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The Importance of the Psoas Stretch for Cyclists

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Your primary hip flexor, psoas major, is a muscle that seems to have its hand in just about everything. When it comes to cycling, we are constantly putting it into a shortened position through contraction in the upstroke and our bent forward, flexed hip postures on the bike. This article will show why having a psoas stretch or two in your recovery toolbox might save you from countless days of lost riding due to tension, pain, and ache. 

cyclist with lower back pain

We’ll see later in this article how the psoas muscle is one of the main causes of lower back pain in cyclists. (Image credit: Beaunitta Van Wyk/Adobe Stock)

Sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? Well, the truth about this tissue is a tricky one, especially in our sport. When we say it has a hand in everything, we really mean it. It is (perhaps infamously) known as the stress muscle because of its proclivity towards holding tension as a result of stress and trauma in all areas of our lives.

For example, the psoas has an intimate relationship with the diaphragm, your primary respiratory (breathing) muscle. They cross over each other and share nerve innervations through similar vertebral segments of the spine. Dysfunction in one can cause problems in the other.

Cycling is unique in that there is a lot of cardiorespiratory stress, and also postural stress on the body because of how it has to move with the bicycle. A proper bike fit can certainly help, but there is simply no way around the fact that our hip flexors are going to get smashed as a result of too much biking. 

Psoas Anatomy & Positioning on the Bike

psoas stretch

(Image credit: VectorMine/Adobe Stock)

Our psoas is the only muscle that connects the upper and lower body. It attaches to all five of the lumbar (lower back) vertebrae, which is slightly troublesome (sarcasm) if you’re going to be chronically shortening it, as is the case with cyclists, but also just people in general with modern lifestyles that involve a lot of sitting at desks, on couches, and in cars.

The reason is because as the psoas shortens, it starts to pull on those lumbar vertebrae. This hyperextends the back into a position called lordosis, and consequently tilts the pelvis forward into a position called anterior pelvic tilt. Tightness in the hip flexor muscles also weaken their opposing muscles, the glutes (butt), in what is known as reciprocal inhibition.

anterior pelvic tilt
Different pelvic positions. (Credit: sumaki/Adobe Stock)

Cycling exacerbates this process because of the positioning of our hips while riding. They are always in a somewhat flexed position, even at the end of our downstroke. This constant flexion is a recipe for psoas tightness, and is one of the reasons why cyclists are plagued with so much lower back pain.


Notice the position of this cyclist’s left hip. It is almost completely flexed, further exacerbated by her bent forward torso. (Image credit: Artem Varnitsin/Adobe Stock)

Benefits of Psoas Stretching for Cyclists

A testament to this muscle’s activity while we ride is that it has a bigger volume in more competitive cyclists, and grows even further with intense cycling training. By performing a variety of psoas stretches on off-days or even during and/or after your ride, it’s possible to mitigate the effects of psoas stiffness that will inevitably inhibit its function and wreak havoc throughout the rest of your body.

More than half of cyclists experience low back pain, and much of that can be attributed to dysfunction in the muscles surrounding the hip joint. Not only can a tight psoas pull on your lower back and anteriorly tilt your pelvis, but it can disrupt the timing and action of different muscles, causing some to overwork and others to become weak and underutilized.

As previously mentioned, there is a distinct relationship between the psoas and how you breathe because of its proximity to the diaphragm. Cyclist’s are already prone to faulty breathing patterns through their bent forward postures and the cardio demand of the sport. All the more reason to take care of our hips so they don’t contribute to what is often a cause of neck pain in cyclists.

Psoas Stretches

Below you’ll find some excellent hip flexor stretches that you can incorporate into your recovery routines, downtime, and even pre/during/post ride if you are experiencing low back pain as a suspected result of hip flexor tightness. Stretching before/during a ride can cause a subtle relaxing effect on the hyperactive hip flexor muscles, sometimes alleviating the pain that would otherwise arise.

Half Camel

half camel stretch

Instructions:

  1. Start in a kneeling position with your knees, hips, and shoulders all stacked posturally on top of one another
  2. Place your hands on your hips or lower back
  3. Gently press forward and arch backwards, feeling a stretch in the abdominals and front of the hip
  4. Hold here for one minute

The psoas sits deep inside your abdomen, attaching to all the lumbar vertebrae. This stretch serves as a gentle opener to the hip and mid-section, and strives to reach into those internal fibers to help them release tension and relax. This is a great one to do in between periods of sitting.

