Training for your riding position

What your position asks of hips, trunk, shoulders and neck, and a programme for it in 10 to 30 minutes: so your body carries the position.

Rough version. Without your bike the programme works from the position your riding style aims for, on a sample bike and an average height. With your bike it becomes exact: then it says what your position asks of you today. Calculating your riding position

The four angles of your positionHip 74°Core 57°Neck 33°Shoulders 72°

What your position asks of you

  • Hip · low Hip angle at the top 74°
    The tighter the angle between trunk and thigh at the top of the pedal stroke, the further the hip has to flex — and the longer the hip flexor stays shortened.
  • Core · low Back angle 57°
    The flatter the back, the more upper body hangs in front of the hips. The core holds it — or it ends up on the hands and in the lower back.
  • Shoulders · low Shoulder angle 72°, target 69°
    The further the arms reach forward, the more the shoulder props up the upper body. That is holding work for the muscles around the shoulder blade.
  • Neck · low Head tilted back 33°
    The lower the trunk, the further the head has to tilt back for you to look ahead. Neck and upper back carry that, hour after hour.

Your programme

How often a week?
How long per session?
How experienced are you?

The level moves the strength work away from the reference value: Beginner uses about 70 % of the amount, Pro 140 % and one more set. Mobilising stays as it is. The factors are settings of this page, not measured values.

Your week: A · B · A — about 29 minutes in all. Two sessions in turn, so more gets covered.

Hips and legsCoreShouldersHead

Head

Your position asks for: low

3:30 of 0:45 min · 467 %

Choose exercises
Mobilise
  • Instructions

    What for. Brings rotation into the thoracic spine. It needs that, so the neck does not have to take it over.

    How it goes.

    1. On all fours, one hand behind your head.
    2. First curl the elbow down towards the floor, then open it wide upwards, letting your eyes follow it.
    3. Keep the hips still — the rotation comes from the ribcage.

    What to watch. The pelvis turning along. Then the lumbar spine rotates, and it is not built for that.

    In the programme: one round. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Moves the upper back into extension and the shoulders overhead — exactly the direction a bent-over position on the bike never gets to.

    How it goes.

    1. Stand with your back to a wall, feet a hand's width in front; glutes, back and the back of the head touch it.
    2. Put your arms against the wall in a 'W', backs of the hands and elbows on the wall.
    3. Slowly slide the arms up as far as they go without anything leaving the wall, then back down.

    What to watch. An arched lower back fakes the movement. The lower back stays on the wall, even if the arms then get less far.

    In the programme: one round. Needed: Wall, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Moves the spine through its range segment by segment — the opposite of the one held position on the bike.

    How it goes.

    1. On all fours, hands under the shoulders, knees under the hips.
    2. Breathing in, push the breastbone forward and lift your gaze; breathing out, round the back.
    3. Slowly, in time with your breath, letting the movement travel from bottom to top.

    What to watch. This is about the whole spine, not the neck. Only raising and lowering the head moves exactly one joint.

    In the programme: one round. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Extends the thoracic spine against the rounding it takes on while riding.

    How it goes.

    1. Put the roller crosswise under the thoracic spine, feet planted.
    2. Hands behind your head, elbows open.
    3. Slowly extend back over the roller, then curl up again and move the roller along a little.

    What to watch. Do not extend in the lumbar region. The roller belongs between the shoulder blades and the lower ribs, no lower.

    In the programme: one round. Needed: Foam roller, Floor or mat.

Strengthen, dynamic
  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the deep neck flexors. They hold the head when the trunk is low and the eyes still have to look ahead — otherwise it hangs on the neck extensors alone.

    How it goes.

    1. Sit or stand upright, looking straight ahead.
    2. Slide the chin straight back, as if making a double chin. The head does not tilt.
    3. Hold for five seconds, release.

    What to watch. Don't nod: the movement goes back, not down. A hand on the chin shows the direction.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Standing.

Shoulders

Your position asks for: low

2:00 of 2:00 min · 100 %

Choose exercises
Mobilise
  • Instructions

    What for. Opens the chest muscles, which shorten over hours in the riding position — and which have a hand in the shoulders falling forward.

