Personal trainer Judit Ressinka shows Emily Horton four stretches that let you cycle without pain - rolling, hip stretch, glute bridge and the skater squat
If you assume that you can commute 80 or so miles a week by bike without your body complaining, think again. According to personal trainer Judit Ressinka, your muscles need to be stretched into action and then deactivated following exercise to avoid aches and pains.
Judit specialises in strength and conditioning, nutrition and holistic lifestyle coaching. Her clients include professional athletes but she also treats the desk-bound for cycling related complaints.
The good news is that by simply stretching the right muscles, you can avoid debilitating pain and boost joint longevity. Let Judit show you how:
ROLLING
Release tight, painful knots of tension in your legs by rolling them over a foam cylinder.
Supporting yourself on your hands, use your body weight to lean on your legs and gently roll over the foam for 60 to 90 seconds.
Alternatively, hold the knotted area on the foam for as long as you can or as long it takes for the pain to ease.
HIP STRETCH
Loosen up tight hips to promote flexibility and movement with a hip flexor stretch.
From kneeling, plant the right foot on the ground in front of you, so the leg is bent at a 90-degree angle.
Keeping your back straight and breathing in, press forward into your left hip and contract the glute (bottom) muscles.
(Hold for 20 to 30 secs, repeat once or twice. Stretch only to the edge of discomfort).
GLUTE BRIDGE
The greatest cyclists have well developed bottoms, relying on glutes more than quadriceps muscles when pushing the pedals.
To strengthen glutes, lie on your back with legs bent at 90 degrees and feet on the ground. Push through your heels and raise hips as high as you can without arching your lower back, and push your knees out, feeling the movement predominantly in the bottom.
The hips will form a straight line from the knees to the shoulders. Squeeze your glutes for 2-3 seconds before lowering the hips back down. Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 repeats.
SKATER SQUAT
This exercise builds single leg stability and balance.
Shift weight to the right leg and balance, bend left leg at a 90-degree angle. Rest your arms at your sides. Squat straight down until your back knee hovers just above the floor, leaning forward with the torso.
To build confidence, keep your squats shallow; as you progress you can squat deeper and also hold your arms straight out in front of you.
Power up through the hips, returning to start position. Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 on each leg.
Please consult a doctor if you have any unusual symptoms during these exercises
Find out more on Judit's website, or contact her at 07946 612407
