Ride Strong
Page 11
The squat is also essential because it targets some of the areas that tend to weaken because of the repetitive low-load nature of cycling and the limited range of the seated action. The medial or ‘inner’ portion of the quads, the upper hamstrings and glutes and the lower back are all areas that the squat develops in one movement. When performed with good form, the squat can begin to balance the load across these muscle groups to both improve performance and reduce the risk of knee injury in particular.
Because of the emphasis of the downstroke at low to moderate intensities, cyclists often become ‘quad dominant’, and the lateral or ‘outer’ part of the muscles in particular become overdeveloped, to the detriment of progressively weakening buttock muscles at the hips. With the medial (or ‘inner’) part of the quads being most active in the last 15 degrees of extension (leg straightening), the bent-knee seated cycling action can result in a relative weakness of one of the quad muscles called the vastus medialis (or VMO). This relative weakness is often implicated in knee pain and problems experienced by cyclists. Performing a full range squat while paying close attention to knee alignment can help correct this, particularly when coupled with pre-stretching the ITB with the foam roller exercise in Chapter 2.
If you have experienced knee problems associated with your cycling, I highly recommend you look to include some form of squat in your conditioning programme. Combining some squats with pre-stretches for the ITB in Chapter 2 and core strengthening exercises for the glutes in Chapter 4 may give you the best results.
The squats outlined in this section are described in progressive levels such that the more advanced version of the exercise comes at the end. If you have never used the squat as a strengthening exercise, progressing through each of the exercises in order will help you to learn correct form as you progressively add load.
Swiss ball supported squat
This version of the squat is an introductory exercise for those who have no experience of squatting, or want to learn the basics correctly before moving on. The support of the ball at the lower back makes it suitable if you know you have a weak back, or struggle with poor form and posture without any guidance. Using the ball helps to teach you how to maintain a neutral spine as you roll around it and down the wall, shifting your weight backwards at the same time as bending your knees. The curve of the ball supporting your lower back gives you direct feedback as you go through the movement because you can feel it if your back comes away from the ball.
Having the support of the ball can also help you focus on lifting your chest and engaging your abdominals by drawing your navel in, two important habits to establish to translate into safe loaded squatting.
Preparation
Place the ball between you and the wall so that the curve of the ball supports the curve of your lower back. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, with your feet turned out a little and slightly in front of your hips.
Movement
Roll down the ball into the squat or ‘sit’ position, ensuring you push back into the ball and roll around it so that no gap appears between you and the ball. As you do so, draw your navel in and lift your chest. Ensure that your knees track in line with your toes (and do not roll inwards or outwards). When learning the exercise, a brief pause at the bottom allows you to check this position. Then, push through your legs and buttocks to come up to the standing position.
How many reps and sets?
Perform 8–12 repetitions for 2–4 sets, with about 30 seconds between sets. At this stage the focus is on learning the movement and maintaining position and technique. If you want to add weight to this squat you can carry two dumbbells at your sides, in which case I recommend you increase the rest between sets to a minute. Once you feel you have exhausted the benefits from this variation, move on to one of the unsupported squats that follow.
The prisoner squat
A good body weight squat should be the foundation for any loading, and the ‘prisoner squat’ and ‘stick’ squats below form solid staples as general conditioning exercises, or as a warm-up before adding weight.
Both exercises teach correct alignment and balance while maintaining a neutral spine. The arm position in the prisoner squat and use of the stick in the stick squat help you engage the muscles of the upper back and shoulders. Some body weight squats can be performed without this emphasis (such as the ‘arse-to-the-grass’ primal squat mentioned in Chapter 1) but for the purposes of preparing to add weight to the bar or to carry it on the front of the body, these technique points are important.
Preparation
Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes slightly turned out and your hands behind your head. Pull your elbows backwards, lift your chest and pull your shoulders down away from your ears.
Movement
Sit into the squat, as if you’re sitting into a chair. Bend your knees and push your bum backwards. At the same time, open your elbows to the sides and lift your chest, pulling your shoulder blades together and down at the back. Keep your knees in line with your toes throughout. Go as low as you are able to maintain a neutral spine in your lower back and pause briefly at the bottom position before pushing up through the legs to stand up again. Try to keep your torso as upright as possible through the movement.
How many reps and sets?
Perform 8–12 repetitions for 2–4 sets, with 1 minute’s rest between sets. At this stage the focus is on learning the movement and maintaining position and technique, particularly the extension through the upper back.
Stick squat
The most common way of loading a squat in the gym is with a barbell resting across the upper back. Practising with a stick can be useful in learning grip, stance and upper back engagement and position. Then when you start to use a squat rack you will know what to do once you have picked the weight up out of the rack. If you progress to using a rack, set the bar a little lower than shoulder height so that you ‘sit’ under the bar to pick it up.
