A Full-Body Conditioning Workout With Hannah Myett
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Regular riding provides a whole host of health benefits, such as a healthier heart and sharper brain. But in order to maximize your speed and power on the bike, you need to incorporate strength workouts into your training routine off the bike.
To help you get started, Hannah Myett, a NASM-certified personal trainer and yoga teacher in Brooklyn, NY, created this full-body conditioning workout that increases your full range of motion. "Each movement takes your body through multiple planes, helping build your functional strength and stabilizing muscles," says Myett. "This is a great workout to take you out of your normal training routine and introduce staple bodyweight and dumbbell movements."
Strength and mobility work may be harder for some than for others, but simply putting in the effort is what matters most-not how heavy you can lift or how flexible you are.
"Know that when you see someone demo an exercise, especially in regards to range of motion, their body will not always be an exact blueprint of yours," Myett says. "Be compassionate and curious about your body's range of motion, and always reduce the number of reps if you feel your form begin to waver."
How to use this list: Review the exercises below. Each move is demonstrated by Myett in the video above so you can learn the proper form. Perform the workout as a circuit and complete 3 sets. Perform 10 reps (5 reps on each side, where applicable) of each exercise per set. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds between each set.
Always take your time with range of motion workouts during the complex movements themselves. Myett recommends doing total-body strength workouts two times a week. To make this workout more challenging, increase the weight of the dumbbells you're using if you feel that you're not fatigued by 10 reps. Or, if it's a bodyweight movement, increase the reps to 12 to 15.
Before you begin the workout, warm up with the following two exercises:
- Low Lunge With Side Bend (2 sets of 10 reps; 5 reps per side)
- Step Out With Overhead Reach (2 sets of 10 reps; 5 reps per side)
Equipment needed: Towel/resistance band, dumbbells
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Low Lunge With Side Bend
Stand with feet hip-width apart and hands on hips. Step forward with left foot while keeping right foot in place so left leg forms a 90-degree angle. Keep your left knee behind the top of right toes and tracking with the first two toes. Reach right arm up over your head, and bend torso to the left. Return torso to center, place right arm back on hip, and step out of the lunge by pushing off through left heel to return to standing. Repeat on opposite side.
Step Out With Overhead Reach
Stand with feet hip-width apart and a mini band or resistance band looped around both hands down in front of you. Take a big step forward with right foot and bring arms up overhead, bending right knee-but not going into a full lunge. Stretch the band out, then bring right foot back and arms back down to return to starting position. Repeat on opposite side.
Squat to Plank to Row
Start holding a set of dumbbells in both hands. Stand with feet between hip- and shoulder-width distance apart, with your toes slightly turned out. Your spine should be neutral, shoulders back, chest up. Squat by sending your hips back, bending your knees to lower down as far as possible with chest lifted in a controlled movement. Keep lower back neutral.
Place dumbbells on the ground in front of you between your feet. Next, jump both feet back into a high plank position with hands under shoulders (holding onto dumbbells), core, glutes, and legs engaged. Next, draw the right hand up to bring the dumbbell to the hip to perform a row. Keep the elbow close to the rib cage. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the floor. Draw left hand up to bring the dumbbell to the hip to perform a row. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the floor. Jump back into squat position, then stand back up to repeat.
Bridge With Alternating Chest Press
Lie faceup, knees bent, feet planted on the floor, and holding a dumbbell in each hand just above chest. Drive through heels, contracting the glutes to send hips up toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from shoulders to knees. Press dumbbell up toward ceiling with right arm, then lower back down. Press dumbbell up toward ceiling with left arm, then lower back down. Repeat.
Lateral Squat to Curl to Press
Stand tall with your feet wide apart, your toes pointing forward, and holding dumbbells at sides. Shift your weight onto your right foot and bend right knee as you send hips back as though you were going to sit in a chair while keeping the left leg straight. Make sure your right knee does not move forward past your right toes. Hammer curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders, then press them straight up toward the ceiling. Reverse these movements to return back to starting position. Repeat on left side.
Side Plank to Push-Up
Start in a high plank. then rotate to your right side by lifting left arm off the ground and up to the ceiling, and balancing on your right hand. You should be in a side plank position, your body forming a straight line from your head to your feet, with your feet staggered (left foot in front of right). Always remember to have your right hand directly under the shoulder. Return to high plank position by placing right arm back down on the ground. Perform one push-up by bending elbows to lower your chest to the floor. Your elbows should form a 45-degree angle with your body. Keeping your core engaged and hips in line with the rest of your body, push back up to high-plank position. Repeat on opposite side.
Squat to Cross-Body Mountain Climber
To perform a squat, stand with feet between hip- and shoulder-width distance apart, with your toes slightly turned out. Your spine should be neutral, shoulders back, chest up. Clasp hands in front of you for balance. Squat by sending your hips back, bending your knees to lower down as far as possible with chest lifted in a controlled movement. Keep lower back neutral. Next, jump both feet back into a high plank position with shoulders over wrists, core, glutes, and legs engaged. Next, quickly bring right knee in toward left elbow, then return to high plank position. Then, quickly bring left knee in toward right elbow, then return to high plank position. Perform four mountain climbers total. Then jump back into squat position, then stand back up to repeat.
Reverse Lunge With Triceps Kickback
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides. Take a big step backward with right leg. Bend right thigh until it is parallel to the ground. Left leg should be straight out behind you. Keeping back straight, bend arms 90 degrees at the elbow until triceps are aligned with your back. Hinging at the elbows, straighten your arms backward to lift the dumbbells up and back. Pause to contract the triceps, then draw weights back to starting position. Repeat on opposite leg.
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