Strengthening and Conditioning Torture

Well today was my first "Strengthening and Conditioning set" and OMG how hard was it.....especially the planks - I admit it I am a weakling in my core muscle dept.... completed it though :-)

1. Warm-up 10 minutes cycling

2. Squat

Explosive UPWARD phase

Slow controlled DOWNWARD phase

Maximal knee angle should reflect maximal knee angle when cycling (~100 degrees)

3. Sissors

Contract your lower abdominals

Maintain your spinal alignment as you alternately lift one leg up to table top (90 degrees) and back down.

2 x 15 reps.

4. Dips

Elbows never higher than shoulders

Control the downward movement

Push up fast squeezing through your triceps

2 sets to fatigue.

5. Lunges

Explosive UPWARD phase

Slow controlled DOWNWARD phase

Maximal knee angle should reflect maximal knee angle when cycling (~100 degrees)

6. Step up

Step large enough to create desired knee angle

Place foot on step

Add dumbbells or barbell as able

As above - slow down fast up.

7. Front and side plank

Engage your core muscles and hold each position for 30 seconds x 3

8. Press-ups

2 x to fatigue.

Set 1 Narrow

Set 2 Wide

9. Cycling

10mins cycling 75% HRmax at 100-110 RPM


Squats - easy with no weight - will add a barbell next time
Scissors - OW! really hard at top of the quads but completed
Dips - set 1 30 dips and set 2 20 dips
Lunges - hard but good (assuming I did them right)
Step up - used 2x 17.5kg dumbbells found it hard in last 5 (I counted one step as a step up with right then left leg leading)
Planks - the single most difficult thing....I was shaking by 30 sec but I completed them (I put 30sec rest between efforts)
Press Ups - narrow 20 completed/wide 16 completed
Cycling - I ran out of time so had to reduce it to 10mins (from 15mins)