{"id":2183781,"date":"2026-10-07T09:05:37","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T06:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2183781"},"modified":"2026-10-07T09:05:37","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T06:05:37","slug":"booty-bands-for-cyclists-pogacars-viral-warm-up-trend-might-just-be-a-placebo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2183781","title":{"rendered":"‘Booty Bands’ For Cyclists: Poga\u010dar’s Viral Warm-Up Trend Might Just Be a Placebo"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Untitled-Design-33.jpg”]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Updated October 7, 2026 07:07AM<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Tadej Poga\u010dar made \u201cbooty bands\u201d everybody\u2019s favorite warm-up ritual when he was filmed twerking and squatting his way through a pre-race routine, bands around his knees.<\/p>\n

\n

But it turns out that these wildly popular pre-ride workouts might largely be a placebo.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Waddling, lunging, and squatting through a mini-band session before a ride doesn\u2019t \u201cactivate your glutes\u201d or prime you to push max power.<\/p>\n

According to WorldTour experts, the power of glute bands might largely be in the mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese mini band moves are beneficial, but it\u2019s more from a pseudo-science perspective. Someone riders might feel like, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m doing something<\/em>, I\u2019m preparing myself to ride\u2019 by doing them,\u201d Jayco-AlUla physiotherapist Dan Guillemette told Velo<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut in terms of actual performance, it\u2019s really unlikely there\u2019s any actual benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n

So how have mini-bands become one of sport\u2019s most popular primers?<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve become no-brainers for WorldTour and triathlon pros, TikTok influencers, 4w\/kg Velo writers [ahem<\/em>], and everyone in between.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why mini band warm-ups might not be worth your time \u2013 unless you\u2019re already doing them \u2013 and how to make better use of these wildly popular home workout tools.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Poga\u010dar puts booty bands into every cyclist\u2019s social feed<\/h2>\n

Poga\u010dar\u2019s pre-race warm-up video was one of the viral cycling clips of 2025. The meme pages loved it.<\/p>\n

The Instagram reel shows Poga\u010dar and his teammate Juan Molano working through a series of mini band exercises ahead of a stage at the UAE Tour. Pogi\u2019s now-famous \u201cbum to the sky\u201d hip opener was a particular highlight.<\/p>\n

It was a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at how pros prepare to push wild watts for hours on end.<\/p>\n

Since then, clips of Matteo Jorgenson, Jonas Abrahamsen, and Remco Evenepoel doing similar routines have reinforced the thinking that a few minutes inside a mini band will push you to new performance peaks.<\/p>\n

And unlike a set of Poga\u010dar-approved 165mm cranks or an indoor trainer \u201cheat suit,\u201d there\u2019s no expensive equipment, excess sweat, or annoying apps involved.<\/p>\n

All you need is a $10 band from Walmart and one of the routines being pumped into your cycling social\u00a0feed.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Bursting the bubble around booty bands<\/h2>\n
The best warm up \/ activations for training and racing are performed on the bike.<\/span> (Photo: Laurent Coust \/ Europa Press via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No, your glutes don\u2019t \u2018turn off\u2019<\/h3>\n

The big selling point of booty band routines for cyclists and endurance athletes?<\/p>\n

That they waken your glutes from their slumber after too long being sat on. A few minutes pushing at a mini band will buzz your butt into \u201cworkout mode.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strength expert Chris Peden burst that bubble when he spoke to Velo<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Peden, the head of S&C at Decathlon-CMA CGM, said pros and amateurs alike have been fooled by a misapplication of the term \u201csleepy glutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese routines are always advertised as \u2018you\u2019ve got weak glutes, your glutes don\u2019t work, or are \u2018asleep.\u2019 That\u2019s the result of medical terms transferring to the performance world that don\u2019t really apply,\u201d Peden told Velo<\/em>. \u201cIt\u2019s a medical term from those who are extremely inactive, not somebody who does even a low level of training.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd anyway, muscles don\u2019t \u2018switch on\u2019 or \u2018switch off.\u2019 Your neuromuscular system is always working. Your brain knows exactly what to recruit at any one time,\u201d Peden continued.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cA band workout does not make that signal \u2018better\u2019 or \u2018cleaner,\u2019 as some suggest. It\u2019s unlikely to have any benefit at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re reading this post, you\u2019re likely interested in bikes and maybe ride one every so often.<\/p>\n

