Embedded Files
It's a good idea to stretch before a ride. As always, listen to your body when doing any of these stretches and stop if you feel any pain. Some basic stretches before a ride would be the standing toe touch, standing quad stretch, and triceps stretch.
Do these 3 stretches Before EVERY RIDE
Standing Quad Stretch
Standing Quad Stretch
Stand tall and stabilize: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, or slightly wider if needed for balance. You can hold onto a wall or chair for support if needed.
Raise your leg, grasp the foot or ankle with the hand on the same side of the lifted leg.
Gently pull the foot towards your buttocks, feeling the stretch in the front of the thigh.
Standing Toe Touch
Standing Toe Touch
Stand tall: With your feet hip-width apart, keep your back straight.
Reach down: Slowly bend at your waist, reaching towards your toes
Do not bounce, slowly bend and hold.
Triceps Stretch
Triceps Stretch
Start Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and maintain a neutral posture.
Raise and Bend: Reach one arm overhead and bend the elbow to bring your hand down towards your back, aiming for the middle of your back.
Deepen the Stretch: Use your opposite hand to gently push your elbow towards your head, feeling the stretch along the back of your upper arm.
Cyclists are known for having very powerful quads but also for having varying degrees of strength and flexibility in the supporting muscles of the legs. Here are some stretches and exercises to help those supporting muscles remain flexible and strong - and to help prevent injury.
If you are currently injured or recovering from an injury, please work with your doctor and physical therapist. This information is intended for healthy individuals looking to prevent injury.
Do the following stretches at home, you can spread them out over the week.
Hamstring stretch
Hamstring stretch
Place a belt or other object around your foot and pull back while you stretch the leg toward the ceiling as shown.
3 times x 30 seconds x 2 times a day
Calf stretch
Calf stretch
Keep back leg straight and heel on floor, lean into wall until a stretch is felt in calf. Hold for 30 seconds. Next, keep back leg slightly bent and heel flat on floor. Lean into wall until stretch is felt in calf.
30 seconds x 2 sets x 2 times a day
Couch Stretch
Couch Stretch
While in a tall kneeling position with one foot elevated on a surface (such as a couch) begin the stretch by squeezing the glute of the leg that is kneeling on the ground.
Then shift your entire bodyweight forward until a deep stretch is felt along the front of the thigh and front of the hip.
30 seconds x 2 sets x 2 times a day
Straight leg raise
Straight leg raise
Sit on the floor with one knee bent and the other straight. Prop up yourself by placing our hands on the floor behind you. Lift the straight leg up off the floor.
10 times x 2 sets x 3 times a week
Hip abduction
Hip abduction
While lying on your side, slowly raise up your top leg towards the sky. Keep your knee straight and maintain your toes pointed forward the entire time. Keep your leg in-line with your body. The bottom leg can be bent to stabilize your body.
10 times x 2 sets x 3 times a week
Single Leg Bridge
Single Leg Bridge
Keep lower back Flat against the floor. Lift other leg into air with knee bent -down leg push through the heel. At the top squeeze the working glute and hold to feel a slight stretch around the hip flexors.
10 times x 2 sets x 3 times a week
Lateral Step Downs
Lateral Step Downs
Standing on a box/step, you will tap one heel on the ground and then come back to standing position. Key thing to note: the leg that is on the box is doing the majority of the work. So you should feel that quad muscle engaging and well as an ankle stretch in the front of the leg. You may adjust the height of the box to determine the difficulty of the exercise. The lower the step the easier the higher the step the more challenging. You can also hold onto a surface for balance.
10 times x 2 sets x 3 times a week
Romanian Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Stand and balance on one leg. Next, lean forward towards touching the floor as you extend and lift your leg behind your body. Keep your spine straight and hinge at the hip. Return to starting original position and repeat.
You can add weights (hold 5-15lb dumbbells in your hand)
10 times x 3 sets x 4 times a week
Single Leg Squats
Single Leg Squats
Start by sitting in a chair. Next, using only one leg, raise up to standing without using your hands for support.
Keep your legs in line, do not let them bow out to the sides.
10 times x 3 sets x 4 times a week
Modified Side Plank
Modified Side Plank
Start out lying on your side with your body and your legs in a straight line. Bend the bottom knee, keep the top knee straight, and tuck pelvis under to engage abs. Keep your body in a plank position as you lift your hips toward ceiling. Hold this modified side plank and lift the top leg upward.
10 times x 3 sets x 2 times a week
Monster Walk
Monster Walk
Place a looped elastic band around both thighs.
Next, bend your knees and step to the side while keeping tension on the band the entire time. After taking sidesteps to the side in one direction, reverse the direction taking sidesteps until you return to the starting position.
3 sets x 2 times a week
Hop and Stick
Hop and Stick
Stand on one leg and then hop forward and land on the foot of the same leg. Hop forward and on the landing, balance and stick the landing on one foot.
Increase the distance and or height of the jump to progress this exercise.
5 times x 2 sets x 3 times a week
Line hops
Line hops
Make a grid on the floor/ground with one vertical line, one horizontal line. You can also use the grids of a tile, patterns in a rug, or cracks in a sidewalk.
Begin by hopping on two feet, progress to hopping on one foot.
Hop Front to back, side to side, then 4 quadrants
10 times x 2 sets x 3 times a week
Single Leg Lateral hop
Single Leg Lateral hop
Start standing on one leg hop towards the side - right if right foot, left if left foot. Focus on a gentle, quiet landing with good hip and knee alignment. Want knee to be behind toes and knee to be centered over the foot and not sweeping inward or outward. 4. Regain knee control before going into next hop. Holding for an extra 1-2 seconds in a mini one leg squat can sometimes be necessary to gain good knee control before going into the next hop
5 times x 2 sets x 3 times a week
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse