To follow-up on the strength training when we put the bike down for a while, here are some exercises that I enjoy doing in the off-season, and bring that into the base builds over the winter/spring. In my experience, similar to others like @anthonylane, 2-3 days per week seems like a perfect frequency to realize gains while still leaving time to dedicate to the bike.
Initial weeks:
Very similar to your approach @Carolynsgaskell. Heavy weights aren’t a requirement. You can do a lot with bodyweight and resistance bands. Here are some of my go-to exercises. When I do these I focus heavily on balance and moving with as much quality as possible. That helps to shift the focus from worrying about lifting heavy to just moving well.
→ Single leg squat (or use a slide lunge to work on form and balance first)
→ Side plank (Check out Menachem Brodie’s description in Episode 69)
→ RDL (See Jess Elliot describe this one with Chris demonstrating)
→ Pushups
→ Indo Board
What’s the rationale for these exercises? I do these following a couple of my early morning rides on the trainer, so they are all easy exercises to do in the same space at home, they don’t require a lot of equipment, and quite honestly they are just fun movements that I know I’ll be consistent with. The lower body movements allow me to focus on developing balance and strength with good form. I am just a fan of the single leg squat and always have been because it’s easy to track your progress by evaluating your form and your depth that you can achieve, along with the number of repetitions. The RDL I really like because it allows me to work on hip control and being very active with that area of the body. As a mountain bike racer, I can’t say enough about how much hip control helps you on the bike. Being able to execute that RDL movement effectively allows you to actively control the bike in all trail situations.
For the upper body, the side plank has always been a favorite of mine. Initially I’ll start with a basic side plank as outlined in the link above, but over time or when I’m feeling like spicing things up, I’ll take a small dumbbell and press it up with my free arm toward the ceiling, rotate that hand down and pass it lightly under my lower armpit, and then return to the starting position. It’s quite challenging and helps me think about keeping the body controlled when rotating (think about turning and looking behind you while on the bike and trying to hold a straight line). The pushups are one of those things I’ve never been particularly strong at, so this is mainly a way to take that classic exercise, pair it with a good plank position, and try to add to the amount of reps I can do.
The Indo Board is a fun tool that is basically an oval piece of wood with a grippy top that you put on a cylinder and try to balance. I’ll do some squats, or some squat holds, try to move back and forth without losing balance, or rotate 90 degrees and try to work on fore/aft balance too. Depends on the day. Overall, these couple exercises take no more than 30 minutes and are an easy way to gradually add volume to the body before doing any classic “gym” work.
Once these initial weeks are covered and I get through some of the inevitable muscle soreness, then I’ll aim for minimally 2 days at the gym where I can access additional equipment. The goal here is to start building strength and increasing the amount I can lift. Some of those key exercises for me include:
→ Squat
→ Hip Bridge (or this variation on leg curls)
→ Dead lift
→ Rows
→ Snow angel
The lower body exercises are simply focused on improving strength, so I’ll work with heavier weights and reduce the number of repetitions. In some cases I’ll do pyramids where I work over 5-6 sets and peak with a progressively higher weight over time. The focus on form remains throughout.
In terms of upper body work, I’ll do some kind of row exercise (whether that’s a dumbbell, machine, TRX, etc.) and don’t have much of a preference in terms of how it’s done, just that I find a movement I can do safely and enjoy.
The snow angel movement is one I really like as I spend more time on the bike. You basically lie on the ground or stand with your back and arms/hands against a wall (imagine your a big magnet and you’re stuck to that surface). From there you slide your arms overhead (you’ll look kind of like a swimmer diving into the water at the top) and back to the starting position. As a cyclist I don’t have the best upper body mobility, so this is a challenging exercise. It feels good to do, and is a great reminder that I need to treat the spine and upper body well and keep good posture when moving on and off the bike.