What are the most effective ways to incorporate functional training into cycling practice?

1 Benefits of functional training for cyclists

Functional training can benefit cyclists in several ways. First, it can strengthen the core muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis, which are essential for maintaining good posture and balance on the bike. Second, it can target the muscles that support the joints involved in cycling, such as the hips, knees, and ankles, and reduce the risk of overuse injuries. Third, it can improve mobility and flexibility, which can help you avoid stiffness and pain after long rides. Fourth, it can boost your power, endurance, and speed, by enhancing your neuromuscular coordination and efficiency.

3 How to incorporate functional training into cycling practice

In order to incorporate functional training into your cycling practice, you will need to consider your goals, schedule, and recovery. Generally speaking, you should aim for 2-3 functional training sessions per week on non-consecutive days, ideally following a hard or long ride. Select 4-6 exercises that target the major muscle groups and movement patterns involved in cycling, and perform them in a circuit or as supersets with 8-15 reps and 2-4 sets. To keep your body challenged and avoid plateaus, vary the exercises, weights, reps, and sets every 4-6 weeks. Additionally, you can adjust the tempo, range of motion, or stability of the exercises to increase or decrease the difficulty and stimulus. Before and after each session, warm up and cool down with dynamic stretches, mobility drills, activation exercises, static stretches, foam rolling, and relaxation exercises.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?