Yoga for Cyclists

Before you say, “What?!”, hear me out.

With the current trend of reducing our carbon footprint, cycling has gained popularity among travellers. A few years ago, a friend of mine took a cycling tour of all the European War Memorials. A Cycling Adventure Trip to see things he had always wanted to see, for his personal fulfillment and wellness.

Does that sound A MA ZING or what!

I wish I were brave enough to make this kind of trip, but I took a ‘trip’ to meet my Mom for lunch a few blocks from my house one summer day when I was 12, hit the curb with my pedal, and I don’t remember much of what happened next.

I got a concussion(this, of course, was pre-helmet days), but it scared me. It was such a shame, too, because I loved my bike. It was a fancy new white ten-speed bike, and it gave me hours of joy, but most important to me (being 12) was a sense of FREEDOM. I could go down to the swimming hole, over to my friends, out for a ride, wherever I wanted to go, I went. These are feelings I always associate with cycling, even though now I do it in a recumbent bike with a VR screen.

Time and fast living have taken their toll on my old ‘bod’. I no longer have fully flexible hamstrings, strong hips, or a healthy lower back.

But if you are serious about cycling and doing your own Cycle Adventure, I suggest practicing yoga as a great way to whip you into shape, prevent injuries, and open up a whole new world of mental and personal wellness.

Wellness First

A bit of training never hurt. Well, unless you haven’t warmed up/stretched properly, you end up with a torn muscle. But that won’t happen, because we’re going to warm up first.

After warming up, we can do a few yoga poses that are really beneficial for cyclists:

• Pigeon Pose – The name might not instill confidence, but the results do. This pose opens up your hips, which helps loosen your hip flexors. If you usually experience pain in your hips, this pose can do some amazing things for your body.
• Reclining Hand to Big Toe Pose – This one might seem very basic, and to be fair, most people have done it once or twice without knowing it’s a yoga pose. The idea is to stretch your hamstrings and loosen up the calves, all of which are used while cycling. It can prevent cramps and injuries.
• Supine Spinal Twist – If your lower back hurts or is stiff, this one is amazing. Plus it gives your spine more mobility. Now you might think that while cycling your spine stays straight for most of the time, which is true, but ‘for most of the time, not all the time’. So when you check your sides for upcoming traffic or obstacles while switching lanes, you’re twisting your spine, and you don’t want an unexpected sharp pain distracting you in those moments. This pose helps prevent them from happening.
• Bridge Pose – A sort of natural progression from the previous pose, but it’s great in how it helps open up your chest area, plus the shoulders. But it also helps strengthen your glutes.

You know your body’s fitness level. If yoga is new to you, do some reading and ask for advice about what poses you need to target your problem areas and prevent injury and overstretching when you are exerting during your cycle. Along the way, you will find so much more than exercise for the body; yoga’s philosophy and history will also broaden your mind and help you in ways you never imagined.

Wellness Meets Adventure

So, you are taking care of your body and your mind; now you need to make practical plans for your adventure:

• Choose Your Route: Are you taking a plane to Australia to cycle around the sights’ down under’, or are you seeking the beautiful flora and fauna in Illinois? Either way, you need to know what kind of roads you will be cycling on, what the terrain is like, and how far you want to travel every day.
• Packing With Purpose: Keep things light, carry light but purpose-driven clothing (don’t pack jeans, they take forever to dry), and think about snacks to carry for energy. If you are travelling by yourself or as a single in a touring group, download some music or meditation apps for some mindful downtime while you take breaks and rest.
• Find Sights Along The Way: Unless you are actually in a race, make sure you are seeing and experiencing everything around you. Find sights that interest you along the way and take the time to visit and learn, and set a pace that works well for you. Take Photos, go for a swim in a waterfall, stretch out along the peaceful stream, or take a nap. If you are goal-oriented in a group and intend to hit so many miles a day, still take the time to stop and smell the roses. The adventure group you are with is already stopping at numerous interesting places. Be in the moment and enjoy it all.

Travel Tips:

• Focus on Safety
• Know your bike and how to fix minor problems.
• Know the rules of the road wherever you travel. 
• Keep emergency numbers in your luggage and on your person.
• Keep Visible.
• Know your hand signals.
• Be sure to know the American Embassy contact details in the country you are traveling to.
• Assume you are invisible to Drivers, so drive defensively.

While you are on this thrilling mindful adventure, remember you are still a vehicle on a road shared with other vehicles who might not be as ‘in the moment’ as they should be.

I remember that one time, a couple of friends of mine went on a bike trip to Schaumburg. They live around Edison Park in Chicago, so that was a one-and-a-half-hour trip. And while everything went (mostly) smoothly, one of them actually got struck by a car while in Schaumburg. 

Now everything ended up being completely fine. No one was injured. But I mean, really? They didn’t want to make a huge fuss out of it, and ended up not filing charges, but if it were me, I’d immediately find a Schaumburg bicycle accident lawyer and have this dealt with.

And no – it isn’t about getting money. It’s about drivers needing to be careful when there are cyclists on the road. What if it were my kids who got hit? And something ACTUALLY happened?? Just the thought of it makes me shiver and squirm. UGH.

Anyway, let’s get back to the travel tips; number two:

• Plan Downtime: Plan your non-cycling activities. This will give you time to relive great moments from each day, download your photos, write in your journal or travel blog, do some light stretching, and socialize with locals and others in your group. This will help release the tensions of the day and prepare you for good sleep and the next day’s challenges.
• Keep Contact: Make sure someone always knows where you are going or where you are. Please send a text to someone in the group, a message home telling them your plans, or write e-mails so they can track your whereabouts.
• Carry A bit of Currency or Emergency Cards: When I did my traveling, someone told me to carry extra cash or emergency cards in my sock, bra, or shoe for those ‘just in case’ moments.

Conclusion

Taking a Wellness Cycling Adventure will certainly be something you remember for the rest of your life! The practices of mindfulness and yoga philosophies will also be something you carry for your body, but also for your spiritual health and soul as well. 

Life is short; Live It!

Amélie

Amélie is a health and wellness junky. Certified yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance in the Vinyasa and Ashtanga styles, she has a Yoga Instructor Certification – Level I (300 hours) and Yoga Instructor Certification – Level II (200 hours) under her belt. She also has a certified Open Water Diver certification with PADI and SSI Scuba Schools International Freediving Level I certification with SSI Scuba Schools International. She’s been vegan for over 15 years and is obsessed with anything wellness-related.