6 Bone-Strengthening Exercises for Cyclists

Your body is continuously renovating your skeleton, absorbing old bone tissue and replacing it with calcium that helps form new bone. Physical activity that includes impact and vibration (running, strength training, walking) stresses the tissue and triggers the rebuilding process.

Cycling, however, has no such effect. Thanks to its seated, off-the-ground riding position, it actually minimizes impact on your skeletal system. And there's a chance that the more you ride, the greater your risk of losing bone mass, says Aaron Smathers, MS, lead author of the aforementioned study.

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"You can be strong and very fit," says Regina Hammond, a sports nutritionist who studied bone density in cyclists for her master's thesis at the University of Colorado. "But your heart, lungs and muscle don't reflect bone health." In fact, it was thanks to a bone scan done during Hammond's study that Matheny discovered his mountain bike probably was soaking up more impact than he thought.

6 Best Strength Training Moves for Cyclists

Complicating the issue is yet another by-product of cycling: sweat. You can lose up to 200 milligrams of bone-building calcium in an hour as you soak your jersey on a hot ride. Put in long training miles each week and ride a century now and then, and you'll deplete your body of so much calcium that it becomes harder and harder to replace, especially as you age. You can counteract this by fueling up on foods with plenty of calcium, but you may need more than just dietary adjustments.

What You Can Do

Keep your bones strong with this exclusive routine from Allison Westfahl, an exercise physiologist in Boulder, Colorado, and coauthor of Tom Danielson's Core Advantage. Plan to do an off-the-bike workout on three nonconsecutive days a week. Each day, pick one move from Group A and one from Group B (Choose a different combination of moves each day). Unless the directions say otherwise, do three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, resting 30 to 45 seconds between each set. Use the heaviest weight you can handle while still finishing all the reps.

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Full-Body Strength

Squat, Curl, Press: Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides, shoulder blades down and back. Push your hips back, then down into a squat (a). As you return to standing, bring your arms into a bicep curl (b). When your legs are straight, continue to push your arms up and overhead into a shoulder press (c). Pause, then return to start.

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Woodchop: Stand with your feet six inches wider than shoulder width. Grab a dumbbell on each end and hold it straight in front of you. Lower into a squat. At the same time, bring the dumbbell across your body to the outside of your left knee (a). Sweep the dumbbell upward and to the right across your body as you return to standing (b). Repeat in the other direction. That's one rep.

Stretches Every Cyclist Should Do

Speed Skater: Stand on your right foot with your knee slightly bent, your left foot off the floor behind you (a). Bend your right knee and spring 2 to 3 feet to the left, landing softly on your left foot (b). The goal is to balance on one foot when you land, but you can set your right foot down if necessary. Repeat to the other side. Do three sets of 30 to 45 seconds, jumping as many times as possible. Increase your speed as your balance and fitness increases.

Core Strength and Stabilization

Row the Boat: Sit on the floor in a V position with your knees bent and heels lightly touching (or just off) the ground. Hold a dumbbell in front of you with both hands and slowly lean back until you feel your abdominal muscles start to shake (a). Move the dumbbell from left to right in a rowing motion (b). One row right and left equals one rep.

Are You Fit to Ride?

Plank Jacks: Get into a plank position with your forearms on the floor. Shoulders should be directly over your elbows, neck neutral, tailbone slightly tucked (a). Without raising your hips, jump both feet out at the same time (b), then spring back to the starting position. That's one rep. Keep your hips low so your core muscles support your pelvis.

Prone Shoulder Press: Lie facedown with your elbows bent 90 degrees, palms down. Squeeze your glutes and slowly raise your feet, chest, and hands no more than 6 inches off the floor. Pull your elbows down to your sides so that your thumbs touch the tops of your shoulders (a). Then push your arms straight out over your head (b). That's one rep.

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