Pilates for Cyclist’sExercises

By Anna Meggitt(Physiotherapist & Certified APPI Matwork Instructor)

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Content’s Page

Page 3: Standing / Warm Up Exercises

Page 5: Mat Exercises

Page 10: Mobility & Stretching Exercises

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Standing / Warm Up Exercises

Neutral spine(feet shoulder width apart, length through back of neck, shoulders back and down, ribs flat totummy, pelvic tilts to find you ‘centre’, and activate those deep tummy muscles – belly button

drawn in towards your spine)

Chest stretch Dumb waiters

Cyclist foot series

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Cyclist walking Cyclist lunge

Cyclist scooter Mermaid

Roll down

Aim to spend 10-15 minutes working through these before moving onto the mat exercises

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Mat ExercisesAim to spend about half an hour working through a selection of these – vary the

exercises – the ones you find hardest are probably the most beneficial to you! Aimfor 30 repetitions of each exercise to achieve good muscular endurance, but you will

need to work up to this – make sure you move on to the next exercise if you havetired and your technique has gone!

Hundreds

(Level 3) (Level 5)

Lie on your back, bring your legs up to double table top. Stretch your arms downtowards your feet, and lift them a couple of inches from the floor. Pulse them up anddown. To progress to level 5, straighten your knees and lift your head and shoulders

up into abdominal preparation – complete the pulses with your arms whilst in this position

One leg stretch

(Level 3)Lie on your back, and bring your legs into double table top. Straighten one leg

away, then back to table top, then repeat with the other leg. Make sure you maintain‘neutral spine’ and your back does not arch as you stretch your leg away.

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Criss cross

Lie on your back and bring your legs into double table top, and lift your head andshoulders to abdominal preparation. Have your hands behind your head to supportyour neck (but do not pull on your neck – the work needs to come from your abs!) –stretch one leg away, and as you do so lift the shoulder on the same side and aim it

towards the bent knee. Come back to the middle position, then repeat on the other side

Resistance band supine cycle

Lying on your back, one leg up to table top, & the band round your foot. Flex the

hip, extend the knee, then bend the knee, making a cycling motion. Return to table top position

Resistance band frog

In double table top, place the band round your feet. Bring the heels together and

flex the hips. Then, (keeping your heels together) extend your hips and knees awayfrom you. Return to the flexed starting position.

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Cyclist’s bridge

(Level 2) (Level 3)Up on your heels, lift and lower your hips. To progress to level 3, lift one leg, lift and

lower your hips pushing through one leg only

Side kick

(Level 1) (Cyclist’s)Lift your top leg to hip height. Keeping your trunk still, bring your knee forwards (to90° hip flexion), then return back to neutral. For the Cyclist’s progression, extend

the knee when you get to 90° hip flexion to complete a pedalling motion

Lift & Lower

Lie on your side and find your neutral spine – keep a gap between your waste andthe floor. Lift then lower your top leg to just above hip height. Complete pulses to

make the exercise harder.

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Side bend

(Level 1) (Level 2)Lie on your side, propped up on your elbow with your knees bent. Lift your hips and

reach your hand over your head. Slowly lower. To progress to level 3, come uponto your feet and hands – lengthen the lever!

Cyclist’s breastroke prep

Lying on your front, hands up by your head, neutral spine engaged. Lift your headand chest from the floor, then slowly lower.

Cyclist’s swan dive

Come up into a plank position. Slowly raise your head – trying you aim for asegmental movement. Then slowly lower it back down to neutral.

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Cyclist press up

On your hands and knees – hands placed further forwards than your shoulders.

Hover your knees about 2 inches off the floor, then bring your weight forwards overyour arms. Complete a press up (or 2, or 3...), then bring your knees back to hover

2 inches above the floor before slowly lowering them.

Donkey kick

On your hands and knees, bend one knee to lift your foot off the floor (imagine youhave a plate on your foot). Then, squeeze your glutes to lift your knee off the floor

and extend through your hip. Maintain the bend on your knee (keep that platebalanced on your foot). Then slowly lower the knee back to the floor.

Repeat on the other leg.

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Mobility & Stretching ExercisesAim to spend 10-15 minutes working through these to cool down after a ride, or

spend 5-10 minutes on them to finish off your Pilates session. Mobility exercisesshould be slow and controlled with 8-10 repetitions,

and stretches should be held for 30-45 seconds.

Mobility

Hamstrings Arm Openings

Upper body openings Hip twist (arms over head)

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Stretches

Shell stretch Adductor stretch

Hurdle stretch Kneeling front crawl reach

Cobra Hip flexors in prone

Knee hugs Glutes / piriformis

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