Whether you are headed for the hills or taking a Spin Class at your local gym, proper form is a must. I recently went through a training course for indoor cycling instruction and found that without proper form, one may feel lower back pain, tightening in the neck and shoulders, and a lack of flexibility.
The 'proper' cycling position that will help your cycling whether it is indoor cycling or out hitting the trails is as follows:
Head & Neck: Be relaxed, neutral, looking forward and not down
Upper Body: Relaxed with very little movement
Arms & Hands: Relaxed, light on the handlebars, not gripping for dear life
Knees: In close to the top tube or pointing forward, moving directly up and down, (not side to side). A tight lower back can force your knees to stick out away from the body. Pilates and Yoga can help increase flexibility in your lower back.
Posture: Weight on the saddle, towards the back, your chest should be up and the breastbone forward, think long abs, stomach in. This posture allows you to lengthen and relax your lower back while remaining comfortable. If your hands are relaxed and can easily be lifted without shifting your weight, you are in proper form. Your Neutral Spine plays a role here. Remember not to flatten the back and don't round it over, maintain the natural curves of your spine (Pilates)
Practicing Pilates or Yoga on a regular basis will not only strengthen the core body muscles important to cycling, it will also improve your muscle flexibility, posture, and balance. Both Yoga and Pilates emphasizes deep thoracic breathing to help increase lung capacity and circulation.
I want to share with you a testimony that one of my clients wrote for me. Rick Wessel and his wife Janice began training with me two months ago, here is what Rick has to say:
At fifty one years old I had lost my healthy groove and turned back into a dysfunctional work-aholic. There was no time to eat right or exercise, and certainly there wasn't anytime to ride or race or even spend time with my wife. The result wasn't a surprise to anyone but me that I would end up with a stress related illness. The only exercise I could do was sitting in the garage and look at my bike, go down memory lane, and remember the healing experience of the "ride".
After about six months of wondering if I would rather die or get better, I started to get very serious about my nutrition and working with a magnificent Acupuncturist.
I started feeling good enough to think about getting on the bike again. Problem - during my illness I went from 210 pounds down to 168 pounds. I had the muscle mass of a jelly fish. As a matter of fact I kind of looked and felt like a jelly fish. After over forty years of riding and racing motorcycles and fifteen years of riding and racing bicycles. After being an active outdoors person my whole life, this
stank!!My wife said "Let's go to Pilates". I heard "Let's go get Carnitas". When we pulled up to A Pilates Studio, my wife explained that she was tired of my whining and sniveling and it was time to do something about fitness. Meeting Sandee (owner and head personal fitness trainer) was a trip. She has more energy than a sprint finish at the Tour. She is truly passionate about Pilates. Our introductory class was funny. She wanted me to touch my toes-yeah right!! She wanted me to point my let in a certain direction. She wanted that leg to be straight??? She wanted me to do how many reps of what???? She needed to get real, I can't do that!!!
I generally don't like being wrong, but in this case I'm stoked!!! My wife and I have going twice a week for two and a half months to Pilates, training with Sandee. After ten classes I touched my toes. When I touch my toes I get tacos. I can point my leg straight in that direction now, and almost unbelievable I am back on the bike. Riding is not only possible but
FUN again. I have even been able to race a couple of mountain bike races at the Vail Lake series. Dead last mind you but much better than doing nothing!!! The fitness is coming back. I think that it is possible, even at fifty one, to get in the best shape of my life with Pilates and tacos......
Testimony written by Rick Wessels
So, why not try mixing in Yoga and Pilates into your conditioning. Yoga and Pilates offer far superior methods of conditioning. These conditioning programs offer a non-impact, whole body workout that work each muscle through its full range of motion. But before you think of sitting in a class chanting"Ohm" and holding hands, think again, each form of exercise can be a challenging workout.
So, let's get started. The best way to get started is to find a studio or local gym that conducts group classes. Choose a trainer or instructor that is Nationally Certified. Don't be afraid to ask what level of certification the instructor or trainer has, rule of thumb is to look for someone that has more than 3 years experience. You can look for qualified instructors at
www.pilatesmethodalliance.com and
www.Yogafit.com.
Consistency is the key to all conditioning programs and Pilates and Yoga are no different. Dropping in on a class here and there may have some short-term gain, but long-term improvements offered by Pilates and Yoga work can only be gained by a committed program. Begin your new conditioning program by committting to 2-3 classes per week.
The repetitive motion of cycling places a high demand on some muscle groups while de-emphasizing others. The result is an imbalance in muscle flexibility, endurance and strength particularly to the opposing muscle groups of the leg and torso. These imbalances are biomechanically inefficient and can lead to overuse injuries, the most common form of injury among cyclists. Implementing Yoga and/or Pilates routine during the off-season and carrying it into your next competitive season will improve flexibility and help prevent injury. You will also benefit from improved strength, balance, posture, and core stability. Not a bad return on just 2-3 hours of training per week.
I am a Nationally Certified Pilates trainer, Owner of A Pilates Studio, Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Certified Yoga Instructor. A Pilates Studio is located in Temecula, California. My studio, offers Private Pilates Training, Group Reformer Pilates Classes, Mat Pilates and Yoga Classes, as well as indoor spinning classes. My goal as a Personal Fitness Trainer in Temecula is to keep fitness pure and simple.
