Exercising without proper form can be more detrimental than not exercising at all. And that’s saying a lot since sedentary lifestyles are associated with everything from diabetes to cancer.
That statement goes for all exercise – even biking. Whether you’re on a Peloton, a faux-Peloton, or a road bike, you need the correct cycling posture.
You’d be surprised how many bikers are sitting wrong in their seats. Learn why the correct cycling position is so important and how to get the proper bike posture below.
Why is the Right Bike Posture So Important?
Not having the right posture on your bike can do a number on your back, legs, and hip flexors. If you find you’re sore after a ride, in a different way than you should be, you may be at risk for the following injuries:
- Knee problems
- Joint issues
- Pudendal neuropathy
- Hand tingling
- Nerve damage
- Back pain
- Hip issues
Most of us already have some sort of underlying joint or muscle damage at our age, so we need to do everything we can not make it worse.
On a positive note, having the correct biking body position could improve your breathing. This means you can go bike longer, go faster, or handle inclines more easily, just by changing your posture. Who doesn’t want that
The Correct Cycling Posture
We’ve told you what can happen if you don’t have the right posture. Now let’s talk about what the proper bike posture actually is.
Shoulders
We’ll start from your head down. First, you want to make sure that your shoulders are “back and down.” If you do yoga, you’ve heard this phrase a lot.
To do this (you can do it while reading this article), roll your shoulder backward, so you feel your shoulder blades go down your back. That’s the “down” portion of back and down.
To keep them “back,” open up through your chest a little bit, so your body is a straight line from your collarbone to the top of your arms. Practice holding this position for thirty seconds.
That’s what good biking shoulders feel like.
Elbows
When biking, your arms should be bent at the elbow. Most people have that figured out, but casual bikers will often keep their chest up and lock out their arms.
Keep your wrists in a straight line up your forearms to your elbows. Bend your elbows until you reach a neutral spine, and keep your elbows pulled in parallel with the sides of your body.
Good elbow form is essential for casual bikers, electric bikers (details), and road bikers alike.
Knees
Finally, your knees should track over your feet at all times. If you find that your knees are going forward over the pedals, it’s time to raise the seat. Finding the perfect seat height takes time and practice, but it’s important for your knee joint health.
Getting Right on Your Bike
When you get onto your bike, take a minute to roll your shoulders back and down. Then mount your bike, check where your knees are, and adjust the bike seat as needed.
Finally, once you get going, check out your elbows. Are they in the right cycling posture, as noted above? If not, you may need to bend at the hips more or raise/lower your handlebars.
We hope you learned something from this cycling posture guide. We sure did! For more exercise, health, and lifestyle content, follow FAMA VIP.
