I suffer from a pretty stiff lower back and I’m wondering if yoga or pilates would maybe help me become a bit more bendy? Does anyone do a course in either, and as a result do you feel more comfortable after a longish bike ride? Also as a ‘forty something’ year old bloke will I be the only man in the group and look a bit of a t#t?

I did yoga for a while at a class in Buxton. I was 35 at the time. The class was mainly 40 something women, and a few men of the same age. I was the youngest, it has become trendy again, but I think you will not be out of place at all. If I had the time I would start it again. It certainly helped my climbing.

Do it. I do Tai Chi for a similar reason, but am looking into yoga.

It depends. Doing yoga for a couple of hours a week, will not do much to mitigate a week’s worth of slouching/bad posture/sedentariness. By all means do it, but it’s not always the magic bullet some may think.

I used to do it once a week at a gym class and outside the class would try to spend a bit of time doing it on my own.
The increase in flexibility and core strength was noticeable. It was quite a ‘strong’ class, not one where you lay on the floor listening to whale music.

I do pilates weekly, feel great after it
When I stopped for a year had a lot more injury from running. I love it, really I do.

not one where you lay on the floor listening to whale music.

I thought that was what yoga was all about?

Sounds like yoga might be a possibility then. I’m on my feet all week so don’t get the chance to slouch much. Wondering if I might get laughed at, at the start for not being very flexible? Only one way to find out I suppose? Do you generally pay at each lesson or sign up for a whole course?

Wondering if I might get laughed at, at the start for not being very flexible? Only one way to find out I suppose? Do you generally pay at each lesson or sign up for a whole course?

You worry too much. Once you hear an old dear fart while doing a downward dog, you’ll learn to relax.

As for lessons/courses, I did mine via gym membership. Worked out about the same as going to a Yoga studio, plus obviously had the rest of the gym facilities. Also, most gyms will also have Pilates classes so you can sample both.

I had poor lower back flexibility, but have managed to significantly increase it by just doing stretches every day. I was given them by a Physio after putting my lower back out through squatting too low (for my limited range of movement). Two months on, it’s like I have a different back – loads more range.

The main stretch was this one:

Initialy I did a set of 10 stretches 3-4 times a day, now down to 1/2 times a day.

@Footflaps

So that is 10 unique stretches 3-4x a day?

I’m doing a weekly “stretching for cyclists ” class based on yoga exercises. ( yoga teatcher that cycles as well)
Been doing it for a couple of months now and really feeling the benefit.
Improved flex when I’m out on my road bike and better breathing due to adopting “shoulders back and down” position when I would normally “ball up” when pushing hard or when I get tired.

I have a degenerate disk in my lower back, and I only notice issues when I get lazy and miss the basic Pilates exercises I have… I can get away with a 10 mins session several times a week…

I’m starting to seize up quite badly, used to do tai chi (fightin’ tai chi not old-lady-dancin’ tai chi) and tbh I’m horribly out of practice but not finding it very helpful. It’s great for balance, flow of movement, and posture but not generally all that stretchy (and the moves that are stretchy, are often hard to do if you’re not flexible)

So looking at yoga, luckily I work at a university with a big sports centre so we have about 5 different yoga classes with everything from comatose-yoga to death-yoga. So reading with interest

^ old lady Tai Chi. I hear ya, brother 🙂

I go to keep my mum company, and actually quite enjoy it. I teach the Sifu’s lad kickboxing, and it feels like a good counterpart to what we do there.

i have starting doing the Ryan Leech yoga videos. Very good and cycling specific. I just have to block out his voice though. 🙂

http://www.ryanleech.com/tag/yoga/

@chopper – yes Yoga will help a lot. I suggest you sign up for a few classes but focus on Sun Salutation routine. Lots of online videos too but go to classes. You can then do this at home very easily. The classes will cover a lot of other stuff too but that basic Sun Saultation is simple and very effective. If you get into the habit of doing it daily it will help a lot with core strength and flexibility.

Get a “back magic” off that there internet

Great for back stretching – that and a foam roller.

I’ve been doing yoga for about 5 years now, best thing I ever started to do

Thumbs up from me!

