Last time we looked at creating workouts for the time-crunched cyclist and offered some tips to improving your form with those focused session ideas. This week’s workout ideas focus on bettering your technique with a muscle-building session and preparing your body for the rigors of riding a long distance with an endurance session.
Muscle Building
The aim of a strength session for an endurance cyclist is not to build muscle mass but rather to increase comfort, technique and efficiency on the bike. You don’t need a gym to train productively and can be done at any time of the day in any weather!
With poor core strength you spend a lot of extra energy holding your body upright all day in the saddle. Targeting specific muscle groups and focusing on dynamic movements that mimic your cycling motions are key to building strength. Exercises like squats and lunges will help strengthen your lower body. Try weighted lunges, step-ups and jump-squats.
Crunches and planks will build core strength. Including some bicycle crunches into your workout would be a no-brainer! Leg raises will also bust your gut.
Don’t forget that your chest and shoulders work hard when you’re on the bike. By practicing tricep-dips and push-ups you can reduce the fatigue in your neck and arms.
There are also heaps of variations that can act as a cardio session too! Ramp up the intensity and reduce the amount of recovery time between sets to get your heart rate up.
Pick up to 6 exercises and do 3 sets of each a couple of times a week and you will notice a difference on the bike.
Endurance Sessions
Training your metabolism to be more efficient will aid in your recovery during longer rides like the Bowral Classic. Completing a ride longer than 2 hours once a week can do this.
If time allows, ride between 2 and 5 hours at about 69% to 80% of your threshold to help put all that hard work into practice. During these sessions you can target those hill climbs or complete some sweet spot intervals whilst teaching your body about the pressures and demands of covering longer distances.
You will soon find yourself looking for more roads to cover on your longer rides as you increase your fitness.