Preparation
The stick should rest on the fleshy part of your upper back, not your neck. Grip the bar firmly just wider than shoulder width, squeeze your shoulder blades together and tuck your elbows under to engage your upper back to lift your chest.
Movement
As you sit into the squat, keep tucking your elbows under, arch your lower back and lift your chest. Keep your knees in line with your toes. The weight should stay within your base of support. For example, a plumb line dropped from the end of the bar should fall through your foot.
How many reps and sets?
Perform 8–12 repetitions for 2–4 sets, with 1 minute’s rest between sets. At this stage the focus is on learning the movement and maintaining position and technique, particularly the extension through the upper back and ‘elbows under stick’ position.
Overhead stick squat
The overhead squat is an excellent option with a stick or light bar if you want to progress but don’t have access to heavier weights. This exercise is very demanding on your back, shoulders and core, but if you know you have a very stiff upper back it’s probably not a good option for you as you will struggle to maintain good form. However, if you have good upper back mobility and no shoulder problems this exercise is a great variation.
Preparation
Using a similar grip width to the back squat, straighten your arms overhead, stretching your upper back as you do so, working hard so that the stick or light bar is directly overhead and not forwards of your body. It might help you to engage your upper back if you imagine pulling the two ends of the stick away from each other.
Movement
As you sit into the squat, keep extending your back and pulling backwards on your arms. Your goal is to keep the stick within your base of support (in line with your feet from the side as shown here). This type of squat works your trunk much harder than the other variations included here, so you will notice your back and abdominals really working hard, even without any weight.
How many reps and sets?
Perform 8–12 repetitions for 2–4 sets, with 1 minute’s rest between sets. At this stage the focus is on learning the movement and maintaining position and technique, particularly the extension through the upper back.
Dumbbell front-loaded squat
The dumbbell front squat is the safest and easiest way to start to work with weight if you don’t have access to a squat rack and bar. Holding the weight in front of your chest makes it easy and safe to load and lift a dumbbell into position without any special equipment like a squat rack.
Preparation
Hold the dumbbell in front of your chest as shown. Adopt a squat stance with your feet just outside your shoulders and turned out slightly.
Movement
As you sit into the movement, bring your elbows forwards so that they stay under the dumbbell, not behind it. Lift your chest to work against the load so that it does not pull you forwards. Try to keep the weight of the dumbbell within your base of support (in line with your feet).
How many reps and sets?
Perform 8–12 repetitions for 2–4 sets, with 1 minute’s rest in between sets. In practice, this means that you should be able to do between 8 and 12 repetitions of the exercise and you should be working hard to maintain your position and technique for the last two or three repetitions. Essentially, you should start to fail between 8 and 12 and should not be able to do more than 12, so if you find that you can you need to increase the weight of the dumbbell. If you are unable to do eight repetitions with good form with even a light weight, you can choose an easier version of the squat.
The dead lift (bend)
The dead lift is the most important conditioning exercise for cyclists to strengthen their back and hips. Learning correct movement technique in lifting and bending movements, and strengthening the muscles involved is vital if you want to prevent back problems getting in the way of your cycling. Strengthening your back and glutes by dead lifting will also provide more power to each pedal stroke when you ask for it, particularly when climbing, accelerating, or pushing hard while seated in the saddle.
The dead lift is the main back strengthening exercise you can include in your conditioning programme. Strengthening your back through this bending movement will help you to develop the robustness you need for long climbs, seated accelerations, or seated hard efforts along the flat. Dead lift work can be dovetailed with specific seated climbing intervals or accelerations to translate gains in strength to seated power on the bike.
The lower back is the most common problem area for cyclists and this is largely due to the poor posture associated with cycling, together with deconditioning in lifting and bending movements. The short and tight hamstrings and weakened core common among cyclists can change the postural curves of the spine, ‘flattening’ the lower back in particular by pulling down on the back of the pelvis.
This typical ‘flat back’ posture together with poor technique or awareness when bending forwards can lead to strains to the hamstrings and lower back muscles, as well as more serious injuries to the lumbar discs. For these reasons many cyclists avoid the dead lift movement for fear of injuring their back, but I would urge you to at the very least work towards including some dead lifting as part of your essential conditioning programme.
If you know you have a vulnerable back I would approach these dead lift exercises with care, but I would also urge you to make a point of making a start where you can. I have selected dead lift variations here that start with the very basics of body weight technique as an entry level exercise for everyone, even if you have back problems.
I have also described the movement from the ‘top down’ so that you can choose to work with a limited range if you are too tight in your hamstrings to lift a load off the floor with a neutral spine. Many cyclists will not be able to lift from the floor correctly to start with, but don’t let this deter you from working with whatever range you have.
