If you’ve got big goals in cycling for next summer, now is the time to be preparing your body for what’s coming, and building strength will go a long way.

Developing strength, concentrating on your core, glutes and hamstrings will improve your power, as well as making you more resilient to injuries whilst a stronger upper body will help keep fatigue at bay, especially on climbs.

Some cyclists feel concerned that strength training will cause them to ‘bulk up’, but it really takes some very heavy lifting, a calorie dense diet and a specific plan to take on a bodybuilder physique. Adding some strength training into your routine is likely to result in a leaner physique as muscle replaces fat.

Technique is really important with any sort of weightlifting, so start with a weight that is very manageable, so you can focus on form and always ask someone at the gym to lead you through the phases, and watch you in your first few lifts.

Here’s a look at 6 exercises that will help you to be stronger on the bike – 3 you can do at home, and 3 that you’ll need weights for.  The number of repetitions you do of each of these will depend upon your goal – low weight repeated many times is an endurance effort, whilst low reps and heavy weights build more strength. Mix up the sets by doing press-ups, tricep dips (great for upper body strength, which will help on climbs), planks and sit-ups (amazing for your core).

Adding in some focus on strength now will certainly help you as you ramp up your riding ready for the summer months. Try doing 30 minutes of these exercises a couple of times a week and we’re sure you’ll get addicted to the burn!