"The Bike Body"

[OakLeaf]

Just happened to run across this piece on cyclists' biomechanics and typical issues.

http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/m...e.php?id=14371

I'd really be interested to hear what Knott, or anyone else knowledgeable, thinks of this!

[Crankin]

OK, I just came home from the MacKenzie trained PT visit, after having hip pain for over a year.
He told me essentially what this article says, in addition to the fact I now am "leading the flexion addicted life," after mostly standing up all day when I was teaching. My posture kind of sucks, too. But, he talked a lot about how the road bike position just makes this all worse. Now, this guy is a runner, he rides quite a bit, too, and he also x country skis. He didn't tell me to stop, but I am now on the cobras every 2 hours and lots of psoas stretching for awhile, as well as sitting with a lumbar support at home, which will be followed by core work.
Very interesting article.

[malkin]

That scary skeleton on a bike pic shows me why my neck and shoulders hurt so much of the time.

I don't hunch to a computer all day, but I do spend considerable time compromising my posture by trying to get face to face with children of various sizes.

Okay, in my spare time,n I hunch at a computer ho hang out here and at my other online haunts for fun when I'm too lazy to ride my bike.

[Cataboo]

Ugh. Now I want pictures of me on the bike to see what it looks like.

I tend to have fairly good posture, so hopefully that helps. People are always telling me "why don't you sit back and relax?"

[warneral]

My bike fitter did make changes to help my bike posture which immediately resulted in reduced neck strain. He said he thought my posture was due to flexibility. I've been working on forward stretches after exercise this winter hoping to also improve flexibility. To be honest, this article is a little "over my head". LOL

[channlluv]

... He didn't tell me to stop, but I am now on the cobras every 2 hours and lots of psoas stretching for awhile, as well as sitting with a lumbar support at home, which will be followed by core work.
Very interesting article.

Do you mean "on the cobras" being the cobra pose in yoga?

My massage therapist at the chiropractor's office recommended their guy who does the deep stretching -- he worked on Ladanian Tomlinson when he was still here with the Chargers. I've seen other people (Ironman triathletes, hockey players, etc.) come out of his therapy room extremely relaxed, and, um, worked over. They all tell me it feels great, but I don't know if I'm up for it.

I'm not exactly built bend-friendly. Has anyone else done this kind of extreme stretching?

Roxy

[Crankin]

Yes, lots of "up dogs" with some deep breathing. So far, it felt great when I left the office, and the next day, until I went for a fast 3 mile walk.
He said it's definitely in my lumbar area, but since I have absolutely no neurological symptoms, he doubts the disc is "slipped" or bulging out, but it's probably just moved a little. He also said my right side is really tight, especially the hip, which is very typical of cyclists.

[Melalvai]

The fitness center director told me that since everything promotes bending forward-- from ab workouts to biking to sitting at a computer-- that he matches "supermans" for every stomach crunch he does (he doesn't recommend sit ups at all). A "superman" is where you lie on the floor stretched out, and raise your arms and your legs at the same time. Or, you can raise your right arm & left leg, lower them, then raise left arm & right leg.

[OakLeaf]

Crankin, I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that after enough cobras, up dogs, bows and camels, you will be able to do those headstands and handstands we were talking about in the other thread. The more headstands I do and the better I get at it, the more I understand that it's really all about spinal alignment.

[Crankin]

Thanks, Oak. I have got to find a class... I am sick of doing yoga at home. I do it, but it's not the same. I have found that most of the classes around here assume you don't work, but really, my schedule is so weird now that I can't do mornings or evenings, unless it's at 6 AM.
I have noticed how "uneven" my body feels, which I think, is at the root of all of my poor bike handling skills. The pt didn't seem to feel that my scoliosis was that severe, or even that the leg length was discrepant, but I know it is off just enough to make it feel funny. And, apparently, all of my riding has started a vicious cycle, where my left side is weak and I get groin pain (on going for years), which has made me work the right side harder, which has caused it to be tight.
Gee, no wonder there are couch potatoes.

[tulip]

The fitness center director told me that since everything promotes bending forward-- from ab workouts to biking to sitting at a computer-- that he matches "supermans" for every stomach crunch he does (he doesn't recommend sit ups at all). A "superman" is where you lie on the floor stretched out, and raise your arms and your legs at the same time. Or, you can raise your right arm & left leg, lower them, then raise left arm & right leg.

That's called "swimming" in Pilates. Yoga and Pilates have really helped my core strength and hip issues. I've been cycling since the early 1980s, so I have alot of re-programming to work on.