Engaging the core while cycling

birdy247

Does anyone consciously engage your core while cycling. When i really think about it and keep it tight, it seems to help everything track better and I *may* go a bit faster.

Also, what is the best position to keep a strong core i.e. hips rolled forward, flatter back??

What the best way to build core strength while on the bike???

Off the bike core strength I am going to follow a basic core strength of planks, bridges, side planks etc...

Headhuunter

I can feel my core engage when I am really pushing hard up a hill or accelerating to catch up with someone or whatever. I can kind of feel the weight lift from the saddle and the bars and the muscles around my back on stomach tighten to give my legs something to push against. It's a good feeling!

I do a fair amount of core strengthening exercise at the gym to get it into shape. I do the plank at the gym for 1½ minutes 3x per week and the side plank on each side for 1 minute each, 3x per week then I do either side lifts with a medicine ball (you can do these on gym equipment but doing it on a ball helps tighten all the small balance muscles around the spine). I also do a back lift on the ball, basically by pressing my groin into the ball and lifting my back up so it's nearly perpendicular to the floor and holding my arms out straight each side and then holding for 2 mins. That makes the muscles across the back ache (good ache!) the next day as they recover. Or you can just do back lifts on the gym machines.

A guy at work swears by pilates, I keep saying I'll try that but have never had the time...