Ride Strong

by Jo McRae

  Stretching muscles – different approaches pre- and post-exercise

  In the next section of exercises we start to stretch muscles or tissue rather than mobilizing joints. There are different methods for stretching muscles ‘pre-exercise’ as opposed to ‘post-exercise’, and the confusion around which is appropriate is often given as a reason not to stretch at all. Understanding the key differences that should characterize pre- and post-exercise stretching can help remove this barrier and enable you to effectively use both as appropriate.

  Pre-exercise stretches need to be dynamic and held for only moments at a time. In practice, you are often using the muscle opposing the one being stretched to move into the stretch position, and the end range of the stretch will be held only for one or two seconds, before moving away from the stretch.

  Sometimes ‘active’ techniques may also include ‘contract-relax’ phases where the muscle to be stretched is contracted momentarily before the stretch is repeated. These dynamic interruptions to the stretch itself take advantage of the neurological mechanisms within the joint to try to facilitate and enhance the stretch.

  Collectively known as ‘proprio-neuromuscular facilitation’ techniques (PNF), they take advantage of stretch receptors within the joint that detect high levels of tension and reciprocally inhibit the muscle being stretched to avoid it becoming injured. In simple terms, the muscle that contracts isometrically (without movement) when stretched will then stretch a little further when the tension is released.

  Because the tension needs to be high to stimulate this response, these stretch techniques can feel quite intense for short periods, and consequently will be stimulating rather than relaxing. The pre-exercise Swiss ball quad and hip flexor stretch in this section is a good example of how this works in practice.

  Characteristics of pre-exercise stretches/mobilizations

  •Should be ‘dynamic’ and ‘short hold’, such that you either move into and out of position or use ‘contract-relax’ techniques to enhance the stretch and stimulate the sympathetic (‘fight or flight’) side of the nervous system.

  •They should leave you feeling more awake and alert, ready for exercise.

  •They can be used to reduce the ‘tonicity’ of ‘overactive’ muscles so that during your cycling movements or core and strength work you are more likely to engage their often weaker counterparts.

  A muscle’s ‘tonicity’ is its resistance to stretch during a rested state, or its resting level of contraction. A hypertonic muscle will be more likely to contract in any given movement. A good example among cyclists is where the quads at the front of the thigh can become ‘hypertonic’, and somewhat inhibit the activation of the glute at the back of the hips.

  Post-exercise stretches should be more relaxing in nature and can be held for longer periods. Since the body is not preparing itself for activity, the more passive you can be the more effective the stretch will become, and you will be able to comfortably hold positions for longer, allowing time for the muscle to ‘let go’ and release.

  The intensity of post-exercise stretching can also be more moderate, such that you seek a position that is slightly uncomfortable and then focus on relaxing by way of continuous deep breathing. The doorframe hamstring stretch in this chapter is a good example of a passive, longer hold, post-exercise stretch.

  Characteristics of post-exercise stretches/mobilizations

  •They should be more ‘passive’ and ‘longer hold’ so that you focus on your breathing to ‘let go’ of the muscle area and stimulate the parasympathetic (‘rest and repair’) side of the nervous system.

  •They should leave you feeling more relaxed and enhance your ability to sleep or rest.

  •They are best used to lengthen chronically short muscles or mobilize particularly stiff areas, as well as preventing muscles that have been working hard from shortening between training sessions.

  Persistently tight areas will probably need pre- and post-exercise stretching to maximize your progress. If you find that you are very tight in lots of areas when working through these stretches, designing yourself a stretch-only plan may be the best way for you to start.

  Stretches for the lower back

  Swiss ball side stretch

  This stretch targets the muscles of the lower back as well as the trunk/abdomen. Often, stretches for the lower back involve a forwards bend, but because cyclists are ‘flexion dominant’ I believe it’s more effective to target one ‘side’ at a time with a sideways bend that helps open up and isolate each side of the body individually. This also ensures that both sides of your back are stretched effectively and that you are able to identify and work on any asymmetries you may notice in your body, comparing one side to the other.

  For some riders who have turned to cycling after playing a one-sided sport such as tennis or golf, shortness on one side of the lower back relative to the other can cause pain and problems sitting in the saddle and bending forwards to reach the bars.

  If this describes you, you will feel discomfort predominantly on one side of the lower back when riding, usually on the tighter side. This problem can be corrected by ensuring that tightness on one side is addressed and balanced first, before working on stretching both sides in a more equal way.

  If you know that you are tighter on one side of your lower back, or you can feel a difference in your flexibility when you perform this side stretch, work on the restricted side more until you feel more equal.

  Preparation

  Tuck the ball tight into your side as you kneel next to it in a split stance, one foot forward and the other back behind you. Generally it’s easier to balance with the outside leg positioned forwards. Make sure that there is no space between you and the ball, and bring your feet in closely with the toes of your rear foot tucked under ready to push up and over.

