Seven Best Strength Exercises for Cyclists
Guest post by Jassica Mendez
A common myth in sports is that the only way to get better at something is by doing it more. And while this holds true to a certain extent, it is essential not to rely solely on simple truisms. To increase your performance in any sport, you must develop strength, explosiveness, dexterity, control, and flexibility. And cycling is no exception. So, let’s explore the seven best strength exercises for cyclists.
Top strength exercises for cyclists
Cycling is a full-body sport. Yes, your legs will do most of the work, but you need to develop the rest of your body to support strong legs. These exercises will increase your cycling performance.
Squats
Arguably the most obvious choice of strength exercises for cyclists is squats. Once you consider the variety of squats you can do, there is seemingly no end to the benefits they can bring. Every variation you bring into squats will change how they impact your body. To give you an idea, you can change:
- How you hold the weight
- Weight
- The number of sets and rounds
- Speed and explosiveness of execution
- Feet positioning
- The depth of the squat
Remember that you can mix and match these to get different results. And the more you experiment, the better you will realize which types of squat suit you best.
Deadlifts
Similarly, deadlifts are a terrific choice as a strength exercise for cyclists. With deadlifts, you engage not only your legs but also your core and your back. As such, deadlifts work well towards building a strong leg-core muscle chain and ensuring you have a strong base for bike riding. Just like squats, deadlifts come with many different options. To name a few, you have:
- Standard deadlifts
- Sumo deadlifts
- Trap bar deadlifts
- Romanian deadlifts
- Deficit deadlifts
All of them are similar but also notably different when it comes to building strength. Therefore, you will benefit greatly by becoming with the basic one and then experimenting with others as your strength increases.
Walking lunges
Let’s say you don’t want to pay for a gym membership and only want to work out at home. Well, a simple set of dumbells is not only cheap but also relatively easy to pack and transport. While proper preparation is important for transport, dumbells are pretty sturdy. Therefore, they will last you a long time. And if you decide to store them away from home, you won’t have to worry about them.
If you only have a set of dumbells at home and wish to increase strength for bike riding, we suggest you try walking lunges. Through them, you develop stability, mobility, and coordination. Depending on where you hold the weight, you can see some difference. But it won’t be nearly as notable as it is with squats or deadlifts. Walking lunges are a terrific choice if you wish to avoid being static or going to the gym. Plus, compared to squats or deadlifts, there is a relatively low risk of injury. This makes lunges an excellent choice for casual cyclists simply looking for an at-home strength workout.
Kettlebell swings
Another at-home exercise you can practice is kettlebell swings. If you own kettlebells, you open a world of different exercises you can perform for functional development. But, kettlebells aren’t easy to master. Even basic exercises like kettlebell swings will require you to have a trainer explain and guide you through them. But, once you get the hang of them, you will soon see how beneficial they are. Your hamstrings, ties, and lower back will all become much more stable and stronger.
Box jumps
Let’s say you don’t want any extra equipment or weightlifting. Is there still a way to develop the strength necessary for cycling? Well, an easy recommendation is box jumps. Yes, professional gyms make box jumps easier as they have professionally made equipment. But, you can likely find an alternative to them in your vicinity. Any platform higher than your knee and, ideally, your hip will be sufficient for box jumps. Box jumps training will increase your cardio, strengthen your legs, and improve your explosiveness. Add some pushups and sit-ups, and you will have a cycling-ready body in no time.
Leg raises
There are plenty of variations of how you can raise your legs from a lying position. And all of them will help develop your core differently. So, don’t opt for the most basic version and repeat it endlessly. Instead, try altering the angle of your legs so that you hit different muscles.
Multi-directional sprints
People often mistake running for cardio-only exercise. After all, if we were to ask you to imagine a person doing cardio, you would probably imagine someone running or riding a bike. Well, as it turns out, running can be pretty effective in building leg strength. More precisely, sprinting. Sprinting is fantastic for building the strength needed for bike riding. Ideally, you will avoid treadmills and try to sprint in different terrains, elevations, and directions. The sudden change of direction while scripting is a terrific exercise for building tendon strength and avoiding common cycling injuries. And if you warm up properly and increase your running form, you will significantly improve your knee and ankle health.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there are plenty of strength exercises for cyclists regardless of whether you have access to gym equipment. Yes, having some extra tools does help. But don’t let the fact that you don’t have them now keep you from building leg strength. Know that the stronger your body is, the better it will perform during long bike rides.