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Gym strength + core support plan

June 6 to June 27, 2026

  • Athlete: Sidney McGill
  • For: gym / strength coach
  • Window: June 6-27, 2026
  • Race: Ghost of the Gravel, June 27, Cochrane AB
  • Standing target: 2-3 sessions/week in normal training, reduced here to protect the June 13 Ghost simulation and the race taper

Context the strength coach needs

  • Sidney is an elite cyclist in the final preparation window before a key gravel race on June 27. Bike training, fuelling rehearsal, travel management, and race freshness are the priorities.
  • Recent SI joint and low-back flare in late May with earlier radiating leg pain. Now resolved and cleared for full cycling. Gym and core must stay back/SI-protective until further notice.
  • Hashimoto's thyroiditis: recovery-sensitive. Keep any off-bike work efficient, submaximal, and non-exhausting.
  • This is not a strength-building block. It is a support block: reintroduce loaded patterns early, then maintain movement quality through taper and race week.
  • A larger, progressive core block begins July 1. Do not try to start that progression before Ghost.

Hard rules for this block

  • Submaximal only. Cap Monday June 8 working sets at RPE 5-6. Cap all later activation and mobility at RPE 5 or easier.
  • Protect the back and SI. Brace the trunk, keep a neutral spine on all hinges, no end-range loaded flexion or rotation.
  • Stop immediately at any return of radiating leg pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or sharp SI/back pain. If that happens, end the session and flag it.
  • No soreness-seeking. Leave each session feeling sharper, not worked over.
  • No heavy gym after June 8. No lower-body loading after June 8 unless Coach Luca explicitly reopens it after the race.
  • No gym fatigue before June 11, June 13, June 19, June 22, June 24, June 26, or race day.

Schedule through race day

Date Day Strength / core plan Purpose
Jun 6 Sat Completed about 1 hour core Log as real off-bike load and monitor back/SI
Jun 7 Sun None Protect moved endurance ride
Jun 8 Mon Optional reduced Session 1, 25-35 min Conservative loaded reintroduction only if recovered
Jun 9 Tue None Protect short power
Jun 10 Wed None beyond optional treadmill run-walk Recovery between key rides
Jun 11 Thu None Protect gravel-pressure primer
Jun 12 Fri Session 2, optional upper + core activation, 20-25 min Fresh movement touch only
Jun 13 Sat None Ghost simulation
Jun 14 Sun None Absorb simulation
Jun 15 Mon None Rest day
Jun 16 Tue None Protect threshold sharpening
Jun 17 Wed Optional movement reset, 10-15 min Mobility and trunk quality only
Jun 18 Thu None Recovery day
Jun 19 Fri None Final gravel endurance
Jun 20 Sat None Recovery
Jun 21 Sun None Aerobic maintenance
Jun 22 Mon None Protect threshold tune before travel
Jun 23 Tue Optional travel movement reset, 10-15 min Reduce travel stiffness
Jun 24 Wed Optional race-week activation, 8-12 min Keep hips, trunk, and ankles online after gravel feel
Jun 25 Thu Optional race-week activation, 8-10 min Light prep only, no recon ride
Jun 26 Fri Optional pre-race activation, 8-10 min Light neural wake-up only
Jun 27 Sat None Race day

Session 1: Monday June 8, optional reduced full-body strength + core

Use this only if Sidney has no back/SI tightness, hip-flexor soreness, abdominal soreness, unusual fatigue, or leg heaviness after the June 6 core session and June 7 endurance ride. Keep it 25-35 min.

Warm-up, 5-8 min:

  • Easy bike or rower
  • Glute bridge x10
  • Bird-dog x6/side
  • Bodyweight squat x8-10
  • Band pull-apart x15
Exercise Sets x reps Load / effort Notes
Trap-bar deadlift or hip hinge 1-2 x 5 60% 1RM or RPE 5 Neutral spine, brace, controlled. Sub cable pull-through or banded hinge if posture is not clean.
Goblet squat or box squat 1-2 x 6 RPE 5 Box squat preferred to control depth and protect the back.
Split squat, standard or supported 1 x 6/side Bodyweight or light load, RPE 5 Stop if single-leg balance feels asymmetric or guarded.
Single-leg calf raise 1-2 x 8/side RPE 5 Ankle support for the running reintroduction.
Half-kneeling cable or band row 1-2 x 10/side RPE 5 Upper-body posture for long gravel position.

