Yoga and benefits for cycling?

[Red Rock]

I know there have been a few posts/threads about yoga scattered about here on TE. I had my first exposure to yoga today and I did not realize how tight I was! Yikes! From an ex-gymnast who used to be so flexable.

I know there is a yoga for cyclists DVD put out by Voler. Has anyone used it?

How does yoga benefit the person?
How does yoga benefit a cyclist?

Have any of you noticed a difference in anything since doing yoga?

Thankyou for your input. I was just wondering these things.

Red Rock

[Veronica]

I got really serious about yoga when I started running last April. In between every run I do a yoga session. I needed to go from running zero miles to 13 in three months. I swear yoga helped keep me from getting any injuries.

Has it helped me on the bike? I don't know. I usually do it in the morning before work and it does seem to help my stress level there.

Veronica

[Blueberry]

I'm trying pilates - working with a friend who is an expert - will report back on how much it helps (but I can tell that the muscles we worked are some of the same ones I use to keep upright on the bike)

CA

[indysteel]

If done correctly, I think yoga is a great complement to any fitness routine. Like Veronica, I credit it for allowing me to go from being a couch potato to cycling 5k miles a year without much pain or injury. For me, it's been especially helpful in loosening up my hamstrings and hips. It's also great for my core, balance and overall body awareness.

Beyond that, it's been a wonderful stress reducer. When I first got serious about it, I was going through a difficult time emotionally and it did wonders for my soul thanks to a very spiritual instructor. I don't think you have to embrace the spiritual aspects of yoga to benefit from it, but I found it to be very enlightening. I've also met some wonderful people at my yoga studio.

I say all this with the caveat that it is important to find a good instructor. I know there are some good products on the market for developing a home practice but I think it's better to start at a studio with an experienced teacher. It is easy to hurt yourself and many of the poses are deceptively complicated.

[chutch]

I'm also trying to incorporate Yoga into my routine along with Pilates, strength training (which I will reduce to just push-ups once spring gets here and I'm spending more time on the bike), running (which I'd like to keep one run a week throughout the year, more in the winter), and cycling of course.

Can yoga be done daily? For example, could I do a short relaxing yoga workout daily and maybe 2-3x a week do a more intensive session that would focus on strength and/or flexibility?

[Crankin]

On the Yoga for Cyclists DVD I got through Terry, there are 3 kinds of yoga work outs: warm ups, for before a ride, 3 that are meant for more intensive full sessions, most likely as part of a winter training program, although you could do the shorter one maybe a couple of times a week during the season, and cool downs. I use the cool down sessions if I don't want to overdo it because I have been weight training, etc. You definitely could use these everyday after a ride.

[Biciclista]

Yoga becomes a part of your life because there are so many ways that it helps. riding a bike forces you into one position for a long time. Yoga helps you stretch and warm and flex all of those parts back into balance.

[Red Rock]

Thankyou for all of your collective responses. It was good to hear about the Yoga for cyclist DVD. I'll to check out a copy.

Biciclista-as you said it streches the body and realigns you. Perhaps that is why I felt like limp spagetti when I finished my first yoga routine. It was a good feeling even though I felt totally limp.

Red Rock

[Brandi]

Yoga has been very important in my life for about 10 years now. It has helped me in sculpting,hiking, biking and my mind. It is so hard now a days to focus on one thing. And yoga has taught me to focus and relax. I can not even begin to think of all the things it has done for me. I highly recommend taking at least a year of classes before even doing the video. That way a teacher can guide you to do things right. A video is great but a teacher can actually put theri hands on you and make minor adjustments that can make all the difference in the world I promise. Then once you know what you should be doing then do the dvd's. I say a year cause it really took me that long to really get it right to where i wasn't sore after and was breathing like I was running.

[OakLeaf]

To address the OP's question, as a complete novice yogini, what I'm really noticing is that cycling tends to flatten the lumbar curve, and a lot of yoga asana help restore neutral spine (sitting postures, the Warrior poses and various back bends are what I've done so far).

By contrast, Pilates teaches neutral spine, but in practice a lot of the exercises are done in imprint, and very few of them really do anything to increase the lumbar curve.

[Crankin]

Pilates always hurts my neck and back. I've done it many times and finally stopped. Yoga never does. There's a little "thing" between those who do Pilates and yoga at my gym, like Pilates is tougher. Then there's Centergy, which is basically yoga turned into athletics, with no breathing or spiritual aspect. I actually like that class. No matter which class or instructor i try (and they are all Stott certified instructors), I just can't do the Pilates without feeling like it's hurting my body instead of helping it.

[solobiker]

These are all great ideas and suggestions. I used to do a Yoga tape 2-3x/week when I was running a lot. I am just wondering how often the rest of you practice yoga?

[Miranda]

I was just looking at that yoga for roadies dvd on Terry today too. I've done pilates classes before in the past. Never yoga though.

This is an interesting thread. Reading the comments about teachers, I don't think we have anything at the gym that sounds quality enough. If they still have yoga at all.

The pilates teacher was at a different facility. I really liked her. I assume one of the differences is the core work?