    How it goes.

    1. Stand in a doorway, forearm on the frame, elbow at about shoulder height.
    2. Take a small step forward and slowly turn your upper body away.
    3. Look for the tension at the front of the chest, not in the shoulder.

    What to watch. If it pulls at the front of the shoulder joint instead of the chest, the elbow is too high.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: Doorway, Standing.

Strengthen, dynamic
  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the muscles between the shoulder blades — the ones that carry whatever goes through the arms onto the bar.

    How it goes.

    1. Sit or stand upright, arms relaxed.
    2. Draw the shoulder blades back and down, as if holding a coin between them.
    3. Hold briefly, release slowly.

    What to watch. Shrugging is the opposite. The movement goes back and DOWN.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the lower part of the shoulder-blade muscles, which keep the shoulder blades flat on the back while the arms reach forward to the bar.

    How it goes.

    1. Lie face down, forehead on a folded towel, arms forward and out in a Y.
    2. Turn the thumbs up and lift the arms a hand's width — the movement starts at the shoulder blade.
    3. Hold briefly, lower slowly.

    What to watch. Keep the shoulders away from the ears. Shrugging works the neck instead of between the shoulder blades.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens chest, shoulders and arms in support — the same holding work as propping yourself on the bar, only with more weight.

    How it goes.

    1. Hands slightly wider than the shoulders, body in one line from head to heel.
    2. Lower slowly until the chest is just above the floor, elbows pointing back at an angle.
    3. Push back up without the hips sagging. Too hard: do it on your knees.

    What to watch. Sagging hips. Then the lower back carries what the core should hold — the same tension as in the front plank.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

Core

Your position asks for: low

1:42 of 1:42 min · 100 %

Choose exercises
Mobilise
  • Instructions

    What for. Takes tension out of the lower back and stretches it in the opposite direction to the riding position.

    How it goes.

    1. Go onto all fours, toes together, knees wide.
    2. Push your backside towards your heels and lay your arms out long in front.
    3. Keep breathing calmly and sink a little deeper with every breath out.

    What to watch. Pulling the shoulders up holds on to the very tension that is supposed to drain away.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

Strengthen, dynamic
  • Instructions

    What for. Teaches the trunk to stay stable while arms and legs move. That is exactly its job on the bike.

    How it goes.

    1. On your back, arms straight up, hips and knees at right angles.
    2. Extend one leg and take the opposite arm back.
    3. Back to the start, then the other side.

    What to watch. The lower back must stay on the floor. If it lifts, the movement is too big.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. The same on all fours, plus resisting rotation — the trunk work that comes up when riding out of the saddle.

    How it goes.

    1. On all fours, back straight.
    2. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back.
    3. Hold briefly without letting the hips tip, then change sides.

    What to watch. The pelvis should stay level. A cup of water on the sacrum should not tip over.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the erector spinae in extension. On the bike it works all day holding, rarely moving.

    How it goes.

    1. Lie on your front, arms forward.
    2. Lift arms, chest and legs a little, all at once.
    3. Hold briefly, lower slowly.

    What to watch. This is about a hand's width, not height. Jerking works the lower back instead of the back.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the front of the abdominal wall in a short movement — tension in the trunk that holds the upper body ahead of the hip while riding.

    How it goes.

    1. On your back, knees bent, feet hip-width apart on the floor.
    2. Hands at your temples, elbows open; lift the upper body only far enough for the shoulder blades to leave the floor.
    3. Hold briefly at the top, then lower with control.

    What to watch. Don't pull on the head: the neck follows the trunk, not the other way round. Your gaze goes to the ceiling.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Works the lower abdomen against the weight of the legs — the trunk keeps the pelvis still while the legs work, as in pedalling.

    How it goes.

    1. On your back, legs straight, hands beside the body.
    2. Lift both legs together until they point straight up.
    3. Lower slowly and stop just above the floor.

    What to watch. The lower end of the back stays on the floor. If it lifts, the arched back is doing the work: bend the knees.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

Strengthen, static
  • Instructions

    What for. Holds the trunk against sagging — the base tension you lean on the bar with, without collapsing into your back.

    How it goes.

