Amateur here. My main focus is still on various comprehensive leg exercises to increase leg & glutes strength, ending with some generic core & upper body exercises for balance in body strength distribution. Push-ups, pull-ups, inclined pull-ups, chest press, flys, dips, planks, sit-ups, leg-lifts.
Pretty sure my 5/3/1 habit helps my climbing strength but the added size of my upper body isn't very aero... :P I love lifting and cycling; trying to find a balance usually means they both suffer from my fatigue. I'm going to test out a 3 day low volume weight lifting routine, with 2 or 3 20min. hiit cycling sessions per week on my trainer over the winter.
Squats, deadlifts and lunges, 5/3/1. I come from a bodybuilding background and I'm shooting for both track cycling and Criterium racing. Road cyclists shouldn't shy away from the gym, squat heavy as you can, start light but build up till you're hitting well over 100KG+, your sprints will thank you
"Tilt forward ever so slightly". Ollie bends in half. "Now come down slowly". Ollie drops down faster than Froomey pedalling whilst sitting on the top tube.
I find it exceptionally fitting during the month of Halloween to have these two skeletons share a video on weightlifting lol!! Keep up the good work boys! Love the channel!!
Just two days ago I was talking to a LBS owner and he commented that (male) professional cyclists are ripped from the abs down, but have the upper bodies "of a ten-year old boy". And how many times have we heard the "presenters", Si especially, self-deprecate because of weak(er) upper body strength. Hundreds? Well, I'm tired of it. It's about time GCN addressed this topic. Lift weights, guys and gals. It's good for your bones as well as your muscles. And this is true the older we get. (I know of what I speak; I'm 68.)
@@gcn It struck me that exercises 1,2 and 5 seemed to be mostly about legs; exercises 3 and 4 were upper-body oriented. As good as the "leg" ones are, the problem of cyclists' weak upper bodies aren't really addressed by those. If we ride to obtain/keep a healthy body, we shouldn't allow ourselves to neglect our chests, neck-shoulders, and arms. If I'm not mistaken, upper body supersets using light weights* and 10-20 >SLOW< rep's will be remarkably helpful for increased strength without bulking up. All it takes is 10-12 minutes of one continuous superset and you're done. (* Begin with 2-10# dumbbells from your local Walmart.)
If I had to recommend a single exercise, it would be deadlift. Deadlift is the most fundamental thing there is: picking a weight off the ground. That works the entire posterior chain, which is very useful in cycling as well in every day life. Deadlift will prevent you from hurting your back lifting bag of groceries or putting in window air conditioners, but it also works the exact same set of muscles you use climbing out of the saddle. After a few months of deadlifts and squats, it felt like I was on an ebike on short hill climbs. Except for the omission of deadlifts, the lifts recommended in this video make sense. I would like to point out something about the box step ups, though. The biceps femoris has two movement functions. It both flexes the knee, which is of only minor importance in cycling, and it extends the hip, which is very important. The biceps consists of two parts, the "short head", which does knee flexion and the "long head" which does hip extension. To work the long head, the box you use for step ups has to be quite tall, so your knee join is thoroughly flexed when you put your foot up. If the box is not tall enough, you'll be working your quads, which as a cyclist are probably already plenty strong. I do barbell squats for working the biceps long head, but I go lower than most people do because I've got unusually good hip flexibility. You will *know* if you go low enough because you'll feel it in the part of the biceps just under the glutes. But you should learn this with a trainer because bad form can lead to knee injuries. Box step up is a good and safe alternative for biceps training, although as a more compound movement squat does more for you. Again you will know you're doing it right because of burn and fatigue in the extreme upper rear of the leg. Another thing to consider is pylometrics: jumping up onto the box. This will help train explosive power for sprinting. Another technique to use if you are doing barbell squats is to periodize -- don't continually push heavy weights, but spend a few weeks now and then lifting lighter weights with explosive speed.
I used to deadlift 250kg before I injured my back. I don't do weights anymore, just occasional bodyweight exercises. 99% of people are better off riding their bike more if they want to get better at cycling. Height and therefore Leverage makes differences in force production. Beyond a certain strength, it isn't beneficial to do weights as it is never going to be specific to the task. Chris Boardman is a good example. He could only squat 60kg. A certain Connor Dunne was producing 450+w FTP once. It wasn't a function of his amazing strength. It was a function of his long legs.
If the idea of deadlifting is frightening, daunting, or just plain impossible with what you have at home, you might find that Goblet Squats give a satisfying glute-leg burn, especially if the exercise has a long eccentric phase - that is, take a good 4 seconds or so on the "squatting down" part, and a nice, controlled, swifter push UP. With the weight clasped in front of your body, you'll also be recruiting your core for stabilisation, but due to the tight nature of the movement, you won't be in danger of throwing out your back into strange, new, and exciting (although potentially painful) shapes!
@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy I found glutes very active when cycling. Mine "doubled" in size. But strangely enough I got muscle soreness in the hams next day by doing light squats even after being fairly well trained in cycling.
