Lena Wenke's exertion is clearly visible as she performs another goblet squat. The psychology graduate and keen amateur cyclist knows the pitfalls of the winter months only too well. Despite her passion for sport, laziness and a lack of motivation can quickly take over, especially when the weather is not conducive to leaving the cosy warmth of the living room. The 27-year-old knows this from her professional background in health psychology at the Private University of Applied Sciences in Göttingen. However, she doesn't want to use the cold as an excuse: Her motto for the end of winter is not to get rusty and to start the coming spring actively.
Fitness exercises after the winter break
Some time ago, she discovered her love of gravel biking, which is often the more suitable bike for training rides through fields and forests in winter. She also regularly does mobilisation and strength training in the gym. "When it's cold outside, I get really rusty," she says. "I have the feeling that my flexibility suffers considerably in winter, and I notice this in my joints in everyday situations too."
The Göttingen native therefore trains for one to one and a half hours three times a week. "You don't have to invest that much time," says her athletics trainer Sebastian Junge. "If you haven't been active at all for weeks, you should start slowly and in doses to avoid overloading and injuries. Four to five exercises focussing on mobility and stability and lasting a total of 20 to 30 minutes are enough to get you going again," explains the sports scientist.
This is because the momentum and dynamism from the warm and sunny months are automatically slowed down in winter. Due to the earlier onset of darkness, the level of the sleep hormone melatonin increases during the day. A certain lack of motivation is the logical consequence. Four to five exercises that are quick and easy to do can help to kick-start a new exercise routine.
Strength and mobilisation for cyclists
Strengthening: Squat with additional weight
Core exercise for cyclists: trains all the required muscle chains, thighs, buttocks and core support work.
- Stand stably on a firm surface, feet about hip-width apart, knees not fully extended. Hold additional weight in front of your chest and elbows close to your body, tense your stomach.
- As you exhale, bend your knees to a maximum of 90 degrees and maintain the position of the additional weight and elbow. Do not push your knees over the tops of your feet. Look forwards, keeping your feet firmly on the ground.
- As you inhale, return to the starting position and do not fully straighten your knees.
- Number of repetitions: 3 x 8 - 10 repetitions with one minute rest each time (put the weight down)
Squat tips
- Align the speed of movement with your breathing
- Check leg axis
- Knees and toes form a line
- Additional weight: 1.5 to 3 kilos - a filled water bottle can also be a good additional weight
Mobilisation: Hip rotation
Mobilises the hips, opens up the hip flexors, which are heavily used when cycling, and activates the gluteal muscles. Do the exercise before cycling.
- Place your legs on a soft surface so that both knee joints are at a 90 degree angle. The lower legs are in full contact with the floor. The hip angle is also 90 degrees; align the upper body with the front leg. Support yourself slightly with your hands, tense your torso and look forwards.
- As you exhale, lift the foot of the back leg so that the basic position remains stable and the torso does not tilt.
- Return to the starting position as you inhale.
- Number of repetitions: 2 x 5 - 6 repetitions per side with 30 seconds rest each time. Rest for one minute between each side change.
Tips
- Check the starting position from time to time and make sure that the spine is upright and neutral.
- Shake out your legs and torso during the pause in the side change.
Fitness exercises: Lunges with trunk rotation
Stretches the hip flexors and thigh muscles. Opens up the thoracic spine, which is very rigid in the cycling position. Perform the exercise after cycling.
- On a soft surface, take a wide lunge, place your front knee next to your head in a 90-degree position and rest your arm on your elbow next to your foot with your forearm in contact with the floor. Support yourself on the floor with the other arm. Almost straighten your back leg and place it on the tip of your foot. Tense your torso and look to the side of the outstretched leg.
- As you exhale, rotate your upper body towards your front leg and stretch your arm as far as possible towards the ceiling. Your gaze follows the hand of the outstretched arm.
- Return to the starting position while inhaling and check the starting position before the next active rotation movement
- Number of repetitions: 2 x 8 - 10 repetitions per side with 30 seconds rest each time. Rest for one minute between each side change.
Tips
- Ensure a stable stance; only the upper body rotates, the hips remain stable.
- The palm of the outstretched arm points in the direction of gaze.
Mobilisation: Shoulder and neck stretching
Stretches the shoulder and neck muscles, which are often tense in cyclists. Perform the exercise during and after cycling.
- Stable stance on firm ground, feet about hip-width apart, knees not fully extended. Tense your stomach, do not arch your back, look forwards.
- Carefully tilt your head towards your shoulder and actively press the palm of the opposite arm towards the floor until you feel tension in the muscles at the side of your shoulder and neck. Keep your shoulders stable.
- Remain in this position for 30 seconds or 7-8 calm breaths; then gently release.
- Number of repetitions: Hold 2 - 3 times per side for 30 seconds or for 7 - 8 breaths.
Tips
- Very good exercise to get off the bike briefly during training and release tension in the shoulders and neck.
- Closing your eyes increases the relaxation factor.
- Perform in a measured and gentle manner, the cervical spine is a sensitive area.
- Alternatively, tilt your head slightly forwards.
Strengthening: Diagonal sports frog
Trains the leg and abdominal muscles, which do most of the holding work when cycling. Perform the exercise after cycling.
- Lie on your back with a neutral spine on a soft surface, stretch your arms towards the ceiling, palms facing each other. Legs in hip and knee joint in a 90-degree position.
- Stretch one arm and the opposite leg towards the floor at the same time and switch sides in a flowing movement. Actively pull your belly button into the floor and do not make a hollow back
- Number of repetitions: 3 x 8 - 12 repetitions per side with one minute rest each time. During the breaks, stretch your legs and pat your stomach with your hands
Tips
- Advanced users can also raise their head slightly and push their chin towards their chest.