    1. Forearm plank, elbows under the shoulders.
    2. Squeeze the glutes, tilt the pelvis up slightly, body in one line.
    3. Keep breathing calmly — the tension holds, the air flows.

    What to watch. Sagging hips or a raised backside. Either one takes the work out of the trunk.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. The same base tension from the side — the direction the pelvis gives way in under one-legged pressure.

    How it goes.

    1. Onto your side, elbow under the shoulder, legs straight.
    2. Lift the hips until head, pelvis and feet are in one line.
    3. Hold without tipping forward or back.

    What to watch. The lower shoulder must not slide towards the ear — the arm actively presses into the floor.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

Hips and legs

Your position asks for: low

2:40 of 2:00 min · 133 %

Choose exercises
Mobilise
  • Instructions

    What for. Takes the hip through its range before a ride without stretching it — preparation, not a stretch.

    How it goes.

    1. Steady yourself sideways on a wall.
    2. Let one leg swing loosely forward and back, from the hip, not with momentum from the trunk.
    3. The range grows by itself over the first few repetitions.

    What to watch. Do not throw the leg into the end position. That is momentum, not mobility.

    In the programme: one round. Needed: Wall, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Stretches the hip flexor — the muscle cycling holds shortened for hours, because trunk and thigh stay at an acute angle throughout.

    How it goes.

    1. Go into a lunge and down onto the back knee, front leg at a right angle.
    2. Push the pelvis forward without arching the lower back — squeeze the glutes and it tilts the right way by itself.
    3. Keep the upper body upright and look for the tension at the front of the back leg's hip.

    What to watch. The most common mistake is arching the lower back: then the lower back stretches instead of the hip flexor, and you barely feel a thing.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Stretches the hamstrings through the hip rather than through the back — they start at the sit bone and span two joints.

    How it goes.

    1. Stand upright, one leg slightly forward, heel on the floor.
    2. Hinge forward from the hip with a straight back, as if closing a door with your backside.
    3. Only as far as it pulls at the back of the thigh — no further.

    What to watch. A rounded back. Then the stretch moves into the lumbar spine and the hamstrings are left untouched.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Stretches the deep glute muscles that keep the pelvis steady while you pedal.

    How it goes.

    1. Lie on your back, both knees bent.
    2. Put one ankle across the other knee — the legs form a figure four.
    3. Grip the lower thigh with both hands and pull it towards your chest.

    What to watch. Keep your head on the floor. Sitting up shortens the distance and loses the stretch.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Stretches the calf muscles that work lap after lap in pedalling.

    How it goes.

    1. Both hands on the wall, one leg two steps back.
    2. The back heel stays on the floor; push the pelvis toward the wall until you feel the calf stretch.
    3. Hold, then bend the back knee slightly to reach the deeper calf muscle.

    What to watch. The heel stays on the floor and the toes point forward. If the heel lifts, nothing is stretched.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: Wall, Standing.

Strengthen, dynamic
  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the glutes in extension — the movement that puts pressure on the pedal.

    How it goes.

    1. On your back, knees bent, feet hip-width apart.
    2. Squeeze the glutes and lift the hips until thigh and trunk are in one line.
    3. Hold briefly at the top, then lay down one vertebra at a time.

    What to watch. No higher than that line. Beyond it, the lower back works, not the glutes.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the side glute muscles that keep the pelvis level while you pedal. If it tips, the knee travels inwards.

    How it goes.

    1. Lie on your side, hips and knees bent, heels together.
    2. Open the top knee without letting the pelvis roll backwards.
    3. Close slowly — the way back counts too.

    What to watch. If the pelvis rolls along, the trunk is doing the work instead of the glutes. A hand on the hip gives it away at once.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. The same muscle group as the clamshell, but over the full range of the straight leg.

    How it goes.

    1. Lie on your side, both legs straight, body in one line.
    2. Raise the top leg straight, toes pointing forward, not up.
    3. Lower it under control without setting it down.

    What to watch. A forward-tipped pelvis. Then the hip flexor takes over and the glute is left out.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Floor or mat.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens thighs and glutes in the bend closest to pedalling — strength you use when sprinting away and on the climb.

    How it goes.

