Author Topic: Leg exercises  (Read 2191 times)

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Leg exercises
« on: March 30, 2021, 04:54:35 AM »
I've found that doing some extra exercises on top of my regular riding has really benefited me. For example, I've noticed just an overall better control on the bike and less overall fatigue from doing regular pushups and chin-ups. The added strength in the upper body feels nice when riding.


I noticed great improvements after doing core strength exercises, like planks and bicycle crunches. After a couple weeks of doing these I suddenly noticed hang nothings are so much easier to hold and control, and good core strength really just seems to help so much with just about everything.


I've never gotten into any lower body workouts though besides the regular jogging I do. I've noticed that it is usually my quadriceps area that gets fatigued first whenever I ride, so I think I would find great benefit from strengthening that area. I've seen some older posts here where somebody highly recommended single leg squats are good for flatland, but these are difficult to do so I need to work up to them first. My research suggests that squats and lunges are good for building quadriceps. You guys have any more recommendations specific to what would help best for flatland?

Offline DaddyCool

  • Deathtrucker
  • ********
  • Posts: 860
Re: Leg exercises
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2021, 12:18:16 AM »
I also do push-ups, chin-ups and some core exercises (the latter mainly to keep control over my back pain). I think it helps but I could also ride good when I was riding more and was younger  ::)
I cannot ride much more than twice a week but I can find some time for the exercises so I do it because I think it supports my riding. If I could ride 10 hours a week I might not do so much exercises because maybe the riding would be enough. But I assume all this also depends on your age and overall condition. So I would say if you have time and it feels good, go on! But I never did additional stuff for the legs. Never thought about it until now...

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Re: Leg exercises
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2021, 02:33:34 AM »
I never did anything for legs either all my life, never needed to, but ever since coming back to riding in 2018, now older and after a long period of almost no exercise, I'm noticing my leg strength in my quadricep area is just not developed much despite how much I ride. They get tired/fatigued too quickly. Hopefully the exercises help, the upper body and core exercises I've been doing have been very helpful so I imagine so will the leg ones.

I too don't do much exercises in a week  if I am already riding a lot that week. However some weeks I either can't ride much or just can't get into a goodmindset to ride as hard as I'd like to, so it's at those time I tend to focus more on the exercises.

I also try to jog for atleast 10 minutes twice a week regardless of how much I ride. This seems to help keep up my stamina, as a lot of times my riding doesn't get my heart rate elevated enough for long enough so I try to use jogging as a way to do that.

Offline razorlab

  • Forkglider
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
Re: Leg exercises
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2021, 03:53:59 PM »
I finally got myself into a regular morning rowing cadence. Been doing it every weekday for about two months now and I have noticed a huge difference, especially in my core.

I was sooooo out of shape when I started riding again last June and the difference between then and now, as far as stamina and bike control, is night and day.  I'm still not back into great shape as I'm still on a computer all day long and basically some days I never leave my house, but I keep adding time to my rowing sessions and I'm feeling way better than last year.

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Re: Leg exercises
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2021, 12:23:02 AM »
Same here, the difference between before I got into riding when I was sitting or laying around all day every day and how much better I am now is like night and day. Not only physically much healthier but psychologically as well. Nowhere near as much depression  and lethargy. I sleep better, eat better, perform better at work and in my personal relationships. I cannot believe I went so many years with such a sedentary lifestyle. If I could go back in time the only thing I'd change is to never stop exercising and riding my bike.