Lifted Hip Flexor Stretch

lifted hip flexor stretch

Instructions: 

  1. Rest one foot on top of a chair, focus on squaring your hips forward
  2. Keeping your chest tall, press the hips forward, extending your elevated leg behind you
  3. Hold for one minute
  4. Switch to the other leg
  5. Hold for one minute

This stretch allows you to go slightly deeper into the psoas muscle by keeping the torso erect and elevating the back leg. The elevation forces the hip to go into greater extension, which is the inverse function of the psoas and other hip flexor muscles.

Low Lunge Quad Stretch

low lunge quad stretch

Instructions:

  1. Start in a kneeling lunge position, both legs bent at 90°
  2. Squeeze your butt to tilt your pelvis backwards into a neutral position
  3. Engage your core at the same time to lock the position in place
  4. From here, gently stretch the back quad and hip muscles by pressing the hips forward
  5. Hold for one minute
  6. Switch to the other leg
  7. Hold for one minute

Your rectus femoris is a quadricep muscle that gets hammered while cycling. It has a dual function of knee extension and hip flexion, both repetitive movements in pedaling. Since they’re both hip flexors, by releasing the rectus femoris it helps the psoas to relax as well.

Get Rid of Cycling Back Pain!

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Lower Back Pain & Cycling: The Ultimate Guide

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Introduction


More than half of cyclists report having low back pain, which should be reason enough for you to read through this article. Either you are one of these individuals, or in all likelihood will be at some point in your cycling career. Unfortunately, there are various things about our sport that almost guarantee an achy back with enough time and patience. 

If we are the ones to break this news to you, we apologize. But just the singular act of sitting on a bike can actually have serious detrimental implications for your lower back.

Today we will give you the information and guidance to eliminate cycling low back pain once and for all. A note before we dive in, ensure you have done (or have had a professional perform) a proper bike fit. Without this, all the following advice could be a non-starter. If that’s in order, then we hope you find this helpful. Here is a comprehensive guide to some of the most common issues relating to lower back pain in cyclists, and most importantly, how to address them.

Compression (Problems)

A famous study from 1970 showed that while standing you have (on average) about 100 kg of pressure on your lumbar discs. If you sit down, this pressure increases to 140 kg. If you bend forward while sitting, this pressure increases to 185 kg. 

Remind you of anything?


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Constant compression of your spinal discs not only puts you at risk for disc herniation, it is often the cause of weakness, numbness, tingling and pain that can radiate out from the back and into your limbs through conditions like sciatica. This might help explain why some people experience back pain after cycling, resulting from the increased compressive forces sustained during the ride.

Many people think back pain originates from things like hard physical labour, but the evidence says otherwise. There is a far higher percentage of people with back pain in rich, developed countries where people are more sedentary. The same phenomenon is seen when comparing people in urban centers to others in rural communities. A lot of this comes down to sitting. 

There is a devilish trick at play here, because people think getting on their bike is going to make them stronger, more resilient and LESS susceptible to common problems like low back pain. As we’re starting to see, this is not exactly true. So we need to find ways to counteract the compression we experience on our bikes, and in so many other areas of our lives.

Compression (Fixes)

You may have heard the interesting fact that you’re taller in the morning than you are at night. This is a result of gravity acting down on you throughout the day. As we age, the repetitiveness of this effect on our spinal columns (among other things) can actually cause our spinal discs to lose fluid, dry out, become brittle, painful and injured. 

There are however ways to give our spines the love they need, and preserve their integrity throughout our lives. That is by actively taking them through full ranges of motion, and doing exercises to neutralize the excessive compression forces we subject them to. Here are two things to help that you’re probably not currently doing:

Hanging


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Our ancestors have been doing it for hundreds of thousands of years, children do it on the playground, but for some reason as adults we don’t do it at all. You don’t need an inversion table, fancy boots or medieval torture devices to decompress your spine…all you need to do is hold onto a bar – and relax.

Hanging has a number of incredible benefits. It expresses full shoulder flexion, increases grip strength and decompresses your spine to name a few. A door frame pull up bar is inexpensive and easy to use. Try doing intermittent sets throughout the day to help loosen things up, especially after rides. 

If you’re not strong enough to hold yourself, or can only hold for a few seconds, use your feet on a platform or the floor to take some of the weight off.  It’s important to give yourself time to gradually get stronger in this position. Our modern lifestyles and the sport of cycling rarely take our arms overhead. So take your time, start slow and don’t rush.

