Cycle in comfort and enjoy the ride

With the advent of summer this week in the Lower Mainland of BC, many of us, me included, spent a good part of this past weekend cycling.

As always as I was cycling I was paying attention to how I was sitting, holding the handlebars and pedaling and kept readjusting my position  to ensure I was using my body in ways to maintain my comfort. And as usual I was looking at other cyclists on the road to see how they were sitting, how they were holding their handlebars and whether I could guess if they were comfortable on their bicycles or not. I was also thinking of those in the Tour de France and the unfortunate crash that put many riders out of the race.

For us recreational cyclists there are several things to consider to ensure a safe and comfortable ride:

  • How do you sit on your seat? I saw many people sitting with their lower back rounded. This position will bring your shoulders up to your ears, your head too far forward and will start to cause neck and shoulder tension as well as low back pain. Try to sit on top of your sitting bones and as upright as you can. Continue to breathe easily.
  • Change your body position frequently. When you change your position different areas of your body are used which reduces fatigue and pain in one area. This is true for any activity you do.
  • Keep your arms relaxed and don’t lock your elbows. Change your hand position on the handlebars frequently, even if you only move them a little bit each time. If you have recurrent back and neck pain consider having an expert look at your set up and perhaps change to upright handlebars.
  •  Enjoy the ride and stay safe.

I love getting feedback on these tips and want to share two I received today.

  • “For me, a facet joint not disc problem the first bullet actually doesn’t work. Actually, the rounder back alleviates my pain, stretches out the muscles in spasm, allows me to use my leg muscles in a way I can’t do with the upright posture etc….It took me a while to figure this out AND I think it is because everyone always told me that I should not round or lean! I am sure there is a better solution for each person but I wanted to share mine with you.”

This is a good point that illustrates that it is important for each of us to explore different strategies and positions to discover our unique way of  finding comfort within our individual challenges and body organizations.

  • “With regard to your reference to the Tour De France.  Did you see Bradley Wiggins in the Time Trial to-day? He was amazing, his body hardly moved and his legs appeared to be going just up and down. Talk about efficient posture and movement of body.  I have been watching everyday I will have withdrawal symptoms tomorrow on their rest day !  Much better than tuning in to the news.”

The Tour De France participants are amazing athletes and riders and a joy to watch.

To learn more about how you can use your body more effectively to enjoy your summer activities join our summer Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement classes. Classes begin this Wednesday, July 11.