I’ve been searching online for a decent general set of core exercises but coming across a lot of different opinions

Is there anything that will specifically help with riding the bike?

…Riding your bike?

IGMC.

I do body pump classes. Really noticed the difference in core strength when running and riding. Or ride single speed?
Simone

Squats

I’ve got some from a coach I saw last year.email me and Ill send them over. They are the same core exercises he gave to liam kileen and olibeckingsale. Search for liam kileen core workout on YouTube as well

Is rowing (on a machine) any good for core strength, as I’ve been doing loads…

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/core?cm_mmc=Twitter-_-Bicycling-_-Content-Story-_-shape-core

MM

Think this is something I need to be investigating as next weekends Manchester 100 went “pop” along with my lower back on Monday morning.

Though physios I’ve seen over the years have only ever given me stretching exercises, never suggested core exercises, which I’ve always thought seemed a bit odd.

Plank

catfood – Member

Squats

I do these ^^^ along with Deadlift & Bench Press – all core strength exercises. I found that this has made my ‘stability’ on the bike much better, therefore ‘helped’ my riding ‘skill’.

However, it depends on what you mean by ‘help’ – if you need help with ‘fitness and stamina’ rather than ‘skill’ then for this I do Cardio Interval Training on the bike, cross trainer & rowing machine.

Combining the two above gives me an all round improvement and has ‘helped’ my riding greatly.

Any body weight exercise is good (pressups, plank, author, squats).

For any extra conditioning go for kettlebells. They strip fat in no time, can be used aerobic and anaerobic, and don’t add bulk. Really good for strenght, core and stability, and good ones are only 70 notes a pair new and can be used at home in a relatively small space. Workouts are free via the interweb, and you can replicate most weights type exercise as well. Very versatile.

Swiss Ball is great. It’s what I used to re-hab my core after being immobilised for 3 months with a broken back.

It might look a bit girls-in-leotards, but I can assure you that you’ll be utterly spanked by the time you try a few situps or pressups on one!

Sadly, my back problem goes back to a youthful over enthusiasm for deadlifts and squats 😳

Yoga.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMkoS2QOb5E[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIkewqrsuYg[/video]

Turkish get up.uses every muscle on the body.

great thread.. thanks guys

Yoga is great for all round conditioning, flexibility and core
Swiss ball is good to do core.
BUT don’t just do stomach exercises, you need to do lats (sides) and back too or you;ll end up unbalanced.
Worth getting a physio or personal trainer to make an assessment of your current condition and some exercises to suit your particular needs. Worth it for avoiding injury.
It’ll make a massive improvement to the power you can put down, and to those steep technical climbs when you’re trying to put the power down whilst grovelling over the top tube to keep the front wheel down.
enjoy 🙂

+1 for the swiss ball, along with weights and a medicine ball. Get a good book of core exercises and work on all the muscle groups in your core. Your core not only supports your body upright but also while you twist, bend and lift, so you need to do a variety of exercises, not just sit ups or the plank.

Pilates is good, too, although a lot of blokes won’t do it as it’s perceived as a womens’ thing. But I know a few blokes who are doing Pilates exercises – some given to them by physios without referring to them as Pilates. They look gentle and ineffectual but try a few – you’ll hurt afterwards!

I started doing crunches after getting serious back problems when riding mountain bikes for long distances. Big help! Also, carrying a courier bag to work over 15 miles each way made a huge difference too. It hurt at first but very quickly strengthened my waist and back up.

I feel great now, mucho man. Six pack. Fur.

slam your seat, don’t bother changing gear and manual, pump and jump everything.

Yeah I had a core weakness highlighted by a physio. I used to get sore groin muscles on one side after about 20 miles or so. Seems I was sagging as I got tired (pathetic I know). She told me to consciously hold my tummy in as I cycled. Helped lots.

ask and ye shall receive

http://www.bikejames.com/ipod-videos/mountain-bike-core-strength-sequence/

you’re all missing something, pilates. low impact core stability excercises. saved me from the surgeons knife when i slipped a disc and gives all round stability.
lots of really sound excercises mentioned above but be careful not to do too much of one sort as our bodies were designed to do lots of things in lots of positions. they weren’t designed to sit on a bike and only sit on a bike. it can be that strengthening the front makes the back weaker and then causes problems and vice versa.
i’d always start with pilates as it’s whats worked in the past for me.

