Cycling and flexibility

lost_in_thought

No, this has nothing to do with DDD's thread!

I have had a 'biometric assessment' today, and apparently I am hypermobile. Now, this might explain the surprise of people like physios etc.when I say that I cycle a lot yet am still relatively flexible, or it might not.

So, I wonder if cycling really does affect flexibility, and I have little to do today, so I thought I'd do a poll.

Apparently, the type of flexibility that cyclists are worst at is the touching your toes type, so that's what I've done... and you should presume this is with bare feet.

Vote! I'm curious!

Clever Pun

I'm super flexible but that's cause of years of kickboxing and the like

cycling does tighten the hammys up though

jonginge

Erm. Somewhere between 'I can touch my toes!' and 'Palms flat on the floor or better', just to be awkward :P

lost_in_thought

jonginge wrote:

Erm. Somewhere between 'I can touch my toes!' and 'Palms flat on the floor or better', just to be awkward :P

Pick one! You don't get two votes... this is a democracy, damn it! :P

whyamihere

Palms flat on the floor, in shoes, with orthotic insoles. So, really, it's palms flat plus an inch.

sarajoy

Oh dear, I'm rubbish! I put halfway down shins, but really I was just hitting my cankles (calf-ankles).

gtvlusso

lost_in_thought wrote:

apparently I am hypermobile!

Is that like a Superhero? Or do you eat lots of sweeties?

As for me - years of Yoga (yes, yoga, men do yoga!) Did it while I was racing motorbikes - my wife suggested it as I was getting knackered during a race.....yes, yoga and motorbikes go together.... :oops: They are tough manly things....

jonginge

lost_in_thought wrote:

jonginge wrote:

Erm. Somewhere between 'I can touch my toes!' and 'Palms flat on the floor or better', just to be awkward :P

Pick one! You don't get two votes... this is a democracy, damn it! :P

I'm saying palms but if I damage myself* trying I'm blaming you.

* can I claim physio charges on expenses?

DonDaddyD

Shins. I think. I'm going to the staff toilet to try it out....

Edit: Yep, shins.

gtvlusso

gtvlusso wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

apparently I am hypermobile!

Is that like a Superhero? Or do you eat lots of sweeties?

As for me - years of Yoga (yes, yoga, men do yoga!) Did it while I was racing motorbikes - my wife suggested it as I was getting knackered during a race.....yes, yoga and motorbikes go together.... :oops: They are tough manly things....

So, Palms on the floor for me...or hands under my feet.

lost_in_thought

gtvlusso wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

apparently I am hypermobile!

Is that like a Superhero? Or do you eat lots of sweeties?

According to the nice doctor it means my connective tissue type is different to other people's in that it's looser or more lax. :shock:

But yes, I am also a superhero and eater of sweeties! :P

always_tyred

jonginge wrote:

Erm. Somewhere between 'I can touch my toes!' and 'Palms flat on the floor or better', just to be awkward :P

Ditto.

Its a spurious measure of hamstring and hip flexibility though. A lot of the extension comes from my back. Lying flat on the floor and having someone raise your leg(s) is a better measure.

If you are worried LiT, just hang around for 10 years or so. I can assure you that you will be less flexible then.

always_tyred

DonDaddyD wrote:

Shins. I think. I'm going to the staff toilet to try it out....

Edit: Yep, shins.

Dude, it doesn't dramatically change the result if you leave your trousers on.

lost_in_thought

Always Tyred wrote:

jonginge wrote:

Erm. Somewhere between 'I can touch my toes!' and 'Palms flat on the floor or better', just to be awkward :P

Ditto.

Its a spurious measure of hamstring and hip flexibility though. A lot of the extension comes from my back. Lying flat on the floor and having someone raise your leg(s) is a better measure.

If you are worried LiT, just hang around for 10 years or so. I can assure you that you will be less flexible then.

Oh no, not worried, I think it's a good thing.

And yes, you're right re hamstring/hip flexibility tests, but it's a 2-person test and not everyone has a PA as understanding as mine... :P

always_tyred

lost_in_thought wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

apparently I am hypermobile!

Is that like a Superhero? Or do you eat lots of sweeties?

According to the nice doctor it means my connective tissue type is different to other people's in that it's looser or more lax. :shock:

But yes, I am also a superhero and eater of sweeties! :P

And for my hat trick of posts....

I knew someone once who didn't produce one of the 7 types of collagen found in the body. She was forever dislocating things. Seriously, she had to do stuff at the gym to shorten and tighten muscles.

whyamihere

Always Tyred wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

apparently I am hypermobile!

Is that like a Superhero? Or do you eat lots of sweeties?

According to the nice doctor it means my connective tissue type is different to other people's in that it's looser or more lax. :shock:

But yes, I am also a superhero and eater of sweeties! :P

And for my hat trick of posts....

I knew someone once who didn't produce one of the 7 types of collagen found in the body. She was forever dislocating things. Seriously, she had to do stuff at the gym to shorten and tighten muscles.

I do that...

boneyjoe

Pls post some pics!

lost_in_thought

boneyjoe wrote:

Pls post some pics!

Of...?

Rich158

jonginge wrote:

Erm. Somewhere between 'I can touch my toes!' and 'Palms flat on the floor or better', just to be awkward :P

+1, that best describes me. When I'm running 2/3 times a week my hams loosen up, probably due to the extra stretching.

boneyjoe

Would be good to see some feats of hypermobility if possible.

King Donut

Ankles.

But I've got 36 inch inside leg and, as i was told at a recent bike fitting, short arms [I'm trying to measure them now with a 15cm ruler].
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Feltup

Always Tyred wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Shins. I think. I'm going to the staff toilet to try it out....

Edit: Yep, shins.

Dude, it doesn't dramatically change the result if you leave your trousers on.

always_tyred

boneyjoe wrote:

Would be good to see some feats of hypermobility if possible.

You may not have noticed, but the "R" and "Y" on a keyboard are quite close together, Bonerjoe.

boneyjoe

For the cause of serious scientific discussion, of course! Some people, where are their minds...

Jay dubbleU

Sort of halfway between touching toes and flat on the floor - I can touch the floor with my knuckles which may mean
a) I am more flexible than I thought
b) I am more closely related to gorillas than I thought

:shock:

Finbar Saunders

I used to be shins for years but since starting to stretch before playing squash I am now ankles. I don't play squash very often so even a little stretching seems to have improved my flexibility.
Is there an evolutionary advantage to being able to touch your toes?

Gazzaputt

Oh dear 28 years of cycling I can only just get past the knees. Also cannot straighten my leg past 4-5" off the ground. :roll:

mudcovered

Palms flat for me. Mind you thats got nothing to do with cycling . I also do Ashtanga Yoga. Before I started doing that I couldn't even touch my toes.

Mike

always_tyred

Finbar Saunders wrote:

I used to be shins for years but since starting to stretch before playing squash I am now ankles. I don't play squash very often so even a little stretching seems to have improved my flexibility.
Is there an evolutionary advantage to being able to touch your toes?

I believe that, earlier in human evolution, before hip geometry changed to enable bipedal motion, this level of flexibility was helpful for genital hygine.

Cats can still touch their toes, for example. So can dogs, but its a bit more of a faff.

tardington

LiT can you get through a tennis racket? With out the strings in btw.

lost_in_thought

tardie wrote:

LiT can you get through a tennis racket? With out the strings in btw.

Definitely not!