Good source of Core exercises

djdube525

Looking for some good routines aside from planks (side, basic, basic w/lift), supermans, bridge, metronome, crunches, back extensions, etc...

Ultimately, looking to strengthen the mid section during the cycling off season.

Thanks!

-DD

Sarauk2sf

Do you have access to a gym?

djdube525

Do you have access to a gym?

During the week I do... we have a pretty nice gym at work... large assortment of machines, free weights and cardio equipment.

Some examples of things I've done that involve a "contraption of some sort"... not sure what they are called to be honest.

There is this one contraption where your sort of standing at a 45 degree angle... with your thighs supported by pads, and then you can bend at the waist (downward) and come back up again... I'll do one set normal, and one with twists.

There's another where you can "hang in the air"... propping yourself up on your forearms, and you can lift your knees towards your stomach.

EvgeniZyntx

Cycling Anatomy and Weight Training for Cyclists are both good books - however the second focuses more on defining a workout.
Identify your weaknesses and work on those - include back, abdomen and hip flexibility work.

Any hypertrophy work that you do will initially negatively impact your riding endurance and strength but, in the end, you will be a more powerful and faster rider from that.

Look also at the Morris Plan, this is a pretty good blog ---

http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt1-intro.html
http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt2-macro-view.html
http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt3-strength.html

MiguelX66

I like the basics (sit-ups, leg raises) but recently started doing Half Turkish Get Ups. These work the entire core.

http://www.mymadmethods.com/exercise-database/kettlebell-exercises/249-exercise-kettlebell-turkish-get-up-half

Sarauk2sf

Cycling Anatomy and Weight Training for Cyclists are both good books - however the second focuses more on defining a workout.
Identify your weaknesses and work on those - include back, abdomen and hip flexibility work.

Any hypertrophy work that you do will initially negatively impact your riding endurance and strength but, in the end, you will be a more powerful and faster rider from that.

Look also at the Morris Plan, this is a pretty good blog ---

http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt1-intro.html
http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt2-macro-view.html
http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt3-strength.html

I would defer to this guy - he is a cyclist and knows is stuff and so would have a better idea as to what would be best for you.

EvgeniZyntx

Cycling Anatomy and Weight Training for Cyclists are both good books - however the second focuses more on defining a workout.
Identify your weaknesses and work on those - include back, abdomen and hip flexibility work.

Any hypertrophy work that you do will initially negatively impact your riding endurance and strength but, in the end, you will be a more powerful and faster rider from that.

Look also at the Morris Plan, this is a pretty good blog ---

http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt1-intro.html
http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt2-macro-view.html
http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/10/off-season-training-pt3-strength.html

I would defer to this guy - he is a cyclist and knows is stuff and so would have a better idea as to what would be best for you.

And I would defer to Sara about anything related to weight training -- those programs and books I listed are just focused to the long term disbalanced cycling creates. If its cycling specific -they are good sources. If its a good program in general - Sara "live" likely beats Morris on paper.

djdube525

Thanks everyone! FWIW... weight training wise I have been doing the following:( Typically 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps where the last rep is all I can do to lift it... all on machines... this is in addition to ~40min of cardio...

M/W/F (Upper body):
Inclined press
Pec Dec/Butterfly
Seated Row
Back Extention

T/TH (Lower Body)
Leg Press
Leg Extentions
Leg Curls
Calf raises
Hip Adduction
Hib Abduction

Sarauk2sf

Thanks everyone! FWIW... weight training wise I have been doing the following:( Typically 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps where the last rep is all I can do to lift it... all on machines... this is in addition to ~40min of cardio...

M/W/F (Upper body):
Inclined press
Pec Dec/Butterfly
Seated Row
Back Extention

T/TH (Lower Body)
Leg Press
Leg Extentions
Leg Curls
Calf raises
Hip Adduction
Hib Abduction

You get best core strength from compound lifts which your program does not include.

How long have you been lifting?

djdube525

Not long at all... I'll be honest, I've always struggled with lifting. I have a real motivation issue... I'll do it for at most a couple of months and then fall off the wagon.

The thought process of the weight lifting that I mentioned above was more aimed at not losing LBM while I try to lose weight... was thinking those exercises tend to attack multiple areas, or large areas of muscles (at least the pictures on the machines say they do). So in the vein of limited time, I thought I could do 2-3 sets on ~4 machines for upper and lower body and then be goo in terms of not losing mass.

In terms of core exercises, my initial thought was more non weight bearing exercises (planks, stability ball work, etc)...

That said, I will not discount the possibility I don't know wtf I'm doing in terms of lifting weights (ie does approach really attack the goals).

Any suggestions? What types of compound lifts should I be looking at? Would these be better (in general terms) than what I was doing before? Any advice for a weight lifting noob? Note: Upper body tends to be "weak"... lower body is in pretty decent shape (in relative terms)... mostly due to cycling... and hockey in another life.

Sarauk2sf

To be honest, you will be better off doing an established full body progressive loading program like stronglifts 3 times a week at first:

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

Machines do not really work the core - compound barbell lifts do - and they are usually more focused on isolation type lifts.