Essential Cycling Stretching Routine: Boost Performance & Prevent Injuries Posted on July 8, 2024July 8, 2024 by sm.hyve@gmail.com Cycling enthusiasts, rejoice! Incorporating a regular stretching routine into your regimen can significantly enhance your performance and keep you injury-free. In this blog, we cover five essential stretches that every cyclist should include in their routine. Follow these stretches to ensure a smoother and more efficient ride every time. 1. Hamstring Stretch: Enhancing Flexibility and Reducing Injury Risk How to Perform the Hamstring Stretch: Sit on the floor with one leg extended and the other leg bent. Reach towards the toes of the extended leg while keeping your back straight. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and then switch legs. Benefits: The hamstring stretch is crucial for cyclists because it helps maintain the flexibility and strength of the hamstrings, which can become tight from prolonged sitting and repetitive cycling motions. Flexible hamstrings reduce the risk of injury and improve overall cycling efficiency. 2. Quadriceps Stretch: Prevent Muscle Tightness and Improve Mobility How to Perform the Quadriceps Stretch: Stand on one leg and pull the opposite foot towards your buttocks. Keep your knees together and use a wall or chair for balance if needed. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and then switch legs. Benefits: The quadriceps are heavily utilized during cycling. Stretching them helps to avoid muscle tightness, which can occur after long rides. This stretch ensures that your quads remain flexible, reducing the risk of strains and enhancing overall mobility. 3. Hip Flexor Stretch: Reduce Lower Back Pain and Increase Efficiency How to Perform the Hip Flexor Stretch: Kneel on one knee with the opposite foot in front. Gently push your hips forward while keeping your back straight. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and then switch sides. Benefits: Tight hip flexors can lead to lower back pain and decreased cycling efficiency. This stretch helps to open up the hips, reducing tension and improving your overall posture and power output on the bike. 4. Calf Stretch: Strengthen Calves for Better Pedaling Power How to Perform the Calf Stretch: Stand facing a wall and step one foot back, pressing the heel into the ground. Bend the front leg slightly to maintain balance. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and then switch legs. Benefits: Strong and flexible calves are essential for a smooth and powerful pedaling motion. Stretching your calves helps prevent stiffness and enhances the power transfer from your legs to the bike, improving your overall cycling performance. 5. Glute Stretch: Maintain Stability and Power How to Perform the Glute Stretch: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee and pull the uncrossed leg towards your chest. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and then switch sides. Benefits: The glutes are key muscles for maintaining stability and generating power while cycling. Stretching them helps to prevent soreness and keeps them strong, ensuring that they function optimally during your rides. Consistency is key when it comes to stretching. By incorporating these five essential stretches into your routine, you’ll stay flexible, strong, and injury-free. A well-stretched body not only improves your cycling performance but also makes each ride more enjoyable. Keep stretching and happy cycling with Hyve! By following this stretching routine, you’ll ensure that your muscles remain flexible and strong, ultimately boosting your cycling performance and reducing the risk of injuries. Stay dedicated to your stretching regimen and enjoy the benefits of a more comfortable and efficient ride. CLICK HERE !
RIDER’S HIGH: Experiencing an euphoric blissful feeling from Cycling Posted on April 12, 2021April 15, 2022 by hyvesports According to the urban dictionary rider’s high is a euphoric feeling experienced by cycle riders as they start to feel good along with the pumping adrenaline caused by an exciting or extremely fun ride by themself or with other riders, the pure feeling of freedom that is shared between them and their cycle as they take on the open road. If you have completed a long ride and felt like keep going on for a few miles, you may have experienced ‘the rider’s high’. This short term surge of hormones relaxes the muscle tissues and eases pain. But everyone who rides won’t get this feeling of bliss, in this write up let’s examine what is and what causes this feeling of euphoria. WHAT DOES RIDING DO TO YOUR BODY Riding release a flood of endorphins into your blood. Endorphins are often called “feel-good” chemicals because they produce feelings of happiness and pleasure. Also, they act as pain relievers, helps you to ride longer distances. For a long time, scientists believed endorphins caused the rider’s high. It makes sense -they do have a lot of beneficial effects. But recently, research has revealed that endorphins may not have much to do with it after all. Instead, new research points to another type of molecule: endocannabinoids. These molecules act on your endocannabinoid system. This is the same system that’s affected by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active compound in cannabis. Like endorphins, exercise releases endocannabinoids into the bloodstream. If you feel euphoric or deeply relaxed after a ride, these molecules may responsible for that euphoria. [Total_Soft_Poll id=”8″] MORE ABOUT THIS MAGICAL COMPOUND endocannabinoid molecules are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier, and they act on receptors in our endocannabinoid system. This is the same system that’s activated by THC, the most active compound in cannabis. A type of endocannabinoid called anandamide is found at high levels in the blood of people who’ve recently completed a ride. Some research suggests anandamide may trigger a rider’s high. This results in short-term psychoactive effects like: reduced anxiety feeling of calmness euphoria However, research that studies how the brain and body respond to endocannabinoids after a ride is quite limited. OTHER BENEFITS OF RIDING A CYCLE Riders high is not an assured one, it’s more like a blessing. Not everyone who pedals won’t have this bliss of euphoria. However, other benefits are sure for riding. Increased memory and focusing weight loss or maintenance better response to insulin powered up the immune system increased flexibility and mobility reduced risk of depression reduced risk of anxiety A rider’s high is a short-lasting feeling of euphoria or bliss that occurs after a ride. Not everyone who rides or exercises will experience a runner’s high but those that do may find themselves exercising to chase that exquisite feeling. However, it remains vague why some people experience a rider’s high and some do not. It’s also not clear what you can do to make a rider’s high happen. But even without feeling this euphoric state, exercise like riding is a healthy choice for most people. And that’s one hell of a feel-good reason.
