SHOULD I TRAIN MY UPPER BODY?
Strong arms are important on the bike, but simply reaching for the weights is a bad idea “THE UPPER BODY HELPS YOU TO BOTH STABILISE YOUR RIDING POSITION AND STEER THE BIKE”
Most pro cyclists have arms as skinny as wheel spokes, but neglecting to strengthen your upper body is a big mistake, according to cycling physio Bianca Broadbent (Twitter @thecyclephysio). “A cyclist needs to be able to transfer force through their body to produce power at the pedal, but what many may not realise is that their upper body contributes to the production of these forces,” she explains. “It also serves a role of increasing importance as the workload intensifies. And it helps you to stabilise your riding position, steer the bike and ride out of the saddle.”
But lifting dumbbells is not the best option for road cyclists who need lean muscle not heavy bulk. “As cycling is essentially a sagittal-plane exercise – involving a movement forwards and backwards – it is helpful to include a ‘push’ and a ‘pull’ exercise,” explains Broadbent. “There is no point reinventing the wheel here. Pull-ups and push-ups are two solid exercises that do exactly what you need, but how you execute them is a different matter.”
So how can you upgrade these exercises to make them cyclist-friendly? “Many cyclists – myself included – can’t complete a full-body pull-up from the get-go, so consider changing your body angle to reduce the amount of force you need to produce,” Broadbent says. She suggests fixing a bar in a squat rack, gripping the bar underneath with a palms-down grip, and doing a pull-up with your body at an angle of 45 degrees. Alternatively, you can hook a suspension trainer over a door or beam, or lie under a strong desk or table, and do a 45-degree angled pull-up that way instead. You should aim for three sets of 10 reps.
Slowly build up your press-up power by balancing your legs on a gym ball. “It will reduce some of the weight through your arms,” explains Broadbent. “The closer the ball is to your feet, the harder it will be, so if you are a beginner consider having the ball closer to your waist until you feel stronger.” She suggests aiming for three sets of 10 reps with this exercise too.