This is the third of FOUR phases of our strength training for cyclists programming. Designed to begin after the second phase: Base Builder. Now armed with larger muscle fibers and/or higher muscle fiber recruitment, you're ready to turn your new found strength into more power on the bike!

This phase is written with FIVE 2-week blocks of training; descending in weight while increasing in reps, assisting in transitioning from strength to endurance as you near your A-race. You want to match your RACE PREP power build to that of your cycling training build (ie. shorter higher power events like XC mtb, crits, cross demand more strength and shorter race prep builds; whereas longer events like gravel, marathon MTB, centuries, demand a longer prep build and more endurance). Simply trim your RACE PREP strength programming to finish with two weeks remaining until you A-race. From there you will want to finish with the Phase 4 TAPER & RACE WEEK Strength phase.

The focus in the Race Prep phase is moving light weights fast. Across your Race Prep build, for the primary lifts, the volume starts low with loads of around 50% of what you finished with in the squat/deadlift in Base Builder. As you progress through RACE PREP the volume will gradually increase in reps per set, while maintaining or slightly decreasing weight loads as needed.

The overall goal is to train your bigger/stronger muscle fibers trained in Base Builder to produce more power by firing quickly!

The lower volume and loads not only allows for increased speed, but also minimizes fatigue and soreness to optimize your cycling performance as you build your Race Prep fitness on the bike.

For the other exercises on the program, use a weight that would allow for 2 more reps to be done at the end of the set if you had to do them (ie. 2 "reps in reserve"). Make every effort to move every rep with as much acceleration as possible in the lifting phase to maximize the nervous system in training the fast twitch muscle fibers.