• Training
    • Injury Prevention
    • Training Tips
  • How To
    • Bike Fit
    • Gear
  • Nutrition
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Weight Loss
  • Repair
  • Reviews
  • Stories
    • Funny Stories
    • Jokes
    • Quotes
    • Videos
    • Funny Videos

I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

How to Maintain Proper Cycling Posture

June 17, 2020 by Sarah Lauzé

There are some cyclists that make riding look effortless and smooth. Although it may come naturally to some, it takes time and practice to achieve that gliding look, but it’s not just for professionals! If you understand the basics of how your muscles are working, both for and against you, then you can ensure you stay balanced and relaxed in the saddle. Maintaining proper cycling posture is important to not only your efficiency, but to prevent injury.

There is no “correct cycling posture” that is right for everyone. We are all built differently, so what will work for some won’t for others, but there are some general rules to go by. After ensuring your bike is fit to you and your riding style properly, then it’s time to start thinking about what proper cycling posture looks like for you.

Cycling Posture

Why is cycling posture important?

Being as efficient as possible is the easiest way to go faster while spending less energy, sound good? The first thing you want to focus on is staying as relaxed and stress-free as possible, tension is the enemy! Many cyclists will slowly tense up over the course of a ride, not only compromising efficiency, but demanding more than is necessary from their bodies. Letting go of that tension and relaxing into a natural position will work to:

  1. Increase efficiency
  2. Keep you comfortable
  3. Improve bike handling
  4. Easier breathing
  5. Prevent injury

What does proper cycling posture look like?

As stated above, this will look different for everyone, but here are some things to keep in mind:

Keep your shoulders relaxed 

Many cyclists will find their shoulders slowly creeping up to their ears while riding, which puts unnecessary stress on your shoulders, neck, and back. This can also get in they way when you need to shoulder check or move your head around. You will actually stay more alert by keeping you shoulders down and relaxed.

Bend your elbows

Riding with locked out elbows will make for a rough ride, so adding a slight bend will act as suspension and keep any bumps on the road from tossing you overboard. Keep your elbows tucked into your sides rather that out like wings. This will reduce the stress on your shoulders, and also result in less pressure on your hands and wrists (your wrists should NOT be bent).

Maintain a neutral spine

Left: Too straight, putting tension in the lower back, Center: Correct posture with core engaged and back relaxed, Right: Core unengaged and rounded spine.

 

You want your back to be relatively straight, but not locked or tensed into a line. The most common mistake is letting the back round outward, which can cause all sorts of issues over time. The best way to ensure you are keeping your back straight enough is to keep your core engaged. If your abs are just taking a free ride, your back will inevitable round out, putting pressure on your hands, shoulders, and crotch (which can be super painful).

Keep your knees in line with your foot

You do not want your knees to bow outward at any point during the pedal stroke. Not only is this incredible inefficient, but it will cause some painful knee issues. So, focus on keeping your knee in line with and over the ball of your foot as you ride.

How to improve your cycling position

If you think you are struggling with any of these aspects, it is worth taking the time to correct what you can to ensure you are comfortable and efficient on the bike.

Proper bike fit

First things first, everything has to be in the right spot to even make it possible for you to maintain proper posture cycling. If you’re not sure your bike is the right fit, or isn’t adjusted to you, then it’s worth looking into having a professional bike fit.

Think about it

Pay attention to your body when you’re on the bike. Where do you feel tension? In what ways is your body out of alignment or its natural range of motion? Focus on relaxing your muscles and breathing, and think about each aspect of your posture piece by piece.

Stay flexible

Flexibility, or rather inflexibility, can lead to unbalance in the body and even cause the body’s structure to move out of alignment. If you are not flexible enough to hold proper posture over the course of a ride, then you need to work on increasing your flexibility through stretching and strength training exercises.

Stretch

It is important to have a healthy range of motion and flexibility to move freely and efficiently. Stretching can aid in aligning the thick and thin muscles back into their ordered state after movement, as well as remove the lactic acid buildup that causes soreness. Regular stretching will also increase your flexibility, making that aerodynamic position more attainable.

Strength Training

The facilitated (overworked) muscles, like the quadraceps and lower back, do not need strengthening but stretching. Instead, it is the inhibited muscles that benefit most from strength training – the abdominals and gluteals. Because the core needs to be engaged to stabilize your spine and the movement of your legs, strengthening it off the bike is important.

