How to train your core for roadbiking

One V-sit hold for 20 seconds

Lying flat on your back, lift your upper body and lower body off the ground to create a V. Keep legs straight, head back and upper body in a line.

20 leg raises

Lying flat on your back, lift your legs together as high as you can without lifting the small of your back off the floor, hold for two, lower, repeat.

Five side bridges on each side

On your side, lift your body into a straight line supported by one elbow and forearm and your feet, dip your hip toward the floor and pull it back up, focus on using your lateral ab muscles to make the motion.

The core is core

Legs are a bike’s engine, but they don’t function alone. Spending hours hunched over and then cranking out of the saddle to accelerate on a climb or sprint requires a strong core. “When I started doing core [exercises] regularly I found a significant difference in my strength for climbing and sprinting,” says Alex Wrubleski. “I felt more powerful and more balanced on the bike. It’s probably the most beneficial exercise that I do and the one most often overlooked by cyclists.” Wrubleski does two to four core workouts a week and, because she’s usually travelling, she keeps it simple and doesn’t use any props.