Full Squats (Resting)


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Remember those lower income countries we mentioned? Their citizens often do something far better than sitting when eating meals, waiting for the bus or even just talking to friends. It’s the same thing every child does when they want to pick something up off the ground. Most of us know it as an exercise, but it’s actually fundamentally a resting position. The squat.

Sitting in a full squat is a natural position for our bodies; it helps us digest food, keeps our hips, knees and ankles mobile, and actually places our colons in the best position to poop (pooping in the woods, anyone?) It also has a gentle stretching and decompressive effect on our lower backs, with the force going through our feet and the ground instead of our backsides and a saddle.

This might be hard if you’re inexperienced, but you can use your desk or any other sturdy implement to hold onto while in this position. Placing a book under each heel can help as well. Try spending short periods of time down there, and you’ll be shocked at how mobile, supple and energetic you start to become. After the initial period of incredible discomfort, of course!

Core (Problems)

The core is grossly misunderstood, especially when it comes to cycling and lower back pain. Lower back pain is strongly associated with a muscle called the Transversus Abdominis (TVA), your deepest abdominal muscle. It wraps around your organs and entire midsection like a corset, and is your body’s equivalent to the weight belts you see people wearing in gyms.


The Role of the Pelvic Floor in Respiration: A Multidisciplinary Literature Review – Scientific Figure on ResearchGate

As you can see from this photo, the TVA shares an intimate relationship with your diaphragm, multifidus and pelvic floor muscles. All of them work together in a loop to create trunk and low back stability. One of the most notable differentiators between cyclists with back pain is that they have less TVA thickness than riders without low back pain.

When you activate your TVA, your belly button draws in towards your spine. This pushes your organs up against your diaphragm and down against your pelvic floor, creating a compressed cylinder around your low back. Because the tendons of your diaphragm reach down towards the L2/L3 vertebrae, the upwards pressure of this action actually lifts those vertebrae slightly, decompressing L4/L5 and L5/S1 below. 

L4/L5 and L5/S1 just so happen to be the two most common sites for disc herniations, and TVA weakness will almost undoubtedly be found in individuals with those injuries. 

Starting to see the importance of proper core function?

Core (Fixes)

Having a stronger, more supported core should start with learning how to use your TVA (as opposed to hammering your abdominals with excessive exercise, which is so often the advice given). This will increase the tone of your midsection and support your organs, while also adding support to the lower back even in the compromised position your bike puts you in. 

So, how do you do it?

Think about putting on a tight pair of pants, you know how you suck your belly button in to do so? That’s the action of your TVA. To practice, try taking in a deep breath of air. Now slowly exhale, and at the same time draw your belly button in towards your spine. The TVA assists in expiration, so timing these two actions together can help increase awareness of the muscle.


Adobe Stock

Every time you bend over, pick something up, push/pull something or MOVE at all – you should be activating your TVA first. Take a breath, draw the belly in and hold. Complete the movement, then repeat. Remember, if your TVA is engaged, your back is supported. With enough practice, your nervous system will learn to automatically activate it every time you move.

“Does this mean you should hold your tummy in all day and the whole time you’re cycling?”

Of course not! But by strengthening this muscle through regular use you will increase its resting tone. So even when not actively engaging it (like when you’re riding) it will be tight, strong and supportive. 


Poor resting abdominal tone versus good resting abdominal tone. Neither of these people are overweight, but the man’s belly is protruding because his organs are falling forward against a weak abdominal wall. 

Hips (Problems)

We now get to one of the most problematic areas in the body when it comes to low back pain and cycling, the hips. More specifically, the hip flexors. Even more specifically, the psoas muscle. The psoas is your primary hip flexor, and is indeed the only muscle connecting your upper and lower body. 

It attaches to your femur and all five lumbar vertebrae, so it has significant influence on your lower back. While cycling, your hips are always in some state of flexion, never reaching full extension. The hip flexors actually help pull your leg up through the recovery phase in preparation for propulsion in the power phase, as well. All this flexion can lead to tightness.

Tight psoas muscles will pull on the lumbar vertebrae. This tips the pelvis forward by creating an excessive curve in the low back (lordosis), causing the vertebrae to pinch together, compressing nerves and often resulting in pain. Tight hips also inhibit the function of their antagonists, the glutes, which are tremendously important for overall strength and balance in the body.


