9 Yoga Poses for Cyclists

Yoga is an amazing complement to cycling. It can help alleviate any sore muscles, strain, or tension caused by being on a bike. It involves deep breathing exercises that can really help to prepare you for a bike ride or help relax you after a bike ride, and it helps strengthen your core muscles to maintain a healthy posture and prevent sore back muscles. The benefits of yoga for cyclists are endless. But what yoga poses are best to practice before and after time in the saddle?

Yoga instructor Toby Kumin demonstrates 9 poses perfect for cyclists to keep your loose, limber, and free of pain and stress both on and off the bike.

Downward Dog can help stretch out the hamstrings and all the muscles along the back. It helps to stretch and lengthen your torso, which can be shortened from the forward position on a bike. The act of having your head in a downward motion can be really rejuvenating, and it is a strengthening posture.

The Crescent Lunge a great stretch for your hip flexors, which can get really tight from biking or sitting at a desk all day, and it’s great for balance. Keep your knee up off the ground to strengthen your core as well as your legs.

Modify the Crescent Lunge pose by keeping your knee down on the ground, and as you become stronger, you can begin to lift the knee. You can also stretch your hands behind the back to open up pectoral muscles and stimulate the back muscles. This acts as a counterbalance to holding the handlebars on a long ride.

The Crescent Lunge Twist stretches all the muscles of the entire back. That’s important because on a bike you’re in the same position for a long time, and your back muscles can get very tight. Taking long, deep breaths in this pose can be really uplifting after a long ride. The twists are also really good for abdominal muscles as well as internal organs and can help with digestion.

The Bridge strengthens the entire back body and opens up the entire front of the body too. It’s a great counterbalance to being on the bike, and it’s an uplifting and energizing posture if you’re feeling tired before or after your ride.

Pigeon stretches all the muscles surrounding the hip area and glutes. The open Pigeon pose can be really relaxing, and you can even lie forward for a more relaxing position. For cyclists, I recommend this pose every day.

The Seated Pigeon Modification is for people with knee sensitivity.

The Dancer Pose strengthens your leg and back muscles and provides extension for the spine. It opens up the whole torso area and stretches the arms. This is a more advanced posture, so don’t worry if you can’t get it right away. Start with your foot low and push yourself to reach it a little higher each time. Do the pose next to a chair or wall until you’re strong enough to let go.

The Reclining Butterfly is a really nice restorative posture. It stretches the inner thigh and groin muscles, which can get overworked when cycling, and it restores the central nervous system. Save this pose for after the ride, not before. It’s a good way to unwind after you’re feeling sore, tired, or just need to relax. This is also a great pose to practice mindful breathing, which can be helpful to integrate into your training on the bike; hold this pose for ten deep breaths.

Yoga can be a great warm up and preparation for biking because you don’t want to be stiff when you get on a bike. Many cyclists have day jobs that require them to sit for most of the day. Yoga can be a great way to stretch your hip flexors, which can get tight when sitting at a desk all day. It can help energize you, make you feel more open, calm, relaxed and connected to your breathing, which can help you on tough climbs.

Yoga is especially helpful after a long bike ride. Pigeon and lunges can be a really great counterbalance to the tightness and soreness you may have in your legs and to help alleviate and open your torso and your spine after being forward flexed.

Toby recommends doing each pose before and after with five deep breaths. “If you don’t have time, just choose one or two. Even if you choose one pose, do it every day!”