You are a couch potato and don’t enjoy going to the gym?
Have you simply forgotten to do some additional weight training to keep fit for cycling?
It’s not to late! We will provide you with 10 last minute strengthening exercises to get you started.
The most important muscles
The most important muscles used when cycling are the lower dorsal muscles, gluteal muscles, muscles of the anterior thigh, muscles of the lower leg, calf muscles and muscles of the hip. They make you pedal in round movements, thus enable a balanced distribution of pressure and give you more power when cycling.
The training
Ten minutes of training per day suffice to get you ready for the upcoming cycling season. However, these ten minutes should be used well! Hence, we have created a goal-oriented, yet intense training for you, which consists of 10 exercises. Each exercise takes 1 minute and all exercises are executed subsequently and without breaks.
The exercises
1⃣ 1min jumping back and forth
Jump back and forth and alternate between your left and right foot. This is a great warm-up and strengthens the muscles in your calves.
2⃣ 1min jumping jacks
Open and close your legs while jumping and clap your hands over your head in sync with your jumps. This strengthens your hips.
3⃣ 1min wall squat
Bend your knees in a 90°-angle and lean against a wall with your arms crossed. Tensing your thighs is great exercise.
4⃣ 1min banded glute bridge
Lie on the floor with bent feet and heels and slowly lift your butt until your Backs fully stretched. Slowly lower your butt back to the ground to train your gluteal muscles.
5⃣ 1min lower back
Stretch your legs and rest your heels on a chair while lying on the ground. Your shoulders should touch the ground and your arms and legs should be stretched out. Your dorsal muscles keep up the tension.
6⃣ 1min right leg lift
Lie on your left side, keeping your lower leg slightly angled and your upper leg stretched. In this position, lift your upper leg about 45° and lower it down again while keeping it stretched the whole time. This exercise trains your hips.
7⃣ 1min left leg lift
Same as above, but you lie on your right side and lift your left leg.
8⃣ 1min backward lunges
Do backward lunges while alternating your legs and lower and straighten your body. This exercise trains your thighs and butt.
9⃣ 1min calves
Stand on your tiptoes, lower your feet and lift your tiptoes. This is a great exercise for your calves and lower leg muscles.
🔟 1min lunges with upper body rotation
Do a lunge and keep your arms stretched out in front of your body while rotating your torso to the left and to the right. This advanced exercise strengthens your thighs, butt and upper body.
Are you ready for cycling season? 💪
Post your planned Bikemap routes in the comment section! 🚴
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