Peak HybridArticles on training and health
What the research says about strength, endurance, and healthy aging, in plain words, with every study listed.
For riders
Strength training for cyclists: what the research shows
In trials of trained riders, heavy leg lifting raised power late in long rides. What the studies did, where they disagree, and the dose they used.
7 min readHow to fuel a long ride
Carbohydrate during a ride helps more the longer the ride lasts. The amounts the research supports for each length of ride, why a mix of sugars matters above 60 g an hour, and how to train your gut.
6 min read
For runners
Strength training for runners: running economy and how much is enough
Heavy lifting helped runners use less energy at the same pace. What the trials found, where they split, and the dose.
7 min readCalves, tendons, and hamstrings for runners
What heavy calf work does to the Achilles tendon, what the Nordic curl research covers, what injury trials in runners found, and the single-run rule from a 5,205 runner study.
6 min readHow to taper for a race
Cut volume, keep the intensity and the number of sessions. What the taper meta-analyses found, how long to taper, and what to do with your lifting in race week.
6 min read
Lifting around training
How to fit lifting around your key rides and runs
Where leg day goes in a week with intervals and a long ride or run. The research on timing, the 24 to 48 hour window, and the day-before rules.
6 min readWill lifting make me bulky or slower?
What 8 to 16 week trials in cyclists and runners found for body weight, muscle size, and endurance, and why heavy, low-rep lifting builds strength more than size.
6 min readHow to keep your strength through race season
In trials, 1 short, heavy leg session a week held the strength athletes built before their season. What the research shows, how quickly strength fades without it, and how Maintain mode works.
6 min read
Healthy aging
VO2max and lifespan: what the cohort studies found
In large cohorts, people with higher aerobic fitness died less often over the following years. What those studies measured, how to raise your VO2max, and how Peak Hybrid estimates it.
6 min read4 simple tests that track healthy aging
What grip, push-ups, getting up off the floor, and standing on 1 leg are linked to in the research, who was studied, and how to use each test as a milestone.
6 min readStrength training after 40: muscle and bone
Adults over 50 still gain lean mass from lifting, and more volume goes with more gain. What the research found on muscle and bone, the link with lifespan, and how the plans adjust with age.
6 min read
How the numbers work
What FTP is, and how Peak Hybrid estimates yours
FTP is the power you can hold for about an hour. Why it sets your zones and training load, what testing and estimating each get right, and how the app reads it from rides you already did.
6 min readFitness, fatigue, and form, explained
What the 3 numbers mean, how Peak Hybrid works them out from all of your training, and how to use form and its 5 bands around key sessions and races.
6 min readHow Peak Hybrid counts a lift in your training load
The lift formula, minutes × (RPE ÷ 10) × 0.8, worked through with examples. Why the RPE counts as at least 6, how dense sessions score higher, and how a lift sits next to a ride or run.
5 min read