I can’t stress the importance of a strong fit back if you fit into the overexercise category. What I mean by that is if your are a runner, cyclist, or a triathlete, you need to avoid back pain at all cost while training. This may seem like an obvious statement, but your back and spine provide the foundation for almost every activity you perform, and cycling is no exception. For the sake of this post I am going to just discuss the low back and back pain as it pertains to cycling.
Unfortunately, back pain and low back problems are a frequent complaint of cyclists. Because of the bent-over position on a bike, your back muscles are constantly engaged.
This stress can wreck havoc on your body if you’re not conditioned and trained to withstand the ongoing effort. In addition to withstanding the strain of your position, your back was also provided a solid base that enables you to generate power during pedaling.
Your back muscles stabilize your spine and pelvis, allowing your legs to generate maximum power. The best strategy for healthy back is to be proactive, an condition yourself to avoid any problems before they rise. There are low back exercises described in previous blog post that you can perform to create a more stable low back. Make sure you start slow and use lighter weights, when training in your early workouts. Take your time to build strength in your back, slowly and with correct form, this will pay dividends in the long run.
When starting out slow, you may often think that the weight is too light. Be patient. The early workouts lays the foundation for your future training with heavier and heavier weights or and unfamiliar workout routines. Even if you think you can lift a particular amount of weight, you’ll often feel the effects a day or two after the workout. Remember, adaptation occurs during your rest days, so make sure that you let your muscles adequately recover. This includes not doing long rides the day after you do a back workout in the gym.
More to come about the anatomy / musculature of the low back and ways to hip and low back muscle for a better warm up for cyclist in next weeks post.