We get it. You’re a cyclist – you enjoy riding your bike, not picking up and putting down heavy objects. But bear with us. Strength and flexibility training really does benefit cycling performance for all types of rider – research has shown it time and again. The biggest gains are made by cyclists who target their weaknesses and work towards objective targets. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of 12 key exercises, split into four categories, with benchmark targets for each. Start gradually, work on each one over the remaining weeks of winter, and we promise you’ll notice the benefit once the spring sunshine arrives.
Strength benchmarks
It’s an uncomfortable truth, admits British Cycling S&C coach Peter Gascoigne, but “athletes who have only ridden their bikes all their life really struggle for function and range of movement – they lack basic movement competence.” Most other sports require a greater and less repetitive range of movements, he explains, whereas “cycling creates very one-dimensional athletes who are fit in a cycling sense, but often with many areas of weakness, stiffness and a lack of flexibility.” This is why Gascoigne
