Now that I have found my bike, my new found love of the road is blossoming! One problem is my core strength is seriously suffering (two kids/three years will do it). I have ended up with some serious numbness in my right hand and I beliive its stems from too much weight put on my hands. One thing is to get re-fit and heighten my stem and another is to strengthen my core.
Can anyone recommend or outline any kind of core workout... kind of like a plan. I know the basics as far as ball work and crunches but I am looking for reps/time etc...
Any suggestions would be helpful because I am itching to get back on the road. Love it! -Nic

Can't really recommend any reps/time program per se, but I have a couple of pilates and yoga dvds I do a couple days a week. Most things you do on the ball will help strengthen back/abs. I've had a couple of kids too, and my core is stronger now than it ever has been. It won't take long to build strength in that area, really - a couple days a week for a few weeks. You'll be surprised.

I find that I can ride myself into shape. After a couple of weeks my torso starts feeling stronger. From there I keep adding the miles on.

I do yoga. That helps a lot.

I'm a huge fan of pilates and doing crunches on a ball (as well as really stretching my back and stomach muscles on the ball too).

bikrams yoga. no joke.

I use a pretty hardcore ab/core workout that I got from Outside Mag a few years ago. It involves yoga blocks and minute long sessions. PM me if you're interested, but I will warn you, I posted it a while back on here and everyone seemed to cringe in pain just from reading it.

Check out this months issue of Bicycling Mag-they have a section with about 6 exercises for your core. I have a really weak core due from a bad hip (got it replaced so it feels great) but it did leave me little core strength. The diagrams are great and easy to follow.

I just do what we do during track training for core strengthening:

Ball workouts, different types of hurdle drills/strethces. abs exercises, static workouts. But I'd really like to do some pilates and yoga though I'm not sure where to find a good DVD maybe to try out at home a few times a week to supplement what I do.

yoga/pilates are both good

if you are pressed for time, here is what i do:

minimum - the plank. basically you get yourself into a pushup position, but your elbows are on the ground (and forearms) and just hold it. work your way to holding for 1 minute at 3 repetitions. it doesnt sound like much but it works your back, abs, arms, etc in the spots you need for biking. i did them most of the winter and have had no problems jumping back on the bike for 2+ hour rides. literally takes 5 minutes a day

more time - pushups with your feet on a physioball, situps/other ab workouts, yoga/pilates

the article kira mentioned is good, i happened to see it in a shop the other day, they detail the plank better than i do. seriously though, the plank and pushups con physioball and some situps should take care of everything. and what il sogno said is true, once you start riding the muscles start getting worked and are ok. yoga/pilates will help also, but take time. there are other benefits to them too, like more flexibility though.

cheers