In addition to supplementing sports drinks and food, what you need most importantly is rest and relaxation. You know, cycling can make your legs thick or thin, depending on your exercise intensity and muscle recovery. Recently, yoga teacher Pat Bailey in San Francisco, proposed to do some yoga moves after riding, which had a significant effect on rapid muscle recovery and leg line stretching. As muscles and ligaments pull again and again, you can feel the peace and smoothness of breathing.
Pat Bailey often demonstrates her quirky poses and love of cycling along the San Francisco Bay. The purpose of this yoga teacher is to show similar (but complementary) characteristics between the two disciplines.
In fact, more and more articles and books combine cycling and yoga these days. "The combination of yoga and cycling is healthy and perfect for us. Practicing yoga enhances physical strength and muscle tension, making us full of strength and flexibility. In addition to physical factors, psychological factors also play an important role. Utilizing yoga to relax after riding, soothes and calms, so that we can focus more on the road, maintaining even breathing, controlling the rhythm, and ensuring that we can go further.
For those unfamiliar with yoga, here are 5 yoga moves for you. These moves will not only increase your flexibility, but also help your muscles recover from a long ride. As you know, stretching after riding is always necessary!
1.Hip stretches
This exercise can deeply relax your hips and your piriformis, which is especially important for those who ride often. Sit on a yoga mat with your hands behind the mat. Place your right ankle over your left knee. Then press your hip area back and forth. You can feel the effect for yourself!
2. Zygomatic Tibia Press
The zygomatic tibia is a muscle on the outside of the thigh that extends from the hip to the knee. Press on the yoga mat sideways, then use your elbows to support your upper body, your other hand can also cooperate. Tighten your belly and core. You may start to ache a bit during the back and forth press, but this really works.
3. Thigh Muscles Relaxation
This is another form of relaxation that might make you want to cry at first. Lay down flat and face downwards on the foam mat. Supporting yourself with your forearms, press the front of your thighs, and relax your quadriceps at this time. To alternate, lay on your back on the yoga mat and press the back of your thighs. At this point your biceps and hamstrings will be relaxed.
4. Calf Muscle Stretches
When you ride a bike, your feet and calves are in a fixed position, so they need to stretch and be massaged. Kneel on the yoga mat, and press your body into your calves downward, and upwards, back and forth. Then you can lie on your back, and pull your legs up and down, squeezing your calves each time you bring them towards you again. You can support yourself with your arms. This will help stretch out your calves a lot!
5. Lower back Pose
This stretching motion will help ease your posture from being bent over while cycling. It is best to use a longer yoga mat to complete this movement. Lie on your back on the yoga mat with your hips and head supported. With your shoulders open, you can close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Hold this post for 15 minutes and see how your posture improves over time.
Did you try the yoga tips? Let us know how they worked for you! Don't forget to follow Himiway electric bikes where we will update you with the latest electric bike knowledge every week!
