It felt great to be back at the clinic, working directly with people on their health. That's the part of my job that really reminds me why I do this.

During one of the corporate health assessments, I saw a familiar face, a guy I'd checked up on last year.

Late 50s, genuinely fit, genuinely active.

We're talking four hours a week of tennis, padel, and squash.

The kind of person most people would look at and think, "Yeah, he's got it figured out."

But then the conversation turned to weight training. "I just don't like it," he said, without hesitation.

So I asked him something simple: "Do you enjoy playing tennis? Do you enjoy being able to get up from a chair easily?"

He laughed a bit, clearly wondering where I was going with this. "Well, yes. Of course I do."

That's when it clicked for me, and hopefully for him too.

I explained that weight training isn't really about building muscle for the sake of it.

It's not about looking a certain way or lifting heavy things just to say you can.

It's about maintaining independence. It's about staying strong enough to do the things you actually love, for as long as possible.

When you train your muscles now, you're investing in your future self, the version of you that can still play tennis, still move freely, still live the way you want to live.

By the end of our chat, he was already considering it.

Light weights at home, he said.

A good start. I mentioned progressive overload, gradually lifting heavier over time, and he nodded.

Something had shifted.

Here's what I realised talking to him: it's easy to dismiss strength training as optional, especially if you're already doing plenty of cardio.

You cycle. You run. You play sports. Isn't that enough?

Aerobic fitness keeps you young, it strengthens your heart, your lungs, and your endurance.

But strength is what keeps you truly capable.

It protects your joints, improves your posture, and reduces pain.

It's the difference between being able to do something and being unable to do it.

For cyclists especially, this matters. A lot. You can have fantastic aerobic fitness, but without strength training, you're missing a huge piece of the puzzle.

You're leaving power on the table.

You're increasing your injury risk.

You're not building the resilience that lets you ride hard, recover well, and stay healthy for years to come.

If you're still thinking weight training is optional, I'd encourage you to reconsider.

My 1:1 Coaching integrates structured strength training directly into your cycling program, so you build muscle, improve power, and reduce injury risk without sacrificing your time on the bike.

Ready to become a stronger, more resilient cyclist?

Click the link below to learn more and start building a plan that actually works for you.

Neil

My 1:1 Coaching