  Movement

  Keeping no space between you and the ball, push up and over the ball using your legs, and allow your body to drape sideways. Try to move far enough that your waist is on the apex of the ball and your head and neck are gently falling down the other side. It’s important to relax your head and neck in the position, as the weight of your head and the pull along the oblique muscles down to your waist will facilitate the stretch.

  Keep your torso purely sideways over the ball with your hips and shoulders stacked one on top of the other. Try to avoid twisting or rolling forwards or backwards. If you struggle with your balance as you push onto the ball, you can keep your knee on the ground and just lie sideways to start with until you begin to adapt to the movement. If you are comfortable stretching well over the ball, grasp your top arm at the wrist with your bottom arm and pull along the line of your body to enhance the stretch (see left).

  When and how much?

  Pre-exercise: Push up and over the ball holding a strong stretch at the top for 1–2 seconds 8–10 times on both sides. This should take 2–3 minutes once you have got used to moving around the ball. If you know you are tighter on one side then repeat the stretch more on that side. The typical way to do this is to start with the tighter side and then come back to it a second time after you have switched. Where you know there is an asymmetry in the tightness of your lower back you should prioritize this stretch before riding as it may help to push back the onset of backache during the ride.

  Post-exercise: Push up and over the ball and relax, seeking out the areas around your back and torso that need the stretch by going further over the ball, or by allowing your torso to rotate slightly, forwards or back. Hold each position for 20–30 seconds or until the line of tension starts to ease, before changing to a slightly different position. You can spend 3–5 minutes working into the sides of your body if it feels good.

  Mobilizations and stretches for the hips and legs

  The hips and legs are the muscular engine room for any cyclist and the area where you feel the most tightness caused by the exertion of pushing the pedals for long periods. It’s important to keep the hip and leg muscles sup
ple so that you can effectively apply force from the saddle down through each pedal stroke, and also because tightness in the hips can cause neurological issues that may limit power and cause pain.

  The prime movers in cycling are the gluteals (buttocks), ‘upper’ hamstrings and quadriceps muscles on the downstroke, and the hip flexors and ‘lower’ hamstrings at the knee on the upstroke. Where the glutes and upper hamstrings work in a lengthened position on the downstroke they have a tendency to become weak, while the lower hamstrings, hip flexors and (lateral) quads, working in a shortened position, tend to become tight. Muscle imbalances don’t always develop in this way but this is a tendency common in cyclists because of the postural position on the bike relative to our anatomical norm of upright walking or running.

  During highly repetitive movements such as cycling, where one muscle becomes short, another opposing or related muscle will often become weak, and if this muscle imbalance progresses, your force potential across that joint will begin to diminish.

  Most of the stretches in this section target muscles that are working in their shortened range during the pedalling action (such as the hamstrings at the knee), and others target areas that tend to shorten as a compensation for weaker areas (such as the deep piriformis muscle, which can tighten as the larger glutes weaken).

  Later, in Chapter 4, I will show you how to strengthen the weaker parts in these partnerships so that you can bring your body towards better balance and improved performance. Using the pre-stretches in this section before riding can be a first step in correcting these imbalances and immediately improving your cycling performance.

  Post-exercise stretching through the tightest of these areas can assist in recovery as well as preventing chronic shortness from developing. The harder you find each of these stretches, the more likely you are to need post-exercise stretching as part of your exercise programme to address chronic tightness.

  Piriformis stretch

  The piriformis is a small but troublesome muscle that often needs some attention. If you have heard of the piriformis it may be because you have suffered from ‘piriformis syndrome’, where tightness in the muscle affects the sciatic nerve causing pain, weakness and numbness in your buttock or down your leg. You may also know where it is because a well-meaning massage therapist or physio has dug their elbow deep into your buttock to release it for you. Though this is sometimes necessary and helpful, learning how to release the piriformis yourself is often preferable to the ignominy of having someone else do it.

  Tightness in this deep muscle can refer pain and problems down the leg via the sciatic nerve

  This small, deep gluteal muscle assists in externally or laterally rotating the hip, but can become short and tight when the larger gluteal muscles that should be doing most of the work become weak or inactive. Because of the repetitive, low-load, one-dimensional nature of cycling, the larger glute muscles of cyclists are often weak and underdeveloped, while this smaller muscle can be tight and stiff.

  Furthermore, the shortening of the hip flexors at the front of the pelvis that results from prolonged sitting in the saddle can tend to reciprocally inhibit the major glutes and upper hamstrings at the back. Where the lower hamstrings can become short and tight at the knee, the upper hamstrings at the hips also become weak, together with the glutes. When they are strong and functioning well, the glutes are the strongest muscle, contributing significantly to your power by driving hip extension on the downstroke. Take a look at the size of any track sprinter’s backside and you will see how effective these big muscles can become at higher intensities.

  ‘Reciprocal inhibition’ is a term given to the body’s neurological protective mechanism that prevents two opposing muscles from working against each other. A contraction in one muscle inhibits a contraction in its opposing number.

