Base/Foundation Functional Strength Weight Training 12 Weeks (No Cycling)

ABOUT THE PLAN:

WHY STRENGTH TRAINING FOR CYCLISTS?  -A perfect plan to increase your overall strength while improving your cycling-

Strength Training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. Strength Training is a term that describes all exercises that are devoted to increasing your physical strength. While doing aerobic workouts, it is important to incorporate strength training as well to have overall health and fitness. When participating in a strength training program you can reduce your body fat, increase your lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training also brings many other benefits, such as boosting your stamina to reducing your risk of injury, etc.

There are different types of strength training that you will see throughout the Winter Strength Training Program: body weight, which you would need little to no equipment for, resistance tubing, free weights, such as barbells or dumbbells, and weight machines, which you will see in mainly in gyms but you can purchase for your home as well.

As cyclists, the focus is on getting on the bike and riding and getting in training time there, but often times strength training is overlooked in the winter when time on the bike is more limited. The winter is the perfect time to get in your strength training. Along with benefits listed above, as a cyclist you want to keep your legs strong, so that when spring comes around and training kicks up, you are ready to go. It is also imperative to strengthen your upper body. You want to be able to lift the bike, for cyclocross for example, without any issues; along with you want to ensure that those muscle groups that get overlooked while in season are getting in work. In order to have overall great fitness, you cannot neglect any muscle groups, including your upper body.

WHY CORE/BALANCE AND PLYOMETRICS? CORE TRAINING The Core actually consists of many different muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis and run the entire length of the torso. These muscles stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. Core conditioning exercise programs need to target all these muscle groups to be effective. The muscles of the core make it possible to stand upright and move on two feet. These muscles help control movements, transfer energy, shift body weight and move in any direction. A strong core distributes the stresses of weight-bearing and protects the back.

BALANCE TRAINING Balance is the ability to maintain the center of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway. When exercising the ability to balance, one is said to be balancing. Balancing requires concurrent processing of inputs from multiple senses, including equilibrioception (from the vestibular system), vision, and perception of pressure and proprioception (from the somatosensory system), while the motor system simultaneously controls muscle actions. The senses must detect changes of body position with respect to the base, regardless of whether the body moves or the base moves.

PLYOMETRICS TRAINING Plyometrics is a type of exercise that involves rapid stretching and contracting of muscles, through movements such as jumping and rebounding, to increase muscle power. During a plyometrics exercise, you reach maximum force in the shortest possible time. To get specific, a plyometric exercise consists of two major actions: an eccentric (lengthening) action and a concentric (shortening) movement. What takes place is the muscle is loaded with an eccentric action which is followed immediately by the concentric action.

PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS: This program should be started and completed AFTER the “Transition: Functional Strength 8 Weeks” Program.

Each week has three (3) to four (4) workouts. Attached to this introduction and each workout is a workout index featuring links to instructions for each workout. Please review in advance of each workout of if you have questions.

WORKOUT PREVIEW:

WARM-UP
• 5 minute cardio exercise (treadmill, stationary bike, trainer, fast walking…)
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THE STRENGTH WORKOUT
Sets, reps, and rest: Perform all of the exercises types listed below, do one of each “focus”.
With each exercise, perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions
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Strength
1. Bench Press: 3 x 20
2. Lateral Pull Down: 3 x 20
3. Seated Row: 3 x 20
4. Tri Pulldown: 3 x 20
5. Bicep Curl: 3 x 20
6. Leg Press: 3 x 20
7. Leg Extension: 3 x 20
8. Leg Curl: 3 x 20
9. Calf Raise: 3 x 20
10. Back Extension: 3 x 20
11. Ab Curl: 3 x 20
12. Leg Tucked Rotation: 3 x 20
—–
COOL DOWN
• 5 minute cardio exercise

ORDER DETAILS:

Once you purchase the plan you will be emailed a PDF explaining how to access your training plan. Please note our store hours are Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm Eastern Time. Any orders placed outside of store hours may not be filled until store hours resume.

If you experience any difficulties or have any questions, please contact us.

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