therhodeo

Finding myself uncomfortable on the bike alot lately. More pressure on my hands, stiff lower back, etc. I sit at work all day so I'm guessing my core is in pretty bad shape. Other than just standard planks are there any other good core moves that help on the bike?



PS. My fit hasn' changed I've just been off the bike quite a bit lately.

FrenchFit 

I suspect everyone has their favorite routines they've cobbled together, and some using BOSU balls or kettlebells. There are a couple of guys on youtube showing the P90x ab work-out, borrow a few of those ideas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zz9QWdBH2A The ones that involve the entire core, front, side, back may be more appropriate for bike cross-training than those designed to isolate the abs. Mayo Clinic has a good slide show of a dozen exercise, plank poses https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/SM00047

GamecockTaco

here's a recent article in Bicycling Mag that I saw on their twitter feed that might help:

https://www.bicycling.com/training-nu...-_-core-values

Campag4life

I will dissent and say it doesn't take excellent core strength to ride a racing bike.
What it takes is good fit. Agressivity of fit has to match the cyclist performance level.

I am a good example. Old guy...cycling fit but no gym rat. Good weight. I routinely ride the drops...maybe 50% or more and hammer.
Can do this mile after mile.

So OP...even though you say your fit hasn't changed but you are no longer comfortable I would submit:
1. your fit wasn't optimized to begin with
2. you have lost cycling fitness. Let's say you sit behind the desk as you say. You need to ride more and ride faster. Let's say your max. sprint is 30 mph. You aren't pushing down on the handlebar when going over 500 watts. You are pulling up. Pedal force neutralizes handlebar pressure...why pros can sustain big drop and average Fred can't. If you ride 15 mph unless you have above average pain threshold...you better raise your handlebar and push your saddle back.

popeye

Hard efforts in the drops worked better for me than stretching or anything else.

lenA

[QUOTE=Campag4life;15959714]I will dissent and say it doesn't take excellent core strength to ride a racing bike.
What it takes is good fit. Agressivity of fit has to match the cyclist performance level.

I am a good example. Old guy...cycling fit but no gym rat. Good weight. I routinely ride the drops...maybe 50% or more and hammer.
Can do this mile after mile.

The OP wasn't asking about 'excellent' core strength.

What's mile after mile to you? 20 60 100?

I just finished a loaded tour (65 pounds of bike and gear) 500 miles in seven days, no day off. I depended on my core strength to support me for those long hours in the saddle. I'm 67, 5'10 and 184 pounds.

BykOfALesserGod

1. Hang off of pull up bars, touch knees to elbows (and please wear appropriate clothing when you do this . Finish with two or three pull ups after each set of 10.
2. Hang off of pull up bars, raise legs straight out as much as you could. Hold them there for a three count. Do a pull up holding the same position. Back to start, do it again. I can only do 4 of these so I guess try to do 4?
3. Flutter kicks, Hello Dollies, Yoga Boat position exercises.

therhodeo

[QUOTE=Campag4life;15959714] Let's say your max. sprint is 30 mph.[QUOTE]

I'm not that out of shape.

therhodeo

Split running shorts with the underwear cut out right?

BykOfALesserGod

Only if he shaves the boys first.

Clipped_in

After watching Tom Danielson take off up the brutal Empire Pass climb last Sunday to get the GC win at the Tour of Utah I think he may have it figured out. TD's Core Advantage

StanSeven

I agree with Campag4life. Road bike riding requires very little core strength. It sounds like the OP is suffering from not being in cycling shape. A lot of sitting at work and not riding means the quads, hamstrings and glutes aren't used. When you do get on the bike, that tends to set you up for lower back pain, especially if you aren't flexible in those areas. That also makes for trying to ease that discomfort by gripping too tight and putting too much weight on the bars.

dpicare26

some of my favs:

KB bridges:


advance to single leg, then alt arm/leg

side lying planks:


you can also add Hip ABduction with the above: Yoga stars. Great Glut Med exercises

Supermans:


bosu planks:


to advance these, alternate raising legs: go more prone on elbows. Finally, have someone 'pertubate' you laterally, side to side repetitively (great oblique exercise)

abstractform20

deadlifts and squats, and keep doing the planks...or use an ab wheel.

Jandro 

Yoga.

Carbonfiberboy 

OMG. Bookmarked. Everything Danielson says, I find myself nodding, "Yep, that's right." He gets into the technical aspects of why and how. This is going to be in my winter training plan, you bet. I'll be stronger than ever next spring. And lighter.

Note that this link is to a PDF that is only a portion of the book. I'm buying the book.

