Flexible working
It is no surprise that top pro cyclists now perform regular yoga routines. Cycling poses some unique biomechanical challenges for your body, nearly all of which can be overcome with the help of a regular yoga workout. That’s why you’ll find everyone from Mark Cavendish to Chris Froome routinely reaching for their yoga mats.
Long triple-digit rides and hours spent bent over the handlebars can stiffen your back, neck and shoulder muscles. Repeatedly pressing down on your pedals shortens your hamstrings, quads and calf muscles, leading to aches and impaired pedalling performance. And all that time spent locked in a fixed position on your bike reduces your joint and spinal mobility, which can cause postural issues and muscle injuries.
But yoga counteracts all of these cycling-related ailments, and delivers a raft of bonus benefits too. “Every cyclist will benefit from yoga,” insists Joelle Pettitt, the founder of Nelumbo Yoga (), whose classes in Maidenhead, London, Marlow and Windsor attract many aching cyclists. “Yoga lengthens all the muscles in your legs, which are shortened by the posture and motions of cycling, to improve your range of motion, power output and performance. It mobilises your spine to increase stability on the bike and reduce post-ride pain. It develops