Introductory core, quality over volume:

  • Dead bug: 1 x 5/side, slow
  • Side plank: 1 x 15-20 sec/side
  • Pallof press: 1 x 5/side
  • Bird-dog: 1 x 5/side

Skip the loaded hinge entirely if the back is stiff or irritated that morning. If three or more of the strength exercises feel guarded, stop and make it a core-only day.

Session 2: Friday June 12, optional upper body + core activation

Skip this session if there is fatigue, poor sleep, low appetite, back/SI tightness, or any leg heaviness. No lower-body loading.

Warm-up, 5 min:

  • Band pull-apart x15
  • Scapular push-up x8-10
  • Easy arm circles
Exercise Sets x reps Load / effort Notes
Dumbbell bench or push-up 1-2 x 8 RPE 5 Easy and crisp.
Supported single-arm row 1-2 x 8/side RPE 5 Neutral spine.
Face pull or rear delt 2 x 10 RPE 5 Posture for the gravel position.
Pallof press 1-2 x 6/side RPE 5 Anti-rotation, no trunk strain.
Dead bug 1-2 x 6/side Easy Slow and controlled.
Side plank 1 x 20 sec/side Easy Stop before shaking or compensation.

Keep it light and quick. The point is to maintain upper-body and trunk support, not to create fatigue before the June 13 simulation.

Optional movement reset: Wednesday June 17

Use only if Sidney feels better after light mobility than with complete rest. Keep it 10-15 min.

  • Cat-camel: 5 slow reps
  • Dead bug: 1-2 x 5/side
  • Side plank: 1 x 15-20 sec/side
  • Glute bridge: 1-2 x 8
  • Calf raise: 1 x 8/side
  • Hip flexor mobility: 30 sec/side

No load, no fatigue, no stretching into discomfort.

Optional travel movement reset: Tuesday June 23

Use after arrival if travel stiffness is present. Keep it 10-15 min and easy.

  • Easy walk: 5-10 min
  • Hip flexor mobility: 30 sec/side
  • Thoracic rotation, unloaded: 5/side
  • Dead bug: 1 x 5/side
  • Glute bridge: 1 x 8
  • Calf and ankle mobility: 1-2 min total

The goal is to feel normal after travel, not to train.

Optional race-week activation: Wednesday June 24 or Thursday June 25

Use only if it makes Sidney feel more coordinated. Keep it 8-12 min on June 24 after the gravel feel, or 8-10 min on June 25 as a no-ride race prep touch.

  • Glute bridge: 1 x 8
  • Dead bug: 1 x 5/side
  • Side plank: 1 x 15 sec/side
  • Band pull-apart: 1 x 12
  • Calf raise: 1 x 8/side

Stop before anything feels effortful.

Optional pre-race activation: Friday June 26

Use only if Sidney likes a short activation touch before race day. Keep it 8-10 min, very light.

  • Glute bridge: 1 x 6-8
  • Dead bug: 1 x 4-5/side
  • Side plank: 1 x 10-15 sec/side
  • Calf-ankle prep: 1-2 min
  • Two or three relaxed bodyweight squats, only if they feel natural

No fatigue, no new movements, no loaded work.

Progression notes

  • Hold the line at RPE 5-6 for June 8 even if it feels easy.
  • After June 12, do not chase strength adaptation before Ghost. Taper freshness wins.
  • Hold or skip all off-bike work if there is back/SI sensitivity, poor sleep, low appetite, unusual fatigue, or any leg heaviness.
  • Report back to Coach Luca after June 8 and June 12: what was done, how the back/SI felt, and any symptom flags.
  • From July 1, expect a larger and more progressive core block layered in after race recovery.