Cycling is really exciting, isn’t it? Your hair blown back by the wind, open roads stretching before. But let’s face it, those long rides leave you feeling like a stiff board. Yoga for cycling is the secret weapon that many cyclists don’t know they need.
It’s peanut butter to jelly for bicycle riders. Can you imagine telling someone “No, you can’t bend over quite that far” after he stands up in stretch pants? There’s only been one in a thousand Bally machines made which could answer yes to “Could you please go higher?” Any other fitness machine on your BODYspectrum will tend not do it without one mean grunt and groan.
Preacher curls by Johnny Depp are too low for me to see over my knee. 100, 100! That’s the number of the bike route when we meet for lunch and see a sign in downtown Wheaton reading “Fairbanks Depot Mall” over MISC. Building. Nobody is going to be at the house by then if we go there now.
So let’s talk about flexibility first. Cyclists often have hamstrings tighter than guitar strings. A few sun salutations can loosen them up, making every pedal stroke smoother than before. It’s not just about bending like a pretzel; it’s giving your body the freedom to move without hindrance.
Balance is the one of the biggest. Ever felt shaky when trying to clip in at a stop sign? Try tree pose out for size. Like an oak tree in the wind, stand on one leg and wobble gently, practicing balancing muscles that will keep you upright even if examined completely as it happens.
Breathing is another chapter. We all breathe, every second of the day. But what do we pay attention to on a cold January morning when outside? Nobody is saying we meet him for yoga practice at 3 PM other than Bobby’s mother who sleeps through daylight because I keep her up all night. The point with yoga is related to deep breathing where you are supposed to be in a mental state of harmony and prosperity.
There’s no escaping the fact that core strength is important. Although cycling certainly builds core muscles very well and we all know that, yoga steps it up a notch with poses like boat or plank to get deep core stabilizers involved. A strong core means better posture on the bike, less fatigue from long rides and—suitably enough when you consider how tough your abs will be if you do it right—it also strengthens pelvic floor muscles (yoga people know aboutsuch things).
And what about recovery? After all, who doesn’t enjoy lying down quietly in seclusion? Savasana (an Indian word meaning “corpse position”) relieves muscle soreness by promoting relaxation and blood flow post-ride, providing an excellent opportunity for some quality time spent lying on a floor!
Yoga also gives mental strength – something which we all need when moving against a headwind or pedalling up relentless inclines where the road never seems to end. With mindfulness practices in yoga, in particular, focus and determination are fostered very well indeed. Not surprisingly these carry perfectly onto two wheels; with regular use they may even serve you better there than if they had never been practiced at all.
So in preparation for your next big excursion or just the everyday madness of cycling around town—at least once a week before entering traffic lanes with thousands upon thousands more people than ever seen cycling alone previously huffing their way up hills at 10 or 20mph!— think about putting warrior poses into partner practices. You ’ ll find yourself more limber for the effort both mentally and physically as well prepared no matter what direction those pedals take next.