Listen, we’re all busy. Arguably more so than ever before, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic forcing many to work from home, take on virtual schooling, spend more time with family, and somehow still manage to squeeze in a solid training routine.
That’s where this workout comes in. Because even though there is, of course, a time and place for different training modalities, when you’re short on time, supersets are an effective go-to.
“When performed correctly, you can fatigue the muscle quicker, increase overall intensity, and shorten workout durations without sacrificing performance,” says Sashah Handal, a certified trainer and instructor at Barry’s Bootcamp in New York City.
But more time on your cal isn’t the only benefit. Supersets also forego recovery periods between moves, so you overload the muscle group being worked and increase time under tension, challenging your muscular endurance, Handal says. The result is a higher heart rate and caloric burn.
The best part is supersets can work on both short and long ride days. For shorter days, Handal, who designed the workout below, suggests supersetting two exercises that target the same muscle group to fatigue faster. On a longer ride, pair a strength move with a power move so you still have some reserve left in the tank.
Regardless of how you mix and match, when you tack supersets onto your ride, Handal says it can make for an effective total body burn in a short amount of time. So carve out a quick 10 minutes for the below routine (15 if you’re not riding the same day), then get on with the rest of your day.
How to Do This Workout: You’ll need a set of medium-weight dumbbells. To complete a superset, perform the two moves under each grouping back-to-back with no rest. After completing the two moves, break for 45 seconds before moving onto the next superset. Complete each superset three times if tacked onto a ride; five times if performing solo. Aim to tackle this workout 3 to 4 times per week, varying the weight and intensity as needed to continuously feel challenged. Handal herself demonstrates the moves in the video above so you can learn the proper form and technique.
SUPERSET 1
Curtsy Lunge to Overhead Press
Great for: cyclists who want to increase leg power while retaining upper body engagement and good posture
Start with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your shoulders, elbows tucked in tight. Step back diagonally with the right leg until it’s behind and outside your left leg, balancing on a flat front foot and the ball of your back foot.
Keeping your chest lifted and abs engaged, bend your knees to lower into a lunge. (Your front knee should be aligned with your ankle. If it’s past your shoelaces, step your back leg further behind.) Drive through the front foot to return to standing, exhaling and pressing the weights overhead. Repeat on the opposite leg to complete 1 rep. Do 12 to 15 reps.
Speed Skater
Great for: increasing cardiovascular output, building lateral hip strength, testing balance and proprioception, generating single-leg power (all great for big bursts of power during short climbs)
Start with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and chest lifted. Transferring your weight to one foot, cross your opposite foot behind you (similar to a curtsy lunge) and laterally hop, bringing your back foot across for a soft, bent-knee landing.
Keeping your chest lifted and abs engaged (a slightly forward hip hinge is okay), swing your arms to drive momentum and balance as you hop laterally to the other leg to complete one rep. Repeat for 12 to 15 reps.
SUPERSET 2
Alternating Jackknife
Great for: strengthening your lower abs and hip flexors used during the upstroke of a steep climb
Start lying faceup. Engaging your abs, lift your legs about four inches off the ground and extend your arms behind your head. Keeping your core contracted, reach the opposite arm to opposite toe, exhaling as you crunch. (Your extended arm and leg should stay suspended throughout, though you can bend knees slightly to avoid discomfort in the hip flexors). Return to the extended position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg to complete 1 rep. Repeat for 12 to 15 reps.
Sit-Up + Punch
Great for: core strength; building confidence during hairpin turns and no-hands riding
Start lying faceup, knees bent, feet firmly planted on the floor, hands at your temples. (To make it harder, hold a set of dumbbells at your chest, elbows tucked in tight.) Contract your abs as you sit up and punch your right hand to the left, then left hand to the right, exhaling through each punch. Return to start to complete 1 rep. Repeat for 20 reps, breathing throughout and alternating the initiating punch to ensure balance in oblique activation.
SUPERSET 3
Weighted Glute Bridge
Great for: strengthening your upstroke, building glute strength, offsetting the amount of time cyclists spend with hips in constant flexion
Start lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor with heels directly underneath your knees. (Your fingertips should be able to touch the backs of your heels.) Hold dumbbells comfortably on top of your hip/pelvis region.
Engage your core and press firmly through the heels to lift the hips up, squeezing the glutes and exhaling as you get to the top to form a straight line from knees to hips to shoulders. Slowly lower hips to the ground to complete 1 rep. Repeat for 20 reps.
Mix it up: When your heels are directly in line with your knees, as described above, the thrusting power is mostly generated from your glutes. But walk the heels out a little further in front and you’ll activate the hamstrings. Do the first variation to gain serious glute strength without concurrently using the quads; the latter to strengthen your hammies for the upstroke.
Hamstring Extension
Great for: strengthening the entire posterior chain for a stronger upstroke
Start lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor with heels directly underneath your knees. (Your fingertips should be able to touch the backs of your heels.) Hold dumbbells comfortably on top of your hip/pelvis region. (You can also perform this movement without dumbbells to make it easier.)
Engage your core and press firmly through the heels to lift the hips up, squeezing the glutes and exhaling as you get to the top. Keeping your glutes engaged, take several small steps forward, until your legs are almost completely extended. Dig your heels into the floor as you take several small steps back to bridge position, completing 1 rep. Repeat for 20 reps, keeping your hips up throughout to maintain continuous tension on the back of your legs.
Samantha Lefave is an experienced writer and editor covering fitness, health, and travel. She regularly interviews pro athletes, elite trainers, and nutrition experts at the top of their field; her work has appeared in Runner's World, Bicycling, Outside, Men's Health and Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and more.
