In Fitness Friday sessions, there will be discussion on everything, from
stretching right, to training the right way for the race ahead, to eating
right. You can follow him on twitter @Fitnesslab or on the Facebook
So let's get started with some stretching!
The Art
of Foam Rolling:
With many
hours spent on the bike climbing those unforgiving hills and putting the hammer
down as we near the finish, our muscles and joints take quite a beating.
Recovering from a day of cycling is very important to ensure that we are able
to get back on that bike the next day and compete at the same levels. Now,
ideally a full body massage would serve the purpose to ready our body for
another day of tough cycling but having our own massage therapist is very
pricey and improbable. However, the foam roller is the next best thing to a
massage, in fact it is a form of massage but there are no scented oils or
calming music in the background. This form of massage is self inflicted pain
that makes you wonder if this is actually going to help and whether enduring stiffness
the next day is a better option.
Foam
rolling helps with self - myofascial release which is medical terminology for
“helping release the tightness within muscles”. Very much like a massage helps
alleviate stiff joints and knotted muscles, foam rolling encourages soft
pliable muscles and mobile joints. If our joints have sufficient mobility and
our muscles are at optimal length and tension, our body as a system will
function better resulting in a better sporting performance.
Most
cyclists complain of lower back pain and thigh stiffness after a long day in
the saddle. To lessen pain there are two rolling movements you can use to
encourage circulation and delay muscle soreness. The first movement has
you lying on your lumbar part of your back and rolling back and forth. It is a
small area to roll but is often the most affected by cycling due to the
“hunched” over position causing stress and pain during long cycles.
Movement number two is for the quadriceps
(thigh muscles). These muscles are prime movers during cycling and also tend to
shorten due to the repetitive cycling action. By rolling them we ensure they
stay at an optimal length allowing for maximal power output as well as remove
any toxins built up from hours on the bike.
Make your
rolling movements long and at a steady pace. Rolling the entire length of the
muscles is essential to prevent stiffness and pain. You can do 10 rolls per
muscle group to start out
Happy Rolling!
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