CORE VALUES

All the key components of good cycling performance – from power output and pedalling effciency to aerodynamic posture and muscle endurance – are dependent on one vital but often overlooked quality: core strength. Without a solid core, you won’t channel as much power through your pedals, you’ll suffer an unbalanced pedalling technique, you won’t be able to hold an aero position and you’ll become vulnerable to aches and injuries.

“A strong core will optimise your ability to produce power because you will have a more solid base,” explains Bianca Broadbent (@thecyclephysio), specialist sports physiotherapist at Spire Healthcare and bike fitter at Fit Your Bike. “There’s an old saying: ‘You wouldn’t fire a cannonball from a raft.’ And you especially need a strong core at low cadences, like going uphill or riding out of the saddle, where the reactive forces often need to be higher. A strong core will improve your resistance to fatigue, allow you to hold your position for longer and adopt a more aggressive position. It will reduce ineffcient movements, which can lead to energy wastage, especially as you start to fatigue. And it will improve your ‘saddle