Hello All,

I rode a 600 KM brevet this weekend (OR Randonneurs Desert River 600). I say rode because I completed over 400 total miles (a 600 KM brevet is about 375 miles), but due to a route sheet error I got a DNF. I was very disappointed last night, but with the perspective of a good night's sleep and a post ride massage, I feel better. I do find it irresponsible of the RA (Route Administrator) to have allowed the ride to happen without first riding the route, using the route sheet as the only guide, as is standard practice. I went about 30 miles out of my way at almost the end (only 30 miles to go). A simple pre-ride would have prevented this. And I was not the only one to follow the route sheet and make this mistake. Oh well.

On the yoga side of it, I discovered a great new technique to relieve back pain while on the bike. In my last post I had discussed the lengthening of the spine from the hips to the crown of the head, on the inhale, as a technique to prevent back pain. This technique served me well on this last brevet, however I started having some back pain even though I was practicing this technique. The new technique I found relieved the pain for miles and miles before returning, and is so simple, and based on some very basic asanas, that I am very excited about it.

To explain, I first need to describe a new way of thinking about a sideways bend. If you stand with your feet about hip distance apart, a slight (very slight) bend to the knees, shoulders balanced above hips and your head balanced above your shoulders (the classic Tadasana, or mountain pose), lift your arms out to the sides and over your head until you can grasp your right wrist with your left hand. As you inhale, lengthen the spine. As you exhale, you are going to stretch the right side of the body, but instead of bending sideways at the hips, imagine opening the muscles between the ribs under the right arm to the ceiling. Allow this opening to do the stretching, not a bend at the waist. Hold this opening, lengthening the spine on each inhale and opening more on each exhale to deepen the stretch. Do not allow the left side of the torso to compress. Hold this stretch for three to five breaths. Lower your arms, inhale and raise them again, but this time grab your left wrist with your right hand. As you exhale, imagine opening the muscles between the ribs under the left arm. Inhale and lengthen the spine. Exhale and deepen the stretch by opening the muscles toward the ceiling more. Hold for three to five breaths.

The key to this stretch is the mental aspect more so than the physical aspect. By imagining the stretch coming from the opening of the muscles under the arms, you avoid the low back compression that will happen with a bend at the waist. Low back compression is what we are trying to avoid. Compression is what has caused the pain in the first place.

To translate this to the bicycle I must first make a statement. Do not try this unless you are are accomplished enough rider to ride with no hands over bumpy roads. This stretch requires one hand to be removed from the handlebars while stretching the back in exactly the same way as described above. Some people are not able to ride while doing this stretch. If this is the case for you, don't worry, the stretch works just as well if you are off of the bike as if you do it while riding. Please, use common sense and good judgement as only you know your ability and comfort level while riding.

If you decide that you are able to do this while riding, straighten up, becoming tall in the saddle. You will be removing your right hand from the handlebars, so adjust your grip if necessary. Raise your right arm over your head and grasp the left side of your helmet. This is just a convenient place to put your hand, do not grasp or pull the helmet. On your next inhale, imagine lengthening your spine, from the hips to the crown of the head. As you exhale, imagine opening your muscles located under your arm to the sky. Keep the spine long - do not compress the left side of the body. Hold this for a couple of breaths, return both hands to the bars, sit up and repeat on the left side. The key points are 1. Be safe, only attempt this if you are competent enough to ride no handed over bumpy roads, and 2. Keep the spine long, using the idea of opening the muscles to provide the stretch and making sure the opposite side of the body does not compress. There will be less actual bending, but the bending will do more good.

I found this to be very effective for eliminating my back pain for over thirty miles at a time. And on a 375 mile ride, the elimination of any pain is appreciated.

Namaste,

Jim

The Absolute Basic

In yoga, there is special emphasis on conecting your movement to your breath. A good rule of thumb is as you are extending your spine you breath in and while flexing your spine you breath out. Let's pretend you are lifting a box of inner tubes and, instead of using your knees, you are bent at the waist 90 degrees. Classical Hatha Yoga teaches that you would breath in as you come up to standing. This is spinal extension. If you were putting that box of inner tubes down, you would exhale as you lowered toward the floor. This is spinal flexion.