A year old, but excellent series fir building soft upper body strength and stability. A coach had me doing step ups and I just touched the box and then lowered. Strengthens the "small" stabilizers used when you stand and sit down. Also, they strengthen the tendons and increase flexibility.
OtterKing HEY OC, check out Maximum Overload for Cyclists. I wouldn’t recommend diving right in without a trainer but they make a very compelling argument for strength training. Book + Web site.
Steep hills are great cases for upper body strength. If you can resist the sideways wagging caused by your monster torque, you'll be more efficient, last longer, win glories, marry models etc etc.
@GCN I get this video might have been done for promotional purposes but it adds the variety we are all screaming for. Keep it up. Don't be afraid to do things that don't involve them on their bikes as long as its related to road cycling. Cheers.
Warming up core excersices 1. Plank 3x40 sec 2. Hoover+side steps 3x40 sec 3. Plate woodchoppers 4x15 each side 4. Reverse woodchoppers 4x15 each side Strenght 1. back squats and/or front squats 2. Deadlift and/or sumo deadlifts 3. Kettlebell swings 4. Barbell hang clean and press 5. Walking lunges 6. Bent over row 7. Barbell push press All excersices 3x8 rest 1 minute. This is one of the many examples I can give. Little bit of advanced excersices but with all these explosive excersices you gain so much strength (no bulk).
Just found this video, very informative and well presented. Liked and subscribed! My favorite two GCN presenters. Will add these exercises to my cycling training. Have to, since just getting Treck Madone SL6 :-)
This is when I really wish Emma was still on GCN. Nothing more fun than watching here school Ollie and Si, though they do tend to good sports about getting humiliated
too much You should squat first then do Bulgarian split squat or lundges to add more volume. You’re not going to get anywhere doing BSS with a 1kg dumbbell. You need to build a strength base first with squats.
Peter G you should not squat first. Before you even touch a barbell or do any compound movement, you should strengthen all connective tissues and iron out any muscle imbalances. And even before that you should iron out any mobility flexibility issues that can hinder the movement. I hope you’re not a coach because you haven’t a clue what you are talking about
@@toomuch9762 I was talking about squatting first in the lifting session not squatting first when you just enter the gym you dumbass. If you have so much knowledge about lifting then tell me how are you going to strengthen all connective tissues and iron out any muscle imbalances ? Where are your results in terms of strength and athleticism ? Where are your clients results then ?
I can just imagine the producer coming into the studio a few weeks ago and asking everybody to take off their shirt, then picking the two with the skinniest arms and saying, "OK, Si and Ollie, here's a video we want you to do. Oh yeah, and this is Carlo."
I walk and run short sprints, I do about 5-6k three times a week. I'm 60 with a bit of arthritis so doing some exercises I can't do some I use a chair for support. I'm lucky my local bike trail has a work out station on it, with bars, arm rings and such plus a set of different raised steps for doing those step ups. I also make sure I do a proper warm and cool down stretch routine before going on a walk, on my Bicycle I take it easy and slow to let my muscles loosen and warm up. I do weights but small weights and more reps I'm still losing weight, I'm at 68kg now aiming to get to 63kg I like the combination of walking and cycling I enjoy both activities and the "Me" time and watching my health improve and hopefully get a bit stronger. It must be working I changed my eating habits and my doctor took me off my cholesterol pills and one of my blood pressure pills I only take one small pill every day. Sorry (not really) for the long post but I hope to show that someone at my age can see results and improvement if you put in the time and work I know I won't be like when I was in my twenties and thirties when I could do a century on a mountain bike LOL only did that once. I just got back into distance walking in December of 2021 and took up bicycling in June of this year, I think the two complement each other the walking helps with bones and posture and the cycliing helps with my cardio among it other benefits. Oh one last thing my blood pressure used to be in the 150-90's now Im around 115-120-70's which for me is great my doctor is very pleased with me I went from obese to overweight. I don't do bicycling just for fitness I commute to work by bike most of the time and just go for rides for the fun of it, I got a commuter bike for now but looking at an e-bike but I'm getting better at riding and I might just get a road bike for fun. Cheers oh did Abby and Carl have you warm up before these exercises or is those exercises part of a warm up?
Nah m8 you need to do 1 legged wobble board overhead bottoms up kettlebell half squats with a 1kg dumbbell to improve your coordination. Being strong doesn't help with cycling
I have very good stamina and it helps in the gym. I'm ready for my next set in like 10 seconds... plus I can take in more air on big pushes than most people can, maximizing my power more. Good stamina helps strengthen be more effective and sustainable.
Aquarius Storm If you rest 10” between sets you’re doing metabolic conditioning not strength training. To build "strength" you need to lift heavy weights and rest about 3+’ between sets.
@@pgsarms I'm pretty strong. deadlift 500 and 400 pound squat. Also my resting heart rate drops as low as 38 bpm.. but its mostly between 42-46. I take very long bike rides a few times a week 40-60 miles sometimes more. STAMINA + STRENGTH you can do amazing things
For all of us that don't have this gym equipment (or can't stand going to the gym!), can Stanza Fitness advise 5 strength-building exercises using our body weight, like planks, for home workouts instead?
