Written by Stretching before and after a ride has always been a vital part of cycling, especially if you’re embarking on a long ride, a training session or some steep hills. It is true though that some studies and guides will tell you that there is little point stretching your muscles when they are still cold and we would not totally disagree with this.
What we would say however is that there is no harm in gentle stretching at any time and if you feel it delivers some benefit then there is nothing to be lost by learning a few leg stretches and spending a few minutes getting your limbs ready. It certainly seems to feel advantageous when the weather is cold.
So what muscles are we using when cycling. This helpful diagram demonstrates which muscles are used during each part of the pedal rotation. It also helps us to pinpoint the stretches we need to prepare for our ride.
The important muscles we need to stretch therefore are the Glutes, the Quadriceps, the Hip, the Knee and the Ankles. There are three stretches we can recommend and you should try and hold each stretch for at least thirty seconds.
The first one is the kneeling quad stretch. It’s very simple, kneel on one foot and one knee and push your hips forward. For an extra stretch grab your back leg with your hand as shown. If you have problems with balance hold on to something for support.
The second is the single heel-drop achilles stretch and this is the one which will warm up your calf muscles and you ankles. It’s easy to do – just place the ball of one foot on the edge of a step, bend that knee slightly and lower your heel very gradually. Once you’ve done one leg, swap over and and stretch the other leg using the same technique.
The last basic stretch is the lying knee roll-over stretch and to get you on your way it’s designed to get your hips moving, especially important for the more mature cyclists among us. Lie on the ground on your back with your arms spread wide, bring you knees half way up to your chest and then roll them slowly down to one side. When you have held this stretch for long enough, roll your knees over to the other side.
