DiscoverThe Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTSCan Rucking With A Weighted Vest Make You A Stronger Cyclist?
Can Rucking With A Weighted Vest Make You A Stronger Cyclist?

Can Rucking With A Weighted Vest Make You A Stronger Cyclist?

Update: 2025-09-17
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OVERVIEW
Almost anywhere you go these days, you're likely to see someone walking, running, or climbing stairs wearing a weighted vest. Popularized by Crossfit boxes, mixed martial arts gyms, and boot camp-style exercise programs, “rucking” is a new name for the old concept of an “overloaded training intervention”. The question we get is whether training with a weighted vest (off the bike) will improve cycling performance. CTS Pro Coach Sarah Scozzaro, one of our top strength and conditioning coaches, breaks down the details of whether weighted training works for cyclists. 

Topics Covered In This Episode:

  • Weighted Vests: Are they effective for:
    • Increase Core Strength?
    • Improve Strength-Endurance?
    • Increase Bone Density?
    • Improve VO2 Max?
    • Increase Motivation?
  • History of overloaded training interventions in cycling
  • Separating strength from endurance training
  • How to use weighted vests safely 
  • How much weight to carry

Resources

Guest Bio:

Sarah Scozzaro is a CTS Pro Coach who specializes in strength training and  ultrarunning. A coach within the CTS High Performance Program, she is on the performance teams for Western States Champions Katie Schide and Abby Hall.  Sarah has her Masters's degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in performance enhancement and injury prevention. She has a long list of qualifications and certifications after her name, including being a National Strength and Conditioning Association certified personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) and National Academy of Sports Medicine performance enhancement specialist (NASM-PES).

Guest Links:

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Can Rucking With A Weighted Vest Make You A Stronger Cyclist?

Can Rucking With A Weighted Vest Make You A Stronger Cyclist?

CTS