- To avoid a hollow back, a small towel roll can be placed under the lower back to stabilise it.
Strengthening: Three-point rowing
Trains the arm muscles for long uphill rides in the cradle. Do the exercise after cycling.
- Stand stably on a firm surface, feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Tilt your upper body forwards (depending on the height of the chair) and hold on to the chair with one hand. Keep a neutral, straight spine and tense your stomach slightly.
- As you exhale, pull/lift the weight up to the ribcage with the other arm, ensuring that your shoulders are in a stable position. Keep your elbows close to your body during the pulling movement.
- As you inhale, let the weight slide back to the starting position, keeping the elbow slightly bent.
- Number of repetitions: 3 x 8 - 10 repetitions per side with one minute rest each time. During the breaks, put the weight down and shake out your arms.
Tips
- Do not jerk; keep head in extension of the spine
- Any everyday object can be used as a "dumbbell". But: choose a weight so that the last series can still be performed with correct movement.
Fitness exercises: Rowing while lying down
Straightens and strengthens the thoracic spine, trains the shoulder muscles, the hood muscle and the arms. Exercise can be performed before and after cycling.
- Lie on your stomach on a soft surface, lift your head and shoulders slightly off the floor, raise your arms and stretch them diagonally upwards (Y position). Keep your cervical spine neutral and look down at the floor. The feet are stretched out and touch the floor with the tips of the feet.
- Extend your arms from the Y-position to the side of your body (T-position), then bring your elbows towards your body (W-position) and finally pull your elbows and shoulder blades together behind your body (L-position). Raise your upper body slightly further. Then return to the Y position.
- Number of repetitions: complete the entire movement sequence with 3 x 6 - 8 repetitions and one minute rest each time. During the breaks, remain in a relaxed prone position.
Tips
- As the exercise is complex, you can also start with fewer series and repetitions.
- Do not hold your breath; link the speed of movement to the breathing rhythm, exhale from the Y to the L position.
Mobilisation: twist-stretch position
Core exercise for overall mobilisation and relaxation for cyclists. Mobilises the hips and the entire spine, stretches the chest muscles. Exercise can be performed before and should be done after cycling.
- Lie on your back on a soft surface and stretch your arms out to the sides in a T-shape. Place your legs at your sides and make sure your hips and knees are in a 90-degree position. If your mobility allows, your knees and feet should be in contact. Look in the opposite direction
- Remain in this position for 30 seconds or seven to eight calm breaths and then gently release it again
- Number of repetitions: Hold 2 - 3 x 30 seconds or seven to eight breaths per side. 2 x 6 - 8 repetitions per side as a dynamic variation with a one-minute break between the series
Tips
- Keep your shoulders on the ground.
- For better stability, press the palm of the loaded side into the ground with the opposite hand facing upwards.
- Alternative: dynamic execution by carefully rocking the legs from left to right in a breathing rhythm from the same starting position.
Mobilisation: Cat-cow
Mobilise the entire spine from the neck to the buttocks. Perform the exercise after cycling.
- Stand on four feet on a soft surface, possibly with a towel under your knees. The knees are hip-width apart, the knee joints are under the hip joints. Hands shoulder-width apart, wrists under the shoulder joints, ankles extended.
- Using your breathing as the speed of movement, slide out of this position into a conscious hollow back and then move smoothly into a cat's hump. In the hollow back, the cervical spine is slightly overstretched; in the cat hump, it forms a line with the upper thoracic spine.
- Number of repetitions: 2 - 3 x 10 - 12 repetitions with 30 seconds rest each time. During the breaks, lie relaxed on your stomach on the floor.
Tips
- A mirror positioned to the side of the body is suitable for self-correction. This allows you to get a good feel for the individual range of movement possible.
Interview with Sebastian Junge
TOUR: Is there really such a thing as winter torpor, or is it more a synonym for a lack of exercise in winter?
JUNGE: We often change our habits during the cold season. We exercise less, go out into the fresh air less often, our training programme is reduced and perhaps we also change our eating habits. You could even say that we fall into a kind of hibernation. The consequences of physical inactivity are manifold - muscles break down, the immune system is weakened and performance is reduced.
What do you notice when athletes start training again after the winter break?
At the start of spring, we notice a lot of motivation and anticipation for the upcoming sessions. This should be utilised so that regular training quickly becomes a habit again. The intensity should be adapted to your current fitness level. If you have not been very active recently, you should return to training in moderation to avoid overloading and injuries. It can be frustrating if you initially start at a lower level than usual, but the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscles must first be reintroduced to more intensive exercise. The focus in the first few weeks should be on mobility and stability. Once the body has awoken from its winter torpor, the focus shifts to strengthening exercises.
Tips
Why are the selected exercises particularly useful for cyclists?
Cycling is a cyclical sport with a one-sided posture. Certain muscles and joints are repeatedly strained during a largely constant movement. Cyclists often have deficits in terms of mobility and stability. Compensatory training is therefore highly recommended. The selection of exercises mobilises joints that tend to have static functions or are loaded one-dimensionally when cycling. It also addresses muscle groups that tend to be neglected in cycling-specific training.
What tips do you have for getting back into training with joy and motivation after the winter?
Mobility and strengthening exercises should be a fixed training routine for every cyclist. This protects the body from discomfort and overloading and significantly improves performance. The winter months are ideal for working on weak points. Regular training routines make it easy to start training in the spring. However, you should prepare your body slowly for more intensive exertion and gradually bring it up to your usual level.
