5 Yoga Moves to Improve your Cycling

I used to think I was flexible.

For almost 30 years I’ve been leading and guiding tours all over Europe for Ciclismo Classico. In the height of the summer, I could get 2 or 3, 4-hour rides in per week. I would add many 2-hour rides within the same week. I’d get a thrill when people asked me how many miles I had biked in a season.
I was certain cycling was all I needed to stay healthy.

And then, one day, I tried to touch my toes.

Regardless of my excellent cardiovascular system, something had gone terribly wrong. All that cycling had compromised my flexibility. I couldn’t touch my toes.

I recall going to get fitted for a new frame and my lower back wouldn’t curve. It was as straight as plywood.

During a biomechanic session at training, they asked me to come on stage and show people what a fit, inflexible person looked like.

But when I got sciatica, I took action.

What’s Going On in There?

Sciatica is the back pain you feel when there is trouble with your sciatic nerve. Herniated disks, leg pain, piriformis and all other combinations of tight muscles can create pain in the legs and lower back. The older you get, the more these muscles will stop you from doing the things you want to do – like ride your bike.

Bike riding is a sport that works on one primary plane: back and forth. The legs go around in circles and the hands stay (mostly) static keeping the torso in a fixed position. The only time the body gets out of this plane is when it gets on or off the bike.

At each pedal stroke, the glutes, quads, and calves get the workout on one leg (try it at home: stand on one leg with your leg slightly bent and feel which muscles are engaged). We use the hamstrings in a much lesser capacity than the glutes. As a result, the muscles are unevenly flexed: there are active tight muscles pulling on inactive ones. Thus, lower back pain and general soreness are common. However, if you have had surgery or have chronic back pain, be sure to consult a medical professional before starting any of the following stretches.

So before you go for surgery or hang up the bicycle, take a look at these five yoga moves to not only relieve your pain but also to increase your range of motion and get bad-ass on the bike:

Bound Angle Pose (Hamstrings)

Sit on your mat with your legs out in front of you. bring your heels as close to your pelvis as you comfortably can. Always keep the outer edges of the firm on the floor. Sit in such a manner that the pubis and the tailbone are equidistant from the floor. This will help stretch the muscles surrounding the pelvis giving you more pelvic mobility and less pain.

Cat/Cow Pose (Lower back)

Cat/Cow provides a simple message to the spine (after being bent over the handlebars for hours). Get into a “coffee-table” position on all fours. Set your knees in line with your hips and your wrists, and elbows in line with your shoulders (and perpendicular to the floor). Round your spine towards the ceiling as you exhale (cat). When you inhale come back to the neutral position. You can also continue to lift your pelvic bones, raising your shoulders up to the ceiling (cow), sinking your belly to the floor. Do this 20 times for a fantastic warm-up of the spine.

Cobra Pose (Shoulders)

Biking for long periods with your arms in front of you closes the chest for a long time. Closing the chest widens the shoulder blades often creating tension in the middle of the back. Cobra Pose allows us to open the chest (and the heart) and stretch out those elongated muscles. Lie prone on the floor, stretching your legs back and tops of feet on the mat. Spread your hands on the floor underneath your shoulders and bring your elbows in close to the body. Press the tops of your feet, your thighs, and the pubis firmly into the floor. Inhaling, begin to straighten the arms, lifting the chest off the floor. Don’t tighten your glutes. Firm your shoulder blades against the back and puff your side ribs forward. Avoid pushing the ribs forward will only harden your back.

Dolphin Plank (Core)

Every sport requires a solid core. The muscles in our abdomen and our lower back are the cage holding many other fibrous muscles. These core muscles help us to steer, descend and react quickly. If you compromise a minimal core workout, you compromise your cycling performance. This is a basic plank pose, with your body prone towards the mat. Bring your torso up and support it by the elbows, with your forearms on the mat. Your toes touch the mat. At this angle, engage your core for 30 seconds or 12 breaths.

Reclining Half Pigeon (Glutes)

All that riding makes a really tight butt. those muscles are constantly pulling on your weaker hamstrings and lower back. If you loosen them up, your back pain will subside. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and cross your left ankle over your right thigh. Thread your hands through your legs and hug your right shin. Draw both legs to your body and feel the left glute engage and stretch. Use your left elbow to push your left leg away to get a deeper stretch.