Cycling Exercise Plan

Cycling can burn off 800 calories per hour if you ride at a consistent rate. It is a workout that is least likely to be boring since if outdoors, you are constantly at new sites and must keep vigilante of traffic and pedestrians. Hills, level roads, time, speed and landmarks can all be used in a cycling exercise plan to increase your strength and stamina.

  1. Landmark Workouts

    • Choose a landmark or place you can reward yourself such as a frozen yogurt or juice bar. If you have set aside an hour for your workout, pick one 30 minutes away. If you make it, buy yourself a treat and set a more difficult goal next time. Pick a place farther away or make a new goal of reaching the place within 20 minutes.

    Hill Workouts

    • Find a hill you can ride as part of your weekly routine. Vary how you get to the top of the hill by using different gears, riding standing (with your rear end off the seat, feet on pedals) versus sitting. Here you will work out to get up the hill, then rest as you cruise down. Change your speed by sprinting, moderate and slow speeds to the top.

    Level Road Workouts

    • On a level road, pick a mile or so with traffic lights every block. Sprint at one block, go moderate at the next, and sprint again at the next block. Try also sprinting for a few blocks, getting off your bike and walking for a block, then getting on and sprinting again. It is important to vary how often you sprint and also what you are doing on different days. If you keep sprinting the same distance or time, your body will adapt to it and your fitness and strength will not optimally improve. Be sure not to cycle every day. Cycling works the same muscles which need at least a day of rest between workouts. Try cycling one day, then working out with weights or choosing an exercise that does not work the leg muscles. Go back to cycling the next day. You may want to include a day or two of rest so aim for a cycling workout of two to four days per week.

    Other Muscles Involved

    • Cycling is felt the most in the leg muscles, but it works many other muscle groups as well. Research online, ask professional trainers and look at fitness books for advice on exercises that work the abdominal muscles, deltoids, forearms, pectorals and back muscles. Aerobic and weight lifting workouts for these muscle groups will improve your strength and conditioning and lead to improvements in your cycling ability.

    Adoptability

    • Your body adapts quickly to routines done over and over. Try substituting a cycling day with direct workouts on our leg muscles such as squats, calve raises and leg extensions. Weights and machines are able to isolate muscle groups better than cycling can. Try using weights for two to four week then return to your cycling program.