If you have a back problem associated with riding, combining these dead lifts with hamstring stretches from the essential stretches in Chapter 2 and the hip and back extensions from the core section in Chapter 4 will give you the best chance of progressing. Conditioning your body with a dead lift (and squat too) while learning to maintain a neutral spine can also help you adopt this posture naturally and easily when confronted by day-to-day lifting and carrying tasks. This can prevent you incurring injuries off the bike that affect you on it.
Short-stop position (dead lift preparation)
This short-stop position exercise is an entry level exercise to help you learn to move into the dead lift position correctly, and engage your core muscles in the way that you should to support your back. It is a body weight exercise, and unlike the other dead lift exercises it is more about developing the correct posture in the movement first, before looking to lift any weight. You will see this same exercise as preparation for the bent-over row too.
Preparation
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, with your feet turned out a little. Lift your chest and lengthen your spine so that you are as tall as possible.
Movement
Resting your hands on your thighs, tip forwards from your hips so that you maintain a neutral spine, and at the same time bend your knees slightly. Keep tipping forwards in this way until your hands are just above your knees and your body is at a diagonal line as shown in the picture. Your thumb should be resting inside your knee and the rest of your fingers outside. Using a mirror to one side can be particularly helpful in checking that your body looks the way it should if you’re not used to this kind of movement.
Once in this position, straighten your arms, pushing them into your legs so that you are actively using your upper body to brace yourself in the position. Draw your belly button back towards your spine so that you are engaging your deep abdominal muscle and hold the position. To come out of position, maintain the neutral spine in your back and the sensation of drawing in, and push through your feet and stand upright again, sliding your hands up your thighs as you go.
How many reps and sets?
This exercise is unlike all the other dead lift variations because you are looking to develop postural endurance in the position, rather than strength in the movement. It works well with progressively longer holds within each set. In the set descriptions below, ‘on’ means that you are in the position and ‘off’ means that you come out of the position.
3 × 20 seconds on 10 seconds off × 2–3 sets
3 × 30 seconds on 15 seconds off × 2 sets
3 × 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off × 2 sets
3 × 1 minute held with 30 seconds’ rest × 1 set
Once you can effectively complete the final progression maintaining good form, you can be confident that you can progress to one of the lifting and moving dead lift variations that follow here.
Dumbbell dead lift
Preparation
Place the dumbbell between your feet and adopt a shoulder-width stance either side of the weight. If you have a dumbbell with a flat end it might be easiest to rest it on that end, but if you are working with a spinlock dumbbell you will have to lay it on its side.
Tip forwards towards the weight using the ‘short stop’ technique from the previous exercise as shown below. Keeping the dumbbell close to your body is good practice, and if you are presented with an object that you need to lift, keeping it as close as possible will help you lift and move it more effectively.
Movement
In order to reach the dumbbell and lift it off the floor, first arch your lower back as much as you can, as you tip forwards from the hips. Then bend your knees in a squatting action to reach the weight. As you bend towards the floor, keep your knees in line with your feet, and look down at the dumbbell.
Using your legs and back together, and engaging your abdominals by drawing your navel in, push with your feet and stand up tall with the dumbbell, keeping your back neutral. If you struggle to keep y
our back neutral to pick up the dumbbell from the floor, throughout the set work only within the range through which you can maintain an natural curve in the lower back, and then use your legs in a squatting action to place the dumbbell back on the floor at the end. With practice, and together with some stretching, you will find that you are able to increase your range of movement with good form.
Repeat this movement, tipping forwards from the hips towards the floor as far as you can maintain a neutral spine, and then pushing through your legs to stand up tall and straight. Your knees should always bend slightly to support your back throughout the movement, but not so much that the exercise becomes more of a squat than a bend.
Remember to distinguish between the squat and bend. In a squat the load is above your centre of gravity, while in a bend it is below. In the squat a knee bend initiates the movement and the torso stays relatively upright while in the bend a ‘tipping’ at the hips and back initiates the movement and the knees bend as a secondary motion.
How many reps and sets?
Perform 8–12 repetitions for two to four sets, with 1 minute’s rest in between sets. In practice, this means that you should be able to do between 8 and 12 repetitions with good form and you should be working hard to maintain your position and technique for the last two or three repetitions. Essentially, you should start to fail between 8 and 12 and should not be able to do more than 12. If you find that you can, you need to increase the weight of the dumbbell. If you are unable to do 8 repetitions with good form with even a light weight, keep working on the short-stop exercise and come back to the dead lift later.
The split squat (lunge)
The split squat is an important exercise for cyclists for strengthening the legs and developing stability in the hips and muscles surrounding the pelvis. The narrow stance of the split squat can highlight any asymmetries in leg strength and pelvic stability and allow you to work towards better balance so that you are equally strong and stable on both sides, and avoid any problems that can result from a favoured or dominant side.