All of those exercises can be performed without any gym equipment. Just be creative with what you find at home. Maybe you need to get your hands on some dumbells or rubber bands for mor resistance when your wheights go up but other than that nothing special needed
WAW, nice... you guys. Acctually, is possible to see some little muscles building up. Those excercises were very important to me to ride Audax 2019 in Brazil.
Olympic style and old school Tae Kwon do has given me insane stuff to practice and improve so much of this crossed over started tkd when I got out of school at 19 .but I was a Junior cyclist from the age of 12 when I started doing double centuries .so one style to add to the other style it's frigging endless now
The presenters sitting in a restaurant drinking beer and talking about an upcoming grand tour = dream job. But after watching this video, I'm not so sure if I should apply for a job at GCN....
I used to do heavy bulgarian split squats with barbells and single leg press. My only real regret now about leaving a gym is that I can't do these exercises quite the same anymore. They're good fun!
As old man of 57 I cycle on the road and mtn. I compete in the old fat man category. I don’t have to be pro road cyclist thin, just in better shape than the other old men I ride against and with. I also Ski and do other sports that require a more balanced physique. I’m 6’4” tall and currently a shade under 200lb ( 1.93 M, 89.8 kg). I squat, lunge, dead lift light weights, leg press single leg- on the knee that was replaced to build it back to whole, sometimes will focus on knee exercises, but then do an assortment of upper body, pull ups, push ups etc and a health dose of core work, which really helps the most with my gigantic belly. Then some yoga!
That moment when they showed their upper body muscles is one of the reasons I'm not giving up my gym workout and I'm not willing to lose my upper body muscles to improve my w/kg 😬
These are all good movements to aid in pedaling power and stability on the saddle. However, I would recommend some frontal plane movements to help with some of the muscular imbalances caused by cycling all of the time.
Cheers Lads. Thought I’d do the Bulgarians and power step after the 20 mile commute to work. I’m walking like f**king John Wayne this morning and have a tough 50 miler tomorrow
8:24 Nice bit of editing magic going on there...looks like that kettlebell went from 24 kg to about 4 kg in the blink of a camera. That or Si has a huge upperbody and dwarfs the 24 kg bell
This is awesome. I personally like to work out in a gym and was searching for a solid video on how to train in a gym and benefit my riding. Thank you for making this content!
As an older guy my cycling has definitely benefitted from regular core, cardio and upper body strength gym routines. Nice video, keep it up guys and let’s see regular updates on your progress 😁👍🏻
Hi. I wonder if you could make a video on disposition of training over a year preparing for riding in the Italian mountains next year. I’ve got twelve months, my bike, the gym and a bicycle trainer. And would love to be in best possible shape for Stelvio next year. Thanks 🥳
Great video guys. My dream job is to be the trainer! I personally prefer calisthenics and yoga as the best forms of cross training for literally anything, not just cycling. Core training is incredibly important for power transfer.
being buff on a bike has its advantages... the added air resistance created from deploying ones rippling biceps as air brakes when hurtling down a steep hill ensures the speed limit is observed at all times officer
Great video! I just go to gymnastics for my strength training... Maybe not as refined for the movemtens in cycnlibg, but pretty good for overall strength.
gazelleflip Totally agree - builds strength and power through the hamstrings, glutes and back plus enhances flexibility. All things that can get neglected with the hours on the bike
Why no pushing exercise such as bench press, overhead press, military press, push ups, or dips? It appears that bulgarian split squats, step ups and lunges are redundant. All three of them are good unilateral exercises that combine balance with strength, and work the same muscles pretty similarly, and none of them is as good for building overall leg and body strength as is the good old fashioned high bar squat. I always thought that the dumbbell row and inverted row pretty much work the same muscles and that the inverted row is an exercise used to progress a pull up or chin up, i.e., the weakling's chin up. I am far from an elite biker, but I feel great glute activation and stronger on the bike a day after performing heavy dead lifts. There are many great exercises, but if I had to choose five, they would be squats, dead lifts, bench press, overhead press, and pull ups.
My top 5 additions: hex-bar deadlifts, power cleans, dead bar rows, Romanian deadlifts and of course, back squat. As someone who does a bit of weightlifting, I can say that given enough time there are tangible improvements to your power produced on the bike. My 5 second and 1 minute powers have massively increased and my 5 minute power and FTP have increased moderately. Only downside: your climbing will suffer on super steep climbs if you put on too much extra weight. I'd say you'd want to limit muscle mass gains to ~5kg if you're a climber for the best bang for buck.
Callum Sleigh Definitely agree - love all deadlifts, including the hex bar. Great for adding some strength in the neglected hams and glutes, which translates to more power on the bike and improved flexibility
If this is a beginner strength routine you may not want to start with a more complicated and advanced exercise like Bulgarian split squats. You may choose to leave the back foot on the ground to start so you don’t strain the front knee by loading it so much and allowing it to hinge so far forward of the foot.
