| Cycling is a great exercise and here in Southern | | | | back. This excess curvature of the back can create |
| California it is a year around sport. It is generally | | | | many problems for cyclists, including muscle spasms, |
| believed that cycling is one of the best exercises to | | | | pinched nerves (sciatica) and possible damage to the |
| improve your overall fitness. Unfortunately, riding for | | | | lumbar disc. Tight hamstring muscles tilt the pelvic |
| long periods of time with the spine bent forward | | | | backwards and will round the back by putting extra |
| easily causes back pain and leads many types of | | | | stress to your spine thus causing lower back pain |
| muscle imbalances. Pilates can help many cyclists to | | | | too. |
| get rid of their back pain and restore their muscular | | | | Pilates is a good cross-training exercise for cyclist by |
| imbalances by preventing typical overuse injuries. | | | | preventing overuse, muscle and back pain, and typical |
| It’s easy for an cyclist to develop muscle | | | | injuries. Pilates corrects your muscle imbalances due |
| imbalances due to the nature of their sport. Cycling is | | | | to your cycling training. Pilates exercises help cyclists |
| lower body dominant and cyclists usually develop | | | | to decrease their muscle tightness and improve core |
| strong leg muscles but don’t always have the | | | | strength and stability. Transverse abdominus (TA) is |
| core strength to support spine and proper riding | | | | the most important muscle to stabilize your pelvic |
| position. The core muscles are also responsible for | | | | and spine (called lumbar-pelvic stability). It is your |
| producing power to your legs and maintain control | | | | deepest abdominal muscle and acts like a corset |
| with your pedal work. Having a weak back and | | | | around your trunk. TA is also the most important |
| abdominal muscles with decreased flexibility with your | | | | muscle in Pilates and it is present in all Pilates |
| leg muscles can quickly cause muscle strain, fatigue | | | | movements. This muscle, with deep back muscles |
| and pain on your lower back. | | | | (multifidus), gives an optimal spinal support to your |
| The pelvis has a very important role in affecting | | | | lower back. Pilates improves your overall body |
| cyclist’s posture and movement in the spine and | | | | awareness, too. Good body awareness helps you to |
| extremities. Many cyclists who experience chronic | | | | find a proper riding position without putting extra |
| back, hip and/or knee pain suffer from pelvic | | | | stress to your spine and extremities. With strong |
| asymmetry due to muscle imbalance. Tight hip flexors | | | | core muscles and balanced leg muscles you are |
| (quadriceps and psoas muscles) and weak core | | | | pedaling more efficiently without unnecessary fatigue |
| muscles (transverse abdominus and multifidus | | | | and pain. Pilates improves your overall sports |
| muscles) tend to tilt the pelvis too much forward | | | | performance. |
| thus increasing the curvature (lordosis) of the lower | | | | |