Entries by Pedalnorth Website

Diane Vilarem – Anjaneyasana Yoga Pose

As part of our series on ‘Yoga for Cyclists’, a second pose I encourage you to try is Anjaneyasana which is a low lunge pose bringing many benefits such as stretching the psoas muscle, tight quads, hamstrings, groin and hips. It is also very good for opening the chest. This pose is excellent for athletes such as cyclists or runners. I suggest you practice it after every workout.

Why should Cyclists do Yoga

So, why should cyclists do yoga?

Not only do we spend more and more time sitting (working on a computer, watching TV, driving, etc.) but, as cyclists, we tend to adopt a posture that pushes us to arch over our handlebars and move in a forward direction. This creates neck pain, shoulder and back strain and especially tight hip flexors. In addition, sitting for hours on a saddle leads to a shorter and underdeveloped psoas muscle (if you don’t know what or where your psoas muscle is located have a look at this).

Embracing a Positive Mindset in the Pandemic

In an ongoing global pandemic, many athletes feel frustrated, angry and overwhelmed. This is because they had greater goals for 2020, only for news of race postponement or cancellation to hit home.

Instead of looming on despair due to the compensations we had to adjust, it would be essential to have a positive mindset to keep us going in the trials of this plagued year. Read through to see how to keep alive a positive mindset.

Foot and Ankle Strengthening For Runners

There is the idea that a person who includes running as part of their workout also helps the feet to exercise in the process. This is a wrong assumption. In daily routines, a runner should exclusively set time for strength exercises for the foot, knee and ankle.

Strengthening exercises helps one to maintain endurance throughout the miles that they plan to run.

Common Newbie Running Mistakes

Often, the most common mistake beginner runners make is too much mileage, too fast and too soon. They go from nothing to relatively high-volume training in a short period of time. They get so excited and enthused about their running that they mistakenly think more is better. The results are injuries, loss of interest, and burn-out too quickly.

Elastic Interface Palm Technology

You’ve got to hand it to Elastic Interface, literally – you really have to. This dynamic and forward thinking Italian technological fabric solution brand have done it again. I mean, how do you reinvent a cycling glove? After all, it’s just a glove isn’t it; with bits of fabric stitched together in the shape of a hand and then pads sewn into the fabric. Well, as the saying goes: ‘the past is another country – they do things differently there!’

Taking a break from training

It’s lockdown again, although due to circumstances I didn’t really leave it earlier. With a wife working at the hospital, elderly parents-in-law and kids at university I had to stay safe, to semi-isolate. Thankfully I’m a solitary person, but at times it’s been demotivating. I need to refocus and the rollers are an excellent way to achieve this.