4 Easy At-Home Strength and Conditioning Exercises for Cyclists

For cyclists who race all summer, the winter months are a time to prepare the body and mind for the impactful, specific training that will follow in spring. Winter is not for going fast; it’s not for racing. It’s a time for strengthening, rehabilitation, revitalization, mobility, and recovery.

As detailed in this article about why cyclists need to get off their bikes, strength training and certain forms of cross-training put stress on the musculoskeletal system, which helps build bone density and keep bone conditions like osteopenia at bay. And there are many other benefits to strength training for endurance athletes, including maintaining proper function, training neural patterns, and preventing injury.

Cycling, by nature, causes muscular imbalances. If all you ever do is ride your bike, the risk of an overuse injury is high. Four of the most common issues seen in cyclists include:

• Patellar tendinitis, or pain at the front of the knee. Since cycling is such a quadriceps-dominant sport, returning to (or maintaining) muscular balance with the hamstrings by doing loaded eccentric (slow, lengthening) muscle contractions can help prevent this very common issue.

• Pelvic obliquity is a broad term for imbalances and asymmetrical movements in the hips. These can be addressed with simple exercises at home that help align the pelvis and spine and strengthen the abdomen and glutes. 

• Lower back pain is very common among cyclists. That’s because many cyclists are overly reliant on the smaller, weaker postural muscles of the back to maintain their position on the bike. Building strength in your glutes and hamstrings can help prevent this common issue. (A bike fit is also critical.) 

• Thoracic kyphosis is a technical term for a slouched torso and is common among cyclists. Regular exercise to open the chest helps improve posture on and, especially, off the bike.

These issues are easily addressed off the bike, and do not necessitate a trip to the weight room. Even better, the simple routines outlined below don’t require any sophisticated equipment. For those athletes who want to try the advanced progressions, you’ll need to have sliders or small towels and a dumbbell or kettlebell.

Whether you have these few items and space at home or you prefer the community at your local gym, getting off the bike and onto the floor will pay huge dividends when it comes to long-term health and performance.

The following exercises are a multi-planar approach to strength and conditioning and address the specific weaknesses often seen in cyclists. They build stability, efficiency, and resilience—which reduces the risk of injury and can improve performance. They accomplish this by developing sound movement quality, force production, muscle activation, muscular balance, and core integrity. 

Leg Curls

Equipment: sliders, small towel, or paper plates

Benefits:

• Knee strength

• Quad/hamstring balance 

• Dominant lower body pull

• Bilateral or unilateral emphasis

Start with 5-10 repetitions per leg (or total, if starting with double leg version), progressing to 2-3 sets.

Instructions (basic)

1. Lay on your back, knees bent

2. Place heels on sliders or towels

3. Raise hips off floor, creating a straight line between knee, hip, and shoulder

4. Slowly slide both feet away from hips, taking five seconds to fully extend

5. Drop hips to floor

6. Return to bent-knee position

7. For more challenge, instead of dropping hips to return to the starting position, slide feet back (concentric movement) under knees

Instructions (advanced)

1. Lay on your back, knees bent

2. Place heels on sliders or towels

3. Raise hips off floor, creating a straight line between knee, hip, and shoulder

4. Extend one leg straight out, off the ground 

5. Slowly slide single foot, taking five seconds to fully extend

6. Drop hips to floor

7. Return to bent-knee position

8. Again, for more challenge, return to starting position by sliding feet back under knees

Single Arm Row

Equipment: kettlebell, dumbbell, or backpack filled with weight

Benefits:

• Reinforces hinge position at the hips

• Core integrity

• Unilateral or bilateral variations

Start with 5-10 repetitions of moderate weight per side, progressing to 2-3 sets

Instructions

1. Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart

2. Bend knees slightly

3. Hinge at the hips, bend forward, keeping back flat (don’t curl)

4. Reach down to kettle bell or other weight

5. Lift weight toward chest, tucking elbow tight to body

6. Don’t twist at the shoulder; keep core engaged

Reverse Slide Lunge

Equipment: slider, hand towel, paper plate, or socks 

Benefits:

• Improves power transfer/pedal stroke

• Strengthens posterior chain 

• Aids positional control

• Unilateral emphasis 

Start with 5-10 repetitions per side, progressing to 2-3 sets

Instructions

1. Stand up straight and tall, feet shoulder-width apart

2. Place 90% of weight on one foot, 10% on the other

3. Slide the unweighted foot straight back, remaining tall

4. Extend backward until the bent knee reaches 90 degrees (ankle should be directly below)

5. Keep toes, knees, and chest pointed straight forward, in alignment

6. Pull leg forward to slide back into standing position

Single Leg RDL (Romanian Deadlift)

Equipment: kettlebell, dumbbell, or backpack filled with weight

Benefits:

• Hip stability and strength

• Balance

• Unilateral emphasis

Start with 5-10 repetitions per leg, progressing to 2-3 sets

Instructions

1. Stand on one leg, bending knee slightly

2. Hinge at the hips, bending forward

3. Keep a straight line between head, back, and extended leg. (Think of the phrase: “Head to heel, strong as steel.”)

4. Lower as far as you can, with control. (Ideally, you become parallel to the ground.)

5. Think of the body like a seesaw: As the torso comes down, the extended leg comes up to counterbalance.

6. Utilize the hamstrings and glutes to return to a standing position. (Don’t rely on your lower back muscles to return upright.)