Stretches For Cyclists

JesseD

Over the course of the winter I want to work on my flexibility for cycling so I can get into a lower position on the bike, and also potentially stave of any injuries as I get older.

I have an office job so am very aware of being sat in one position all day then being sat on a bike every evening can't be good for back/hamstrings etc, and sooner or later I am going to seize up!

So what do you guys do and how often?

What have the results been, can you get lower for longer?

Have you notice any improvement in performance and have injuries been less?

fat daddy

I started doing yoga 2-3 times a week, partly for sports benefits, but mostly to force my missus to do something other than sit.

Over the last 2 years I have got really good .... at yoga. I can bend a lot more, arms and legs reach positions they didn't used to, I can sit comfortably on the floor and play with the kid for hours without aching.

Cant say I have noticed much difference with the cycling though, with the exception of quad recovery, back aches and looking over my shoulder to see whats behind ..... after hard cycling or running, my quads can really burn, yoga works this pain out a lot quicker than not doing the yoga. I also don't get back ache any more after 2hours in the saddle or MTBing ... but then this might also be due to just cycling more anyway ...... looking over my shoulder though to see whats behind is a LOT easier though :-D

I use an app on the iphone called "yoga studio" ... and follow the beginner/intermediate combination/flexibility/strength and balance programmes

Anonymous

I've also recently taken up yoga and absolutely love it. It's a pretty thorough workout as well - not quite comparable with a 45 min spin class but it definitely makes me sweat buckets.

Specifically I do Vinyasa Flow (or just flow) yoga as its a bit more fluid rather than just doing stretches and works your upper body a bit as well with lots of plank/press-up type maneuvers.

I go once a week and I think I've done 4 classes and have noticed my flexibility improve, especially when touching my toes etc - both from longer hamstrings and generally more flexible at the waist.

JesseD

My wife has been on at me to go to Yoga with her, she joined a gym a while back and they do Yoga there which she enjoys however as it’s on a Tuesday and Thursday I have always put it off (mainly as on these days I ride the chaingangs with my club). Might change one of the days riding to a Wednesday or Monday and go to the classes on one of the days?

The foam roller has been suggested to me before but I have never bought one, I have used one ages ago when I was training for a half iron-man, mainly to try to avoid injuries in my legs from running but no since, Sports Direct local to me do the Reebok ones for around £15 so I might pop in on the weekend and grab one.

Do any of you stretch before or after riding as well, I usually get off the bike and go straight to the kitchen as I am usually starving, then I usually forget to do it later, all bad habits I know.

fat daddy

JesseD wrote:

My wife has been on at me to go to Yoga with her, she joined a gym a while back and they do Yoga there which she enjoys however as it’s on a Tuesday and Thursday I have always put it off

Don't put it off because its on a Tuesday and Thursday ..... put it off because its as dull as you can imagine.

I only do it as motivation for my wife to do it ..... yes it does help, but if it wasn't for my wife, there isn't chance in hell that would continue it, I would rather ache !

problem with yoga is that its so damn slow and nothing happens, I spend the entire time thinking about what I can eat next

EDIT: .. not to say it isn't hard work, I still overheat and swear under my breath as I try to hold poses .... its just boring hard work

Midlands Grimpeur

I do pilates once a week for 45mins. I prefer it to yoga as it is a combo of flexibility and core strength. Started it after a hernia repair which highlighted I had a quite severe muscle imbalance on the hernia side having waited a year to get the op.

Pilates quickly sorted the muscle weakness. Over the first six months I also raised saddle by 1.5cm and lowered bars by about 2cm so definite improvements in flexibility. Not had any injuries since either, but cannot specifically attribute that to pilates!

Anonymous

Jesse - I don't really see the need to do loads of stretching before a ride as you can get all you need as part of your warm up - I have a 7 mile ride to the start of my chaingang (or a 10 mile commute home to it) which gives me all I need. Afterwards I agree it's a bit more tricky but I stretch in the shower (just touch my toes and pull my feet to my backside). The foam roller is awesome and while it helps for recovery it is excellent for avoiding injury as it can knead out knots in your muscles like a physio/masseur might (ITB was mine a couple of years ago).

As for Yoga - I understand there are different types. To lie around with a bunch of 40-somethings isn't my idea of fun but I do a very dynamic class which gives you a pretty thorough, all over stretch and workout. My class are all sub-30 years old and it's an enjoyable class. I reckon I must do in the region of 20-30 press ups combined with burpees, bastards, planks, and all sorts of stretches. I class myself as pretty fit but still it's not walk in the park. I know the numbers aren't high - but remember it's not a circuits class, but it's definitely not a boring/lazy hour of falling asleep.

Have a look for Vinyasa Flow (or just Flow Yoga). I highly recommend it.

JesseD

Fat daddy – I am under no illusion that it will be as dull as dishwater, but doing Yoga with my wife will hopefully win me brownie points for doing something she enjoys doing with her, instead of the usual “right I’m off out on my bike for 2 hours now love (really 4+ hours in reality), see you when I get back”, as all of us probably get from our significant others, apparently I spend far too much time thinking about, fixing and riding my bike! As for thinking about food, I do that 95% of the time anyway, the only time I don’t is when I am eating (actually that’s a lie its 99% of the time)

Midlands Grimpeur – Thought about Pilates as well, may see if they do a class and if it fits in with my riding schedule.