You<\/em> don\u2019t have sleepy glutes.<\/p>\n

A mini band will not boost muscular contractility<\/h3>\n

A second misconception? That squeezing some torque out of your glutes with an oversized elastic band will ready you for your 400-watt interval workout.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s founded in another misapplication, this time of the term \u201cPAP.\u201d<\/p>\n

PAP, or Post Activation Potentiation, refers to the acute boost in muscular performance following a previous activity. A set of heavy back squats before attempting a maximum vertical jump is a common real-world application of PAP.<\/p>\n

But sadly, a set of waddling \u201cmonster walks\u201d won\u2019t come close to delivering the muscular force or speed required for any meaningful PAP.<\/p>\n

In the world\u2019s biggest bike races, turbo trainers \u2013 not mini bands \u2013 are used to provide an effective potentiation.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

These torture devices are wheeled out of team trucks ahead of time trials, hard uphill starts, or for those wanting to make the day\u2019s early break. Riders work through a progressive build before a series of short submaximal efforts that fully stimulate the muscles for a fast racing start.<\/p>\n

Mini bands before a ride: Mental preparation or physical preparation?<\/h2>\n
Many pros have integrated mini bands into their pre-ride routines.<\/span> (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So, wait one sec. If the popular theories behind booty bands are a load of BS, why are they still so popular in the dialed-down, scientifically-backed WorldTour?<\/p>\n

Even Peden admitted his own athletes on Decathlon-CMA CGM do them, even though he dismisses their direct impact on performance.<\/p>\n

Both he and Guillemette at Jayco-AlUla think that for many riders, the gains are all in the mind.<\/p>\n

For many, workout bands became part of their pre-ride routine as juniors, either as a misguided warm-up tool or as a minimal dose of strength work.<\/p>\n

A decade later, it\u2019s just what they do.<\/p>\n

\u201cPsychologically, the placebo effect is massive,\u201d Peden said. \u201cOur riders still do them regardless of what we might say. They\u2019ve been told to do it since they were 15 years old, and that it\u2019s beneficial to them. So I can\u2019t turn around to tell them to suddenly stop.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not doing any harm, but they\u2019re not achieving anything meaningful as a supposed \u2018activation,\u2019\u201d he continued. \u201cIf they\u2019re proving some psychological benefit and riders believe they help, I\u2019m not going to hold them back. However, I might try to suggest they include some more useful practices, instead \u2013 say, around mobility.\u201d<\/p>\n

A mental cue \/ mobility<\/h3>\n

Guillemette, who worked at Team Sky before he joined Jayco-AlUla, added that a band routine can also help riders transition out of inactivity.<\/p>\n

They prime the mind and loosen the body.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really unlikely that there\u2019s any benefit to using bands in terms of race performance,\u201d Guillemette said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, dial back to the fact that a rider has maybe been sat in a bus, is maybe in the final weeks of a grand tour, or they\u2019ve had a crash. They\u2019re feeling a little bit stiff. They\u2019ve got tightness in their hips and back. Moving with a little bit of resistance really helps establish some connection between the brain and body,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a simple, quick way to get mobility and ease tension in the body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A proper resistance band workout both promotes better long-term mobility \u2013 the ability for a joint to move through a full range of motion \u2013 and greases up joints that have been rusted by inaction.<\/p>\n

This indirectly promotes better power transfer, the ability to hold an aero position, and helps in injury prevention.<\/p>\n

When mini bands do matter<\/h2>\n
\"Evenepoel
Evenepoel revealed his maintenance strength and conditioning routine in a recent YouTube vlog.<\/span> (Photo: YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Strength maintenance<\/h3>\n

