Build pedal power for speed, stamina

How to do the Cyclists Deadlift 1 Stand with your feet slightly apart, one foot 6 inches in front of the other. With knees slightly bent, and 95 percent of your weight on the front foot, hold a dumbbell (approximately 10 percent of your body weight) in the opposite hand (e.g., left foot forward, weight in right hand).

2 Keeping your back straight, hips high and weight on the front foot, lean forward with the weighted hand as if picking up a pencil from the floor. You should feel a gentle pull through the calf, hamstring, glute and low back. From the bent position, stand tall, and draw the arm into a biceps curl position. Repeat 12 to 15 times, then switch foot position, and shift weight to the other hand. Rest and repeat for two to four sets or until you cannot maintain proper form. This exercise should be completed after warming up your legs for 10 to 15 minutes.

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By Claire Martin | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: August 15, 2010 at 11:58 AM MDT | UPDATED: May 6, 2016 at 12:38 PM MDT

Getting your player ready...

This is the latest in a series on functional- fitness exercises that target specific sports.

Today: Bicycling, demonstrated by Tom Heissenbuttel as directed by Jamie Atlas of Atlas Functional Boot Camps and Personal Training

Cyclists Deadlift

What it works: Opposite-side calf, opposite-side glute, low back, middle rhomboids, biceps

The function behind the fitness: Improving your strength through the bottom range of your pedal stroke is one of the fastest ways to take your cycling to the next level. This exercise leads to a fuller, stronger pedal stroke that improves a cyclist’s speed and endurance in riding up and over foothills and mountain passes.

Claire Martin

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