Cycling has several benefits, including developing muscle mass and tone, boosting your mood in case you have anxiety, depression, or both, and maintaining a healthy weight and body. It’s also a lower-impact exercise than running, making it easier on your joints. That said, there can be some unforeseen negative consequences, e.g., the tension in your back, arms, and shoulders, and also numbness in several areas after a biking session. This is why yoga for cyclists is becoming such a huge thing. It can help alleviate some of the issues and is also beneficial in other ways. We look into just how beneficial it is in the sections below and the right yoga poses to complement your cycling.
The reasons why yoga is good are the same reasons why yoga is good for most other people. However, as you’ll see below, some benefits can be particularly handy when cycling.
With yoga, you tend to explore the limits of your flexibility, often stretching further this time than you could the last time. With that, you develop a greater range of motion, allowing you to be more comfortable while cycling. Some cycling positions can be downright uncomfortable and doing yoga before/after a cycling session and even a few times throughout the week means you get used to these positions much faster.
Also, there are other mobility advantages, such as greater muscle stability and awareness. Extra stability for cyclists is great, given they spend hours balancing on a bicycle which can be hard, especially if you’re on a road bike. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a well-designed road bike that won’t make things harder for you, you can consider the options on our list of best road bikes under $2000.
As for the awareness of your muscles, you should be able to identify problems such as muscle tension Trusted Source Yoga for Flexibility: 8 Poses for Your Back, Core, Hips, Shoulders Joining a yoga class or practicing yoga poses at home may be one of the best ways to increase your flexibility. These eight yoga poses can help boost the flexibility in your back, hips, core, shoulders, and neck. www.healthline.com in your shoulders, arms, hamstrings, etc. This is often an indication of bad riding posture or a problem with your riding technique, and if you can identify it early enough, you can correct it and prevent further problems down the line.
It’s worth noting that gravel bikes are built for more comfort than road bikes, so riding them may mean less tension in your muscles. As such, you can peruse our list of the best gravel bikes if you’re tired of the discomfort caused by road bikes.
Also, while you won’t suddenly be able to lift twice the weight you used to, you do get some strength gains. It’s not as effective in strength-building as lifting weights. However, the strength you get from yoga can help propel you forward faster since you’ll get much more power to the pedals. Your strength gains can also help stabilize your muscles and prevent injury.
Notably, each yoga pose you do should help you gain strength in specific muscle groups, so doing a variety is a good idea. Also, just like with any other strength-building exercise, you need to achieve progressive overload for you to get some strength gains. In yoga, this means using your body weight and pose progression.
Research Trusted Source Muscle utilization patterns vary by skill levels of the practitioners across specific yoga poses (asanas) A significant skill level × pose interaction existed for five muscles (pectoralis major sternal head, anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, upper rectus abdominis and gastrocnemius lateralis pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov shows that muscle activation differs with a yoga practitioner’s skill level meaning there is growth between when you start and become an expert. Strength may be necessary for keeping your bike steady while mountain biking. Speaking of mountain biking, if you’re in the market for a two-wheeler for MTB trails, our list of the best mountain bikes should provide decent options.
Breathing exercises are also a part of yoga, and one of their main benefits is strengthening your lungs. This allows you to take deeper, fuller breaths, improving circulation. This type of breathing can be an asset while cycling since controlled breathing is necessary to get power to the pedals and keep motion fluid.
Yogic breathing techniques also allow you to clear your mind and focus, and since you might find yourself on the road with lots of traffic, the last thing you want to do is get in an accident because you weren’t paying attention.
Long-riding sessions mean intense physical exertion, which can negatively affect your body, e.g., nausea, vomiting, and weakness due to lactic acid buildup. Restorative yoga for cyclists can help reduce acid buildup, with some poses working better. However, this only applies to the less intense styles of yoga, such as yin yoga.
Also, yoga for bikers should help you gain more body awareness, giving you a sixth sense of when your body needs rest. While cycling is generally beneficial, there are times when it can do more harm than good.
Yoga also promotes blood flow allowing the nutrients in the bloodstream to go where they’re needed for muscle repair. According to the
University of Rochester
Trusted Source
Physical and Sports Therapy
Maintaining adequate blood flow to the tissues is so important for healing
and health maintenance, yet many assume it is outside of their control.
www.urmc.rochester.edu
, it also carries muscle waste to the kidneys. Overall, yoga reduces how long your body stays sore.
The general rule for most people is to do yoga between two and five times a week. Two is likely where you should start as you learn the basics of the poses and breathing techniques, and after that, you can work your way up to five.