The TRX strap system is good

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trx-Suspension-Trainer-Pro-Pack/dp/B002YIA6SM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314864731&sr=8-1

Pilates was designed to do just this. Make sure you get a decent teacher though as the bulk of them are hopeless.

Pilates! Had a disk removed/repaired 4 years ago and did no core after that….. suffered again 2 years ago and did Pilates for 9 months. Don’t have any major issues anymore!
I also cycle holding my stomach muscles in when I can……

Climbing, it does everything cycling doesn’t! Seems to help biking skills such as balance, coordination and fear of heights!

My mate is a good climber and MTBer, he throws his bike around like it weights nowt.

Gyms, exercises and yoga all bore me to tears. Like when friends go on a two week diet – find a sport you enjoy that has a big focus on what you desire to improve.

here it is

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7yTIHUBpb8[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txCP2JV03yE&[/video]

The exercise at 0.58 on the last video is the Turkish Get up

Hanging leg raises, horrific but effective. Decline plank as well, crunches with an added weight like holding a barbell above your head as you raise up.

Why do these core strengthening threads always turn into will waving/dreams of greatness mongfests? If anyone was to do half of the stuff up there they would injure themselves permanently.

I think GW’s suggestion would probably work best for developing biking core strength though.

As mentioned above, Pilates is designed around strengthening your core. Get help from a decent, qualified trainer (someone Body Control trained/affiliated should be suitable) for exercises specific to you.

Even simple stuff like sitting on a swiss ball whilst watching TV or using a ‘wobble cushion’ to sit anywhere can have an impact as they both make you use your core muscles to stay upright/still.

Another vote for turkish get ups and the bike james website.

+1 for climbing, see if theres a bouldering wall near you then you only need some rockboots and a chalkbag. Much more interesting and rewarding than going to the gym / excercising at home (imho!)

Why do these core strengthening threads always turn into will waving/dreams of greatness mongfests? If anyone was to do half of the stuff up there they would injure themselves permanently.

One of the rare training threads on here that hasn’t descended into the usual tools arguing.

Another vote for Pilates. Designed by a bloke, to strengthen core muscles for boxers. Find a decent teacher, not just some extra class for mummies who want a change from yoga. It takes a while to start feeling when you’re doing it right and a good teacher is important – it’s easy to try and heave your way through the exercises and you then end up doing no good at all.

And also a vote for the swiss ball. £10 from Argos. I also replaced my desk chair with one, got some odd looks but really good for the back ‘cos you can’t slouch as much.

Core strength is partly about un-learning bad habits as well as doing the right exercises.

Why do these core strengthening threads always turn into will waving/dreams of greatness mongfests

Really? Who’s saying they’re great/willy waving? I think ppl just pass on info they’ve been told or has helped them individually.

There is definite willy waving going on. Take a look at where I posted my comment that said so, then look above it.

ahh.. i see now 🙂

they sound painful.

The standard thing that a lot of physios say is most people suffer from weak glutes and this is one area that definitely needs work.

these are the exercises i was given for these

you’re all missing something, pilates.

WTF?
You’re all missing something alright! not surprised really. 🙄 do any of you actually enjoy just riding your bikes?

FFS!! the guy said..

Is there anything that will specifically help with riding the bike? [/quote]try my suggestion, it’ll not only help Core strength, it’ll help your balance and bike handling skills. I’m pretty unfit these days but my core strength is and has always been high and haven’t ever done any other exercise/sports (unless you can count walking a few miles a day or chasing kids around).
Guessing you aren’t training to compete at high level as your coach/trainer would have already suggested “alternatives” to riding.