On a bicycle, your spine is in a state of nearly constant flexion. This, along with bars set too low, is the primary cause of back pain in cyclists. Simply sitting on the bike for hours in spinal flexion can hurt. This is one area where basic yoga breathing techniques can make a huge difference for almost every cyclist.

First, while off the bike, sit in a chair in a comfortable position with good posture. Close your eyes and imagine balancing your shoulders over your hips with a natural, gentle curve in your low back. Do not arch your low back, but keep a natural curve; no slouching. Imagine balancing your head over your shoulders while your shoulders are balanced over your hips. Begin to bring your awareness to your breathing. After several breaths, begin to imagine a little space between each vertebrae, from your hips to your head, that expands a little with each inhale. Imagine this expansion allows your spine to lengthen just a little on each inhale. On each exhale, imagine the length remains and your spine roots into the chair through your sit-bones. Inhale, and imagine every vertebra, from your tailbone all the way to the crown of your head, expanding one millimeter. Exhale, and imagine your body rooting through your sit-bones and maintaining the length. Practice this while sitting at your desk, in the car or anywhere you find yourself sitting down. By practicing this often, you will do it more naturally while riding. This is also a good way to improve your posture.

Next, while on the bike, with your hands on the top bar or hoods (if using drop bars), inhale and imagine the breath lengthening the spine from the hips to the crown of the head. Some cycling training explains this as imagining a string attached to your sternum pulling you forward. By mentally lengthening your spine, you will maintain a correct level of curvature in the low back, keep the weight of your upper body equally distributed between your spine and your arms and keep your shoulders in proper alignment which helps breathing. Doing this excercise before any pain arises can help prevent the pain from rising. Doing this after the pain arises can also help, but if the pain is already coming, it is best to dismount and do some simple side stretches, which we will discuss next time.

So while riding, on each inhale imagine lengthening your spine from the hips to the crown of your head. You may feel a shift in your pelvis. This may feel like your pelvis is tilting forward. This is a good thing. However, do not allow your weight to shift too far forward on your arms.

This exercise connects the yogic principle of inhaling while lengthening the spine with the mechanics of riding a bicycle over long distances. While completing a 300 KM brevet on August 2, I made a conscious effort to practice this technique and I experienced no tightness or pain in my back. Even after 186 miles, I had no discernable back pain. I was experiencing some neck fatigue, but I have since begun an asana sequence that should eliminate that.

Please remember that yoga is not for everyone. No one should use the techniques described here as a substitue for qualified instruction from a Registered and Certified Yoga Instructor. The techniques detailed here are provided as a guide to the health benefits available to some people through yoga.

Namaste,

Jim

Yoga-Cycle

This blog is about cycling, yoga, yoga for cyclists, randonneuring, food (I am also a chef) and lots of other things.

My name is Jim, and I am a registered, certified and insured yoga instructor. I am also an avid cyclist who went 18 years without a car. I have rediscovered my passion for cycling since my relocation to Portland, Oregon. I am a member of Randonneurs USA, Oregon Randonneurs, Bicycle Transportation Alliance, Ultra Marathon Cycling Association and Yoga Alliance.

About ten years ago I discovered that the time needed for recovery from long rides was directly related to the spacing of my yoga practice. I noticed that I was avoiding the repetative stress injuries of my riding friends who did not practice yoga. I began studying the relationship of yoga, the techniques of breathing known as pranayama and cycling. Cycling is one of the most medatative activities and yoga was originally developed over thousands of years as a way to stay in meditation longer, with fewer distractions, such as numb legs and aching muscles. It seems as though yoga and cycling were destined to co-exist.

I hope to add a weekly yoga asana sequence designed to help specific issues related to cycling. I also hope to post descriptions of the brevets and other rides I complete.

Please feel free to e-mail any recommendations for this site at jamescox@yoga-cycle.com

Namaste,

Jim