More Than Just Legs: Building a Resilient Body for Your Global Adventure

We’ve all been there. You finish a long, satisfying day in the saddle, and as you swing your leg off the bike, you feel it. The deep ache in your lower back, the stiffness in your neck, the tingling sensation in your hands. Your legs might feel strong and capable, but other parts of your body are showing clear signs of strain.

The truth is, cycling places our bodies in a strange and unfamiliar position. For hours on end, we hold a fixed, forward-leaning posture that asks very specific things of us. We become incredibly good at one particular movement, while our core, back and upper body are either underutilised or strained simply trying to hold us steady.

For a weekend ride, this might just mean a bit of stiffness on a Monday morning. But for someone dreaming of a multi-week international expedition, this imbalance isn't just a source of discomfort; it's a critical weakness. It's a vulnerability that can lead to repetitive strain, sap your morale and even cut your adventure short.

My core philosophy has always been "prevention is better than cure". That applies to our bikes, and it most certainly applies to our bodies. Building a strong, balanced physique isn’t a distraction from your training; it’s the very foundation that will allow you to enjoy a lifetime of healthy, happy adventures. By incorporating complementary exercises like yoga, Pilates and functional fitness, we can build that resilient foundation and ensure we are ready for whatever the trail throws our way.

You Just Want to Ride Your Bike...

Now, I know what some of you might be thinking. Talk of yoga and Pilates can sound a bit 'new age' if you come from a more traditional cycling background. You might be inspired by the grit of past legends like Eddy Merckx, whose training philosophy often seemed to be "just ride hard". You're a cyclist and you just want to ride your bike. I completely understand that sentiment.

Others might look at the current professional peloton and believe that elite riders spend all their time doing structured workouts on the bike. It’s a common misconception that their incredible endurance is built solely in the saddle. While their on-bike training is what gets publicised, the reality is that nearly every top-tier professional team incorporates off-bike strength and conditioning. It's the unseen foundation of their success, the crucial work that prevents career-ending injuries and gives them the stability to be explosive on the bike.

And then there are the riders, typically younger, who simply don't feel these aches and pains yet. If you're in that camp, you might feel invincible, thinking you can get away with just riding and that training or injury prevention is something to worry about later.

The thing is, bikepacking isn't road racing. And our bodies, no matter our age, keep a cumulative record of stress. The advice that follows isn't about detracting from ride time. It's about being smarter with our preparation so we can enjoy our adventures sustainably, whether we're 25 or 65.

My Post-Race Reckoning: A Search for Balance

I learned this lesson most profoundly after the Silk Road Mountain Race. I had finished what is one of the toughest bikepacking events on earth, a goal that had consumed me for years. I had proven I could endure. But my body felt… unbalanced. All three forms of training I discuss here have helped me become a "more balanced human," but my recent focus has been on HIIT. This is mainly because I moved to Melbourne, and the nearest studio to me happens to specialise in it. It’s what I find enjoyable and accessible right now, but I'm always open to returning to a deeper yoga or Pilates practice when the time feels right.

This journey has taught me that the goal is to build a foundation of all-round health to support this lifelong passion. The specific method you choose is less important than the principle of balance itself.

The Three Pillars of a Healthy Bikepacking Body

Your adventure bike needs to be reliable to handle unpredictable terrain. Your body is no different. These three practices help create a balanced and resilient system, ready for whatever the trail brings.

Pillar One: A Stable Foundation with Pilates

Before I discovered more intense training, Pilates was my go-to for building the essential core stability that cycling can overlook. A long journey on a bike asks your spine and pelvis to hold a steady position for hours. Without good core engagement, the lower back often takes the strain, leading to that all-too-common ache. Pilates is brilliant because it targets the deep stabilising muscles of your torso, helping you sit more comfortably for longer and move with more ease and efficiency.

Pillar Two: Flexibility and Mental Fortitude with Yoga

If Pilates builds a stable foundation, yoga is what keeps the whole system moving freely and without pain. The repetitive motion of cycling tightens our hamstrings and hip flexors while shortening the muscles in our chest and rounding our shoulders. Yoga is the perfect antidote.

In recent years, I’ve been a regular at a 'hot yoga' studio, where classes are held in rooms heated to 30-40 degrees Celsius. The heat helps your muscles relax, allowing for deeper, safer stretches. I also found it helped me adapt to the heat for trips in hot climates, like the 40-degree days I encountered on the Silk Road and here in Australia. My weekly routine would often involve a gentle, restorative Yin yoga session for recovery, followed by more energetic Vinyasa yoga once I felt restored. While studios are fantastic, there are countless free resources online, like the YouTube channel Boho Beautiful, that make it easy to practice at home.

Pillar Three: Real-World Strength with Functional Fitness

Functional fitness prepares you for the unpredictable, real-world challenges of adventure. This became incredibly clear to me during my explorations of my home state of Victoria. On these unscouted routes, I’ve encountered everything from landslides to rivers where the trail should be. These moments require a different kind of strength, one that comes from a strong core, back and upper body.

Sometimes, "hike-a-biking" is more accurately described as "climb-a-biking". On a recent trip in the Australian Alps, I spent three hours pushing my 30kg bike up a 30% gradient to reach a remote trail. The multi-hour slogs up steep mountain tracks in events like the Hunt 1000 and the Monaro Cloudride feel more like mountaineering than cycling. Functional fitness builds the total-body strength you need to haul a loaded bike over these obstacles, keeping you safe when the trail becomes truly unpredictable.

Beyond the 'Pillars': The Importance of Fun and Variety

There’s one more crucial element to sustainable training: it needs to be enjoyable. Bikepacking is fun, so it’s natural that training on the bike feels like a great way to prepare. But we aren't one-dimensional beings. If you do too much of just one thing, you risk not only physical injury from repetitive stress, but also mental burnout.

I felt this acutely at the end of the Silk Road Mountain Race. After weeks of singular focus, I was ready to do literally anything else but ride my bike! This taught me that our complementary activities should also be things we genuinely love. Think of yoga and Pilates as just two options. If they don't excite you, find something that does. Surfing, dancing, hiking, team sports, or even gymnastics can provide that crucial physical balance. The most important thing is that we feed our other interests and do a variety of activities that feel active, restorative and fun.

Your First Step: The 15-Minute Morning Habit

If you're new to all of this, the best way to start is with a simple, achievable routine. I recommend a 10-15 minute mat-based yoga or stretching practice every morning. This can be done at home, on a trip, or anywhere you have a quiet space. A classic "Sun Salutations" sequence is a perfect starting point, or you can follow a guided session on YouTube. Over time, you’ll learn what your body needs and develop your own routine from memory, perhaps while you wait for the kettle to boil.

The other benefit of this morning ritual is that it helps you develop the habit of waking up early. On a long bikepacking trip, making the most of daylight hours is often essential to cover the planned distance without having to rush or ride deep into the night. A small, healthy habit at home can build the discipline that pays off hugely on the trail.