It's true that if you're not in shape to ride, you're going to feel weak on the bike. No kidding. A couple months of 150-200 miles/week will make a big difference. Then real training can kick in and move you up a cog.

Rock climbers who tell you that a retable or dyno move doesn't take strength, it's just technique . . . those people are strong. Same with cyclists.

Campag4life

[QUOTE=therhodeo;15959879][QUOTE=Campag4life;15959714] Let's say your max. sprint is 30 mph.Well there is something wrong with you or you wouldn't have posted.
As I stated, it doesn't take great core strength to ride fast without pain. I am living proof.
Difference between me and you is I ride the miles. Maybe you don't and that's your problem.
If you don't do the miles than it doesn't matter. There's always tennis.
80 year olds that ride 10 miles a day on upright bikes don't have good core strength either. The fit
of the bike has to match your exertion level. Also for all the core fan boys on the 41...its your back that holds your torso up...not your stomach...as many conflate core with abs. Abs are for contracting the torso into the hip.

canam73

I've had good results doing the aptly named "Bicycle Crunches":



I'm up to 400 (counting each side as 1) straight through 3 mornings a week. I follow with pull ups and chest dips.

The crunches do seem to help with holding low positions on the bike. The rest is just to give a bit more of a balanced look to my body. All told it takes about 5 minutes 3 times a week and the only equipment is one of those door frame pressure mount pull up bars that doubles for the chest dips ($30 at Walmart).

Cookiemonsta

A lot of people will think of this as incredibly uncool, but pilates is really a good way to both strengthen your core and gain some flexibility. My girlfriend does it every evening, and at some point I just decided to do it with her (hey , why the hell not).

I also do a lot of the standard core workouts. They are a daily routine for me because I have/had some lower back issues, and I feel it made me stronger in general. You realize there are so many things you do where your core is involved. Even sitting on a chair.

lenA

[QUOTE=Campag4life;15960557][QUOTE=therhodeo;15959879]What kinda miles are you talking about?...

Campag4life

[QUOTE=lenA;15960695][QUOTE=Campag4life;15960557]I have been averaging 150-200 miles a week. Can do back to back centuries and paceline with just about anybody. 59 y.o.
I'm fit and a long time cyclist. I even do crunchs on occasion. But it only takes average core strength to ride a road bike fast for many miles.
So what does riding without pain involve? Excellent fit and proper technique...which includes pedal stroke...proper cadence. Miles take care of the rest.
Most I see on the road...there are exceptions...have poor fit on the bike. As I stated before, the fit has to match the exertion level of the rider. I would say 95% of those that ride a road bike don't understand this or why.

hhnngg1

The core strength manuevers like squats, deadlifts, etc., won't do anything for your back pain if you're riding long without much riding background.

Have said it before, but if those core manuevers were so helpful, gymnasts, bodybuilders, or football players would be amongst the most comfortable people on 4 hr bike rides even with little bike experience. Alas, that's not remotely the case. When you're holding a bike position for a long time, it has nothing at all to do with strength in the core.

You just need more time in the saddle. Preferably a LOT more time. If 2hrs gets uncomfortable, come back next week, and it'll be half as uncomfortable, and then soon, you won't be bothered at all.

You need tons of core in sports with twisting, impact, and high-velocity directional changes. Like football, soccer, and basketball. Not for cycling (or even endurance running.)

jerseyJim

This gets my vote

Campag4life

True...and maybe one of the most common myths about cycling..that core matters.
So what does matter then. Two things mostly:
1. Static fore/aft weight distribution on the bike.
2. How hard on average you pressurize the pedals.

Let's call no. 2 dynamic weight distribution on the bike. The pedals are a platform that stabilize the body. In other words how hard you push on the pedals affects the dynamic weight distribution of the rider. Push even harder, you come out of the saddle, i.e. sprinting. In my experience the fastest riders I ride with have the least weight on the saddle and on the handlebar.

One of the best articles written on rider weight distribution is below:
https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/...or-road-bikes/

I think the article could have been written a bit clearer but if read a few times, a theme emerges. If you read the last paragraph it talks about aggressive riding unweighting the torso. That is the essence. Fit has to match level of exertion. An average guy with 4 inches of drop riding a century at 12 mph...his body will likely hurt from too much weight on the hands. The same guy riding the century at 20 mph average provided he has the fitness, his hands and likely neck will feel a lot better from not having to hold his torso up.

Cookiemonsta

In response to core exercises not helping back pain. True, there is no better remedy for the back pain that you experience on the bike than hours in the saddle. But there are many types of back pain, some of which can be alleviated over time by strengthening your core.