Not a bad choice of exercises. Common people or amateur riders (even professional) shouldn't be afraid to gain some muscles and it doesn't matter whether you use some equipment or just bodyweight exercises. You get better posture, you are not so prone to injuries, in case of a fall the body is firmer so you might not break something, etc. Lots of benefits, not a single disadvantage.
Three best reasons to lift: 1) at the age of 40, you lose 1% of muscle mass a year. Need to stay ahead of that by adding muscle . 2) weight training adds mass to your bones as well, so it helps with regard to preventing injury 3) muscles burn calories. Fat doesn't.
Rob Hartsock I so so agree with this. I’m 44 and managing to hold onto my muscle and strength whilst rapidly building power and endurance on the bike. The benefits for health, flexibility and preventing injury and too big to miss out on
Do you pump iron to help you ride faster? Which exercises do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below 🏋️♂️
Amateur here. My main focus is still on various comprehensive leg exercises to increase leg & glutes strength, ending with some generic core & upper body exercises for balance in body strength distribution. Push-ups, pull-ups, inclined pull-ups, chest press, flys, dips, planks, sit-ups, leg-lifts.
Do DEADLIFTS!!!!!!!
Pretty sure my 5/3/1 habit helps my climbing strength but the added size of my upper body isn't very aero... :P I love lifting and cycling; trying to find a balance usually means they both suffer from my fatigue.
I'm going to test out a 3 day low volume weight lifting routine, with 2 or 3 20min. hiit cycling sessions per week on my trainer over the winter.
Squats, deadlifts and lunges, 5/3/1. I come from a bodybuilding background and I'm shooting for both track cycling and Criterium racing.
Road cyclists shouldn't shy away from the gym, squat heavy as you can, start light but build up till you're hitting well over 100KG+, your sprints will thank you
Question guys. I am a huge fan of barbell squats. If I squat say Friday, am I good to ride my bike Saturday or should I allow a day for recovery?
"Tilt forward ever so slightly". Ollie bends in half. "Now come down slowly". Ollie drops down faster than Froomey pedalling whilst sitting on the top tube.
I find it exceptionally fitting during the month of Halloween to have these two skeletons share a video on weightlifting lol!! Keep up the good work boys! Love the channel!!
Skeletons are spooky, luckily Olie and Si are very ripped and muscly, maybe that was what scared you instead of the skeleton?
@@gcn lol you know what that definitely could have been it! Always enjoy the content you all are great!
@@gcn They are only muscular compared to teen girls.
The level of humour here is wonderful. Ollies timing is near perfect. Best gym video I've seen.
Just two days ago I was talking to a LBS owner and he commented that (male) professional cyclists are ripped from the abs down, but have the upper bodies "of a ten-year old boy". And how many times have we heard the "presenters", Si especially, self-deprecate because of weak(er) upper body strength. Hundreds? Well, I'm tired of it. It's about time GCN addressed this topic. Lift weights, guys and gals. It's good for your bones as well as your muscles. And this is true the older we get. (I know of what I speak; I'm 68.)
Pretty sure this video hopes to address that Lee!
@@gcn It struck me that exercises 1,2 and 5 seemed to be mostly about legs; exercises 3 and 4 were upper-body oriented. As good as the "leg" ones are, the problem of cyclists' weak upper bodies aren't really addressed by those. If we ride to obtain/keep a healthy body, we shouldn't allow ourselves to neglect our chests, neck-shoulders, and arms. If I'm not mistaken, upper body supersets using light weights* and 10-20 >SLOW< rep's will be remarkably helpful for increased strength without bulking up. All it takes is 10-12 minutes of one continuous superset and you're done. (* Begin with 2-10# dumbbells from your local Walmart.)
These two are so comical. Can't believe Ollie's arms are skinnier than Si's..lol.
Makes me wonder how they were strong enough to open the door to the gym...
Well that's only because they're both RIPPED
@@edmarkey4057 May be some kind of electricaly driven doors?
@@gcn Ripped to the BONE!! :)
The only thing getting ripped here is the tissue paper to dry my watering eyes.
ollie you were such a good student here, all ears and no complaints at all
If I had to recommend a single exercise, it would be deadlift. Deadlift is the most fundamental thing there is: picking a weight off the ground. That works the entire posterior chain, which is very useful in cycling as well in every day life. Deadlift will prevent you from hurting your back lifting bag of groceries or putting in window air conditioners, but it also works the exact same set of muscles you use climbing out of the saddle. After a few months of deadlifts and squats, it felt like I was on an ebike on short hill climbs.
Except for the omission of deadlifts, the lifts recommended in this video make sense. I would like to point out something about the box step ups, though. The biceps femoris has two movement functions. It both flexes the knee, which is of only minor importance in cycling, and it extends the hip, which is very important. The biceps consists of two parts, the "short head", which does knee flexion and the "long head" which does hip extension. To work the long head, the box you use for step ups has to be quite tall, so your knee join is thoroughly flexed when you put your foot up. If the box is not tall enough, you'll be working your quads, which as a cyclist are probably already plenty strong.