  If your piriformis is tight, it may be a sign that your larger glutes are somewhat weak, while this smaller deeper muscle progressively overworks. Most often you will become aware of this only at the point you are having quite debilitating problems, such as neurological pain deep in the buttock or running down your leg. Stretching and mobilizing your piriformis with the exercise described here, together with including some of the glute-strengthening exercises described in Chapter 4 later, will give you the best chance of correcting this imbalance, or preventing it from developing in the first place.

  Because the piriformis is very close to the sciatic nerve, often numbness, weakness or radiating nerve pain down one or both legs can develop when it becomes chronically tight. In some people the sciatic nerve actually runs through the muscle, while in most people it runs beneath it.

  ‘Sciatica’ is a broad term describing any symptoms caused by compression or irritation of the lumbar and sacral nerves as they exit the spine and run down the legs. ‘Piriformis syndrome’ is one cause, but lumbar disc ‘bulges’ and other changes in the functional anatomy of the spine can be implicated too.

  If you have symptoms that cause shooting pain, numbness, or pins and needles down your leg, these should be taken seriously and you should find a physiotherapist or osteopath who can assess the cause of the problem. These kinds of problems can stop you riding your bike, limit your power massively (by neural inhibition), and at the very least significantly limit your enjoyment, so prevention is far better than cure.

  ‘Neural inhibition’ is a term to describe a mechanism within the body that prevents further injury if nerves are being compressed or joints are at risk. For example, where a nerve that is exiting the spine to serve a muscle in the leg is being compressed, that muscle will appear weak because it is unable to receive the stimulus necessary to contract fully. In this instance, it is not the muscle that is weak, but that the nerve serving the muscle is being affected.

  Preparation

  As the piriformis is a deep muscle, you need to relax your buttocks as much as possible to work through the outer gluteals to get to it. Using this simple but effective tennis ball mobilization can help you use your body weight on the ball to locate and work out the tight areas.

  Sit on the floor as shown, next to a tennis ball, with your front (left) hip/leg open at a right angle. Use your other leg with your foot flat on the floor, as well as your arms to lift yourself up and sit steadily and carefully back down with the tennis ball centred on your left buttock.

  Movement

  Gradually dropping your weight onto the ball, wriggle around until you feel you are sitting on a tight spot in the area. Generally this will be right in the centre of your buttock. Gently drop your weight onto the ball until it becomes uncomfortable for a couple of seconds. It’s important not to tense up but try to relax the leg and hip that you are sitting on. After 1–2 seconds, relieve the tension by lifting your body off the ball slightly. Repeat five or six times until the tension eases, and then move onto a slightly different spot until you have worked through the whole area.

  Work into both sides in this way, spending the most time where it feels the tightest. This is an excellent stretch for these little muscles pre-ride and can help you recruit the stronger glute muscles when you get on your bike. Alternatively you can use it to loosen off your hips post-ride. Always strive for equality on both sides, and spend more time on one side if it seems tighter.

  How much and when?

  Pre-exercise: Spend 2–3 minutes working into the areas on both sides, or until you feel you have released some of the tension. If you know you are tight in this area or have been suffering from ‘piriformis syndrome’, take particular care with the exercise so that you don’t suddenly put a lot of pressure on the focal point of the tightness. If you rush this and are too brutal with it, you may irritate the sciatic nerve, which could make problems worse, not better.

  Post-exercise: Use the tennis ball mobilization exactly as described here, but follow up immediately with the wall glute stretch, opposite. If this is a known problem area for you, I would recommend performing both glute stretches after every longer, harder ride.

/>   Wall glute stretch (post-exercise only)

  This ‘wall glute stretch’ offers a post-exercise, more generalized gluteal stretch to the previous piriformis mobilization. It can help maximize the benefits from the tennis ball mobilization and can also be used to prevent soreness from longer, harder rides to aid recovery.

  Preparation

  Shuffle up as close to a wall as you can so that both legs are resting on the wall and your hips are able to rest on the ground comfortably and easily. If you set up too close for your flexibility your hips will lift off the floor, if you are too far away, the stretch will be ineffective or impractical as you go into the movement.

  Next, bend your supporting leg and cross the other foot over the knee as shown. Recheck that the distance from the wall is comfortable. If you are too close to the wall your hips will rise up off the floor as you do this.

  Movement

  First focus on pushing your tail bone down to the floor. Keep the hips square. Gently push your top knee towards the wall. You will feel a stretch in the buttock. Breathe deeply and relax into the stretch. Hold this position for a minute or longer, before changing sides.

  How much and when?

  Post-exercise stretching only: The effectiveness of this stretch relies on you taking a little time to locate and work into the tightest area and practise relaxing and breathing into it. If you know you have very tight glutes and feel this stretch deeply, spend 2–5 minutes working from one side to the other, holding each position for a minute at a time before changing sides. If you find that you are tighter on one side than the other, spend a little longer on that side to try to even things up.