Stretch of the Season: Best Moves for Cyclists

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Summer is a popular season for bike riding. Whether you cycle on the roadways, bike trails or prefer mountain biking, this activity has many benefits.

Biking burns calories, builds strength and endurance, increases cardiovascular fitness and flexibility. Before pedaling off, prepare your body for physical activity with the following stretches.

Before Your Ride

Bike riding mainly focuses on the lower body, so it’s important to warm up the hips and legs:

1. Leg Swings: Using your bike for stability, swing your outside leg forward and back while keeping it straight. Walk around to the other side of the bike and repeat on your other leg. This simple motion will stretch your hip, thigh and groin muscles.
2. Heel-Toe Stretch: Step one leg forward, putting your weight in your heel. Lower your torso forward then back up, transferring your weight to your back leg and rolling the front heel to the ball of your foot. Lower down and repeat with the other leg forward. This stretch will loosen your calves and help with ankle flexibility.
3. High Knees: Standing in place, lift one bent knee up and hop to the other leg, alternating the knees as high as you can. This stretch warms up the whole body and gets your heart pumping.
4. Cat-Cow Stretch: On all fours, inhale and slowly arch your back to the ceiling. Release and exhale, rounding your spine and tucking your pelvis. This stretch will help keep your back from getting stiff while riding.

After Your Ride

Static stretches help loosen the muscles after physical activity, to help decrease soreness:

1. Quad Stretch: Balancing on the left leg, lift your heel up and grab your ankle behind your back. Hold and feel your quad loosening up. Repeat on the right side.
2. Hamstring Stretch: Sitting on the floor, extend both legs out in front of you and lay your body forward, reaching for the toes. You should feel this behind the quads.
3. Runner’s Lunge: From a high plank position, step your right foot up by your left hand. Hold and feel the stretch in your hip flexor. Repeat on the right side.
4. Neck Stretch: Believe it or not, your neck might feel tight after a long ride. Tilt your chin down to your chest and hold. Lift your head, then lower your ear to the left shoulder and hold, right shoulder and hold. You should feel tension releasing in your neck muscles.

Chiropractic care is great for cyclists! Gentle spinal manipulation can ease joint pain, improve mobility and enhance overall health.