If you’re wondering How Many Hours In A Week you need to dedicate to cycling to see real improvements in your performance, particularly boosting your w/kg or FTP, you’re not alone. Many cyclists juggle training with busy lives and want to know the most efficient way to get stronger on the bike. The good news is, you might not need to spend countless hours training.
One cyclist’s experience suggests that significant gains are possible with a relatively low volume approach. Starting with low volume training plans and incorporating additional riding, they saw a substantial improvement, climbing from 3.4 to 4 w/kg. This level was maintained with an average of just 3-6 hours of cycling per week. This included a mix of short, intense trainer rides and outdoor sessions, averaging about 3 rides per week and 4.7 hours in total, with each ride lasting around 1.4 hours.
Looking at the stats from 2021, this cyclist maintained around 4w/kg throughout the year with:
- Distance: 5,793.8 km
- Time: 243 hours 53 minutes
- Rides: 171
- Average: 3.3 rides/week, 4.7 hours/week, 1.4 hours/ride
It’s important to acknowledge that individual results can vary. Genetics, lifestyle, sleep quality, and nutrition all play crucial roles in how your body responds to training. However, this example highlights that impressive results can be achieved even with lower training volumes, especially when intensity is well-managed. Compared to others training similar hours, this cyclist believes they have seen very good progress on a low volume approach, possibly benefiting from favorable genetics. They also recognize potential for further improvement by increasing training volume, particularly with longer rides, and by focusing on optimizing sleep and nutrition. Even sticking to a low volume plan of around 3 structured workouts a week, each between 60 and 90 minutes, can be highly effective when consistently executed.
Consistency emerges as a key factor. Not every ride needs to be a structured workout. Incorporating rides you genuinely enjoy, like spirited mountain bike sessions or casual rides with friends, can make training more sustainable and fun. This approach to training, blending structured workouts with enjoyable riding, makes maintaining consistency easier, even with just a couple of key workouts per week supplemented by fun, less structured sessions.
