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To build strong muscles to power long rides and steep climbs, you need to dedicate time to strength training all of your cycling muscles—not just your quads and hamstrings.
Taking the time to focus on building your ab and glute muscles can lead to performance gains like increasing your speed and improving power output. To do just that, add this quick abs and butt workout to your weekly routine to build up these key muscles and experience pay-offs on the road.
The Benefits of an Abs and Butt Workout for Cyclists
Your ab and glute muscles play a vital role in both keeping you stable and propelling you forward while on the bike. So it’s important to do exercises that will challenge and strengthen these muscles.
In fact, building a strong core and powerful glutes will improve your speed while helping you crush inclines, explains Lindsey Clayton, senior instructor at Barry’s in New York City, cofounder of the Brave Body Project, and the creator of this abs and butt workout.
A stable midsection means you have better power transfer to your legs, while strong glutes help you drive up a hill with a smooth, powerful pedal stroke. They also help you kick up speed and support your body position and stamina through a long ride.
To gain all these advantages, Clayton designed this abs and butt workout to challenge your strength and balance.
If you are a beginner, you can complete this circuit using just your body weight. If you are advanced, make this circuit more challenging by adding weights for the sumo squat, deadlift, and glute bridge, or adding a mini band around the legs or feet for the squat, kickbacks, and bicycle crunch.
How to use this list: Perform each move for 1 minute, focusing on one side at a time for the unilateral moves. For the deadlift, kickback, lever crunch, and glute bridge, you will work your right side through the first round of the circuit. Rest for 30 seconds after you finish the right side. Then start over and perform the circuit again, using your left side for the unilateral exercises. Repeat for at least two rounds each side.
Each move is demonstrated by Clayton in the video above so you can master the proper form.
1. Sumo Squat
Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out to the sides. Send hips down and back into a squat. Pause, then drive through feet to stand back up. Repeat. For an extra burn, add 3 pulses at the bottom before standing up.
2. Single-Leg Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at sides. Shift weight to left leg. Hinge at hips, allow left knee to bend slightly, and lower torso to the floor, as right leg lifts behind you. Keep a flat back and tight core. Hinge as far as comfortably possible while maintaining a straight back and strong form. Drive through left foot to stand up. Repeat.
3. Kickback
Start on all fours, knees under hips and shoulders over wrists. Keeping back flat and core engaged, extend right leg straight out and back behind you, flexing foot. Then, bring right knee in, hovering just above the floor. Repeat.
4. Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Lie faceup, knees bent, feet planted, arms down by sides on floor. Lift left leg up toward the ceiling, so that both knees are aligned. Engage glutes as you lift hips up, driving through right foot. Lower hips back to the floor. Repeat.
5. Lever Crunch
Lie faceup with right knee bent and foot firmly planted on the ground, left leg extended on the floor in front of you. This is your starting position. Sit up, and at the same time, lift left leg and reach for it with right hand. Lower back to starting position. Repeat.
6. Bicycle Crunch
Lie faceup with both hands behind head, elbows wide, and legs in tabletop position with knees over hips. Lift right shoulder off mat to bring right shoulder toward left knee, as you extend right leg straight. Moving through center, draw left shoulder to right knee as you extend left leg straight. Continue alternating.
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