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[Closed] Off bike training - core etc etc
Morning all,
I might be a little late to start this ahead of this seasons racing but better late than never....
I've been training on the bike a lot since last October and I'm now seeing that there's a significant number of people that are suplementing this with gym / strength / core work and I'm beinging to think I'm missing the trick.
Can anyone recomend any online sorces that would be useful? I don't fancy going to the gym but I'm more than happy to do something at home. I've got some kettlebells that I don't use for a start.. I'm not looking to become a big beefcake, just improve core strength / injury prevention type stuff. I have absolutely no idea where to start with this. I just ride ride ride at the moment.
Cheers
James
Have a crafty Plank every day. Do you a world of good.
British Cycling have some decent videos and workouts, using kettlebells coincidentally.
Something like planks and side planks, goblet squats with kettlebell, deadlifts with kettlebell, some dodgy looking lunge thing with kettlebell (I don't like lungey stuff, seems like asking for trouble with knees!).
I supplement with some stability work for knees, i.e. one legged touch downs (standing on one leg, knee slightly bent, pivot at hip to touch floor with opposite hand, focussing on keeping knee stable), theraband sidesteps (theraband around knees, squatting position, step to one side, then back to other) and simple sideways leg lifts (lie down on side, legs straight, lift top leg, lower, repeat).
Need to start introducing some shoulder work, ideally would just do some chin-ups, but also doing various kettlebell exercises to improve muscles around the rotator cuff, stop the shoulder rolling forward when on hoods and drops.
Seeing benefits already, sore knee on right side is slowing improving at least!
Edit: of course I benefit from being forcibly awoken at 5:00am by a hungry baby, gives me 2hrs to eat breakfast and do exercises before I need to leave for work, silver linings etc!
Asking for trouble trying to link vids but here goes...
Have a crafty Plank every day. Do you a world of good.
That, and you can chuck in a side plank and handful of bird dogs (back) and dead bugs (stomach) as well. It takes less than 15 minutes with no need to even leave the bedroom 🙂
edit- and it's free.
"Have a crafty Plank every day. Do you a world of good."
That's more or less what I do. Plank then into press ups, first thing in the morning then before bed, 5mins total per day. Loads of other stuff you can do but I reckon I've got 90% of the benefits covered.
I’ve tried loads and the best thing I’ve found is yoga in the off-season. Two sessions a day three times a week, one flexibility and the other strength. It seems to really translate well into biking for me. Relieves my pains and strengthens core and shoulders and even it’s really good for leg muscles.
The other thing I tried and really enjoyed is the “enduro training program” by Bike James? (?) The problem was that was that it’s not flexible so if you’re away from your gym you can’t do it. The yoga is great for that, I just take my mat with me and unless I’m bivvying in the mountains I can do it.
Basic gymnastic rings support holds. Push ups on the rings are much more intense as you loose the stability you have when doing them on the floor. Pull/Chin ups. Or stuff with TRX/suspension trainers if you prefer.
Been doing many sets of sofa sits, biscuit lifts and kettle pours this year. Work, family, illness has puts stops on training. Threads like this are good for motivation to get back to it.
" Push ups on the rings are much more intense as you loose the stability you have when doing them on the floor "
Best training advise ever for your average STW'er 😂😂😂
Thanks all. Plenty to have a go at then!
Must start doing some of this again myself, now my lower back is less upset from tweaking it the other week.
The two minute plank challenge does wonders for me, not that I have any idea of what my posture is like in the second half, but when I started doing this last year my lower back became the happiest its been since the injury almost 10 years ago.
I've been focusing on stability through my knees, and always a little bit on lower back.
So no surprises it's my right shoulder that's currently giving me bother, think it's the standard impingement/bursitis brought on in part by lifting and carrying a 9.5kg baby around, but also due to a twisted posture on the bike which meant I was reaching forward more with the right arm.
Lots of tensaband and kettlebell work to try and open up the shoulder a bit, might even physio-tape the bejeesus out of it in the short term, try and haul it back into place!
Lots of good videos there. Fit4racing sometimes put clips of their workouts with Adam Brayton online too which look good.
I actually e-maile them about their MTB training programme but never got a response.....
Echo what's said above, will add, the trainer in those gmbn vids above is a good friend, it definitely makes you quicker on a bike - I've found the biggest gain is overall health and avoiding injury. I had knee problems from too much bike that practically crippled me, to perfect health just from following a programme of strength work
I found this book really good...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weight-Training-Cyclists-Program-Endurance/dp/1934030295
I do press ups at home in the morning, mainly to get warm for my cycle to work (downhill start, spend the first 10 min freezing otherwise)
I'm up to 80 'normal' ones, but I can't manage more than 15 or so of variations of that (eg. elbows against body, hands in a diamond in front of me). Makes me realise I should try other ones, just for the benefit of working more than one group of muscles
I find planks so boring!
try a press-up and side plank combo for something a bit more interesting. So do your press-up, then rotate so one arm comes off the floor and you're facing sideways, lift arm and leg simultaneously into the air, then rotate back around and complete another press-up. Then repeat on the other side. It's best done fairly slowly maintaining control of posture and keeping a flow rather than trying to rush it.
Core, shoulders, grip, forearms and balance all in one time-efficient instrument :
” Push ups on the rings are much more intense as you loose the stability you have when doing them on the floor ”
Best training advise ever for your average STW’er 😂😂😂
Wasn't offering advice to the average STWer, was offering advice to someone who wants to gain core strength. Pretty sure threads about off-the-bike fitness crop up fairly regularly. Wasn't saying it's the best way and to do this rather than any other advice offered here. Just what I'm enjoying and feel is really beneficial to me.
I've bought very little equipment and have only had gymnastic rings for a couple of weeks, but I'm very pleased with the purchase. Great for grip strength. I've had wrist problems doing press ups with palms face down on the floor as well as the rep count for standard form press up being too high in comparison to pulling exercises (ie inverted rows & chin ups). Enjoying the support holds, really feel it in the entire core. Tried hanging upside down with them this evening. Good for the circulation. I haven't got anywhere suitable for a pull/chin up bar but using the straps for the rings I can hold a pole and use that for pull/chin ups. Also use them for inverted rows. Can almost complete 3 sets of 5 push ups on the rings. Doing push ups on the rings really brings the whole body into the exercise, really feel it in the third set (of 5). I'm just a beginner at this stuff, and a late comer to it given my age.
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has spent the last 18/24 months working on a 12 week programme for getting fit on the bike, he launched it on Monday. I feel like Ive been his guinea pig over the last few months with regards to the alot of the stuff within it, Racing PMBA Gisburn in little over two weeks, feeling strong and well up for it.
This is a good reminder for me to start doing some of this stuff.
also I read somewhere that doing a bit of running is good to balance out the over specialisation of leg muscles that cycling gives.
I'll just second what others have said. Just started yoga and it's excellent for relaxation and getting rid of niggles as well as the strength.
British cycling have various resources, not sure if you need to be a member to access them.
Also climbing is good for trunk strength and grip strength and far more fun than the BC/gym type stuff.