Floating Bicycles from the Hamstring Series

While most of the exercises in the Hamstring Series focus on, well, the hamstrings, some exercises also let you get in a core workout. Keeping your pelvis floating off the bench while doing these small bicycles is a total body exercise that emphasizes core strength.

Many times I have said that while I know I’m very biased, GYROTONIC® training puts a focus on breathing more than any other exercise system. A fun thing I like to throw into small bicycles is varying the number of bicycles done per breath. Maybe 6 bicycles per inhale and per exhale, maybe 8 bicycles. Those long breaths work your core in a whole different way than the standing 1 motion 1 breath style most “core” exercises use. All while paying attention to keeping pressure out of your neck, to keeping your pelvis floating steadily above the bench, to keeping your feet in flex, etc.

Back Leg Pedal from the Hamstring Series

Most of the exercises in the Hamstring Series are done while you’d laying on your back. But like on The Ladder, there are a few exercises when you’re side lying. This allows you to move in multiple planes of motion at once. How does moving in multiple planes at the same time benefit you? It improves coordination, core strength and proprioception which is the ability to know where your body parts are relative to each other in space.

Hamstring series