what is core?
An often overlooked but essential part of riding a velocipede is cadre stability training. Whether you’re a recreational or racing cyclist you can reduce injury risk, enhance riding repletion and modernize performance by doing some vital cadre stability exercises. Despite these benefits, why do so many cyclists find it nonflexible to fit in?
As an endurance sport cycling is time-consuming, requiring time in the saddle to build and maintain a good base. For ventriloquist cyclists finding the wastefulness between work and family commitments can finger challenging and limit misogynist time for cycling. It’s therefore understandable that time on the velocipede is precious and often prioritised over off-bike training sessions.
As a cycling mentor and personal trainer, I help athletes to wastefulness their training load and get the weightier out of their misogynist time. I take a holistic approach, looking at all aspects of training and injury prevention to support healthy and resilient cyclists. Read on to learn increasingly well-nigh the function of cadre stability in cycling and how to incorporate some simple sessions into your routine.
Core stability is a term used to describe the prevention of unwanted movement of the body’s centre. Stabilisation comes from the soul creating the right wastefulness of stiffness where it is needed, with cadre muscles balancing the load through the spine, pelvis and kinetic chain. Think of your cadre like a secure inside pillar connecting your upper and lower body, providing a solid wiring from which your stovepipe and legs can move.
why do i need good cadre stability?
Riding a velocipede requires the cyclist to generate gravity to turn the pedals and propel the velocipede forwards. The torso (or trunk) acts as a platform to contain forces and transfer effort to the limbs. Put simply, the stronger and increasingly stable your core, the less energy is wasted through rocking or swaying. A stable trunk and pelvis will form a secure foundation to maintain good posture on the bike, modernize efficiency for sustained power, climb out of the saddle, maintain tenancy over rough terrain and withstand fatigue during long rides.
The muscles making up your cadre include a combination of deep and superficial muscles throughout the unshortened midsection of your soul which all have their own unique functions to move and stabilise the spine and pelvis. On your front you’ll find transverse and rectus abdominis (or the well-known ‘abs’). Your sides host the internal and external obliques, whilst your when contains quadratus lumborum, multifidus and erector spinae. Minor cadre muscles include the gluteus maximus (buttocks) and latissimus dorsi (lats) and trapezius (traps) in the shoulder/back.
Let’s not forget the pelvic floor muscles which are located between the public unorthodoxy and the tail unorthodoxy (or coccyx) within the pelvis. These provide pelvic girdle stability, trencher and bladder tenancy and support rectal organs. Particularly important for women, the pelvic floor can wilt weakened due to childbirth and the menopause.
Imbalanced and weak muscles place increased stress on tissues and joints which inevitably leads to injury and cyclists are wontedly unauthentic by back, knee, hip and shoulder pain. Whilst there can be many reasons for injury, cadre training can help to build greater injury resilience. Of course, velocipede fit and cycling technique are moreover important for injury-free cycling.
The pursuit exercises focus on stability and endurance and reflect the nature of riding a bike. Give these 5 equipment-free exercises a try on rest days for largest everyday function and improved cycling performance. Start simply by towers the habit, 2-3 times per week for 10-20 minutes – you can do them anywhere! This will establish a foundation to progress to increasingly wide exercises and strength training. If you have a pre-existing injury or health condition, seek professional translating from your physiotherapist or GP surpassing whence anything new.
Dead Bug – Replicates functional trunk stability in cycling
Just as you need your trunk to alimony steady whilst pedalling, this exercise works a range of cadre muscles to alimony your soul stable while extending stovepipe and legs. The transverse abdominis, erector spinae, obliques, rectus abdominis, and the pelvic floor are all stuff challenged here.
-Use a yoga mat or folded towel to lie on.
-Starting position: Lie on the mat or towel with stovepipe extended whilom the chest so they are at 90 degrees with the torso. Lift feet from the ground and wrench hips and knees to 90 degrees forming a right angle.
-Engage your core, pulling vitals sawed-off towards the mat. Finger and maintain unvarying contact between the lower when and the mat. The spine should stay in this neutral position for the elapsing of the exercise.
-Hold the right arm and left leg in position and slowly reach the left arm backwards, over the throne and toward the floor. At the same time, proffer the right knee and hip, reaching the right heel towards the floor. Alimony zoetic throughout and stave twisting or movement of the hips. Stop the movement just surpassing the arm and leg touch the ground or the when begins to wily yonder from the mat.