Posture Correction Program for Cyclists

Looking for a program that will help you improve your posture and restore muscle balance? Dynamic Cyclist is an online training platform designed to help cyclists become stronger and faster while riding pain free for years to come. Complete your regimen with an all-inclusive program that addresses mobility, flexibility, strength and injury prevention, all for a fraction of the cost of one physiotherapy appointment. Try out their 2 Week Posture Correction Program and experience the results for yourself. Click here to try 7 days free!

The Best Stretches for Cyclists

March 31, 2018 by Sarah Lauzé

Cyclists are known for their toned calves, strong thighs and overall cardiovascular fitness. We may be able to output a ton of power into each pedal stroke, but when it comes to flexibility and range of motion, most of us are lacking. This isn’t without cause, and we want to provide the best stretches for cyclists to keep you feeling your best.

Cycling is one of the few activities in which muscles contract concentrically (while shortening), rather than eccentrically (while lengthening). It’s great for our bodies as it’s low impact, but this repetitive motion can cause the muscle fibres to shorten, also known as ‘adaptive shortening.’ This will not only cause an imbalance in your muscles and put you at risk of injury, but it can make maintaining proper posture almost impossible. The best way to combat this is with regular and targeted stretches for cyclists.

Flexibility and range of motion can be an easy thing to ignore. So long as we can keep up on those group rides or stay in the saddle for hours at a time, it can quickly fall off the radar (if it was ever there). However, the range of movement around a joint or multiple joints is actually extremely important for all athletes, and especially for cyclists. As humans we are not built to be in a cycling position for extended periods of time, just as we aren’t built to sit at desk jobs 40 hours a week. This doesn’t mean we need to give either one up, but that we need to take the right steps to ensure it doesn’t have a negative effect on our body.

Stretches for Cyclists

The hunched over, forward leaning position on the bike is known for causing the hip flexors to tighten over time. From there, these short, tight muscles with a limited range of motion can cause an anterior pelvic tilt, and arched lower back and weak core muscles. The domino effect is no fun, so it’s always better to take preventative measures rather than reactive.

The focus should be on maintaining, or probably regaining, a healthy range of motion in the joints. From there, you’ll find you ride more comfortably, efficiently and with better technique.

Why Cyclists Need to Stretch

Immediate EffectsStretches for Cyclists

Accelerate recovery – Stretching reduces muscle soreness and stiffness by increasing blood flow, delivering more nutrients to your muscles and removing lactic acid and metabolites. Stretching also promotes whole body relaxation; boosting recovery, rejuvenation and adaptation by increasing the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system after exercise.

Increased Oxygen Flow – Stretching increases blood (and oxygen) flow to the muscles, reducing post-ride soreness with the added bonus of promoting cell growth and organ function.

Relaxation – Stretching before and after a workout can give both you and your muscles time to relax. With stress or exhaustion, the muscles will begin to tighten. Stretching can encourage a release of endorphins and leave you feeling encouraged.

Cumulative Effects

Stretches for CyclistsPrevent Tissue Degradation  – Generally speaking, our day to day lives are restricted to certain movements and physical exertion. Over time and with age, the body starts dehydrating and stiffening. On a cellular level, muscle fibres start developing cross-links with parallel fibers making them stick together. Stretching slows this process by stimulating the production of tissue lubricants and pulling the interwoven cellular cross links back into an ordered state.

Flexibility – Your range of motion is the distance parts of you body can move and rotate before causing damage to muscles and tendons. Everyone naturally has a different range of motion, but stretching can help you define what that looks like for you. As cyclists, we have to have the freedom and flexibility to move without resistance or pain.

Injury Prevention – Everything in the body is connected, and as cyclists we demand a lot from our muscles, joints and ligaments. Stretching keeps the connections strong, treating and preventing injury, improving functionality and longevity. We also can’t forget about the muscles and joints that are not used in cycling. On the bike, all movements are in a straight line, with no other plane of movement. So, it’s important to keep this in mind while stretching. Not only do you want to focus on the muscles used, but those that aren’t, as a means of reversing and preventing muscle imbalance.

Better Posture & Aerodynamics – Stretching the right muscles can help correct poor posture both on and off the bike. By lengthening tight muscles that pull areas of the body away from their natural position you can maintain proper posture without the desire to round the back or slouch.

The Focus Areas

There is no one recipe for optimal flexibity, as that will vary on an individual basis, but there are target areas that will be more or less the same for all cyclists. The areas that become tightened are fairly universal:

Stretches for Cyclists

Hip Flexors – The action of cycling involves repeated hip flexion with the hip never full extending, which can cause tightness or even a shortening of the muscle over time. Not only can tight hip flexors cause discomfort in your everyday life, they can also reduce your cycling performance. It can lead to lower back pain and will make it tough to access the glutes (see below).

