Ken Doyle has a degree in exercise physiology and is certified by the National Trainers Association along with the National Strength and Conditioning Association in the U.S.. He has coaching qualifications from the U.S. Cycling Federation and is Head Coach of the Santa Barbara Special Olympics Cycling Team. He has 25 years experience in coaching both teams and individual cyclists.

Eric Schmitz also holds a degree in exercise physiology and is a certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Weight Training for Cyclists is a specific book intended to instruct the cyclist in lifting weights accompanied by core/plyometric work as a supplement to a road program. The ethos is that by adopting this total body training program detailed in the book that the riders will improve their cycling strength, skills and endurance, without bulking up.

The book is full of detained illustrations on how to perform weight lifting exercises and how to complete core and plyometric workouts in safe and correct manor.

The book is has no Forward but in my opinion doesn’t need on as it stands on its own. It is well laid out and clear carried the athlete through the business of building developing and executing and good and well structured weight/core and light plyometric full year program.

Winter Training, Pre-Season and Maintenance during the cycling season are detailed and discussed along with the off season.

Their are sample Workout Sheet and a Blank Periodized Schedule provided in the book to get the athlete started in prescribing his/her own training program.

The contents include,

1. Intro
2. The Basics of Weight Training
3. In the Weight Room
4. Program Info
5. Program Design
6. Stretching fo Flexibility
7. Lower Body Exercises
8. Upper body Exercises
9. Core Exercises
10. Power Development
11. Sample Program

Each chapter builds from the previous chapter making following the program construction easy. One rep charts and Percentage Charts are provided in order to make repetition and weight selections easy. Periodised program sample designs are shown for Track, Road, Mountain and Junior Riders.

The stretching and flexibility chapter is full of discussion and information images showing the correct movements and posture for the execution of the movements suggested. The next few chapters follow on from this and are detailed in their direction and instruction leaving it easy figure out what has to be done for each workout. The sample programs at the end of the book are a great help for self prescription. Eight pages have been dedicated to this with the sequence being Stabilization Phase, Strength Phase, Power Phase, Maintenance Phase with  a sample core prescription for beginner and advances.

We would recommend this book the athletes self prescribing their training and we would advise that they become familiar with periodisation and the scheduling of other training to blend with what this book offers in order to achieve their goals.