Corodian – you’ve convinced me on the foam roller, plus I can use it in the evening whilst watching tv etc, will just have to try to convince the dog that it’s a) not a toy to be chewed and ripped apart and b) I am not trying to play with him by lying on the floor using the damn thing! Never heard of Vinyasa Flow Yoga, I have no idea what type my wife’s gym do, but will check it out and see if there is anywhere locally we can try it.

fat daddy

JesseD wrote:

Fat daddy – I am under no illusion that it will be as dull as dishwater, but doing Yoga with my wife will hopefully win me brownie points for doing something she enjoys doing with her.

you are a good man !!! I get brownie points for it too.

Anonymous

Go with an open mind and try to enjoy it. I was of exactly the same mindset as you (boring, slow, easy, a bit of nonsense) and similarly went to appease my girlfriend and am now hooked. I admit, there is an element of spiritualness about it (mostly when you start and finish) and also controlling your breathing to help with stretching further, but I guess that makes it all the more rewarding. If you want the same feeling as you get when you walk out a spin class with jelly legs, it isn't that, but it's still nice.

I go in the morning before work (7-8) which means I can ride after work.

If you sweat a lot, take a towel. I totally soaked through a hand towel to the extent I was just spreading sweat around by the end of the class, but I think I am an anomaly!

Also - once you've done the brownie point part, then you can get into it and be better than her. Now my gf is pissed that I took her hobby!

trek_dan

You really really need to have a proper stretch straight after coming in off the bike while your muscles are still warm. Don't stretch cold. Before you eat, before you take a shower, before you get changed stretch it all out.

JesseD

I am considering calling going to Yoga with the wife “date night”, who says romance is dead 

Corodian – I think that’s the key, go in with the right mind-set, for me its about working on flexibility, I will leave the hard workouts to the bike. I also love the fact that regardless of the fact it’s your OH you have to beat them, reminds me of the Fat Shoe sketch called competitive dad where he teaches his son to play squash and beats him on every point.

Trek-dan - you are 100% right, but I never seem to get around to it, think I need to try to do this at least a couple of times a week.

mamil314

If you have a sitting job, your hamstrings and hip flexors will be short and tight. Working on hams should let you get lower for longer.
Like others said, do not stretch the cold muscles. When riding home, have a couple of jelly babies so you can hold off the starve and squeeze in at least a basic stretch of hams, quads, calves, itb. Roller works as a poor man's masseuse. Do not get soft foam one. I'd not watch TV while rolling as it's a fairly intense session if you are working on your tight spots honestly.
I would be very careful with any activity involving dynamic stretching. Depending on your age, you, probably, do not want anything faster than what can be seen in Tai Chi exercises; seems like Flow Yoga might be something like that

step83

Soft foam rollers are pointless, Hard ones work best, I often refer to mine as satans pleasure toy. Evil works but wont beat a proper massage.

Stretch wise Mamil is spot on, I sit on my backside all day short hams an hip flexors I sometimes sit on the edge of the seat an do hamstring stretches which help

Anonymous

I have the trigger point one and it's a bastard of pain

AK_jnr

You need to do some weight bearing exercise otherwise you will have the bones and muscles/ligaments of an 80 year old.
Unless you are paid to ride there is no reason to only ride a bike and not run for example.

JesseD

Mamil314 – thanks, I do feel it in my hamstrings. I used to be quite flexible when I used to go to the gym a lot a couple of years ago before I started cycling properly again, I used to do CrossFit type exercises and the guys I trained with used to dedicate 20 mins of each session to stretching as well as the weights and heavy lifting stuff, I definitely felt better (flexibility wise) than I do now, none of it was particularly dynamic stretches and it was all controlled stuff as instructed by our coach, he was very critical and rightly insisted we do things correctly and concentrated on form (stretching and lifting). Maybe there will be some cross over in the stretches I used to do in these sessions?

Step83 – the roller I have seen is a Karrimor one, feels pretty hard to me, I have tried the softer foam rollers and agree they aren’t much cop, it’s this one: http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-fo ... e=76459012 and looks very similar to the Trigger Point one Coriordan mentions.

AK_jnr – I used to do a lot of weights and gym work as mentioned above, do agree that some weight bearing stuff would be a good idea but I struggle to fit it all in with work, family, cycling etc, not an excuse I know but finding the time is a nightmare, plus I also put size on very quickly for some reason, I do any type of weights for a short space of time and I bulk up, genetics are a nightmare. I am only starting to lose the size I put on from the gym some 2 years later.

diy

You don't have to spend hours doing it. 15 mins to half an hour a couple of times a week on top of a 5 minute cool down stretch is all you need. As long as you work it and gradually increase the stretch it will work

a couple of guides:

5 minute cool down stretch
http://youtu.be/QgEbH31FbWs

15 minute stretch
http://youtu.be/WElIDKxmyQo

Quins

Take a look at Jo McRae , she's all over social media, new book just out on specific training for cyclists, weights, stretching etc. Loads on twitter, you tube, I think she is a credible reference point.

mikenetic

Jo helped me sort out some lower back issues I was having a while back.

She's excellent, and has recently published a book that covers a lot of flexibility, core and strength work. Doing a basic stretch routine takes about 15 minutes once you've memorised the exercises.

Book link:

http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ride-strong-9781472928610/

durgeshfitso

Stretching is most important for any sport. I have been doing running for a long time and doing some exercises. You can have a glance if that helps you. These are kind of pre-event exercises.
http://blog.getfitso.com/pre-run-stretching-tips-and-routines-you-need-to-know/