As for how to fit yoga into your cycling training plan, there are four main ways to do it. The first two include doing yoga stretches for cyclists before or after your bike session. Doing it before cycling can serve as a warmup, so doing some aggressive yoga stretches may not be a bad thing.
Restorative yoga with help you relax/lengthen your muscles and reduce the soreness and muscle tightness you’re likely to feel the next day.
You can also do yoga even without combining it with a cycling session. With that, you’ll address your body imbalances, improve your general range of motion even for other activities, improve your balance, and improve your core strength.
Lastly, you can do yoga in the morning when you plan on hitting the road on a bike later in the day. This should prepare your body for more activities later and soothe aggravated muscles from your last cycling session.
Overall, the two best times to do yoga for cyclists are before and after a cycling session.
Before starting to practise any yoga poses, you need to prepare well. Wear some comfy clothes, tangle your hair, and roll out a yoga mat. If you don’t have one yet, reviewers recommend using this the Amazon Basics ½ inch Yoga Mat, which is thick and textured to provide the most stability and comfort.
As for the specific yoga stretches for cyclists, they include:
The sun salutation is more like a sequence of poses to get you stretching your body and breathing right. It’s a basic warmup before you officially start your yoga session to prepare your body, joints, and muscles for the rest of the sequence.
You start in a standing position with your feet placed hip-width apart. At this point, your eyes should be closed with your hands in the “prayer at heart” position.
Take deep breaths evenly through your nose and mouth, expanding your diaphragm and allowing your lungs to fill.
With your feet still firmly on the mat, lift from the top of your head as you inhale. This will lift your body from the abdomen upwards. Hold your breath slightly at the end before you initiate the exhale. To exhale, contract your abdominal muscles while matching the pace of your exhale to that of the prior inhale.
Repeat this to set your breathing rhythm before moving to the next step. Once the rhythm is set, use your next inhale to raise your hands above your head. At this point, you can open your eyes, allowing your gaze to follow your fingertips while your whole body stretches upwards with your feet remaining firmly on the mat.
Slowly draw your shoulders back and down with your exhale, allowing them to move away from your ears. Maintain the evenness of your breath and repeat this motion for two more breaths before you move to the next step.
After that, use the next exhale to draw your hands down past your chest and bend at the hips as you reach for the floor. Avoid folding and curving your spine with this motion. Instead, you can bend slightly at the knees allowing your chest and knees to come closer together as you go into the forward fold.
Hold this position for five breaths, and with each inhale, slightly lift your hips. With each exhale, release your head and shoulders.
Once that’s done, use the next inhale to lift through the top of your head so you face forward with your back flat and your fingertips pointed toward the floor. Keep this position for two breaths, then return to the forward fold on the next exhale.
The next step is to let your head hang between your arms and hold for two breaths. Follow up by exhaling while you bend your knees so your hands can firmly press into the mat. At this point, your hands should be shoulder-width apart with your fingers spread out.
With the next inhale, move your feet back as you move your body into a high plank with your arms straight. Face forward with your shoulders over your wrists, creating a straight line from your head to your heels, and then hold this position for five breaths.
While exhaling, bend your elbows as you lower your body to the mat while keeping your arms close to your body. Next, allow the tops of your feet to press into the mat as you inhale and move into the next position, where you lift through the top of your head and look ahead.
Your shoulders should be drawn back with your arms straight with this position called the upward dog. Next, tuck your toes and release both your shoulders and head. Lift your hips and move into the downward dog position.
Let your head drop between your arms as you look between your legs and feel the stretch on your neck. Your knees should be bent, allowing your back to be stretched. Maintain this position for five breaths, then slowly pedal your legs on the floor to stretch the hips, hamstrings, and lower back even further.
With the next inhale, walk your feet forward, just behind the arms allowing yourself to return to the forward fold. Hold five breaths while slowly releasing your head and shoulders with each exhale.
Follow up by lifting your hips, allowing you to feel the stretch at the back of your legs with each inhale while simultaneously deepening the forward fold. Next, inhale as you bring your hands back to the “prayer at heart” position before sending your fingers above your head and looking up. Stretch and hold for two breaths before you exhale and bring your hands back to your chest as you look forward.
With the cat-cow, your starting position is on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be placed directly below your shoulders. Similarly, your knees should be directly under your hips. To move into the cow pose, arch your back inward with your belly dropping towards the floor.
At the same time, lift your chin as you face the ceiling with your shoulders spread wide and drawn back from your ears. To move into the cat pose, exhale while you round out your back and pull your belly inward.
The top of your head should be directed at the floor. Repeat severally.
With the cow face pose, you sit as tall as you can with your legs stretched out in front of you. Starting with your left leg, lift it and bend your right knee under it. Follow up by bending your left leg and stacking your left knee over your right knee.
