Top Tip – Always carry a first aid kit
Tip – Lift those legs. There’s lots of talk in cycling about using the upstroke of your legs to add power and create a more ‘rotational’ pedal stroke, etc, etc. But the science is simpler – if your front foot is pushing down to move the bike forwards and you’re letting that push your back foot up, then you’re losing power and wasting energy. You’ll be amazed by how much ‘oomph’ (a technical term – Ed?) you’ll get by lifting that back foot a bit. Give it a try.
Tip – Work on your core. Your midriff is that part of the body that connects all of the points that touch the bicycle, hands, feet and butt. If you can get more strength and control in your midriff, then you start to control the loss of energy as these touch-points work together. If you’re struggling to get time in the saddle, try and find ten minutes on a regular basis to do some core exercises (a slightly modern take on old-fashioned sit-ups).
Tip – Get stretchy. Cycling is a sport that invariably forces your body into unusual positions (hunched over the handlebars) and uses unexpected muscles (especially in the hips), so get in the habit of stretching. Ten minutes of stretches at least a few times a week will start to head-off some of those aches and pains that will creep up on you.