Hamstrings – Tight hamstrings pull the pelvis back on the saddle, rather than allowing a forward tilt. Also, when they become shortened they don’t allow the involvement of the glutes, which can have a negative effect on how much power you can produce.

Quads – The powerhouse of the pedal stroke, it’s pretty obvious that the quads need some attention.

IT Band – The IT Band stabilizes the knee; if it’s tight it can rub against the knee, become inflamed and lead to knee pain.

Glutes – The glutes are one of the largest and strongest muscles in your body. Leaving them inactive is not only costing you power, but can lead to injury as the hamstring and quads overcompensate. Tight glutes prevent you from achieving an aerodynamic position on the bike. First things first, proper pelvic posture is key. If your front side (anterior side of your hips/hip flexors) are tight you won’t be able to access your glutes completely. Work on keeping your pelvis in a neutral position and remember to keep your core engaged when stretching the glutes.

Lower Back – Another symptom of tightness in other areas, lower back pain most commonly stems from tight hamstrings.

10 of the Best Stretches for Cyclists

After a gentle warm up, complete 4-5 of these stretches, holding each one for 1 minute if you can. If not, start with 30 seconds and build up the time. Ideally cyclists should try to stretch everyday, but 5 days a week will be enough to start experiencing some of the long term benefits.

Half Pyramid

The half pyramid stretches the hamstrings, inner thighs, lower back and opens the chest.

Knight’s Pose

The knight’s pose targets the hip flexors and the quads.

Flamingo

This classic quad stretch is important for recovery after a ride.

IT Opener (With Strap)

The iliotibial band stabilizes the knee, so this stretch is great to keep it loose and functioning properly.

Child’s Pose

Great for releasing post-ride tension, child’s pose stretches the groin, chest, and shoulders.

Can Opener

Focusing on the glutes, the can opener is great for cyclists to help release tension.

Lower Twist

For those who suffer lower back pain from cycling, the lower twist targets the bottom of the spine and the glutes.

Figure Four

The figure four is a great multi-target stretch, focussing on the hamstrings and glutes, as well as opening up the hips. 

Downward Dog

One of the more well-known poses, the downward dog is popular for a reason. It fully stretches the hamstrings, calf muscles, shoulders and lengthens the spine.

Pigeon

Also known as “The King of Hip Openers,” the pigeon stretch works to loosen up tight hip flexors. There is also plenty of room for adaptation in the stretch, so it’s great no matter your level of flexibility.

You don’t need to sign up for daily yoga classes or commit a ton of time to stretching, but even a little bit can go a long way in keeping you injury free and feeling your best. Start with 10 minutes a day of stretches for cyclists, 4-5 times a week and you will start seeing and feeling the results. If you don’t know where to begin, check out Dynamic Cyclist. They have daily, easy to follow stretching videos designed specifically for and by cyclists. Spend less time thinking about how and what to stretch, and more time in the saddle!

  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Latest Articles

JOIN Cycling: A New Training Platform for Cyclists

May 27, 2024 By Eric Lister

cold exposure

The Benefits of Cold Exposure for Cycling & Life

June 13, 2023 By Eric Lister

hill climb

The Ultimate Hill Climb Training Guide

May 31, 2023 By Eric Lister

shoulder pain cycling

How to Treat & Avoid Shoulder Pain While Cycling

April 12, 2023 By Eric Lister

psoas stretch

The Importance of the Psoas Stretch for Cyclists

April 6, 2023 By Eric Lister

cycling neck pain

The Ultimate Guide to Cycling Neck Pain: Causes and Solutions

March 21, 2023 By Eric Lister

Useful Info

  • Contact
  • Finally, A Global Cycling Club That Is Focused On Community And Love Of Cycling!
  • Privacy Policy
  • Share Your Story!
  • Terms And Conditions Of Use
  • Welcome to I Love Bicycling
  • What Happened When I Stretched Every Day For a Month

Recent Posts

  • JOIN Cycling: A New Training Platform for Cyclists
  • How to Hang Bikes in Your Garage: 4 Inexpensive Options
  • Gravel Bike Vs. Road Bike: Which One Is Better For You?
  • The 6 Types of Mountain Bikes & How to Choose the Best One for You
  • What Is a Touring Bike Good For? 5 Benefits We Know You’ll Love

Search I Love Bicycling

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in