Big gear work, on-bike strength work, SFR (Salite Forza Resistenza), torque training, whatever name you choose – sticking it in a big gear and grinding away at low cadence has been a staple of our training for generations. A training favourite of many coaches and riders alike, torque training is again attracting attention as videos of pros mashing huge gears do the rounds on social media.
But is torque training a powerful tool for improving strength and endurance, or just another training fad? While some swear by it for developing muscular endurance and fatigue resistance, others argue the science behind it is inconclusive.
To break it all down, we spoke with Neal Henderson, a renowned coach and founder of the Apex Performance Centre on this week’s episode of the Performance Process podcast. Henderson has coached world champions, Olympic medalists, and Tour de France riders, making him one of the leading experts on training methodologies. In the podcast and this article, we explore what torque training really is, how it differs from strength training, and whether it should have a place in your training plan.
What is Performance Process?
Welcome to the Performance Process podcast, hosted by Ronan Mc Laughlin and Caley Fretz.
This podcast is dedicated to unearthing and analysing the processes behind some of the most successful athletes in the world, and understanding how every rider can apply them to their own improvement.
The Performance Process podcast is produced exclusively for Escape Collective members. While you'll see partial episodes on this feed please head to https://escapecollective.com/member/ to become a member and gain access to the full episodes!