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Good source of Core exercises

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djdube525
djdube525 Posts: 69 Member
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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

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  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Do you have access to a gym?
  • djdube525
    djdube525 Posts: 69 Member
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    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
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    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
    MiguelX66 Posts: 24 Member
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    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
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    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
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    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
    djdube525 Posts: 69 Member
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    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
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    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
    djdube525 Posts: 69 Member
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    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
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    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.

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