6 Stretches to Do After a Long Bike Ride
Summertime is a lovely season for so many outdoor activities: visiting parks, going on picnics, and the occasional twenty-mile bike ride.
In all seriousness though, cycling is a great sport with numerous benefits. It gets you out into nature, it builds strength, balance, and cardio health, and it's accessible to people of many ages, abilities, and fitness levels.
Because biking is so much fun though, it’s easy to overdo it.
Luckily though, there are many stretches you can do to reduce the muscle strain and soreness that come from the many hours spent on your bike. Try these six stretches both before and after your bike ride, and chances are, you’ll wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to hit the trails again.
1. SEATED GLUTE STRETCH
Benefits: The glutes work really hard during cycling. They generate most of your speed and energy, particularly on hills. If your glutes become fatigued or tight, they will not only get sore, but they could also contribute to lower back pain, which no cyclist wants. The seated glute stretch will target your glutes and also your piriformis muscles, which attach to the backside of your pelvis.
How to do it: Sit in a chair and cross one leg, with your ankle resting on your opposite knee. Keeping your back as straight as possible, bend forward at the hips so that your shoulders fall toward the shin of the crossed leg. Yoga folks probably know this stretch as a seated figure four pose. Hold for 20–30 seconds, (longer is fine), and repeat three or four times with each leg.
2. DOWNWARD-FACING DOG
Benefits: This is another classic yoga pose, and it’s great for cyclists as well. Since energy is generated from your core and lower back during cycling, these areas can become tight and fatigued. Downward dog releases tension along your spine and opens your hips while stretching your calves and hamstrings.
How to do it: Start on your hands and knees. Raise your hips by straightening your legs, keeping your hands on the ground and slightly in front of your shoulders. Contract the quadriceps, and push your hips back and up. Concentrate on pushing your heels toward the ground and keeping your spine as straight as possible. Hold the pose for 20–30 seconds, (or longer if it feels particularly good), and repeat at least 3 times.
3. REVOLVED BELLY POSE
Benefits: As mentioned above, lower back pain and stiffness are common ailments among cyclists, particularly after long or taxing rides. This stretch will help you relieve stiffness and pain by releasing tension in the lumbar spine.
How to do it: Start with your back on the floor and your knees bent. Stretch your fingertips out to your sides, and bring your knees into your chest. Twist and lower your knees slowly to the right side, keeping your back flat on the floor. If you find it difficult to lower your knees all the way to the floor, place a pillow on the floor, and let your knees rest there. Repeat the twist on the left side. For a more intense stretch, (once your lower back has begun to loosen), straighten your legs. Hold the stretch for 20–30 seconds, and repeat three or four times on each side.
4. DOORWAY STRETCH
Benefits: Because you never fully extend your legs while pedaling your bike, your hamstrings are constantly contracting. Hamstring pain and tightness is a nuisance in and of itself, but it can also lead to lower back pain (again!). To keep your hamstrings from tightening up after your ride, do this stretch to make them more flexible, ideally no more than ten or fifteen minutes after the end of your ride.
How to do it: Lie in a doorway with one leg flat on the ground. Place the other leg straight up on the frame of the door. Shift your bottom as close to the door frame as you can, while making sure that your back and hips remain flat on the ground. Alternate legs and hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, and repeat three or four times.
5. LUNGE AND REACH
Benefits: Your iliopsoas (also known as your hip flexors) are another set of your core muscles that can become tight while biking, particularly from the upcycle of your pedaling motion. The lunge and reach stretch will help to relieve tension and soreness on the front side of your hips.
How to do it: Lunge your left leg forward, and put your right knee on the ground. Keep your back straight, and lift your right arm straight up in the air, reaching for the ceiling. Twist your midsection away from the knee you’re kneeling on. Repeat with the opposite leg and arm. Hold for 20–30 seconds, and repeat three or four times with each leg.
6. UPPER TRAP STRETCH
Benefits: Because of the hunched position common in road cycling, your upper trapezius can become fatigued from the constant contraction needed to hold up your head. This upper trap stretch will help to loosen the muscles that run from the base of your skull along the back of your neck to your upper shoulders.
How to do it: Sit in a chair with your head in a neutral position, and place your left hand behind your left hip. Place your right hand on the left side of your head, and apply gentle downward pressure, bringing your right ear to your right shoulder. If you want to isolate the stretch higher in the neck, slightly rotate your chin toward your right shoulder. Hold this stretch for 10–15 seconds, and repeat three or four times on each side.
For a little extra help staying in tiptop health this summer, and year round for that matter, stop by Jeromeo today and check out our wide range of health and wellness products. From massages to our own line of high-quality essential oils, candles to CBD products, we’re full of ideas to help you stay healthy, hearty, and happy.
At Jeromeo, we’re passionate about health and wellness and we’d love to share that passion with you.
Happy (bike) trails!