Don’t let a stiff back stop you from getting out for a ride. Simon Vincett has exercises backed up with on-the-road technique.
Finding good posture in a stretching session is one thing, but for lasting comfort on the bike, you need to achieve poise under pressure. Use your training rides to build your foundation of strong posture on the bike and give yourself the best chance of remaining comfortable and in control for your big rides—the events where you want to do your best.
The shoulders, upper back and neck are common areas of discomfort for cyclists, particularly roadies with their forward-leaning position—hunched shoulders, caved-in chest and an arched back is a common sight in cyclists pelting along popular training routes. But with a bit of attention on improved riding position, all that training can also build solid posture on and off the bike.
It starts at home, with a couple of half-hour stretching sessions a week, and continues with practical application of these techniques on the bike.
The root of the problem is generally tight, inflexible muscles in the shoulders, upper back and chest. Our ordinary lives don’t require us to stretch these muscles—that is, until we jump on a road bike. With practice, we can learn to keep our spine long, chest lifted and shoulders and neck relaxed, regardless of whether we’re working at a computer, digging in the garden or racking up the Ks ahead of the next challenge ride.
These exercises done altogether should take half an hour. Use the position that fits your body best without strain. This will be the most beneficial.
For the best program for your individual needs, see your doctor or a fitness professional.
Neck
At home
Drop shoulders down away from your ears; let your back muscles slide down your back and your sternum lift towards your chin. Extending through the crown of your head, bring your chin to your chest. Keep extending through the crown of your head while you slowly roll your head through its full range of motion. Do three rotations one way and then three the other way.
On the road
Periodically change hand position to be holding the flats of the bars, tuck chin and look down, and stretch forward with the crown of your head. Be careful with timing this, because you won’t be able to see where you’re going for a second or so.
Do neck rolls whenever you take a break from riding.
Chest lift
At home
To become familiar with the feeling of releasing your back muscles down your back, take a blanket and fold it to pillow size.
1 Place the folded blanket on the ground and lie back with your neck on it.
2 Now stay in contact with the blanket while you slide your neck off and your shoulder blades on. This should give the sensation of your back muscles flushing down your back.
3 Staying there, bend your knees and lift your hips just off the ground and roll your sternum towards your chin. Your shoulder blades will be flat in contact with your back. This is the feeling of a lifted chest.
Let’s try to replicate this good posture in action.
1 Sit with your legs together straight in front of you.
2 Put your hands behind your hips, with fingers pointing towards your hips.
3 Firm your thighs to lift your heels off the ground.
4 Drop your shoulders, straighten your arms and lift your chest.
Practise breathing into the upper reaches of your lungs while you have this opening.
Test your posture in action with upward plank.
1 Go through the same process of lifting your chest while seated.
2 Maintain your lifted chest, bend your knees and raise your hips.
3 Now try with straight legs.
On the road
Periodically while riding, turn your hands to hold the bars with your thumbs pointing forward. At the same time, turn your arms so that the inside of your elbows point forward. This will encourage your shoulder blades to flatten into your back, which in turn aids you to lift your chest. If you have flat bars, turning your hands backwards provides a strong example of this effect.
On a coffee break, use the leverage of a café chair to lift your chest. Put your hands behind your hips and your fingers under the seat of the chair. Firm your abdomen and lift your chest.
Shoulders
At home
1 Interlace your fingers and push your palms upwards above your head. Straighten your arms and move your biceps behind your ears.
2 Raise one elbow in front of your chest, then raise the other underneath it. Intertwine your forearms or rest your hands on your shoulders. Lift your elbows to shoulder height, release your shoulders and extend your elbows away from you.
3 Fold arms behind your back and lift your chest.
4 Raise your arm directly above your shoulder and bend at the elbow to bring hand towards shoulder blade. Try to touch the outside of your shoulder with your thumb tip. Use your other hand to twist the raised arm and push it back behind your ear.
On the road
On a break from riding, do all of the above.
Using your bike as a prop, put your hands on the top tube and extend your arms. Step back and lower your chest until your hips are above your ankles. Let your head hang, keep your abdomen firm and let your chest release towards the ground. If this causes too much strain in your hamstrings, put your hands at shoulder height against a wall but otherwise follow the same process.
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