I do barbell squats for working the biceps long head, but I go lower than most people do because I've got unusually good hip flexibility. You will *know* if you go low enough because you'll feel it in the part of the biceps just under the glutes. But you should learn this with a trainer because bad form can lead to knee injuries. Box step up is a good and safe alternative for biceps training, although as a more compound movement squat does more for you. Again you will know you're doing it right because of burn and fatigue in the extreme upper rear of the leg.
Another thing to consider is pylometrics: jumping up onto the box. This will help train explosive power for sprinting. Another technique to use if you are doing barbell squats is to periodize -- don't continually push heavy weights, but spend a few weeks now and then lifting lighter weights with explosive speed.
Matthew Leo I love the Deadlift too - builds the strength through the glutes and hams - too often neglected by us cyclists
Personally wouldnt recommend it to more casual gym goers though, can be very dangerous if not done correctly
I used to deadlift 250kg before I injured my back. I don't do weights anymore, just occasional bodyweight exercises. 99% of people are better off riding their bike more if they want to get better at cycling. Height and therefore
Leverage makes differences in force production. Beyond a certain strength, it isn't beneficial to do weights as it is never going to be specific to the task. Chris Boardman is a good example. He could only squat 60kg.
A certain Connor Dunne was producing 450+w FTP once. It wasn't a function of his amazing strength. It was a function of his long legs.
If the idea of deadlifting is frightening, daunting, or just plain impossible with what you have at home, you might find that Goblet Squats give a satisfying glute-leg burn, especially if the exercise has a long eccentric phase - that is, take a good 4 seconds or so on the "squatting down" part, and a nice, controlled, swifter push UP. With the weight clasped in front of your body, you'll also be recruiting your core for stabilisation, but due to the tight nature of the movement, you won't be in danger of throwing out your back into strange, new, and exciting (although potentially painful) shapes!
@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy I found glutes very active when cycling. Mine "doubled" in size. But strangely enough I got muscle soreness in the hams next day by doing light squats even after being fairly well trained in cycling.
Cycling and rock climbing, two sports that benefits from being light but one focus on leg strength and the other has a upper body bias.
Collin Yep.
I do both. Bouldering, and lots of ring work and core.
You forgot jockeys (horse racing). 😆
A year old, but excellent series fir building soft upper body strength and stability. A coach had me doing step ups and I just touched the box and then lowered. Strengthens the "small" stabilizers used when you stand and sit down. Also, they strengthen the tendons and increase flexibility.
Can we get more of these demonstrating more exercises for cyclist? These were useful.
Thanks Otterking we'ev got a few more ideas!
OtterKing HEY OC, check out Maximum Overload for Cyclists. I wouldn’t recommend diving right in without a trainer but they make a very compelling argument for strength training. Book + Web site.
Awesome to have Si back doing serious videos!! Love ya mate!! 😍🤪🤗
Steep hills are great cases for upper body strength. If you can resist the sideways wagging caused by your monster torque, you'll be more efficient, last longer, win glories, marry models etc etc.
Ola Leier Well said - totally agree
@GCN I get this video might have been done for promotional purposes but it adds the variety we are all screaming for.
Keep it up. Don't be afraid to do things that don't involve them on their bikes as long as its related to road cycling. Cheers.
Excellent GCN! Please more of this kind of videos! Which help us cyclist be better
Thanks Juan
Juan Antonio Monzón Very much - this is a great start. Completely agree that there’s loads of value for us from this
Warming up core excersices
1. Plank 3x40 sec
2. Hoover+side steps 3x40 sec
3. Plate woodchoppers 4x15 each side
4. Reverse woodchoppers 4x15 each side
Strenght
1. back squats and/or front squats
2. Deadlift and/or sumo deadlifts
3. Kettlebell swings
4. Barbell hang clean and press
5. Walking lunges
6. Bent over row
7. Barbell push press
All excersices 3x8 rest 1 minute.
This is one of the many examples I can give. Little bit of advanced excersices but with all these explosive excersices you gain so much strength (no bulk).
Just found this video, very informative and well presented. Liked and subscribed! My favorite two GCN presenters. Will add these exercises to my cycling training. Have to, since just getting Treck Madone SL6 :-)
This is when I really wish Emma was still on GCN. Nothing more fun than watching here school Ollie and Si, though they do tend to good sports about getting humiliated
I really need this to get ready for our long long ride this upcoming summer
I found kayaking good for upper body, except any day nice enough to go kayaking, I wanted to spend on the bike!
So funny to watch them two in the gym. Like fish out of water! :))))
We must be watching different videos, they're clearly very at home and well practised. Can't you tell from their rippling muscles? 😉
@@gcn Noticed you specified 'road cyclists.' That way, you don't find yourselves next to Hoy, Bauge or Forstemann.
Squat & deadlift. That will make you faster, stronger, healthier and increase testosterone.
Came here to say this. Squats ftw.
sirspankalottt not much use for fixing muscle imbalances. Bulgarian split squats and lunges are top dog
too much You should squat first then do Bulgarian split squat or lundges to add more volume. You’re not going to get anywhere doing BSS with a 1kg dumbbell. You need to build a strength base first with squats.
Peter G you should not squat first. Before you even touch a barbell or do any compound movement, you should strengthen all connective tissues and iron out any muscle imbalances. And even before that you should iron out any mobility flexibility issues that can hinder the movement. I hope you’re not a coach because you haven’t a clue what you are talking about
@@toomuch9762 I was talking about squatting first in the lifting session not squatting first when you just enter the gym you dumbass. If you have so much knowledge about lifting then tell me how are you going to strengthen all connective tissues and iron out any muscle imbalances ? Where are your results in terms of strength and athleticism ? Where are your clients results then ?
I can just imagine the producer coming into the studio a few weeks ago and asking everybody to take off their shirt, then picking the two with the skinniest arms and saying, "OK, Si and Ollie, here's a video we want you to do. Oh yeah, and this is Carlo."
Perfect heading into the off-season. More like this!
Thanks Stephen
I walk and run short sprints, I do about 5-6k three times a week. I'm 60 with a bit of arthritis so doing some exercises I can't do some I use a chair for support. I'm lucky my local bike trail has a work out station on it, with bars, arm rings and such plus a set of different raised steps for doing those step ups.
I also make sure I do a proper warm and cool down stretch routine before going on a walk, on my Bicycle I take it easy and slow to let my muscles loosen and warm up.
I do weights but small weights and more reps I'm still losing weight, I'm at 68kg now aiming to get to 63kg
I like the combination of walking and cycling I enjoy both activities and the "Me" time and watching my health improve and hopefully get a bit stronger.
It must be working I changed my eating habits and my doctor took me off my cholesterol pills and one of my blood pressure pills I only take one small pill every day.
Sorry (not really) for the long post but I hope to show that someone at my age can see results and improvement if you put in the time and work I know I won't be like when I was in my twenties and thirties when I could do a century on a mountain bike LOL only did that once.
I just got back into distance walking in December of 2021 and took up bicycling in June of this year, I think the two complement each other the walking helps with bones and posture and the cycliing helps with my cardio among it other benefits.
Oh one last thing my blood pressure used to be in the 150-90's now Im around 115-120-70's which for me is great my doctor is very pleased with me I went from obese to overweight.
I don't do bicycling just for fitness I commute to work by bike most of the time and just go for rides for the fun of it, I got a commuter bike for now but looking at an e-bike but I'm getting better at riding and I might just get a road bike for fun.
Cheers
oh did Abby and Carl have you warm up before these exercises or is those exercises part of a warm up?
Deadlifts FTW. Works that entire posterior chain (that is weak is nearly all cyclists).
Nicole Mitsi Well said - builds power and strength in the glutes and hams, plus creates flexibility. My go too exercise
Nah m8 you need to do 1 legged wobble board overhead bottoms up kettlebell half squats with a 1kg dumbbell to improve your coordination. Being strong doesn't help with cycling
Yeah idk they should really be doing compound exercises
Looks like there is hope for us all!
Si and Ollie are such good sports.
The moment you realise how thin their arms are actually 🙊
Don't you mean how big and muscled?
In some circles, they wouldn’t even be considered “arms”.
Don't you mean AERO?
They are the type who last longer... on the Road
Every day is leg day! That's all the gym advice you need.
I have very good stamina and it helps in the gym. I'm ready for my next set in like 10 seconds... plus I can take in more air on big pushes than most people can, maximizing my power more. Good stamina helps strengthen be more effective and sustainable.
Aquarius Storm If you rest 10” between sets you’re doing metabolic conditioning not strength training. To build "strength" you need to lift heavy weights and rest about 3+’ between sets.
@@pgsarms I'm pretty strong. deadlift 500 and 400 pound squat. Also my resting heart rate drops as low as 38 bpm.. but its mostly between 42-46. I take very long bike rides a few times a week 40-60 miles sometimes more. STAMINA + STRENGTH you can do amazing things
Kettlebells exercises such as the swing, clean, snatch, Turkish get ups are great exercises for transferring across to the bike.
Brave lads. The GTN crew won’t soon let you forget about this one.
Thanks for the tips.
Would've been great to see a similar video about gym exercises which can improve cycling performance.
Finally! an interesting and constructive video after a few months to forget
I would like to see another video but concentrating only on upper body and stomach/core. Thanks
james witte I cover this in some of my vids
I get that these are gym exercises, yet it would have been really helpful to show an “at home” version for the ones that require gym equipment.
For all of us that don't have this gym equipment (or can't stand going to the gym!), can Stanza Fitness advise 5 strength-building exercises using our body weight, like planks, for home workouts instead?
Thats a great idea!
All of those exercises can be performed without any gym equipment. Just be creative with what you find at home. Maybe you need to get your hands on some dumbells or rubber bands for mor resistance when your wheights go up but other than that nothing special needed
Also Emma did a video a while ago and included some good body weight/at home stuff. she uses a balance ball but they're cheap
Trevor Hayes www.decathlon.co.uk/cross-training-rings-id_8491880.html
These are pretty much all you need.
