Strength and mobility exercises are a great way to help avoid injuries and become a better rider. You can do this anywhere, with no special equipment. In Part 3, Vicky shows us some dynamic variations on the Plank – great for core and shoulders. Plus some more moves for hip flexors, hamstrings and glutes. Just remember to warm up first.
Dynamic Plank Alternatives
The Plank exercise is awesome for your core and also for the stability of your shoulders. A lot of times when you go into the plank, you can choose if you want to be on the underarms or extended arms. In this case we’re going to be with extended arms and extended body.
You may find that your body position drops down. Make sure to activate the muscles around the shoulders, push the shoulders away from each other. We’re going to add a little bit of flexibility and mobility for your legs, so try to push your bum up away from the floor. In the beginning, it might be easier to flex your knees and be on the toes. As you can see, we also work mobility around the shoulder joints.
There are two basic mistakes in the plank. First – if you don’t activate the muscles around your back, and your hips are hanging low. Second – if you don’t have strength in your abs, you might try to push your bum up a little bit too high. You want to try to keep your body straight.
Now we want to work a little bit more on the core. So push up, come back into the plank and lift your knee to your chest on the inside of your arm. Make sure that you work the muscles around your shoulder as you do this.
Scorpion Plank
Now we start in a plank like before, come up to work on the flexibility on the hamstrings, mobility on the shoulders, come back down in the plank. Now lift your leg a little bit and start rotating across and behind your other leg, touching the ground next to your knee.
If you have the mobility and strength for it, try to touch further up. You’re going to really feel it in those oblique muscles. You need to control your shoulders. It’s a great exercise for the core, both for strength and mobility.
Hip Lift
Next we can add a little more work for the glutes and the obliques. We also want to stretch the hip flexor. So put your foot just next to your knee, hand on the floor. Now I push up, rotate and I really push this hip forwards. If I want to extend and stretch more, put the arm just over your head. Come back down and push up and through. Try to lift the hip, square it and extend. At the same time you push the glute forwards. This is also a great exercise for the stability around the shoulder joint.
Hip Flexor and Quad Stretch
We’ve been talking about how important it is to stretch and work on your hip flexor. This really affects your lower back, because a lot of times if the hip flexor is tight, it will be difficult to stand perfectly straight up. It’s going to pull on your pelvic floor.
So we’re going to take a wide step forwards. You can choose if you want to have your foot on the floor or just your toes. Just let your hip sink down and to add some intensity on the stretch, raise your arms over your head.
Next level for stretching and mobility would be to rotate a little more backwards. Maybe this is the first position you can maintain, or maybe you can lean a little more back and raise your arm. You’re really going to feel it stretching in the hip flexor. Relax a little in between before you come back down again. Raise your arms, rotate back. If you want also a stretch on the quadriceps, try to raise this foot and pull it towards your glutes. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds. Drop your foot slowly down, and take a rest.
Siw Viktoria Johansen is an experienced Fitness and Lifestyle Coach and an Ambassador for Liv Cycling. She rides and races MTB and road bikes.
