Strength Training for Road Cycling and Mountain Biking
Bicycling is an effective low impact activity for maintaining or improving health, cardiovascular fitness, and weight management. Biking activities can be done virtually anywhere, at any time, alone or with a group, indoors or outdoors. The Twin Cities has many biking opportunities whether you race, ride smooth roads, challenging mountain bike trails, or prefer an indoor spinning class.
Common Muscle Imbalances
Although every individual is different, there are common muscle imbalances seen in regular bikers. Muscles that are usually tight and need to be stretched include: quadriceps, hip flexors, hip abductors, posterior neck, pectorals and anterior shoulder girdle. Muscles that are commonly weak and need to be strengthened include: gluteals, hamstrings, hip adductors, spinal stabilizers and abdominals, posterior shoulder girdle and scapular stabilizers. In general, mountain biking requires more upper body strength and agility than road cycling.
Training Components
Components of a properly designed biking program include flexibility, strength training, power development, proprioception, balance and agility, and cardiovascular fitness.
Common Biking Injuries
Many overuse injuries in bikers occur because of poor equipment fit, improper seat height, absorption of shock from terrain, etc. We recommend that you visit a good bike shop and get properly fitted for the type of biking you plan to do. Bikers must also be aware of road traffic and wear appropriate safety gear at all times!
Training Program Options
Option 1.The most effective option is to work one on one with a professional Strength and Conditioning Coach to ensure that you are doing the most efficient exercises correctly. You will first have an assessment to determine your current cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and muscle strengths and weaknesses prior to beginning a training program. K’s Body Shop will then utilize that information to design a customized program that determines appropriate exercises and intensities so that you can maximize your biking performance and minimize the chance for injury. Since there are no contracts, you can work with your trainer as often or as little as you please. Contact K’s Body Shop to schedule your appointment or get more information.
Option 2. If you have a group of bikers in the Twin Cities area who are interested in having a professional Strength and Conditioning Coach oversee your small group strength training workouts, contact K’s Body Shop. This is a great option for training partners to contain costs while still getting some professional instruction. Since each athlete is different, the workouts will not be completely customized, but you will have the option of discussing appropriate exercise progressions based on your abilities. Prices vary depending on number of participants and location of sessions.
Option 3. If you are comfortable with technology and relatively healthy, Online Coaching can be a cost-effective alternative to face to face training. Check out our free trial to see how the software works!
If you are unsure which program is most appropriate for you, contact the trainer.