PhysioLogic

Hips (Fixes)

Static stretching in general can be a great way to improve flexibility. Doing it before riding however, is not necessarily recommended. When you hold stretches for extended periods of time, it has a relaxation effect on the muscles by decreasing their neural excitation, meaning they won’t be able to contract as hard as usual, leading to decreased cycling performance.

We can intelligently use this effect to our benefit, though. If we want to decrease the activity of a hyperactive muscle, such as our hip flexors, then doing a passive stretch on them before, and even intermittently during, our rides can be a handy tool for relieving back pain while cycling. 

Give this stretch a try before your next session:

Lunge Stretch


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Get into a wide standing lunge position, try not to arch your lower back (tuck your tail), and then lean into your front knee, opening up the hip on your extended side. You should feel a stretch in the front of that back hip. Hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat on the other side. If this is too tiring, you can lower the back knee to the ground for support. 

This will have a “deadening” effect on your hip flexors and possibly provide some relief to the low back while riding. If you get some initial relief, and then feel your lower back pulling after some time riding, simply stop and perform this stretch again to see if it makes a difference. If it does, then you can start doing this stretch on rest days for a more permanent effect.

Back Strength (Problems)

Cycling basically does nothing in the way of strengthening your back, but paradoxically, you need a strong back to be a good cyclist. Being bent over on the bike forces our back muscles to work extremely hard to maintain some sort of rigidity and stability during that time, but if we lack the endurance to do so, the body resorts to other mechanisms.

There is something that takes place in your body called the flexion-relaxation phenomenon. When you sub-maximally flex your spine, your body will relax the muscles of the back to rely passively on deeper structures like tendons and ligaments for energy conservation. Increasing the strength and endurance of our back musculature can help mitigate the effects of the prolonged wear and tear this could have on our spines while cycling.

One revealing way to tell if a back is weak is just by looking at it. If you can see the spinous processes on somebody’s back (bumps along the spine) while standing, that is a screaming sign of an area that is at risk for injury. Having a strong back is not just beneficial in cycling but for every other part of life.


Spinous processes are noticeably visible on this woman.

Back Strength (Fixes)

Training the low back and back in general to handle heavy loads over sustained periods of time will dramatically reduce your risk of pain and injury while on the bike. Adding extra tissue to the area will create a strong, supportive environment that can do the activities you’re asking it to.

Any exercise where you’re picking something up off the floor, like a deadlift, is going to be the best bang for your buck. This is because your low back is going to be the pivot point for the load you’re trying to pull. Performing high repetitions with moderate weights is going to train your muscles to be strong over time (endurance), which is exactly what you want as a cyclist.


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Interestingly, many cyclists complain of lower back spasms while riding. This is because the muscles are being overstretched, so they forcefully contract to try to bring you out of that position (i.e. your body is smarter than you!) If you want to avoid spasms, make your back stronger!

Ready To Ride Pain Free?

If you’re looking for a comprehensive, all-in-one training platform that combines injury prevention, mobility, strength training and more – you might enjoy training with our partner, Dynamic Cyclist. 

They built this program for cyclists, and are cyclists themselves. Physios, coaches and world class trainers. All at your disposal for a fraction of the cost – of ONE appointment! Their goal is to help cyclists ride pain free, and we want you to see the results for yourself. 
Sign up for a 7-day free trial HERE and join a community of cycling enthusiasts who are riding stronger, faster and better than ever before!

The Ultimate Core Workout for Cyclists

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Strengthening your core is the single most important movement you can do off the bike for injury prevention. The great news is– you don’t have to do crunches on repeat. Strengthening your core can actually be easy and quick. This core workout for cyclists can be done in just 10 minutes, and can improve both your power and endurance on the bike.

Why Core Strength Is Important For Cyclists

Cycling may seem to be all about the legs, but cyclists also need to have a strong and stable core. These muscles act to stabilize your body and help you control your bike. A strong core allows you to pedal with a smooth and powerful action, and maintain a strong upper body position. A weak core could lead to instability in bike handling, negative compensation patterns, and low back pain.

By incorporating core exercises in your strengthening program you can improve riding efficiency. Additionally, it can help avoid overcompensation by the hip and leg muscles that could eventually lead to injuries. All factors when combined with a proper training regimen, could allow for improvements in overall speed and smoother pedal stroke.

