Cycling every day is a good exercise method for the body, strengthening muscle strength. However, not doing it properly can have the opposite effect.
1. Improper cycling can cause muscle pain
Cycling with balance and relaxation may seem like a basic skill for road cyclists, but it’s something even experienced riders struggle with and can be frustrating for beginner cyclists.
After acquiring the right professional bike, proper body position is often the next thing we consider when diagnosing cycling pain. It sounds simple, but reminding yourself to relax your shoulders during a long or strenuous ride can save you from that annoying neck pain the next day.
While this could be a bike fit issue, if you’ve determined the reach on your bike is acceptable, it could be an issue with your body position.
In general, your fingers and hands will go numb because they are not getting proper blood flow/circulation. So check to make sure you’re riding with your elbows relaxed and slightly bent. Straightening your arms puts a lot of weight on your arms and handlebars. Check your wrist alignment. If your wrist is bent, this can prevent proper blood circulation in your hand.
2. Correct cycling posture will help reduce back and leg pain when cycling
A good cycling position is a mid-range from head to toe. On long trips, check your body position from time to time to make sure you don’t fall back into bad habits. A good posture can help you relieve back fatigue and leg pain. Pay attention to the following points:
Relax your shoulders and lower them, away from your ears. If you’re trying to climb uphill, you may notice your shoulders stiffen and start climbing again. Lowering your shoulders frees up your part, makes it easier to turn around and see traffic, and actually helps you stay alert. Bend your elbows: Just like on a mountain bike, cycling with your elbows bent and relaxed allows your arms to act as suspension.
If you hit the pelvis or hit the road, your arms can help you absorb the impact. Unlike the mountain bike body posture, your elbows should be drawn to your sides instead of as wide as your wings. Keeping your elbows bent will also reduce strain on your shoulders and allow you to ride with less pressure on your hands. Do not bend your wrist. Maintain a straight line from your elbows through your fingers on the brake. If this is difficult, which could be a bike setup issue, you should discuss brake lever and hood placement with your professional bike fitter. Maintain the spine in a neutral position. This is similar to yoga. If you’re familiar with the Cat and the Cow pose in yoga, either of those poses when sitting in the saddle can cause pain down below and be ineffective when cycling. Your back should be relaxed, keeping a straight line between your hips and shoulders.
The best way to check this position while you are riding a bike is to feel for yourself if your back muscles are working? If your back muscles are resting while cycling, that can lead to a sagging bike stance and can put pressure on your arms, shoulders, or parts of your legs.
Make sure your knees are parallel to the car. If your knee points out to the side when you ride, it will cause ineffectiveness and cause pain.
3. Use the Drops section of the bike when going downhill
One of the cool things about road bikes is that there are 3 places to put your hands! The handlebars look like that on purpose because road bikes are designed to travel long distances with the rider in a fairly stationary position. Having multiple places to place your hands allows you to change your body position to use different muscle groups and change your center of gravity.
Drops section in favor of downhill! While it can be intimidating at first, lowering your arm to the handlebar “lower” is ideal for landing on the road. By placing your hands lower on the bar, you’re lowering your center of gravity and actually putting a bit more pressure on the front wheels. This will add traction and balance when going downhill. You’ll also have a slightly better grip on the brakes.
