Cycling is a tough sport and requires you to have a good amount of strength stored in your body. To become the very best at cycling, experts recommend strength exercises.
Incorporating a couple of strength exercises within your routine will only lead you to have a leaner physique. This is because strength exercises help the body to replace fat by muscles. Developing body strength as well as paying attention to your hamstrings, glutes, and core will cause an improvement in power. Additionally, it would also make you further resilient to injuries. Perhaps the biggest advantage of having body strength is that fatigue is kept at bay particularly on climbs! Mentioned below are six of the best exercises for strength training if you are a cyclist.
Introducing the six exercises
The best six exercises for strength training is divided into two parts each containing three exercises. The first part doesn’t require additional equipment however for the second part you would need weights. The weights you pick are up to you; just make sure that you are comfortable with them. In order to benefit significantly from these six exercises, make sure that you take help from a professional trainer because having the right form for all the exercises mentioned below is crucial.
• The Plank:
Plank is the most recommended exercise for all athletes, so naturally, it applies to cyclists as well. This is because it focuses on the core starting from the shoulders all the way down to the thighs. According to experts, planks are fantastic for cycling enthusiasts because of a number of reasons. Firstly, plank gives you a stronger back which provides you with stability. Secondly, planks help to prevent injuries in your lower back which can occur when you spend an extended period hunched over the handlebars.
• Triceps dips:
Often cyclists tend to not given importance to the strength in the upper body. On the contrary, having strong shoulders and strong arms help you to have better control over your bike and also helps during climbing as well. As implied by the name, this exercise works on your triceps as well as on your core while you try to stabilize the body.
• Press up:
Triceps dips and planks do provide upper body strength, however; the press ups also provide additional benefits to the body. This exercise works on a number of body parts including the arms, the core, and the back. This exercise can work on numerous body parts because essentially, press up is very similar to planks.
• Deadlifts
Deadlifts are perhaps the best way with which you can build sufficient strength in your glutes and your hamstrings. Since deadlifting involves the movement of the entire body, you are also able to work on your lower back and your core while doing this exercise.
• Squats
One other useful exercise for strength for cyclists is squats. This is because the exercise works your quads, core, and glutes. However, for the squats to be effective, you need to have the correct form. The best way to get the best body form for squats is to start off squats using body weights.
• Lunges:
The last exercise in the best six exercises for cyclists in order to gain strength is lunges. For cyclists, it is quite easy to depend on strengthened quads. Quads help to push down the pedal however lunges focus on the glutes and hamstrings and make sure that they are functioning maximally. One helpful tip that you should keep in mind is that in order gain stability and strengthen your core simultaneously; you should hold a weight over your head.
