Pilates For Cyclist Exercise Booklet

Pilates for Cyclists
Exercises
By Anna Meggitt
(Physiotherapist & Certified APPI Matwork Instructor)
Contents Page
Page 3: Standing / Warm Up Exercises
Page 5: Mat Exercises
Page 10: Mobility & Stretching Exercises
Standing / Warm Up Exercises
Neutral spine
(feet shoulder width apart, length through back of neck, shoulders back and down, ribs flat to
tummy, 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
Cyclist walking
Cyclist lunge
Cyclist scooter
Mermaid
Roll down
Aim to spend 10-15 minutes working through these before moving

onto the mat exercises
Mat Exercises
Aim 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! Aim
for 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 have
tired 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 down
towards your feet, and lift them a couple of inches from the floor. Pulse them up and
down. 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.
Criss cross
Lie on your back and bring your legs into double table top, and lift your head and
shoulders to abdominal preparation. Have your hands behind your head to support
your 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 away
from you. Return to the flexed starting position.
Cyclists 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)
(Cyclists)
Lift your top leg to hip height. Keeping your trunk still, bring your knee forwards (to
90 hip flexion), then return back to neutral. For the Cyclists 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 and
the floor. Lift then lower your top leg to just above hip height. Complete pulses to
make the exercise harder.
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 up
onto your feet and hands lengthen the lever!
Cyclists breastroke prep
Lying on your front, hands up by your head, neutral spine engaged. Lift your head
and chest from the floor, then slowly lower.
Cyclists swan dive
Come up into a plank position. Slowly raise your head trying you aim for a
segmental movement. Then slowly lower it back down to neutral.
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 over
your 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 you
have 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 plate
balanced on your foot). Then slowly lower the knee back to the floor.
Repeat on the other leg.
Mobility & Stretching Exercises

Aim 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 exercises
should 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)
10
Stretches
Shell stretch
Adductor stretch
Hurdle stretch
Kneeling front crawl reach
Cobra
Hip flexors in prone
Knee hugs
Glutes / piriformis
11

Pilates For Cyclist Exercise Booklet

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pilates For Cyclist Exercise Booklet

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pilates For Cyclist Exercise Booklet

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pilates for Cyclists

Standing / Warm Up Exercises

Cyclist foot series

Aim to spend 10-15 minutes working through these before moving

Mobility & Stretching Exercises

Upper body openings

Hip twist (arms over head)

Kneeling front crawl reach

Hip flexors in prone

You might also like