Quick Question about riding posture

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Quick Question about riding posture
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flag HorNyOne
Posted: Aug 17, 2012 at 9:53 Quote
Hey how are you guys?

I've been starting some fitness program over here in a really good gym, and I've been doing a few lower back exercises to help improving. My lower back is prolly the muscle that gets tired before any other else...

So, my question is:
When riding, should i have my lower back always straight? and why?
Do you guys usually have it straight the whole day? when working or in computer or in general?

The second question is:
I ride flat pedals, do flat riders usually use their thighs for shifting weight in the saddle? I never do it, and i'm feeling that i don't have too much agility on my bike for drifting or simply putting the bike in different corner angles.



And a third question:
Since I just started, I'm doing some kind of crossfit training stuff in the gym before going to more specific exercises... What else do you guys recommend for fitness training?
My "teacher" rides more XC, so I'm worried he gives me something that wouldn't work to me.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for my shitty english... sometimes get's hard to express.

Bruno Horn
flag TheCOJayhawk
Posted: Aug 18, 2012 at 18:05 Quote
HorNyOne wrote:
Hey how are you guys?

I've been starting some fitness program over here in a really good gym, and I've been doing a few lower back exercises to help improving. My lower back is prolly the muscle that gets tired before any other else...

So, my question is:
When riding, should i have my lower back always straight? and why?
Do you guys usually have it straight the whole day? when working or in computer or in general?

The second question is:
I ride flat pedals, do flat riders usually use their thighs for shifting weight in the saddle? I never do it, and i'm feeling that i don't have too much agility on my bike for drifting or simply putting the bike in different corner angles.



And a third question:
Since I just started, I'm doing some kind of crossfit training stuff in the gym before going to more specific exercises... What else do you guys recommend for fitness training?
My "teacher" rides more XC, so I'm worried he gives me something that wouldn't work to me.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for my shitty english... sometimes get's hard to express.

Bruno Horn

I have a bad back as well. If you can try to keep your core strong and have great posture as much as possible that is ideal, however you cannot ride at your best with your back straight all the time. You wouldn't be able to throw the bike around. Your core and thighs are the muscles that you use to shift weight and do it effectively. As for fitness programs I use TRX which is all body weight. But do what works for you.
flag IOMHENDO
Posted: Aug 19, 2012 at 10:02 Quote
Make sure your posture is good as it could be an imbalance between abdominals and lower back muscles.

Try dropping your heels, driving your weight through your pedals and bending your knees so your hips drop back (arse out!)

By shifting your bodyweight around with your hips (front/back/left/right) you can corner, descend and climb with ease.
flag theballinman
Posted: Aug 21, 2012 at 8:52 Quote
I work with a trainer and the piece of advice he gave me about my posture is to stick you but out so that you have an arched back. If you are doing this your chin should be over your headset, that is a good way too check if you back is in the right position.

Matt
flag HorNyOne
Posted: Sep 12, 2012 at 8:03 Quote
hey thanks for all the replies.. I just made a new thread about my exercises... I think my lower back weren't really well developed, and the worse: I don't use my Abs properly for compensating weight. So I just have to get used to put some weight on them.
flag ThunderChunk
O+
Posted: Sep 17, 2012 at 12:07 Quote
I have a bad back, I was in a rehab program for 6 months and now I'm working out on my own to relieve the pain. You can't simply strenghten the lower back to fix the problem. You need to work out the core. Most people have a weak core so they compensate by using the lower back muscles.

Another thing is you can't just focus on having a strong back/core. In my rehab program, even though my back was the only thing I needed help with, they made me do a full body workout. Legs, shoulders, chest, arms, everything. If you don't work out everything you will have a muscle imbalance and that does more harm than good. Plus you may as well work on everything anyways, you use basically all your muscles when biking.
flag benhlt
Posted: Sep 22, 2012 at 20:49 Quote
ThunderChunk wrote:
I have a bad back, I was in a rehab program for 6 months and now I'm working out on my own to relieve the pain. You can't simply strenghten the lower back to fix the problem. You need to work out the core. Most people have a weak core so they compensate by using the lower back muscles.

Another thing is you can't just focus on having a strong back/core. In my rehab program, even though my back was the only thing I needed help with, they made me do a full body workout. Legs, shoulders, chest, arms, everything. If you don't work out everything you will have a muscle imbalance and that does more harm than good. Plus you may as well work on everything anyways, you use basically all your muscles when biking.

What did they have you do? I have some issues with posture and I know it affects my riding. I cant breath right, I run out of breath before my muscles run out of gas...
flag ThunderChunk
O+
Posted: Sep 23, 2012 at 10:52 Quote
They had me doing squats, lots of mat exercises such as superman, bridge, leg extensions, crunches, and more but I don't know the names. I did weights as well. Now I just do weights and stretches. You can correct your posture on your own by trying to keep your body in it's correct position throughout the day. Eventually your posture will get better.

Have you been to the doctor about your breathing? If not then you should go. If you have no health problems then that means you need to change your diet and do some cardio. I use to be like that, I would suffer riding long trails and I. would always take breaks. But now that I do cardio 3 times per week, I can climb several km's to a trailhead.
flag benhlt
Posted: Sep 24, 2012 at 21:47 Quote
ThunderChunk wrote:
They had me doing squats, lots of mat exercises such as superman, bridge, leg extensions, crunches, and more but I don't know the names. I did weights as well. Now I just do weights and stretches. You can correct your posture on your own by trying to keep your body in it's correct position throughout the day. Eventually your posture will get better.

Have you been to the doctor about your breathing? If not then you should go. If you have no health problems then that means you need to change your diet and do some cardio. I use to be like that, I would suffer riding long trails and I. would always take breaks. But now that I do cardio 3 times per week, I can climb several km's to a trailhead.

I have been to the doc before, he said Im healthy as a horse. so Im guessing I just need more long distance cardio rides... maybe some more elevation gain type riding...
makes me feel like this though >>>> Whip
flag ThunderChunk
O+
Posted: Sep 24, 2012 at 22:21 Quote
Looking at your avatar picture, I take it you're more of a gravity rider? If so, that explains the lack of endurance lol. Do some cardio training at least twice per week and it will build your endurance.
flag benhlt
Posted: Sep 26, 2012 at 7:58 Quote
Yep mostly DH and Super D type racing, I really need to build my stamina so I can start winning. I figure if I do uphill sprints three or four days a week ill get there by next year. Im just trying to plan a cardio workout I can commit to
flag ThunderChunk
O+
Posted: Sep 29, 2012 at 11:14 Quote
benhlt wrote:
Yep mostly DH and Super D type racing, I really need to build my stamina so I can start winning. I figure if I do uphill sprints three or four days a week ill get there by next year. Im just trying to plan a cardio workout I can commit to

Since you do racing, you will really benefit from not only cardio, but strength training as well. I noticed huge improvements in my riding after hitting the gym. you will ride longer, faster and the bike gets easier to control and huck in the air. Plus you will feel great too.

Another thing is that you can't just ride a bike uphill to train. you need to do other things and thats where the gym comes in. Otherwise your body will plateau as it gets use to the same workout over and over and you will stop seeing gains.
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