The Ultimate Core Workout for Cyclists

This 10 minute routine can be done before or after a ride, or whenever you have time to spare. You can do each exercise one after the other, with 12 reps of each one. Core exercises are a great thing to work into your stretching routine, so it works great if you can set aside half an hour 3-4 days a week to stretch and do your core exercises.

Reach and Rotate Side Plank

This exercise works the muscles on the side of your abdomen and hips so it is about movement and not a static hold. Starting on your left side, move into a side plank position. Prop your upper body up on your left elbow and forearm, tightening your core to stabilize yourself. Place your right foot on top your left, resting on the edges of your feet. Raise your hips until your body is a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders. Raise your right arm straight out your right side towards the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds before rolling to centre on both your forearms. Rotate to the right side and repeat the movement, that is one rep.

Cobra Lift

The Cobra pose is a simple maneuver that can help to stretch your abdominal muscles and strengthen your lower back muscles. Start by laying face down, legs extended and arms pointed down towards your hips. With your palms facing down, bring the arms to a 45 degree angle. Contract the glutes, squeezing your shoulder blades together and lifting your torso up off the ground. Rotate your arms off the ground so your thumbs are pointed up at the ceiling. Your neck should be straight and your feet remaining on the ground. Hold for 5 seconds then return to the starting position, that is one rep.

Basic Glute Bridges

Since the glutes are an accessory muscle to the core it is important to strengthen them as well. Lie on your back, with your hands at your sides, digging your heels into the ground , and squeezing your glute muscles (butt) as you pop up. Raise your right leg up, fully extended, holding for 5 seconds. Come back down and repeat the motion while raising the left leg. That is one rep.

Dead Bug

Lie on your back with your arms extended in front of your shoulders. Bend your hips and knees to a 90-degree angle. Tighten your abs and press your lower back into the floor. Slowly extend your left arm and right leg out so they are parallel to the floor. Keep your abs tight and don’t let your lower back come off the floor. Return how arm and leg to the starting position and repeat with your right arm and left leg. That is one rep.

Strong legs will only take you so far, but a strong core will bear you to the finish line and beyond. If you do 12 reps of each of these exercises 3-4 days a week, you’ll notice a difference in the saddle and in keeping proper posture on the bike.

How To Fix Back Pain Cycling

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 You’re 40 miles into a century — maybe less — when you begin to feel back pain cycling. Not exactly hell on wheels yet — more like a cramp. You’ve addressed it before. You try to ignore it but you know it could be the beginning of a long haul home. So what’s the problem? Why does it keep coming back?
back pain cycling

Upper Back

Part of the issue with an accurate back pain diagnosis is because there are different positions or locations in your back that can cause you back pain cycling; the lower back and the upper back, and both require different approaches. People with upper back conditions often feel more comfortable in the forward-leaning position and leaning lower on the handlebars. Lumbar spinal stenosis is the condition in which most people feel better in a forward leaning position.

Lower Back

Cyclists with a low back condition feel better in a reclining position. Lumbar degenerative disc disease is a condition in which less pressure is placed on the lower back such as in a position found on a recumbent bike.

Causes of Low Back Pain Cycling

Some common denominators can come into play that can cause back pain cycling.

  • Back posture on the bicycle can strain the lower back, a result of the lumbar spine flexing or pulling up.
  • Position on the bike, with an arching back, can strain the back, especially when the bicycle is equipped with aero bars.
  • Rough roads can increase jarring and compression to the spine which can lead to low back pain.
  • Tight hamstrings can pull on and rotate the hips which thus pulls on the lower back and can cause pain.
  • Tight hipflexors can also cause mis-hip alignment which can also pull abnormally on the back.

Upper Back Pain Cycling

Causes of upper back pain are often caused by the position of the handlebars along with other activities outside of cycling.

  • Handlebars that are too far forward can cause excessive reaching constantly placing pressure on the upper back into the neck.
  • An overly aggressive position will bring your upper body down forcing you to rotate your head up more in order to see where you’re going. This can then place undo stress on your upper back and neck.
  • Sitting at a desk all day, particularly with poor posture, can cause tightness in the upper back, neck, and shoulders which can translate into pain on the bike as well if not properly stretched and fixed.

Exams and Diagnosis

When assessing back pain cycling, a broad range of possible physiological culprits should be considered. The physician or even sports therapist assessing the cyclist with back pain cycling will likely perform an exam that correlates with a common diagnosis of:
  • Bursitis — due to repetitive pedaling
  • Degenerative arthritis — particularly in older cyclists
  •  Hyperextension of the neck — causes nerve irritation
  • Previous injury to the neck or spine
  • Tightness in other muscle groups which pull on the back.