I was feeling like an old man until I started doing yoga, now I understand that you can do something about these aches and pains you get as you get older.

I drive a cab and would hobble to the front door after a nights work due to tight hamstrings, achilles and arse muscles. Down facing dog kicked that problem into touch!!

Feeling like I really should give it a go now.
Will Google Sun Salutation and see what that’s all about?
Don’t think I’ll ever be able to get my head on my knees though.

Or TRX is worth a try too…

Sorry, what’s TRX?

OP if you are still wondering …then in answer to your question, yes it will + a range of other benefits. Find a good class to get you going – self practice is good but you really need the foundation you’ll get from a teacher. There have been ‘older’ men in all the classes I’ve attended & most will have a range of abilities. Ignore what everyone else is doing & just focus on you. Don’t worry about the various types but if it helps I’ve found Ashtanga also called vinyasa flow or power yoga seems to be the most complementary for cycling. HTHs. 🙂

Jamie – Member

@Footflaps

So that is 10 unique stretches 3-4x a day?

Yep.

Thanks ART.
I just thought yoga was yoga.
I’ll take a look and see what different types of yoga are in my area.
Can’t hurt (much) to give it a go, can it?

Having not been for six weeks due to a broken arm I am now ruined again. Lots of sitting around, slouching etc has not been good for the cause.
Get started!

I suffer from a pretty stiff lower back and I’m wondering if yoga or pilates would maybe help me become a bit more bendy? Does anyone do a course in either, and as a result do you feel more comfortable after a longish bike ride? Also as a ‘forty something’ year old bloke will I be the only man in the group and look a bit of a t#t?

I’m in the same boat – same sort of age. I work from home doing a job that involves sitting slumped in front of my PC for hours on end every day.

Had a moment of clarity one morning when I found myself struggling to put my socks on, without actually having put my back out or anything wrong or amiss – just a complete lack of flexibility.

As a result, have started a Pilates class since January.

It’s half a dozen yummy-mummys-who-lunch types, all of whom seem to arrive at the class in big swish 4x4s, and me. The hardest bit is finding somewhere to look that isn’t up one of your classmates’ bottoms when you are performing certain manoeuvres.

I probably do look a bit of a t*t – but I’d look even more of a t*t when I end up having to get someone else to tie my shoelaces for me so I couldn’t really care less.

Hard to tell if it’s doing any good or not yet. I do feel a bit better for the day of the class and the day after it. I probably need to get the teacher to give me some “homework” stretches to do to keep me ticking over between classes.

Yep.

Don’t suppose you have a list? Not been yoga for about 3 months due to knackered shoulder, so could do with something to just help my back out.

….email in profile if easier.

No list, but here is my routine.

The first two came form my Physio:

Start off with the Yoga stretch Child’s pose, which is quite gentle:

The idea is to gentle lean forward trying to keep your body flat on your thighs, your head and neck relaxed and slide your arms as far forward as comfortable. Don’t bounce or rock, it’s a gentle stretch. Come back up to a kneeling position and then back into it. Repeat 10 times gently

If you find this quite comfortable, there is a slightly harder stretch for lower back mobility. Start off crouched on both feet with your arms outside your knees and each hand holding the mid foot of each shoe. Then slowly extend your bum backwards standing up till you end up like this:

Again, don’t force anything, just push your bum up and back. This stretches lower back and hamstrings.

Repeat 10x. This is a bit tougher than Child’s pose, but if you find child’s pose easy, use this one. Once you can almost straighten your legs comfortably, you can try extending the stretch by seeing how far down you can reach. Eg I can now place my palms flat on the ground once warmed up.

Two others I got from my Strength and Conditioning Coach are:

Lying flat on your back with your arms out at right angles, lift your knees from left to right and back again, so that they touch the floor either side at 90 degrees to your body. 10x each side.

Once you master this you can try touching each outstretched hand with the opposite foot.

NB A lot of lower back problems are caused by tight hamstrings and / or tight hip flexors. None of the above work on hip flexors, so you could add in something like:

If you do a lot of driving and sitting at a desk, tight hip flexors are very common and will restrict the lower back.

Cheers, FF.