This Hip Strength and Mobility Workout Will Put More Power in the Pedals
Sure, your quads work hard on every ride, but your legs would be useless without the aid of your hip flexors.
The hip flexors run along the front of your hips, and they allow you to draw your knee up and bend your torso forward at the hip—two very important motions when it comes to cycling. One of your hip flexor muscles, the rectus femoris, is also one of the four quadriceps muscles—meaning that your hip flexor strength is very much connected to your quad strength. In fact, your hip flexors account for about 4 percent of your pedaling power.
To strengthen your hip flexors, Amber Rees, Barry’s Bootcamp instructor and Brave Body Project cofounder, put together a killer circuit workout that you can do in the comfort of your living room, basement, backyard, or anywhere else you can safely work out.
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How to do it: Complete the following 5 exercises in the order listed below for 1 minute each on the right leg/side. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat the entire circuit on the left leg/side. That’s 1 round. Complete 2 to 3 rounds.
Sumo Squat With Lunge Rotation
Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out about 45 degrees, and hands clasped in front of chest. Send hips back to drop down to a squat position. Straighten legs to return to standing, keeping chest lifted and without rounding your back. As you come up, rotate your body to the left and perform one lunge. Return to starting position. That’s 1 rep. Repeat.
Lateral Lunge to Lateral Leg Lift
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Take a big step to the right, send hips back, and bend right knee to drop into a lateral lunge. Press back to the starting position. Perform two lateral leg lifts. Try to keep hips level and stable. That’s 1 rep. Repeat.
Single-Leg Deadlift to March
Stand with feet slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart and shift weight onto right leg. Come to a single-leg stance by elevating the left knee to form a 90-degree angle. Hold this position until you achieve balance, then kick right leg back as if pressing the heel into the wall behind you. Squeeze your glutes. Allow your upper body to fall forward, parallel to the ground, so that body forms a “T.” Engage your glutes to pull the extended leg through into a high-knee march position. That’s 1 rep. Repeat.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Lie faceup, knees bent, feet planted, arms down by sides on the floor. Lift left leg up toward the ceiling, so that both knees are aligned. Engage glutes as you lift hips up, driving through right heel. Lower back to the floor. That’s 1 rep. Repeat.
Lying Lateral Leg Lift With Pulse
Lie on your right side with your right leg bent underneath you and your left leg extended straight out. Place left hand on hip and right forearm on ground to stabilize yourself. Lift left leg up off ground, pulse three times, then lower. That’s 1 rep. Repeat.
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