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keegels99 
- Specialized Off-Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialized_offroadracing 
- Donate to Jonathan’s Leadville Foundation Fundraiser: https://give.ltfoundation.org/leejonathan 
- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad 

// TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!
https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.

// HELPFUL LINKS
- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: https://www.TrainerRoad.com/podcast 
- TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠
- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠
- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠
- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠
- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ 
- Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ 
- Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠
- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠
- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN

🚀 Try TrainerRoad risk-free! 👉 ⁠www.TrainerRoad.com⁠

// SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST!
iTunes: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/apple2⁠ 
Spotify: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/spotify2⁠
Google Podcasts: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/google⁠

// TOPICS COVERED
(00:00:00) Welcome!
(00:03:59) Why Cyclists Use Altitude Training
(00:07:53) How Altitude Stimulates EPO and Red Blood Cell Production
(00:14:23) Acclimatization and Live High, Train Low
(00:22:37) How Intermittent Hypoxia Works
(00:28:11) What the Research Says About Intermittent Hypoxia
(00:32:00) How the HEPOX Tech Device Works
(00:37:46) Safety and Carbon Monoxide Rebreathing
(00:42:31) The HEPOX Protocol and Jonathan’s Experience
(00:54:56) SpO2, Performance Testing, and Athlete Results
(01:04:06) When to Use Intermittent Hypoxia
(01:11:02) Preparing for an Altitude Goal Event

Altitude training can improve endurance performance, but how does it actually work, and what is the best way to prepare for racing at elevation? Coach Jonathan Lee and David Greif, founder of HEPOX Tech, break down acclimatization, EPO, red blood cell production, intermittent hypoxia, altitude tents, and practical protocols for cyclists preparing for events like the Leadville Trail 100.

// RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠
- Follow Hepox on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hepoxtech 
- Altitude Training Video: https://youtu.be/k3IIJqNxNMo?si=wfBeNmyL-KKLh-XQ   
- Wojan F, Stray-Gundersen S, Nagel MJ, Lalande S. “Short exposure to intermittent hypoxia increases erythropoietin levels in healthy individuals.” Journal of Applied Physiology. 2021;130(6):1955–1960. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00941.2020 
- Levine BD, Stray-Gundersen J. “‘Living high–training low’: effect of moderate-altitude acclimatization with low-altitude training on performance.” Journal of Applied Physiology. 1997;83(1):102–112. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1997.83.1.102 
- Chapman RF, Stray-Gundersen J, Levine BD. “Individual variation in response to altitude training.” Journal of Applied Physiology. 1998;85(4):1448–1456. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9760340/ 
- Wilber RL, Stray-Gundersen J, Levine BD. “Effect of hypoxic ‘dose’ on physiological responses and sea-level performance.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007;39(9):1590–1599. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17805093/ 
- Boulares A, Dupuy O, Bragazzi NL, Pichon A, et al. “Effects of Intermittent Hypoxia Protocols on Physical Performance in Trained and Untrained Individuals: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.” Sports Medicine – Open. 2025;11:145. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-025-00933-7 
- Gore CJ, Sharpe K, Garvican-Lewis LA, et al. “Altitude training and haemoglobin mass from the optimised carbon monoxide rebreathing method determined by a meta-analysis.” British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2013;47(Suppl 1):i31–i39. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3903147/ 
- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad 

// TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!
https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.

// HELPFUL LINKS
- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: https://www.TrainerRoad.com/podcast 
- TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠
- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠
- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠
- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠
- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ 
- Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ 
- Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠
- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠
- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN

🚀 Try TrainerRoad risk-free! 👉 ⁠www.TrainerRoad.com⁠

Donate to Jonathan’s Leadville Foundation Fundraiser: https://give.ltfoundation.org/leejonathan

// SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST!
iTunes: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/apple2⁠ 
Spotify: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/spotify2⁠
Google Podcasts: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/google⁠

// TOPICS COVERED
(00:00:00) Welcome!
(00:00:19) Hannah Otto on Missing the Win and Finding Gratitude
(00:10:10) Listener Question: Why Do Cyclists Race Single-Speed?
(00:14:49) Self-Handicapping and the Fear of Failure
(00:20:41) Big Goals, Expectations, and Athletic Self-Worth
(00:38:07) Growth Mindset: Turning Feedback Into Improvement
(00:43:45) The Psychology of Defending a Win
(00:55:48) Jonathan’s High Cascades 100 Race Debrief
(00:58:42) Power, Pacing, Nutrition, and Bike Setup Lessons
(01:05:51) Two Major Crashes and a Mid-Race Reset
(01:13:45) How to Adapt if the Leadville Course Changes

Coach Jonathan Lee and professional cyclist Hannah Otto explore the psychology of performance, including self-handicapping, athletic self-worth, fear of failure, and the pressure of defending a win. Jonathan also breaks down the equipment mistakes, crashes, nutrition lessons, and race-day takeaways from the High Cascades 100, plus how riders should adapt if the Leadville Trail 100 course changes.

// RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Sign up for TrainerRoad! ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠
- Follow Hannah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehannahotto   
- Donate to Jonathan’s Leadville Foundation Fundraiser: https://give.ltfoundation.org/leejonathan 
- Follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leejonathan_ 
- Follow TrainerRoad on Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad 

// TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!
https://trainerroad.cc/GetFaster⁠ TrainerRoad is the #1 cycling training app. No other cycling app is more effective. Over 17,000 positive reviews, a 4.9 star App Store rating.

// HELPFUL LINKS
- Have a question for the podcast? Ask here: https://www.TrainerRoad.com/podcast 
- TrainerRoad on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trainerroad/⁠
- TrainerRoad Forum: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3uHvLnE⁠
- TrainerRoad on Strava: ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/trainerroad⁠
- TrainerRoad on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TrainerRd⁠
- TrainerRoad on X: ⁠https://www.x.com/TrainerRoad⁠ 
- Learn more about TrainerRoad: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LBb5Ur⁠⁠ 
- Listen to the Successful Athletes Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3JmKrN5⁠
- Listen to the Science of Getting Faster Podcast: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3LpuIhP⁠
- Training Blog: ⁠https://trainerroad.cc/3gCdNdN