I use an elliptical machine at home. It works for me. At 73 I’m keeping cycling at low key riding level. Parks are about it for me.
So funny and instructive. Thanks guys.
WAW, nice... you guys. Acctually, is possible to see some little muscles building up. Those excercises were very important to me to ride Audax 2019 in Brazil.
Thanks Ivan, cross training can be really important!
Enjoyed the video, simple, easy to execute exercises and I feel like I may finally have the confidence to supplement my riding with some gym workouts.
Good looking gym and the trainer totally in tune with how to explain each exercise. Good one!
Olympic style and old school Tae Kwon do has given me insane stuff to practice and improve so much of this crossed over started tkd when I got out of school at 19 .but I was a Junior cyclist from the age of 12 when I started doing double centuries .so one style to add to the other style it's frigging endless now
The presenters sitting in a restaurant drinking beer and talking about an upcoming grand tour = dream job. But after watching this video, I'm not so sure if I should apply for a job at GCN....
You should always apply for a job at GCN!
First thing nice socks Si. I do 2 times a week a power training 3 muscle group at time and core training. Maybe i'm not the fasted but i like it.
I used to do heavy bulgarian split squats with barbells and single leg press. My only real regret now about leaving a gym is that I can't do these exercises quite the same anymore. They're good fun!
I’m actually inspired to go to the weight room at my gym!
I do mainly weighted calisthenics such as pull-ups, push ups, squats etc.
As old man of 57 I cycle on the road and mtn. I compete in the old fat man category. I don’t have to be pro road cyclist thin, just in better shape than the other old men I ride against and with. I also Ski and do other sports that require a more balanced physique. I’m 6’4” tall and currently a shade under 200lb ( 1.93 M, 89.8 kg). I squat, lunge, dead lift light weights, leg press single leg- on the knee that was replaced to build it back to whole, sometimes will focus on knee exercises, but then do an assortment of upper body, pull ups, push ups etc and a health dose of core work, which really helps the most with my gigantic belly. Then some yoga!
1:57 bulgarian split squat 2:32
3:20 step up 3:55
4:40 dumbbell row 5:46
6:15 inverted row 7:20
7:53 walking lunges 9:08
Thnx buddy
That moment when they showed their upper body muscles is one of the reasons I'm not giving up my gym workout and I'm not willing to lose my upper body muscles to improve my w/kg 😬
The plank. That exercise is excellent for core fitness. 6 reps of 45 seconds. Form over time.
roughneckseven Love the plank. And also the ab wheel roll out
Great list, thank you so much!
These are all good movements to aid in pedaling power and stability on the saddle. However, I would recommend some frontal plane movements to help with some of the muscular imbalances caused by cycling all of the time.
Cheers Lads. Thought I’d do the Bulgarians and power step after the 20 mile commute to work. I’m walking like f**king John Wayne this morning and have a tough 50 miler tomorrow
You guys are absolutely hilarious, love it 😆 another great vid!
you both are just amazing! xD loved it!
Ollie's bar rows are really good actually.
8:24 Nice bit of editing magic going on there...looks like that kettlebell went from 24 kg to about 4 kg in the blink of a camera. That or Si has a huge upperbody and dwarfs the 24 kg bell
Clearly it's Si's rippling muscles
I went to post exactly this. Right hand reaching down, then cut to Si holding KB in his left hand. Genius.
Ollie rocking the Adidas Samba nicely in the gym there!
Lol. Talk about self-deprecating. Love it.
This is awesome. I personally like to work out in a gym and was searching for a solid video on how to train in a gym and benefit my riding. Thank you for making this content!
@simon Richards , I must say ,this is more like the content I expected when I clicked on it this time. Nice one.
30 day challenge with this -- ACCEPTED, thanks GCN
More of this. I love the sytrical feel of this video
Thanks Monkey it was fun to film
looks like a nice grouping of exercises for flexibility balance and strength. going to get going on them on a daily basis.Thanks for the input.
1) 1:58 Bulgarian Split Squat
2) 3:18 The Step Up
3) 4:37 Dumbell Row
4) 6:13 Inverted Row
5) 7:56 Walking Lunges
In my experience is useful to add climbing in the routine of the week.
This was a great video, but I would have liked to hear a short explanation on how each exercise benefits motions on the bike.
Richard Lu I clover some of this in my vids
The only strong thing here is Si's sock game.
Yes please! More of these!!
ollie ropping off that block... awesome :)
I'm enjoying the good laughs watching you 2 thanks for the cycling tips
Thanks for watching Craig!
One way i have a balance tone muscle on upper and lower body is with cycling and calisthenics. Both of these has big benefits for my daily job 😀
As an older guy my cycling has definitely benefitted from regular core, cardio and upper body strength gym routines. Nice video, keep it up guys and let’s see regular updates on your progress 😁👍🏻
Malcolm Corbett Definitely agree - I’m very much the same, So many benefits from strength training for all ages. And little risk of bulking up!
