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Paul Hammacott from Freedom Fitness suggests the following routine and cycling regime for novice cyclists and those who simply need to get going again.
Stretch, stretch, stretch!
Any exercise or training regime should always end with stretching. Skipping this very important component should never be an option. The following basic stretches must be held for a minimum of 30 seconds.
*You can perform simple hip flexors and chest stretches using easily available support structures like door frames or vending machines.
1. *Hip Flexors: Stand on one leg, keeping the other leg bent, using the door frame for support. Hold your ankle with the same side hand and pull your foot in behind you, making sure to keep your knees together. Pull your foot back until the bent knee is level or just behind the supporting leg. You should feel a stretch, which can be intensified by pushing your hip slightly forward. Hold for 30 seconds before repeating the stretch using the other leg.
2. *Chest Stretch: Place your lower arm against a door frame, with the lower part of the arm vertical against the door and the elbow at 90 degrees. Step forward with your right foot, keeping your back straight until you feel a stretch across the chest. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds before repeating with the other arm.
3. Abdominal Stretch: Using a Swiss ball, position yourself so that your lower back curves on the ball, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Remaining in this position, stretch your arms over your head and try to touch the floor.
Routine
A cycling regime, much like a normal exercise routine, should allow for rest days in between scheduled training days. To alternate your cycling days (i.e. one training day, one rest day, one training day, one rest day), Paul suggests a simple training schedule.
• Sunday: Big ride. This will be your one long distance cycle for the week, so build it up slowly and increase your distance every week.
• Monday: Rest day
• Tuesday: 1 hour indoor/outdoor bike ride OR 45min -1hour spinning class. (Alternate your Tuesday and Friday training. (If Tuesday consists of an indoor/outdoor bike ride, do a spinning class on Friday and vice versa)
• Wednesday: Core and Weight training* The stronger the core, the more power your body will generate to turn the pedals. Break up your core exercises with weights in between.
• Thursday: Rest day
• Friday: 1 hour indoor/outdoor bike ride OR 45min -1hour spinning class. (Alternate your Tuesday and Friday training. If Tuesday is indoor/outdoor bike ride, do a spinning class on Friday and vice versa)
• Saturday: Rest day
Core Training
1. Side plank: Lying on your side and leaning on your elbow at 90 degrees, lift your pelvic/hip area from the floor ensuring your body is in a straight line. Tighten your bum and ab muscles while holding the position for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
2. Back Extensions: Using a Swiss Ball, kneel against a wall and roll over the ball, making sure to keep your legs straight. Place your hands on either side of your head (traditional sit-up or crunch position) and lift your upper body, strengthening your lower back and core muscles. Repeat 15 times.
3. Leg pushing: Lie down on the floor, knees in the air at a 90 degree angle with your hips and lower legs hanging down. Place your hands down close to your hips as if to push your knees forward, whilst implementing resistance in the legs.
Weight Training/ Strengthening exercises
1. Body weight squats: Start from the standing position, keeping your weight on your heels, and bend your knees to lower your torso as close to the floor as possible. As you lower your bum, extend your arms out in front of you to aid your balance and to exert the correct muscle pressure. Sixty seconds of these should do the trick and leave your harmstrings, quads and glutes worked out.
For a more challenging alternative to the body weight squats, you can also opt for the one-legged squat. Leg squats are particularly beneficial to strengthen your legs and subsequently increase your pedal power.
One legged squat: Also working on reps, do 15 reps on one leg, then swop your leg on bench behind, toe facing down. Keep your body up right while squatting down. When you are at the lowest position, your knee should be in line with your toe.
2. Bent Over Row: A strong lower and upper back is a great advantage for cyclists Start with 5kg dumbbels in each hand, increasing the weight as you see fit. From a standing position, bend over from the hips, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Lift two equal weights, starting from a position of full arm extension, and lifting until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle and your shoulder blades are together. Repeat 15 times before moving on to the next exercise.
As a more advanced alternative, opt for the single arm row. This requires lifting only one arm at a time (also 15 reps), repeating with the other arm. If you can do 15 reps with ease, increase the weights.
3. Push ups: Yes, the good old-fashioned push ups which are never left out of a good work out programme are guaranteed to tone your chest and triceps. Although associated with military punishment, push ups are very effective and you need not do many of them at a time to achieve results. Simply allocate sixty seconds to this exercise, making sure to fit in as many as you can during this time.
For some variation to the standard push ups, try chest presses. Using an exercise ball, position your body so that the ball rests between your shoulder blades and the back of your head is lightly supported. Start with 5kg dumbbells in each hand, holding them with your elbows at 90 degrees. Push both arms up straight, concluding with your hands at a closed position at top.
Bring arms down to the side slowly and stop at a 90 degree angle. Always do reps at a constant rate.
If you’re doing 15 reps of any of the above exercises, Paul advises to use 5kg dumbbells in each hand to start, increasing the weight as you build up strength and endurance.
In summary, these strengthening exercises can be done three times as part of a circuit routine and should take you about 30-35 minutes, including your stretching time. Break up these abovementioned exercises, alternating between weight and core exercises. Paul suggests:
1. Bent over row
2. Leg pushing
3. Chest press or push ups
4. Back extension
5. One legged squat or Body weight squat
6. Side plank
For additional advice and tips please visit www.freedomfitness.co.za or contact Paul Hammacott for affordable personal work-out sessions on 079 173 6414 or paul@freedomfitness.co.za
Stretch, stretch, stretch!
