How to build core strength?

[Bike Goddess]

Nuthatch- Check your seat height and handlebar height as well. Also when I get home I do a stretch for my back that eases the pain- other than that you'll need to do some strength training (my opinion).

Lay flat on the floor- bring your knees up to your chest- hold about 20 secs. do this 2-3 tiimes and your back should feel much better. Also you can do the same thing except bring one leg up to you knee- stretch and then the other one up. Alternate legs.

I will also stretch on long rides when I take a break. That seems to help as well!

[JanT]

Crunches, and the Swiss Ball. The balls are cheap, around $20 at most sports stores, and they often have exercise diagrams included. Mine even had a short video. I am amazed at how I can feel the muscles in the abdomen tighten, and how good my shoulders and back feel after a few minutes on the ball. If you're like me and don't like to spend alot of money or time "exercising," this is the way to go. I'd rather ride or run for a half-hour than do some exercise routine!

[Raindrop]

Crunches are a great way to increase abdominal muscle strength, but to strengthen core muscles you need to address all the inner and out abdominal, and back muscles. Two that will help you to do that are:

Get into a four point position, on your hands and knees; knees directly under the hips, hands directly under the shoulders. The back should be in a neutral position, chin slightly tucked. Draw your belly button into your backbone without rounding your back, extend your left leg (keeping your hips focused toward the floor) while extening your opposite (right) arm....almost as though someone was pulling on you from each end, hold for a pause, then exhale, and with the next inhale, extend the other leg and opposite arm. Do about 6 - 10 repetitions, slowly and with purpose.

Roll over onto your back. Pull your knees directly above your hips into a 'chair position". Your arms should be extended on the floor next to your hips. Draw your belly botton into your backbone and then do a slight pelvic tilt, which will press your lower back into the floor (keep your shoulders relaxed). Hold that for a pause, relax, and then repeat slowly and while breathing deeply for up to ten repetitions. On the last repetition, hold the backbone pressed into the floor for a count of eight then stretch your legs to one wall the arms to the other.

[neuroticcyclist]

Both of those are good exercises. Make sure (and Pilates will tell you this) to keep the stomach in when you do the exercise. That protects the back.

The most simple pilates stretch/abs I do after riding and it helps. It sounds stupid, but you lie on your back with hands over your head and legs should width apart, toes NOT pointed but feet flexed. Sucking stomach in, pull yourself seated slowly, pause for a half-second on top and, keeping feet flexed, gently go as far forward as you can feeling the hamstring stretch, hold a second and slowly go all the way down, sucking stomach in. The gentle rollup of the back through the situp (with the feet in that position) gives a core ab workout (nothing too hard after a ride) and moves through to stretch the legs. I find that it stretches the legs, back, etc. Typically, as with all Pilates exercises, you only to 5 or 6 of them. Sounds stupid, but they add up to be very effective!

[LBTC]

core is definitely essential for fast and comfortable riding! In the off-season I did kickboxing this year. best core strength and overall muscle strength I've ever had. In previous years I've done weights, but can't always be motivated to keep doin them, and have done yoga. This year, the KB schedule was pretty steep - three nights a week, so yoga slipped a bit to in between KB classes.....I think I've missed a bit on flexibility and overall muscle health, but I've gained tons on strength. Sure noticed in last week's KB class that front kick to side kick without putting a foot down, totally integrated the MTB climbing muscles!! That was cool to feel that correlation.

Now that it's riding season I have to get back to my yoga/stretch post-ride routine. things like warrior, pigeon, twists and sometimes one-legged balances if I didn't work tooo hard on the ride. some core practice in those, but not too serious, compared to an ashtanga session(!), probably holding each individual pose for up to 15 seconds, but moving through several that stretch one area differently without resting in between...

I wouldn't be without my exercise ball - use it when I do weights or anything when I work out at home. I totally want to try a BOSU ball! I've seen tons of great exercises to do on them.

totally right, what bike goddess said, the muscles need to get strong. but, wholly, when they get there, and when the cardio from those long rides kicks in, they still look good!! Gotta like it when I get changed into something nice and DH says "WOAH"

namaste,
~T~

[nuthatch]

Gotta like it when I get changed into something nice and DH says "WOAH"

namaste,
~T~

oh, yeah! Looking for that "whoa" too!

[Biking Chick]

oh, yeah! Looking for that "whoa" too!

My goal is to be toned to do justice to a tank top in the LBS that I have my eye one ... the kind with the skinny spaghetti straps and a shelf bra. If I get the look from dh in a sleeveless jersey ... I think that top will definately get a 'whoa'!