Pro team trainers let athletes decide whether they start doing monster walks and glute bridges while they savor their pre-ride espresso.<\/p>\n

They won\u2019t deny them a long-time ritual, nor with they mandate something that might be a waste of time.<\/p>\n

But sometimes mini band workouts are non-negotiable, whether they\u2019re done before a ride or completely separately.<\/p>\n

For pros away racing or stuck in a crusty hotel at high altitude for weeks on end, they help maintain gym gains while their regular strength regimen is on ice.<\/p>\n

Remco Evenepoel\u2019s YouTube vlog this spring provided a good example of a quick filler routine. In the video, Evenepoel works through a basic 10-minute S&C session targeting his hips, core, and lower back while he\u2019s stuck on training camp up high in Tenerife.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s to prevent injury, mostly,\u201d a team trainer replies when Evenepoel quizzes him on the purpose of the session.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWe try to prepare you as best as possible to be ready without problems at racing,\u201d the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe staffer says. \u201cIt\u2019s important to do them every day, especially before training. Then your body is ready with tension, and you can go on the bike and push as much as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Injury prevention and rehabilitation<\/h3>\n

Evenepoel\u2019s trainer alludes to the role of basic strength workouts in injury prevention.<\/p>\n

These light banded sessions are also crucial prehab for injury-prone riders or rehab for those left with imbalances and weaknesses after previous problems.<\/p>\n

A properly constructed band routine can target muscles prone to fatigue \u2013 particularly the small glute medius either side of your butt \u2013 and ensure they\u2019ve got the staying power for a five-hour race.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you think about the endurance component of cycling, it\u2019s the small mobilizer and stabilizer muscles\u2013 say those around the pelvis \u2013 that fatigue first. They go before the big, fast-acting muscles like the glutes, quads, and hamstrings,\u201d Guillemette said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen these stabilizers fatigue, you start compensating in other ways. Then you\u2019re more likely to get some kind of injury because muscles aren\u2019t doing the job that they need to be doing,\u201d Guillemette said.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cBands can really isolate and help the durability of some of those muscles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do amateurs need to use mini bands? It depends.<\/h2>\n
\"Mini
Mini bands are a cheap and easy entry point to proper strength training. <\/span> (Photo: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So what does this mean for amateurs? Should those not already cocooned in the comfort of a pre-ride band routine pick up a set of booty bands?<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t follow a specific strength program, a basic mini band routine should be considered essential. Even 10 minutes of properly focused work can help prevent injury and promote good power transfer to the pedals.<\/p>\n

However, don\u2019t expect to put 500 watts on your sprint with a big elastic band.<\/p>\n

As we explored here, proper strength training should ideally be a part of every athlete\u2019s program to ensure athletic longevity and progression.<\/p>\n

Band sessions are also a no-skip for those working back from injuries \u2013 though your own medic or practitioner will have already told you that. Follow their advice on what you need to do.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

And who knows? Even those free of injury and with a full gym program might find that a few minutes waddling around with your legs looped into a band helps shift the mind from emails and spreadsheets to power targets and KoMs.<\/p>\n

Some suggestions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

A few widely-approved basic moves that could get you started with bands include lateral \/ \u201cmonster\u201d walks, glute bridges, psoas marches, and reverse lunges. Note you\u2019ll need a full-length band for the lunges.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re using bands before a bike ride and have been sitting at a desk all day, also consider some \u201ccat cows\u201d and lower back rotation mobilizations to loosen your gummed-up spine.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
Updated October 7, 2026 07:07AM<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-training\/booty-band-warm-ups-for-cycling\/”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Untitled-Design-33.jpg”] Updated October 7, 2026 07:07AM Tadej Poga\u010dar made \u201cbooty bands\u201d everybody\u2019s favorite warm-up ritual when he was filmed twerking and squatting his way through a pre-race routine, bands around his knees. But it turns out that these wildly popular pre-ride workouts might largely be a placebo. Waddling, lunging, and squatting through a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,71],"class_list":["post-2183781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2183781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183781\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2183781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2183781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2183781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}