Any exercise or training regime should always end with stretching. Skipping this very important component should never be an option. The following basic stretches must be held for a minimum of 30 seconds.
*You can perform simple hip flexors and chest stretches using easily available support structures like door frames or vending machines.
1. *Hip Flexors: Stand on one leg, keeping the other leg bent, using the door frame for support. Hold your ankle with the same side hand and pull your foot in behind you, making sure to keep your knees together. Pull your foot back until the bent knee is level or just behind the supporting leg. You should feel a stretch, which can be intensified by pushing your hip slightly forward. Hold for 30 seconds before repeating the stretch using the other leg.
2. *Chest Stretch: Place your lower arm against a door frame, with the lower part of the arm vertical against the door and the elbow at 90 degrees. Step forward with your right foot, keeping your back straight until you feel a stretch across the chest. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds before repeating with the other arm.
3. Abdominal Stretch: Using a Swiss ball, position yourself so that your lower back curves on the ball, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Remaining in this position, stretch your arms over your head and try to touch the floor.
Routine
A cycling regime, much like a normal exercise routine, should allow for rest days in between scheduled training days. To alternate your cycling days (i.e. one training day, one rest day, one training day, one rest day), Paul suggests a simple training schedule.
• Sunday: Big ride. This will be your one long distance cycle for the week, so build it up slowly and increase your distance every week.
• Monday: Rest day
• Tuesday: 1 hour indoor/outdoor bike ride OR 45min -1hour spinning class. (Alternate your Tuesday and Friday training. (If Tuesday consists of an indoor/outdoor bike ride, do a spinning class on Friday and vice versa)
• Wednesday: Core and Weight training* The stronger the core, the more power your body will generate to turn the pedals. Break up your core exercises with weights in between.
• Thursday: Rest day
• Friday: 1 hour indoor/outdoor bike ride OR 45min -1hour spinning class. (Alternate your Tuesday and Friday training. If Tuesday is indoor/outdoor bike ride, do a spinning class on Friday and vice versa)
• Saturday: Rest day
Core Training
1. Side plank: Lying on your side and leaning on your elbow at 90 degrees, lift your pelvic/hip area from the floor ensuring your body is in a straight line. Tighten your bum and ab muscles while holding the position for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
2. Back Extensions: Using a Swiss Ball, kneel against a wall and roll over the ball, making sure to keep your legs straight. Place your hands on either side of your head (traditional sit-up or crunch position) and lift your upper body, strengthening your lower back and core muscles. Repeat 15 times.
3. Leg pushing: Lie down on the floor, knees in the air at a 90 degree angle with your hips and lower legs hanging down. Place your hands down close to your hips as if to push your knees forward, whilst implementing resistance in the legs.
Weight Training/ Strengthening exercises
1. Body weight squats: Start from the standing position, keeping your weight on your heels, and bend your knees to lower your torso as close to the floor as possible. As you lower your bum, extend your arms out in front of you to aid your balance and to exert the correct muscle pressure. Sixty seconds of these should do the trick and leave your harmstrings, quads and glutes worked out.
For a more challenging alternative to the body weight squats, you can also opt for the one-legged squat. Leg squats are particularly beneficial to strengthen your legs and subsequently increase your pedal power.
One legged squat: Also working on reps, do 15 reps on one leg, then swop your leg on bench behind, toe facing down. Keep your body up right while squatting down. When you are at the lowest position, your knee should be in line with your toe.
2. Bent Over Row: A strong lower and upper back is a great advantage for cyclists Start with 5kg dumbbels in each hand, increasing the weight as you see fit. From a standing position, bend over from the hips, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Lift two equal weights, starting from a position of full arm extension, and lifting until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle and your shoulder blades are together. Repeat 15 times before moving on to the next exercise.
As a more advanced alternative, opt for the single arm row. This requires lifting only one arm at a time (also 15 reps), repeating with the other arm. If you can do 15 reps with ease, increase the weights.
3. Push ups: Yes, the good old-fashioned push ups which are never left out of a good work out programme are guaranteed to tone your chest and triceps. Although associated with military punishment, push ups are very effective and you need not do many of them at a time to achieve results. Simply allocate sixty seconds to this exercise, making sure to fit in as many as you can during this time.
For some variation to the standard push ups, try chest presses. Using an exercise ball, position your body so that the ball rests between your shoulder blades and the back of your head is lightly supported. Start with 5kg dumbbells in each hand, holding them with your elbows at 90 degrees. Push both arms up straight, concluding with your hands at a closed position at top.
Bring arms down to the side slowly and stop at a 90 degree angle. Always do reps at a constant rate.
If you’re doing 15 reps of any of the above exercises, Paul advises to use 5kg dumbbells in each hand to start, increasing the weight as you build up strength and endurance.
In summary, these strengthening exercises can be done three times as part of a circuit routine and should take you about 30-35 minutes, including your stretching time. Break up these abovementioned exercises, alternating between weight and core exercises. Paul suggests:
1. Bent over row
2. Leg pushing
3. Chest press or push ups
4. Back extension
5. One legged squat or Body weight squat
6. Side plank
For additional advice and tips please visit www.freedomfitness.co.za or contact Paul Hammacott for affordable personal work-out sessions on 079 173 6414 or paul@freedomfitness.co.za
