Best Stretches for Cycling

A simple stretching routine for cyclists

The quadriceps (quads) are a group of muscles along the front of the thigh. These muscles are the most developed in cyclists and often prone to fatigue and cramping. Here is a simple stretch you can do while standing.

• Stand on one leg (grab onto something solid if you need support).
• Bend your knee and bring your heel toward your buttock.
• Reach for your ankle with your hand.
• Stand up straight and feel a slight pull along the front of your thigh and hip.
• Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.
• Be careful not to strain your knee - the goal is not to touch your heel to the buttock, but rather to stretch the thigh.

The calf, or gastrocnemius, muscle runs along the back of your lower leg. Cyclists use this muscle constantly during the pedaling motion.

• Stand about an arm's-length from the wall.
• Lean forward and place both hands on the wall about shoulder width apart.
• Extend one foot (the side to be stretched) behind you with heel on the ground and one foot closer to the wall.
• Lean into wall with your hips until you feel a stretch in the calf of the extended leg.
• Hold this stretch for about 30 seconds and change sides.
• For a deeper stretch, move your foot farther back.
• This stretch is similar to the Achilles tendon heel stretch, however by keeping your knee straight you focus the stretch on the calf rather than the Achilles.

Chicago Bears cornerback Devin Hester demonstrates a simple way to open the hips and stretch the muscles of the hips, groin and lower back. THis is great for golfers as well.

• Begin in a forward lunge position and drop your left knee to the ground.
• Place your right elbow on the inside of your right knee as pictured.
• Press your right elbow gently into your right knee and twist your torso to the left.
• Reach your left arm behind you until you feel a gentle stretch in your lower back and right groin.
• Hold the stretch for about 20-30 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.

The hip flexors are a group of muscles that bring the legs up toward the trunk. Cyclists often have tight hip flexors because the cycling motion never allows to thigh to fully extend. Keeping the hip flexors limber is essential to avoiding muscle imbalance and post-ride stiffness.

• Begin in a forward lunge position and drop your back knee to the floor.
• Raise your arms and hands up over your head and look up.
• Press your hips forward and down toward the floor and feel a stretch through your torso, hip, groin and thigh.
• Hold the stretch for about 20-30 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.

Cyclists spend a lot of time hunched over the handlebars. This basic shoulder stretch can help open the chest and loosen tight shoulder.

• Begin standing up straight with shoulders relaxed and back.
• Reach your right arm up over your head, bend your elbow and reach your hand behind your neck.
• With your elbow pointing up to the sky, slide your right palm down to your back.
• With your left hand, grip your right elbow and gentle pull it toward your ear.
• Continue sliding your right palm down your back without straining.
• Hold for 10-20 seconds and release.
• Repeat with the opposite arm.
• Be sure to keep your head up and resist the urge to bend your neck forward.

Like the hip flexors, the hamstrings don't extend fully while cycling and can be prone to stiffness. This stretch can help maintain length in the hamstrings.

• Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you with knees straight.
• In a slow, steady movement, lean forward at the hips, keep you knees straight and slide your hands up your legs to your feet.
• Extend as far as you can, and curl your feet towards you to increase the stretch.
• Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, release and repeat two to three times.

If you have any foot pain while cycling, this stretch can help relieve pain along the plantar fascia, a band of tough connective tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot to the heel.

• Stand barefoot.
• Left one heel off the ground but keep the ball of the foot an toes flat.
• You will feel a stretch on the underside of the ball of the foot.
• Hold for a count of ten. Release.
• Repeat ten times.

There are many different ways to stretch your glutes (buttock). This is a more advanced stretch, that is sometimes called the Pigeon Pose in yoga.

• Start in a push up position on your hand and toes.
• Slide your right knee forward toward your right hand. Angle your knee so the outer ankle is touching the floor (see picture).
• Slide your left leg back as far as comfortable.
• Keep your hips square to the floor.
• You should feeling a deep stretch in your right hip and the outer thigh.
• You can either stay up on your hands, or fold forward and let your forearms rest on the floor in front of you or fully extended your arm in front of you.
• Breathe slowly and deeply from your belly. Hold the stretch 30-60 seconds and release. Repeat on the other leg.

There are many different ways to stretch your quadriceps, but here is a more advanced stretch that many pro athletes use after a good warm up.

• Loop an exercise band around your arch while you are in a kneeling position.
• Lay down on your belly, while holding the exercise band.
• Reach your arms out in front of you and bend the knee of the leg with the band on the foot (see example photo). to be stretched.
• Slowing apply tension until you feel a stretch along the front of your hip, quadriceps and entire thigh.
• Be careful not to strain your bent knee.
• Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.
• The goal is not to touch your heel to your buttock, but rather to stretch the thigh.

There are many different ways to stretch the piriformis muscle in the glutes (buttock). A good stretch for cyclists is this stretch, that also relaxes the back.

• Lay down on the floor on your back.
• You can put one foot up against a wall (as shown) to provide additional support during the stretch.
• Cross the left leg over the left, with the left ankle resting on the right knee.
• If not using a wall for support, slowly move your right thigh toward your chest as you apply gentle pressure to the inside of the left knee.
• You should feel a deep stretch in your glutes (buttock) and hip.
• Breathe slowly and deeply from your belly.
• Hold 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.