-Return left arm and right leg to starting positions, reversing the movement.
-Repeat the movements on the opposite sides, this time holding the left arm and right leg in position as the right arm and left leg uncork to extend.
-Complete the same number of repetitions on each side, initially aim for 6-8 reps each side.
Top tips:
Keep it slow and focus on quality of movement.
Reduce the range of motion if your when begins to arch.
Make it easier by only moving arms, or only legs.
Make it harder by holding an object (like a foam roller) and passing it between hands and knees.
Plank – Improves cycling efficiency in an aerodynamic position
The plank position is a familiar go-to exercise which targets multiple muscle groups and forms the understructure of increasingly progressive exercise variations. Choose whether to perform a plank on your hands (high plank) or on your forearms. Beginners will find forearms are a increasingly well-appointed position to start.
-Use a yoga mat or folded towel to lie on.
-Starting position: Start in your chosen plank position, squatter downwards with your forearms facing forward (or hands if ‘high plank’) and toes on the floor. Elbows or hands should be directly under shoulders.
-Pull your vitals sawed-off towards the spine to engage the core. Tuck the tail unorthodoxy under and alimony soul in a straight line from throne to toes, with no sagging or bending.
-Initially hold for 30 seconds and work towards 45 seconds, then 1 minute.
Top tips:
Keep shoulders and neck relaxed.
Start with plank position on forearms and progress to upper plank.
When you can plank for 1 minute, try unorganized shoulder or toe taps, minimising trunk rotation.
Side plank – Improves stabilisation when climbing out of the saddle
The side plank is unconfined for hip and shoulder stabilisation and works the obliques and glutes. This exercise helps cyclists to resist lateral flexion, executive forces while rocking from side-to-side, like when climbing a hill.
-Use a yoga mat or folded towel to lie on.
-Starting position: Lie on your right side with legs extended in line from hips to feet. Place the right elbow directly under the shoulder. Alimony throne in line with spine. Rest left arm withal the left side of body.
-Pull vitals sawed-off towards the spine to engage the core.
-Lift hips and knees from the mat keeping torso straight and in line with no sagging or bending.
-Aim to hold this position for 30 seconds and then return to the starting position. Swap sides and repeat.
Top tips:
Keep slow and controlled zoetic throughout.
Make it easier by starting on wilting knees.
Make it harder in ‘high plank’ position on hands.
Hollow Hold – Improves trunk tenancy for higher undulation or resistance efforts
An isometric exercise which uses multiple muscles groups, including transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques, quads, hip flexors, inner thighs, and erector spinae.
-Use a yoga mat or folded towel to lie on.
-Starting position: Lie lanugo on the floor on your when with legs extended and stovepipe by your sides.
-Pull your vitals sawed-off towards the floor to engage your cadre and momentum your lower when into the ground. Squeeze your thighs together to uncork the move.
-Raise your legs up while keeping the lower when on the floor.
-Raise your throne off the floor and proffer your stovepipe overhead and overdue you.
-Hold position for up to 30 seconds.
Top tips:
Start with 10 seconds and work towards holding position for 30 seconds.
Keep breathing! Don’t hold your breath.
Keep neck and shoulders relaxed.
Glute Underpass – improves cadre and pelvic stability for strength and power output
The glute underpass works your glutes, hamstrings, and transverse abdominis. Moreover unconfined for stretching out hips which spend a lot of time in flexion when cycling and sitting down.
-Use a yoga mat or folded towel to lie on.
-Starting position: Lie on your when placing your hands lanugo at your sides. Your knees should be wilting with your feet unappetizing on the floor, hip width untied underneath your knees.
-Squeeze and tighten your glutes and pull your vitals sawed-off towards your spine. Then push your heels into the floor to raise your hips up towards the ceiling, creating a line from your knees to shoulders.
-Pause and hold for a moment at the top of the movement surpassing returning to the starting position by lowering your hips to the mat/towel. That’s one rep.
-Aim to start with 10-12 reps.
Top tips:
Keep movements slow and controlled.
Keep neck and shoulders relaxed.
Avoid raising your hips too upper and/or arching your back
Make it harder by progressing to a single leg bridge, by lifting one leg off the ground.
Stretching and mobility moreover have an important role to play in cadre stability to ensure that functional flexibility and range of movement are maintained and addressing those muscular imbalances mentioned older but that’s for flipside time!
Thank you to our freelancer Heidi Blunden of Parallel Cycle coaching for writing this article.