After that, lift your left arm over your head, bend it, and bring it back between your shoulder blades, with the palm facing your back. Now bring the right arm to your back from below so it ends up between your shoulder blades with the palm facing outward.
Bring your fingers as close together as possible and, if possible, interlace them. Keep this position for five breaths before releasing your fingers with the last exhale and repeating the process with the other side.
For the downward-facing dog to low lunge twist, your starting position should be a high plank with your wrists aligned just under your shoulders. Exhale while you push your hips up, so you end up in the downward-facing dog. Follow up by bending your knees as you draw your chest towards your thighs and hold for several breaths.
Next, exhale as you place one of your legs between your hands as you move into a low lunge. At this position, your knee should be at a 90-degree angle. Inhale, then use your next exhale to twist open with your hand reaching overhead. If it’s your right leg between your hands, twist your right hand; if it’s your left leg, twist your left hand. Remember to switch it up.
The crescent moon to half front split starts at the downward-facing dog, from where you move into a low lunge and push your right knee forward. With your left leg extended behind you, your other knee should be touching the yoga mat.
Use your inhale to send your hips forward while raising your hands overhead. Once done, use the exhale to bring your hands back down to the sides of the right foot. Now, you can push your hips back and straighten the right leg.
Do this on the other side as well.
With the forearm plank, your forearms should be on the mat with elbows under your shoulders. Keep a straight line from your heels to your shoulders, so your core is engaged. With your inhale, drop your hips to the mat and untuck your toes.
Follow up by arching your back with your head pointing as far back as possible. Hold for at least five breaths. If you need support, you can use yoga blocks like the ones from URBNFit, which are designed to help with several yoga poses. They’re non-slip versatile and can help you elongate your stretches even further.
Start seated, and then bring the soles of your feet together. Follow up by pushing your heels as far back into your pelvis as you’re comfortable doing while you lift your chest and extend your back. Relax your knees allowing gravity to pull them closer to the floor.
Next, try to hold your feet with your thumbs on the soles and fingers at the top of your feet. That said, grabbing your ankles is totally okay if you’re a beginner. You can then open up the soles of your feet, so they’re facing the ceiling with the pinkies staying close together.
Allow your knees to go closer to the mat as you raise your head and extend your spine. Stretch your spine upward as you inhale, and allow yourself to fold forward with your exhales. Hold for at least five breaths.
Place your hands on the floor behind you and your left ankle over your right knee while in an upright seated position. Inhale, and then bend your right knee as you exhale, pushing your left leg closer to your chest. Keep your back straight and stretched with your chest lifted while in this pose, and hold for five breaths before repeating on the opposite side.
For the butterfly pose, start seated with your chest lifted, and your back stretched. Inhale and use the exhale to bend the knees, bringing together the soles of your feet. Allow your knees to go as low as they can naturally, and hold that for five breaths.
If you’re more flexible, bring your forehead as close to your feet as possible and hold for five breaths. However, if you’re not that flexible, there’s no need to force it.
To do an expanded leg pose, you start with a mountain pose, standing with your feet parallel to each other. Your big toes may touch, but your heels should be slightly further apart. With that, you lift your toes and expand them wide before dropping them back down.
Stabilize yourself with the left leg while bending your right knee and lifting it. Spread the toes on your right leg, then extend your arms with the palms facing upward. They should be at a 45-degree angle from your hips.
Inhale, and then while exhaling, reach your right foot out front. Bring your elbows back into the hops with your hands closed into fists during this motion. With your next inhale, stretch your arms back out with your fingers spread out and your right knee returning to a folded position. Repeat for a few breaths before switching legs.
Lie with your knees lifted and your feet on the mat. Extend your arms out from the shoulders with your palms facing down. Follow up by straightening your legs and pushing them towards the ceiling with your heels directly aligned with your hips. At this point, your knees should be slightly bent.
Push your low back down to the floor, and lower the legs to the left with your next exhale, allowing your spine to twist with your right hip lifting off the floor. At the end of the motion, your left foot should be resting on the floor.
Flex your feet and stack your ankles one over the other, then clasp the toes on your left foot with your right hand. Turn your head to the right and try to look at your right-hand fingertips with your shoulder blades on the mat.
Hold the pose for ten breaths, use your next inhalation to recenter yourself, and repeat the process on the other side.
Overall, yoga for cyclists is a great option to improve your flexibility, mobility, and strength and make cycling a lot easier. Also, while the above yoga poses are great, there’s no reason not to include other options as well. After all, the goal is a healthier, more balanced body.
