In partnership with

Strength training has moved from the margins of endurance sport to the mainstream. Once feared as “bulk-building,” it’s now widely embraced as a cornerstone for performance and injury prevention. But a question lingers: how strong is strong enough?

For runners, cyclists, and triathletes, the goal isn’t to squat double your bodyweight or deadlift like a powerlifter. It’s to build relative strength — enough force production to improve running economy, power transfer, and resilience without compromising endurance.

So where should endurance athletes set their benchmarks?

Unmatched Quality. Proven Results. Momentous Creatine.

Creatine is one of the most effective and well-researched supplements for improving strength, power, recovery, and cognitive performance. Momentous Creatine contains Creapure®—the purest, pharmaceutical-grade creatine monohydrate—single-sourced from Germany for unmatched quality and consistency. Every batch is NSF Certified for Sport®, meaning it’s independently tested for safety, label accuracy, and banned substances.

With no fillers, no artificial additives, and clinically validated dosing, it embodies The Momentous Standard™—a commitment to science-backed formulas, transparency, and uncompromising quality. This is why it’s trusted by professional teams, Olympic athletes, and the U.S. military’s top performers.

Whether you’re starting your creatine journey or returning after a break, Momentous Creatine gives you the confidence of knowing you’re fueling your body with the very best—precisely formulated for results you can feel and trust.

Head to livemomentous.com and use code HIVE for up to 35% off your first order.

Elevate Your Performance

The Main Feature

Leg 1: Why Strength Matters in Endurance

Endurance is about efficiency, not just capacity. Every stride, pedal stroke, or swim pull requires force transfer through muscle, tendon, and bone. Stronger athletes waste less energy at submaximal loads.

For example:

• Running: Strong glutes and hamstrings reduce ground contact time, improve stride stiffness, and lower injury risk from imbalances.

• Cycling: A strong posterior chain supports sustained power and stabilises the pelvis for better force transfer through the pedals.

• Swimming: Upper body pulling strength improves stroke mechanics and reduces fatigue in long swims.

Strength also reinforces connective tissue (tendons and ligaments), reducing overuse injuries. And importantly, it raises the ceiling for endurance training — when muscles are stronger, aerobic work is performed at a lower percentage of maximal strength, delaying fatigue.

T1: Mental Preparation

Leg 2: Practical Strength Standards for Endurance Athletes

Instead of chasing absolute numbers, endurance athletes should aim for relative strength benchmarks — enough to unlock efficiency and resilience. Here are evidence-based, field-tested guidelines:

• Back Squat: 1.25 × bodyweight (solid lower-body strength without excessive mass).

• Deadlift: 1.5 × bodyweight (posterior chain development for running and cycling).

• Bench Press: 0.75 × bodyweight (adequate upper-body strength, especially for swimmers).

• Pull-Ups: 10–12 strict bodyweight reps (upper back and grip endurance).

• Single-Leg Strength: 10 Bulgarian split squats per leg with 25% bodyweight load (unilateral control).

• Core: 90-second front plank with controlled breathing (anti-extension strength).

These aren’t maximal targets — they’re minimum effective doses. Meeting these benchmarks ensures you’re “strong enough” to support endurance performance without drifting into diminishing returns.

Leg 3: Integrating Strength Standards into Training

Hitting these benchmarks isn’t about maxing out lifts weekly. It’s about consistent integration into endurance programs.

Off-Season / Base Phase:

• 2–3 sessions per week, focused on progressive overload in compound lifts (squat, deadlift, pull-ups).

• Goal: build strength foundation and connective tissue durability.

Build Phase:

• Reduce to 2 sessions per week. Shift emphasis toward power (plyometrics, Olympic lift derivatives, hill sprints).

• Goal: convert strength into force and rate-of-force development.

Peak / Competition Phase:

• 1 session per week for maintenance.

• Focus: keep strength topped up while minimising fatigue.

Recovery / Transition:

• Use bodyweight work, mobility, and corrective exercises.

• Goal: maintain movement quality, allow joints and tissues to recover.

Think of strength like a support beam: build it high enough to carry your endurance load, then maintain it season after season.

Conclusion

Strength training isn’t about chasing powerlifting totals. For endurance athletes, it’s about meeting relative strength standards that support performance, efficiency, and resilience. Hit the benchmarks, maintain them seasonally, and you’ll build an engine that’s not just powerful — but supported by a durable, efficient chassis.

Coaches Corner

Workout of the Week: Relative Strength Circuit

Goal: Test and build functional benchmarks for endurance athletes.

Warm-Up (10 min):

• Dynamic mobility (hips, shoulders, ankles).

• 2 x 10 bodyweight squats, push-ups, band pull-aparts.

Main Circuit (40 min):

1. Back Squat: 3 x 6 at 70% bodyweight.

2. Pull-Ups: 3 sets to technical failure (goal: 8–12).

3. Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 x 8 each leg with 25% bodyweight.

4. Deadlift: 3 x 5 at 1.25 × bodyweight (progress over time).

5. Front Plank: 3 x 60s holds with controlled breathing.

Cool Down (10 min):

• Stretch posterior chain, hip flexors, and shoulders.

• 5 minutes diaphragmatic breathing.

Why it works: Covers core benchmarks, reinforces unilateral strength, and tests durability — all while staying within the endurance athlete’s recovery budget.