Apologies if this was covered, but I couldn’t find an answer with a search.
I like mountain biking in addition to strength training.
I started with starting strength over a year ago and have done the Bridge and Endurance templates after. I’m 41.
I have learned that the straight 5x5 isn’t always good, so I have learned that sometimes there is a place for 3x3 or singles and the like.
Anyway, I have read there is a time and place for higher reps, but I have also read all they do is increase inflammation and soreness.
As the weather warms, I like to spend more time on the bike, so I usually back off the volume in the weight room to give my legs a bit of a break.
So my long winded question, as an avid mountain biker, is should I incorporate any higher rep training to build muscular endurance, or just keep lifting heavy and riding more to increase endurance on the bike?
Since you’re not planning to specialize in a strength sport that selects for a particular outcome (like a 1RM, for example), it is reasonable to expose yourself to a wide variety of rep ranges. With that said, I think that the majority of your “muscular endurance” is going to be generated from cycling itself.