V-Ups Hit Every Muscle in Your Core, Making It the Ultimate Workout
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V-ups are a great exercise to practice if you want to strengthen nearly every muscle in your core, especially your abs and hip flexors. With that said, you can build better core strength, which is ideal for any cyclist, by mixing in a few variations of this move into your workout routine or ab circuit.
Why Should You Practice V-Ups to Build Core Strength?
"Your core—meaning your abdomen, your back, your upper core muscles, and the shoulder area— basically links your handlebars to your legs, essentially, because you're holding the handlebars with your hands and your legs are pedaling," Micheal Schultz, certified personal trainer, C.S.C.S., cycling coach and founder of Highland Training tells Bicycling. This is why he says, core strength is key for any cyclists to sustain their rides. "Once your core fatigues on a ride, then you can slow down by losing momentum, declining handling skills, etc.," he says.
To avoid this, you can build optimal core strength by practicing different variations of the v-up like the ones on this list. In turn, you can not only build much needed strength, but you can also boost your stability and climbing skills on the bike.
What's more, Schultz adds, practicing the v-up is ideal for cyclists because this exercise mimics the same position and movement patterns cyclist perform on a bike while strengthening your hip flexor muscle. Cycling happens one leg at a time, he says, but essentially you are using the hip flexors to help raise your knee to power you forward. So the stronger they are then the more aid that is to cycling over time.
To help you build stronger abs and hip flexors, we tapped Lindsey Clayton, senior instructor at Barry’s in New York City and cofounder of the Brave Body Project, to put together a six-move circuit full of v-up variations you probably didn’t even know existed.
Add this circuit to the end of your ride, or simply work it into any cross-training strength workout at the gym or at home.
How to do it: Perform each move for 30 seconds with a 10 second rest in between each. The circuit can be done one to two times. While practicing these moves, Schultz says, avoid jerking too much and if your legs become fatigued, then you should end workout to avoid developing tight hip flexors or an overuse injury.
For max comfort—and to save your back—performing this circuit on an exercise or yoga mat, like Clayton does in the video above is recommended.
Hollow Hold to V-Sit
Begin in a hollow-body position, then immediately bring chest and knees together into a tuck position for an elevated tuck crunch. Roll back into a hollow-body position and repeat.
Rocking V-Sit With Twist
Begin in a seated position with knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet just off the ground (like you’re about to do a Russian twist). Roll backward so that your back is on the ground and feet are straight up in the air. Using your momentum, bring body forward to return to the starting position again. Perform two Russian twists. Repeat.
Rocking V-Sit With Straight Legs
Begin in a seated position with knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet just off the ground. Roll backward so that your back is on the ground and your feet are straight up in the air. Using your momentum, bring body forward to return to the starting position again. Straighten legs upwards so that you are in a regular v-up position. Repeat.
In-and-Out V-Sit
Begin in a hollow-body position with hands on the ground at sides. Perform one v-up while keeping hands on the ground, then perform one tuck crunch while keeping hands on the ground. Repeat.
Alternating Lever Crunch
Begin by lying faceup with knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet firmly on the ground. Crunch up, and at the same time, straighten right leg and lift it off the ground. Reach diagonally for right foot with left arm. Return to starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
Angled Hollow Hold to V-Sit
Begin in a hollow-body position, then immediately bring chest and knees together into a tuck position for an elevated tuck crunch. Return to hollow-body position, then roll to right side, then roll to left. Repeat.
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