Increasing flexibility to get a lower position

unixnerd

I have a fairly high riding position. Tried lowering it at the weekend and hurt my hamstrings a fair bit over 30 miles. I'm 44 but this isn't a recent thing. Are there any exercises I can perform that are worthwhile to increase my flexibility and get me down at the front end? Basically I want a more aerodynamic position.

P_Tucker

Well I'm not an expert, but I reckon you might want to perform some hamstring stretches







Also, if its just hamstring tightness, stick with the new position and you'll adapt to it in time.

jgsi

so you can either
hire that woman for some PNF stretching for an hour each day
or
adapt over time by altering your bike to have a more aggressive position.. on the drops more or into your aerobar tuck whichever the case may be.

I could not afford the woman, so I had to adapt by riding.

Anne S.

Yoga

mattshrops

Anne S. wrote:

Yoga

Yes Booboo?

patchy

AAAAARGH hamstrings and aero positioning. I recommend working on your flexibility BEFORE making any bike changes. I tried to do the same early this year, lowering front end to get more aero. Have been doing pilates for core and flexbility, thought I'd be ok. Did a 235km mountain gran fondo in March, came away with a wrecked left knee. Turns out I'd:

dropped the front too low for my fairly tight hamstrings to cope with
moved seat up and forward to compensate, putting me too far over the cranks
ended up with a position that put undue stress on the backs of my knees, particularly my (weaker) left one (compounded by slightly incorrect cleat position, yay me)

Result: heavy pes anserine bursitis in left knee and a very grumpy cyclist. Two months on, I'm only just getting back on the bike (bike fit in the interim to fix the positional issues) and my left hamstring is as tight as a super tight tight thing. It's been horrendous.

Moral of the story: Fix the flexibility first. not the position. Stretch stretch stretch those hamstrings.

Also, if you're office based, get up, walk around, stretch in your chair, etc. Being seated all day just ruins your leg flexibility.

jgsi

So you completely ignored
Adaptation
over
Time
on the
Bike?
You made a massive setup change and rode an Alpine sportive and blame lack of yoga or whatever?

patchy

I didn't say it was a smart move on my part... Definitely me being a dipstick and messing with position too much too quickly. Just thought it might be illuminating to the OP that he doesn't make the same mistake.

racingcondor

I'd add working on your hip flexors as well. I try to keep up a decent bit of stretching for as much of my lower body as I can. It's very easy to do too little, doubt you can do too much.

Adaption over time will also come in to it as you'll be working your core more as you get lower for longer. You might be better off putting the set up back but working on how long you can spend in the drops then adjusting your set up once you've made some of the physical changes.

barry_kellett99

racingcondor wrote:

I'd add working on your hip flexors as well. .

I find this vital to avoiding rock hard tight hamstrings after a tough race.
Strengthening and flexibility of the whole core is my only goal in the gym from now until October.
Plenty of stretching and lots of time on the foam roller working on the Hip flexors, IT band and quads

jgsi

I have yet to see anyone taking time out to stretch at hq after a race... too busy snaffling tea and cakes...
I know it's important though, but seemingly it's done in the privacy of home.

Zoomer37

This doesn't answer your question, but increasing your flexibility will take months and months of stretching in order to feel any real difference which is fine if you can be arssed to put the time in, but its easy to make some small adjustments in your current postion to get yourself lower and more 'aero'. Set your bike up on a turbo with a mirror opposite. Sitting up right on the saddle roll your hips forward until you can feel your back flat (should feel like your sticking your @ss out a bit). Now keeping your back completely flat lower yourself into the drops. Dont reach for them or you'll start arching your back(fold yourself like a book closing). Check the postion in the mirror you should be almost there. Now drop your shoulders slightly and bend elbows until back is horizontal and you look super mega pro.

Obviously if your into TT's and you need to put yourself in a more aggresive postion then it will be better to include some stretching and core work, but if your just bombing round on your road bike and want impress the chicks the above works.

racingcondor

JGSI wrote:

but seemingly it's done in the privacy of home.

Probably not. Cyclist are spectacularly bad a stretching properly (at all)...

I only do it because keeping my hip flexors loose cures my knee problems.

symo

Anne S. wrote:

Yoga

+1

Stopped going to Yoga after leaving the SW as I can't justify the class costs around here, but have started doing Sun Salutations each morning, with side planks and some seated stretches. Certainly helped me to feel more comfortable on the bike again, some on here would say that's down to bad bike fit which it isn't it could be something to do with my core fitness though........