Strength for runners and cyclists: interference or advantage?
On this page
The fear of interference
For years people worried that strength work would "steal" endurance adaptations. A meta-analysis published online in October 2023 (2024 volume) brought some order: 59 studies, 1,346 healthy adults aged 18–50. Only in untrained people did combined training slightly reduce VO₂max gains. In trained or highly trained endurance athletes the effect didn't appear, though the authors say more studies on women and highly trained athletes are needed. There was a small interference on lower-body strength, in men but not in women.1
For an amateur marathoner or cyclist who trains consistently, the risk of losing aerobic engine is minimal.
Where to look for your sport
How much strength work changes running economy, pedalling or swimming depends on the sport and the method, and cannot be read from a single figure. The data are on the dedicated pages: Strength for Run, Strength for Ride and Strength for Swim. This page keeps the general picture on interference.
On top of that, stronger muscles and tendons cope better with rising mileage, although direct evidence on this point is weaker.
In practice
Teaching example: sets and reps do not come from a single source and should be adapted.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Squat or split squat | 3–4 × 4–6 | Load that leaves 1–2 reps in reserve |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 5–6 | Neutral back, controlled movement |
| Single-leg calf raise | 3 × 8–12 | Control the way down |
| Bench step-up | 3 × 6 per leg | Drive through the standing foot |
| Hops or bounds | 3–4 × 8–10 | Short contacts; only after a few weeks of strength work |
- How often (a practical example, not a number set by the studies): many programmes use two sessions a week in the base phase and one to maintain in the specific weeks. The only study reviewed on this pattern is small (6 well-trained cyclists vs 6) and not about running.2 These studies do not set a minimum frequency valid for everyone.
- When (reasoned suggestion): better away from key workouts. Order, spacing between sessions and the studied data are in Session placement and fatigue. As a practical, non-numeric criterion: place strength so it does not leave tired legs for key sessions, and adjust it to fatigue and recovery.
- Getting started: two or three weeks with moderate loads to learn the movements, then build up.
- Approaching the race (reasoned suggestion, no direct evidence): lower the strength load as the race nears, based on fatigue and recovery, and add no new exercises. No study reviewed says when to stop.
How we reviewed it
Document review: a meta-analysis of 59 studies on interference (L1) and one small in-season maintenance study in cyclists (abstract).
Limits. The VO₂max result is not a race result. More studies are needed on women and highly trained athletes.
Related tool: Wolf Engine, training paces.
Sources
- Huiberts, Wüst, van der Zwaard. Meta-analysis of concurrent strength and endurance training by sex and training status. Sports Medicine, 2024 (online 17 October 2023). DOI
- Rønnestad et al. In-season strength maintenance in well-trained cyclists (n=12). European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2010: PubMed. Abstracts only.
Sources rechecked on 26 October 2026.