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Riders over 40 complain about slower metabolism – due to age but more by
loss in muscle mass through reduced activity – more sitting around watching
box-sets, reading cycling books, doing crosswords etc.

Bodyweight resistance exercises, lifting free weights, or using resistance
bands/rubber tubing, includes balance and coordination in your movements,
developing and maintaining neural pathways for proprioception and balance.
It also develops small muscles that help stability, rather like the vibration
plates you see in some gyms. This helps avoid lifting objects/moving in ways
that place inappropriate stress on weak muscles and falls that, in later life,
often end with a broken hip

A routine of resistance or strength training, (which could be yoga, Pilates,
ballet (less likely..!) can improve balance and proprioception for many years.
The higher your level of overall fitness and coordination in middle age, the
more you can retain as you get older.

Carmichael points out this is crucially important for lifelong cyclists. He
describes “the cyclist’s paradox” and says “Cyclists have highly-developed
aerobic engines but very underdeveloped musculoskeletal systems for any
other sport other than cycling. You have the aerobic engine to run pretty
fast for a prolonged period of time, but because cycling is weight-supported
many cyclists can “outrun” their skeletal system’s ability to handle the
stress of either the speed or duration their aerobic engines can support.
Similarly, lifelong cyclists frequently have severely underdeveloped upper body
strength. This limits the exercise and activity options cyclists feel prepared
to participate in. When you are a time-crunched athlete, having the option
to go for a run or hit the hotel gym during a business trip can mean the
difference between doing something and doing nothing.”

A benefit of strength training is that it may enable you to be more consistent
in your cycling training because you spend less time sidelined by soreness

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