Hi. I wonder if you could make a video on disposition of training over a year preparing for riding in the Italian mountains next year. I’ve got twelve months, my bike, the gym and a bicycle trainer. And would love to be in best possible shape for Stelvio next year. Thanks 🥳
on the last exercise , got to love Si goes down to pick up a heavy weight and comes up with a lite weight. lol
Great video guys. My dream job is to be the trainer! I personally prefer calisthenics and yoga as the best forms of cross training for literally anything, not just cycling. Core training is incredibly important for power transfer.
GCN has grown so big that they now have the budget to hire Sergio Ramos as a personal coach, congrats!!!
Thanks guys! Great video demonstrating how to teach your grandmother how to lift weights! 😂😉
If your grandmother is an incredible athlete that is 😉
being buff on a bike has its advantages... the added air resistance created from deploying ones rippling biceps as air brakes when hurtling down a steep hill ensures the speed limit is observed at all times officer
Great video!
I just go to gymnastics for my strength training... Maybe not as refined for the movemtens in cycnlibg, but pretty good for overall strength.
Deadlift is the best exercise for cycling should have been in this
gazelleflip how come
goodyoutuber 69 increases core strength helping you stay in a more aggressive position for longer periods for time. Also strengthens legs and back.
gazelleflip Totally agree - builds strength and power through the hamstrings, glutes and back plus enhances flexibility. All things that can get neglected with the hours on the bike
Good practical stuff! THANKS.
Beast on the bike? Or in the gym? Shame we can’t have both! 👍🏼👊🏼
Amazing video fellas! Thanks
Why no pushing exercise such as bench press, overhead press, military press, push ups, or dips?
It appears that bulgarian split squats, step ups and lunges are redundant. All three of them are good unilateral exercises that combine balance with strength, and work the same muscles pretty similarly, and none of them is as good for building overall leg and body strength as is the good old fashioned high bar squat.
I always thought that the dumbbell row and inverted row pretty much work the same muscles and that the inverted row is an exercise used to progress a pull up or chin up, i.e., the weakling's chin up.
I am far from an elite biker, but I feel great glute activation and stronger on the bike a day after performing heavy dead lifts.
There are many great exercises, but if I had to choose five, they would be squats, dead lifts, bench press, overhead press, and pull ups.
tempered well As a cyclist I love these upper body moves also
"It's about getting stronger.. Hop-hopefully.." the story of my life
My top 5 additions: hex-bar deadlifts, power cleans, dead bar rows, Romanian deadlifts and of course, back squat. As someone who does a bit of weightlifting, I can say that given enough time there are tangible improvements to your power produced on the bike. My 5 second and 1 minute powers have massively increased and my 5 minute power and FTP have increased moderately. Only downside: your climbing will suffer on super steep climbs if you put on too much extra weight. I'd say you'd want to limit muscle mass gains to ~5kg if you're a climber for the best bang for buck.
Callum Sleigh Definitely agree - love all deadlifts, including the hex bar. Great for adding some strength in the neglected hams and glutes, which translates to more power on the bike and improved flexibility
0:42 Those guns! Those perfectly sculpted tan lines! Amazing!
If this is a beginner strength routine you may not want to start with a more complicated and advanced exercise like Bulgarian split squats. You may choose to leave the back foot on the ground to start so you don’t strain the front knee by loading it so much and allowing it to hinge so far forward of the foot.
Not a bad choice of exercises. Common people or amateur riders (even professional) shouldn't be afraid to gain some muscles and it doesn't matter whether you use some equipment or just bodyweight exercises. You get better posture, you are not so prone to injuries, in case of a fall the body is firmer so you might not break something, etc. Lots of benefits, not a single disadvantage.
Robert Zemánek Most definitely - we’re not Chris Froome, so a bit of muscle on the upper body will help in so many other ways!
Please extend the gym exercises into a series
We'll see if the internet is ready for it
Lee Spencer I’m covering this regularly on my little channel.
reaches for huge kettle bell, cuts to Si holding tiny kettle bell. perfection
You noticed?! 😲
@@gcn hard not too ;)
Three best reasons to lift: 1) at the age of 40, you lose 1% of muscle mass a year. Need to stay ahead of that by adding muscle . 2) weight training adds mass to your bones as well, so it helps with regard to preventing injury 3) muscles burn calories. Fat doesn't.
Rob Hartsock I so so agree with this. I’m 44 and managing to hold onto my muscle and strength whilst rapidly building power and endurance on the bike. The benefits for health, flexibility and preventing injury and too big to miss out on
Si! Not telling anybody what to shave or not but... not shaving the axels but the legs is like icing without cake. :-)
Really great workout..practise it for some years...good for wattage bazooka
Very helpful. thx
My gym related body dysmorphia disappeared after watching this and I no longer feel like a scrawny dyel at 85kg.
Ollie's guns 😂 seen bigger biceps on a mosquito! Great video, keep up the good work.
How big are the mosquito's where you live? 😉
@@gcn size of helicopters!😁