(swooshing)
- A lot of cyclists find that
they get a sore lower back
on longer rides or harder climbs,
and when you think about it,
it's not all that surprising,
because on a bicycle,
you're having to work hard whilst hunched up,
with your gluteus muscle of your bum extended.
Now, that's a long way
from a natural running position
that we evolved over millennia of
chasing mammoths through the plains,
or whatever we chased through the plains.
Now, I know these kinds of exercises take time,
and you're busy,
but if it helps you to avoid injury,
then it is a good time investment.
Personally, I find that doing a routine like this
twice a week really helps me to feel better
and to ride better
by helping me to activate my gluteus muscles,
because it turns out that
I literally have a lazy bum,
as apparently do many of us,
according to physiotherapists.
So, here we go.
A series of active stretches
and simple strength exercises
to help loosen off tight hips
and reactivate lazy bums.
The only equipment you will need
is a rubber band like this.
Now, they come in various strengths.
And if you don't have one,
you could try knotting a punctured inner tube
into a smaller loop to make a homemade bunch.
First exercises is a simple bridge,
but with the added complication
of having a band around your knee.
So, put the band around your legs,
just above your knees.
Start off with an easier strength band,
so green or blue.
You can move up to red or black if you'd like.
Lie on your back.
Make sure that your sacrum
is pressed against the floor,
so that means that you should have
no arch in your back
and you shouldn't be able to
get your hands under the small of your back.
So your back should be
totally flat against the floor.
Heels on the ground,
toes off the ground.
Engage your stomach muscles,
tense your bum slightly,
push your knees outwards,
against the band,
and then slowly roll your back,
vertebrae by vertebrae off the ground,
nice and slow, that makes it harder,
until you're in a straight line
from your shoulder blades to your knees.
Hold it there for a few seconds,
squeeze your knees outwards.
Don't forget to breathe, very important,
and then slowly roll back down again.
Try to do it vertebrae by vertebrae,
which I'm not very good at.
And just try and repeat that five to 10 times.
If you do yoga,
you will probably be familiar with this position.
So, toes on the ground,
heels together, knees together,
hands under your shoulders,
maybe slightly behind them,
and then just lift your knees off the ground
whilst tensing your glutes
and tucking your tummy under too.
If you had a tail,
imagine it was tucked under.
So you're tucking your tailbone under,
and that activates your glutes
and makes you really work
your lower stomach muscles.
And you should feel a stretch
in the front of your quad
and your hip flexor.
For the next exercise,
you have to get on all fours,
with your hands, again,
under your shoulders,
knees hip-width apart,
and just to get your spine in a neutral position,
try arching your back,
and then arching your back the other way,
like a cat,
and then try to get
so that your spine is neutral and flat,
right from your shoulder blades
to your tailbone.
And then, raise one leg behind you,
keeping the other foot flat on the floor.
Try and have your shin vertically
and your thigh horizontal.
And then just use your glute
to do tiny little raises
of the extended leg, up to 10.
You don't have to move very far.
The point is that you're feeling your glute work.
And again, if you do this exercise slowly,
it's actually harder than rushing it.
And don't forget to swap sides.
Next up is an active stretch
for your quadriceps and your hip flexors.
So, lie on your front,
bend your legs behind you,
and grab hold of your ankles,
not your feet,
if possible, just your ankles,
and if that's too much for you,
you can try it one leg at a time.
If you can reach both feet,
what you want to do is
pull on your ankles
whilst resisting that pull,
tensing your quads,
so you go pulling with your legs,
away from your arms.
Tense like that for 10 seconds,
and then relax your legs
and pull this stretch
and you pull your heels closer to your bum
for another 10 seconds.
Then 10 seconds, and 10 seconds.
(grunts)
Relax, and pull the stretch
further for 10 seconds,
and repeat that three times.
At the same time,
you want to think about
keeping your knees closer together.
So it gets easier
if you let your knees drift apart,
but holding your knees together
will help keep that stretch on the quadriceps.
For this strength exercise,
again, you need the exercise band
around your knees,
just above your knees.
Stand up nice and straight and tall.
So, you should feel your lower back
is not arched at all.
So your glutes are engaged,
your lower tummy is nice and tight,
so you feel like you're pulling
your belly button towards the back of your body,
and tuck your tailbone under.
Squeeze your knees outwards against the band.
Have your weight on your heels,
arms out in front of you,
and slowly sink down
until your bum is just below
the level of your knees.
Hold that position for a few seconds,
pushing outwards
with your knees against the band,
then slowly rise up tall again.
You can make this exercise slightly harder
by involving a bit of weight,
so you could use a water bottle
or a heavy book.
Hold the weight out in front of you.
It helps with your balance,
but it makes it harder strength-wise.
Next up, we have a great stretch
for your lower back,
and your hamstrings,
and your glutes.
So, lie on your back
with the whole of your back
pressed against the floor.
So there should be no arch in your lower back.
There should be no space
to fit your hands under the small of your back.
Cross your right leg over your left leg.
Place your left arm on your right knee.
Right arm out to your side,
and slowly roll your knees over to your left,
whilst turning your gaze
to your outstretched hand,
and you should feel a really nice stretch
down the outside of this glute and hamstring.
And hold that for up to 10 seconds,
longer if you like.
Next up, we have a lunge combined with a stretch.
So, stand up with your feet level.
Take your right leg,
raise it in front of you,
and step forward.
Your ankle should be below your knee.
Sink down at the back,
and if this is really working
your quadriceps too hard,
you can rest your knee on the ground
and release your foot.
But if you've got the strength,
try and keep that back left knee
just a couple of inches off the floor.
You should be tucking your tailbone under,
so you should feel your glute engaged
on your left side,
and you should feel a stretch here.
So you should be tensing your tummy
and your glute at the same time.
It's quite hard work.
Raise your arms above your head
and gently sway to the right hand side.
That will help you feel a stretch
all down the left side of your body.
Hold that for five to 10 seconds,
all the while keeping your glutes
and your lower stomach nice and tight.
Back to the middle,
straighten out,
and push back.
Don't forget to do it
on the other side too, of course.
I really hope that these exercises help you
if you get a sore back or sore hips.
Please let me know down in the comments
if you have any other favorite stretches
that you like to do.
In the meantime,
share it with your friends,
give us a thumbs up,
and if you'd like to see another video
with slightly tougher core exercises
that I do before a big climbing race,
check it out up there.