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