Boom Cycle bootcamp week one: how to get a leg up on the competition

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd
Hannah Frankson3 September 2018

This is a fearsome legs workout to build explosive power in your quads, glutes and hamstrings and give an advantage when competing in the indoor peloton.

You’ll need a chair (and plenty of stamina).

1. Single leg squat

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

Keeping one foot off the ground, squat down to a chair and, keeping the same foot off the ground, return to a standing position. Single-leg power is important in cycling and this move helps to improve that. For beginners, use a chair to aid the squat and work towards removing the chair as your strength progresses. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

2. Bear crawl

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

Starting on all fours with the hands in line with the shoulders and the knees just in front of the hips, take your right hand and left foot off the floor simultaneously and move forward in a crawling motion. Then crawl the left hand and right foot forward. Crawl forward four steps and then backwards four steps. This is a great move to stabilise the core to stop the upper body from moving around when on a bike. Repeat 15 times.

3. Arabesque

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

Pushing the hips away from the body, extend one leg backwards, parallel to the ground, while taking both arms straight out in front of the body and keeping them parallel to the ground. This move helps to strengthen each hamstring independently. On a bike you push each leg separately so it’s important to work on the strength of each leg separately too. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

4. Asymmetric plank lifts

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

From a plank position, lift the opposite arm and opposite leg off the ground. This is a brilliant exercise to help develop greater strength in the core. The arms and legs should both lift simultaneously while maintaining minimal movement through the rest of the body. Repeat 10 times.

Repeat this whole sequence three times.

Hannah Frankson is a trainer at Boom Cycle, boomcycle.co.uk. Follow Hannah on Instagram: @hannahfrankson​

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