Poor Bike Fit

Many cyclists suffer from one or more of the above issues but of all of the possible causes poor bike fit is at the top of the list. If it’s not the single biggest culprit, it could be exacerbating the underlying diagnosis.

Trained Experts

Though most cyclists can continue to train and compete through back pain cycling, the pain reduces power on the bike and overall enjoyment riding. A proper bike fit can help prevent and diagnos back pain cycling. A bike fit should be performed by nothing less than a trained expert particularly if you’re already having issues.

Bike Fit Checkup

A bike fit checkup will point out problems in the following categories:
  • Overall size of the bike frame and cockpit
  • Saddle height and position
  • Saddle width and pressure points
  • Width of handlebars
  • Head tube height

Cockpit Size

Some cyclists may resist losing aerodynamic advantage in favor of low back comfort…..but shortening the cockpit can alleviate many causes of back pain cycling and avoid excessive forward bend that can result in disc and spine issues.

Saddle Too High

A saddle that is too high will pull the pelvis backwards which puts tension across the lower back muscles as the hamstrings become tight and pull down on the back. The high saddle also rocks the hips at the bottom of the pedal stroke, increasing strain in the lower back muscles and ligaments.

Saddle Too Low

When your foot goes up over the top of the stroke, the knee comes up too high. The lower back is pushed backwards, first by one leg, then the other. If this is the case, look for a stiff angle on the knee which should have a relatively smoother transition from your torso to your leg at the top of your pedal stroke.

Core Strength

The muscles in your lower back back serve as a platform for powering the bicycle. If your core is weak, it creates a defective link in the chain from the shoulders to the pelvis. Overuse injuries often occur due to a lack of core strength.

What the Pros Say

Lower back pain causes the highest rate of impairment and medical attention for professional cyclists. Avoid or lessen back pain by doing what some of the pros recommend:

On The Bike Solutions

  • Stand up on the bike: Arch your back — it just feels good. Do it as often as you like to help alleviate a stiff, hurting back.
  • Stretch: Stretches keep your hamstrings and spine flexible. If you feel that you’re in trouble on the bike at any mileage, repeat the stretching exercises.
    • Stretch the hamstrings and along with the back by keeping your legs straight and even on the ground, and slowly reaching toward your toes. Arching your back slightly can help stretch it as well.
    • Stretch the quads and hip-flexors by gently pulling your ankle back toward your butt while balancing on your other leg. Try and keep the hips rotated back (try and push your tailbone toward the ground).
    • With your hands over your head, lean to the right and then left creating a sort of “C” with your body. Keep your feet shoulder width apart.
    • For the upper back, hugging your shoulders and arching your back forward can help stretch that area.
    • In addition, you can pull your head down gently forward which will stretch the neck into the upper back.
    • Also, alternate reaching each arm straight up over your head and arching to the opposite side stretching the side of your torso and back.
    • Performing the “Eagle Arms” stretch is also very beneficial for alleviating tension in the upper back and shoulders.
  • Get out of the drops: Ride with your hands on the hoods or even side by side with the stem. (If you’re not behind another cyclists’s wheel.) This helps to relive pressure on your spine. Move your hands around and find the sweet spot, cruise that way for awhile.
  • Ride with good posture:  Make a conscious effort to ensure your back is upright and in a neutral position at all times. Try to keep from swaying side to side. This typically indicates that your body is tired and you may end up with poor posture that strains your lower back.

Off Bike Help For Back Pain Cycling

  • Core strengthening exercises: Core muscles work together to stabilize and protect your spine. Core exercises help muscles in your pelvis, lower back and hips to work together to alleviate back pain cycling. They will also help you maintain good posture on and off the bike.
  • Strength training exercises: Target your major muscle groups such as squats, lunges, and pushups for all-around strength training. This helps you to avoid muscle fatigue, poor posture, and helps to increase your bone density
  • Warm-up and cool-down: Start slow and warm muscles up before your ride. Shoot for at least 10 minutes for both the warm-up and cool down. An extra ten minutes on either end helps to prevent strains or tears and helps to increase circulation.
  • Get a professional bike fit: Lots of cycle shops offer bike fittings. Make sure you’re working with a certified bike fitter that understands your experience level and that your bike fits your body and addresses any issues specific to you such as leg length discrepancies or other issues.

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