    1. Stand hip-width apart, toes turned slightly out.
    2. Push your hips back and down as if sitting; arms forward for balance.
    3. Go as deep as your back stays straight, then rise from the heels.

    What to watch. The knees follow the direction of the feet. If they fall inward, you are going too deep or too fast.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Works one leg at a time and shows whether left and right do the same — in the pedal stroke only one leg works at a time.

    How it goes.

    1. Take a big step forward into a lunge, trunk upright.
    2. Lower the back knee straight down until it is just above the floor.
    3. Push up from the front heel; finish all repetitions, then switch sides.

    What to watch. The front knee stays over the foot, trunk upright. Tipping forward moves the work from the leg into the back.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. One leg carries alone, without momentum — strength in the pedal stroke, left and right equal. The third step of the leg series.

    How it goes.

    1. Sit on an ordinary chair, one leg lifted.
    2. Stand up without momentum and without hands.
    3. Sit back down slowly; the lifted leg does not touch the floor.

    What to watch. If you only get up with momentum or grab for support, the step was too early: stay with the split squat a while longer.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the calf on one leg — the muscles that guide the foot on the pedal. Strength in the pedal stroke, left and right equal.

    How it goes.

    1. Stand on one leg, fingertips on the wall for balance.
    2. Push up slowly onto the ball of the foot and hold briefly at the top.
    3. Lower again just as slowly.

    What to watch. No bouncing: up and down at the same calm pace. The heel does not tip outward, the foot stays straight.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: Wall, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. The top step of the leg series: one leg carries the whole body weight through the full bend. Strength in the pedal stroke, left and right equal.

    How it goes.

    1. Stand on one leg with one hand on the wall, the other leg straight out in front.
    2. Sink slowly into a squat, heel stays on the floor.
    3. Rise from the heel, using only as much support as needed.

    What to watch. The heel stays down and the knee over the foot. If it lifts, you are going too deep: go less deep until it stays down.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: Wall, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Strengthens the hamstrings as they give way — the most demanding exercise on this list, and the only one at the third level.

    How it goes.

    1. Onto your knees, with someone or an edge holding your feet down.
    2. Let your body sink forward in one line, as slowly and as far as you can.
    3. Catch yourself with your hands and push back up.

    What to watch. Bending at the hip dodges the exercise. Hips and shoulders stay in one line.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: Partner or something to hook your feet under, Floor or mat.

Strengthen, static
  • Instructions

    What for. Trains the standing leg to stabilise — the same chain that keeps the knee on track while pedalling.

    How it goes.

    1. Stand on one leg, lift the other slightly.
    2. Fix your eyes on a steady point.
    3. If it comes easily: close your eyes or stand on a cushion.

    What to watch. The standing leg's knee should stay over the foot and not fall inwards.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: No equipment, Standing.

  • Instructions

    What for. Holds the front of the thigh under tension without moving the knee — the kind of load closest to pedalling.

    How it goes.

    1. Back against the wall, feet a step in front of it.
    2. Slide down until thigh and lower leg are at roughly a right angle.
    3. Hold, weight on both heels.

    What to watch. The knees stay over the heels. If they push past the toes, the load moves into the joint.

    In the programme: 2 rounds. Needed: Wall, Standing.

Distance from the norm

The strength work in your session is 0 % compared with the reference value (Normal). The level “Normal” calls for 0 %, your own numbers shift that by 0 %.

What is compared is the working time of the strength exercises, without rests. The reference value comes from the exercise catalogue; the grading by level is a setting of this page, not a measurement of your load.

Your session: about 10 min · chosen length: 10 min

The bars show time, not a verdict: orange means there is still time free for this area, green that it is enough for what your position asks of it. How much time an area gets follows from your position and the chosen length; the threshold for green is this page's own setting.

As a sheet to print or save as PDF →

Or your settings as a file, to keep or pass on: download radhaltung.json. It contains inputs only — week, duration, level and your exercises with the sets and amounts you set. The numbers are worked out again when it is opened.

General training for the position you ride. If something hurts, that is a reason to stop. If it stays, ask someone who can look at you. The thresholds between low, medium and high are this page's own choice, not values from a study.