Training & Nutrition - At-home core strengthening without weights?

I'd like to get my upper body into slightly better shape- especially because I can really feel my back begining to hurt after an hour on the saddle.

What kind of exercises would you recommend for at-home core strengthening? I'd like to avoid weight lifting because I'm 16, and also because I'd rather not purchase additional fitness equipment.

Yoga? Pilates? I'm open to all suggestions.

you have a trainer? Sit on the trainer and bend over without your hands on your handlebars, kind of like riding the bike situps. Just lean over and focus on holding your upper body off the bike, but getting as far down to the stem as you can.

you have a floor? How about some crunches?

Seriously, a recent issue of BICYCLING magazine had an article on core strength training, and showed lots of exercises you could do at home. I think it's this one:

http://www.bicycling.com

then click on "training."

Yep, I am currently doing those Bicycling magazine exercises every night. Is that enough?

pushups
situps/crunches
good mornings (where you bend over at the waist. normally done with weights but you can do it without also)
in place lunges or steps for legs.

I'd like to get my upper body into slightly better shape- especially because I can really feel my back begining to hurt after an hour on the saddle.

What kind of exercises would you recommend for at-home core strengthening? I'd like to avoid weight lifting because I'm 16, and also because I'd rather not purchase additional fitness equipment.

Yoga? Pilates? I'm open to all suggestions.

It's not upper body strength that you need, it's core strength that you need.

The exercises from bicycling are a good start. I'd also recommend cyclo-core by Graeme street, who has a whole series of strength and flexibility exercises to help with back pain.

bird dogs and supetmen will help. Any yoga and pilates movements as well.

Pilates mat in a class setting. After a few classes, you can do it on your own.:)

Take a look at Framework (http://www.drnick.com/) by Dr. Nicholas DiNubile. He has a routine of core exercises (strength and flexibility) that can be done before your other workouts.

Even more intensive, and a better web site, is Core Performance (http://coreperformance.com/) by Mark Verstegen.

Pilates mat in a class setting. After a few classes, you can do it on your own.:)


But the scenery is MUCH less fun.

www.crossfit.com

lot of different core exercises that do not incluse alot of weight lifting, some igenuity could do someof these by fixing up an area in your garage

best for core lower back are crunches, back extensions if not using weights

Do planks. Do them on your forearms, not hands. Basically, there's two diff. ways you do it (do them every day):

1. Get into a pushup, except on your forearms instead of your hands. Hold the position for 30 sec. Do 2-3 sets
2. Same thing as #1 except it's on your side (your waist/legs will be up in the air), hold 30 sec, do 2-3 sets each side

IMPORTANT POINTS
* Only thing that should be touching the ground is your feet/ankles and your forearms.
* Keep your stomach below/at your belly button sucked in towards your spine the entire time

These are very easy ways (but effective) to strengthen your core.

A trip to a physical therapist, if your back is really hurting, will load you down w/ more tool-free core-strengthening exercises than you can find time to do in the day (my wife's current situation)

I strength train year round for Euro rides. Core-strengthening exercises need to be added to a strength program; however, no more than other musculo-skeletal regions. This muscle system is important. The attention paid to the necessity of core focus has been over rated.
I realize this philosophy flies in the face of millions of $ in infommercial ads, as well as the hundreds of new exercises that focus directly on "abs".
Pick 3 that take no more than 5-7 min. to complete either pre/post ride. What you found in Bicycling Magazine is just fine. Change it up every 3 or 4 months, you'll make great progress. Get out and ride - the core will engage there as well.

www.bicitreregioni.com

Do planks. Do them on your forearms, not hands. Basically, there's two diff. ways you do it (do them every day):

1. Get into a pushup, except on your forearms instead of your hands. Hold the position for 30 sec. Do 2-3 sets
2. Same thing as #1 except it's on your side (your waist/legs will be up in the air), hold 30 sec, do 2-3 sets each side

IMPORTANT POINTS
* Only thing that should be touching the ground is your feet/ankles and your forearms.
* Keep your stomach below/at your belly button sucked in towards your spine the entire time

These are very easy ways (but effective) to strengthen your core.
You say planks are an "easy way" to strengthen core. Well, they're easy to learn but hard to do! And I mean that in a good way. They are killers but they really build strength fast. I like them better than any other core exercise I've tried.

But I go for more than 30 seconds. One test of fitness is being able to hold them for 120 secs. I'm up to 80 now.

Pilates mat in a class setting. After a few classes, you can do it on your own.:)


But why would you want to with all the nice scenery?? :D

www.crossfit.com

lot of different core exercises that do not incluse alot of weight lifting, some igenuity could do someof these by fixing up an area in your garage

best for core lower back are crunches, back extensions if not using weights

A lot of my bodybuilding colleagues shun iit like the plague, but crossfit is an incredible way to get and stay in shape IMO.

Some more:
http://www.goanimal.com/exercises/exercises.html

I like to use an exercise ball. There are a lot of exercises you can do on them to strenthen your core.

i never got the point of the ball

+1 for Graeme Street's Cyclo-Core and Cyclo-Zen programs. I bought both on a special and use them all the time. The mix of Body Weight conditioning, Stability Ball workouts and Yoga all cycle specific have greatly improved my conditioning and performance on and off my bike.

Cyclo-Core looks really good. I might have to try that.

Else, I do crunches and some yoga poses and recently got a roman chair for the back.

Yoga.

But why would you want to with all the nice scenery?? :D
How true, how true. I took a class last year with about 35 coeds, and me. Ahh.... The memories.

Here are 2 articles from Beginner Triathlete that have a number of good core exercises that you can do at home:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=425
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=486

Here are some things I did:

Leg lifts
Balencing on one of those big ball things
Situps on ball
Lunges on the ball (put your stomach on the ball and walk out with your hands)

Really helps.