00:00It might sound counterintuitive, but the best way to improve your cycling
00:03isn't necessarily through more cycling. Quite the opposite, in fact. Supplementing your riding
00:10with off-the-bike cross-training helps address those aspects of your fitness which don't get
00:14sufficiently developed through riding alone, but nevertheless are still crucial for your
00:19cycling performance. After all, it's no coincidence that essentially every professional cyclist
00:25includes regular off-the-bike exercises as part of their training plans. But unlike professional
00:31cyclists, not all of us have the time, money, or inclination to put in all the hours at the gym.
00:37So we've spoken to Dan Lachiofano, owner of Surrey Strength and Performance Gym, and Sam Mack,
00:42a chartered physiotherapist at the St. James Clinic in London, to get their expert recommendations
00:48of what five of the best home exercises are for maximum gains. And all of these can be done without
00:55any specialist equipment, so let's get into them. First up, we have Bulgarian split squats. Now,
01:02this is a unilateral or single leg exercise and is hugely beneficial to cyclists because
01:07it's essentially a two-in-one. The muscles targeted are your quadriceps and hamstrings,
01:12essentially both sides of your thighs, as well as your gluteus maximus, helping to boost your
01:17anaerobic power output for improved sprinting and efforts up to short to mid-sized climbs.
01:22Being a unilateral exercise, it also places demands on your balance and stability. Through
01:28controlling your knee direction and making sure it doesn't buckle inwards, you'll be improving
01:32your joint stability, which in turn will help reduce chances of overuse injuries whilst on the
01:38bike. The way to do this exercise is rest one foot on a bench or seat at approximately knee height,
01:45assume the forward lunge position, keeping the body upright, hip square with the rear foot resting on
01:50the bench. Lower the front leg to 90 degrees, keeping the knee aligned with the foot. Drive up through
01:56the hill to straighten the knee back to the starting position and aim to do 10 to 12 reps on each leg.
02:02After doing both legs, take up a two-minute rest and repeat this for up to five sets. Doing fewer reps
02:07and fewer sets initially as you build up your conditioning is ideal. Next, we have the good old-fashioned
02:15press-up, beloved by fitness classes throughout the world and with good reason. Although upper body
02:21exercises may seem superfluous for a cyclist, developing your upper body strength helps make
02:27it easier to maintain your riding position on the bike and is especially beneficial for sprinters who
02:32need to be able to counteract the forces they're putting down through the pedals.
02:36You should aim to keep the elbows tucked in so you're working the triceps more and to reduce the risk of injury
02:41to the shoulders as well as keeping your core tight and your body straight. Aim to be in control of the
02:47movement. Other than that, you should start off by placing your hands below the shoulder, slightly
02:52wider than shoulder width. Keep your shoulders, hips and ankles in a straight line. Bend your elbows to
02:58lower your chest just above the floor, keeping the elbows close to the chest. Then push back up to the
03:04start position. Aim for 10 to 15 reps, then two minutes rest and then try and do that for five sets.
03:09Again, fewer reps and fewer sets is recommended for those just starting out.
03:16With the Mason twists, we have yet another dynamic exercise, only this time you're starting to work
03:21the core and the obliques much harder. Strength in this area helps prevent rocking from side to side
03:27whilst riding, meaning less power wasted. Now, stabilising lateral movement in this way is
03:32fundamental to maintaining good form on the bike, making you more efficient and reducing your risk of
03:38injury. If you have a hardwood and floor, you may wish to place a blanket or cushion or yoga mat if you
03:43have one under your bum to relieve the pressure on your coccyx. Now, the way to do this exercise is as
03:49follows. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, lean back roughly to about 45 degrees, keeping your back
03:55straight. With both hands in front of your chest, tighten the core and lift both legs off the floor.
04:01Rotate your arms from side to side, touching the floor around waist level and then twist to the
04:06opposite side to do the same. You can aim for 10 reps and then take a two-minute rest before repeating
04:12for up to five sets. Or you can build up the reps and sets from whatever level suits you.
04:17Now, you can make this exercise harder by holding a dumbbell or if you don't have one,
04:22then you can fill a two-litre bottle of water and hold that instead.
04:25Next up, we have the bridge. Now, for those just starting out, the bridge is a great exercise for
04:32developing your back and your core. Again, vital for your stability and maintaining your position
04:38on the bike. The bridge also helps to develop your hamstrings and gluteus, but less so than the split
04:43squats we did earlier. So, the way to do these ones is lie yourself on the floor with your knees bent at
04:50roughly 90 degrees with your feet flat and your arms by your side. Lift your hips up off the floor
04:56until the knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line. Squeeze the glutes and tighten the
05:01core to prevent excessive load through the back. Then hold for two to three seconds for isometric
05:06contraction and then slowly relax. Now, if that's a bit too easy for you, then you can step things up a
05:12notch by resting your shoulders on a bench, sofa or chair and start with both your feet and bum on the
05:18ground. Then, with one leg, lift up so you're straight like a tabletop, being careful not to
05:23overextend, return and then repeat. As you'll just be using one leg and because your range of motion will
05:30be much greater, you'll be increasing both the demand on your muscles and also helping to develop
05:35your stability in your joints and your core. Now, for both of these, aim for between 10 to 15 reps
05:41and take up to two minutes rest in between. You probably know the drill by now. You should aim for up
05:46to five sets. We're going to end on a tough one here. If you're not yet able to do the full number
05:53of reps and sets for the split squats and single leg hip thrusts, it will be best for you to leave
06:00this one out. On the other hand, those exercises will provide really good conditioning for pistol
06:05squats. So, in time, you'll be able to build up the strength to progress. Stand with your feet hip
06:11width apart. Extend your chosen leg forwards with your toes pointed up. Extend your arms out in front of
06:16your leg. Bend your other knee and slowly lower yourself to the ground. Pause and then straighten
06:21back up. Your extended leg should stay lifted for the whole of the duration. Then switch up and then repeat.
06:28This exercise is the most demanding for both muscular strength and stability, making it the most effective
06:35for boosting your cycling performance. But on the other hand, you might not be able to do it on your first try.
06:40Now, if you're not able to, but you do want to flesh out your session with a full five exercises,
06:46try a deep step up using a bench, chair or low wall as an alternative. Now, if you can get to the point
06:52where you can do 10 reps on each leg for five sets, then you will have definitely noticed a massive
06:58difference in your cycling performance.
07:00So there we have it. Those are our five favorite exercises to do at home with very minimal equipment.
07:08If you've got any at-home exercises, then do share them down in the comments. If you enjoyed the video,
07:13drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content, and I'll see you again very soon.
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