Alleviate your Pain in the Butt (and hands and back)
Riding your bike should be fun, allow you to push when you want to push and smile when you want to smile. Bikes are a connection vehicle. Bikes provide connection to nature, allow us to connect with our body through exercise and connect with our mind when we need a quiet moment or to problem solve. But all these benefits of bikes are disrupted if you have you have nagging pain or discomfort in your butt, back, hands, or quads!
Most people experience some level of discomfort when riding, and believe it or not, this should NOT be normal! Outside of burning quads on a long descent or glutes on fire during an extended steep climb, your hands should not be falling asleep, lower back should not be aching, and your butt should not be screaming at you. If you experience discomfort in the aforementioned areas read on.
Note: Any numbness tingling or pain should be evaluated by your physician.
Pain Point #1: Hands Fall Asleep
If your hands or forearms are dying on those first few long descents, you are most likely too tense, and gripping the bars too tightly. 3 Tips that can help:
Breathe. Actively take deep breaths as you descend. I get a lot of slack for the “O” face I make when I’m riding. But that “O” is generated from a giant exhale! Before you drop into your next trail, add “breathe” to your pre-descent bike check: party switches open, knee pads on, glasses or goggles over eyes, inhale and exhale!
Find Balance through your Feet. If the bike were to disappear, you should land on your feet. This is my favorite way to explain where your body should be on the bike at any given time. Think about allowing your feet to support your entire body. If the bike were to disappear and you feel like you would land on your face, you’re relying too much on the bars to keep you upright, hence applying too much pressure to your hands and explaining why you can’t even crack a beer or a La Croix after your ride.
Always seek to find balance through your feet!
If you’ve ever done a lesson or skills clinic with me you will recall my “lava bars” drill. We practice a coasting stand where 99% of your weight is in your feet and your hands are simply hovering around your bars to keep them straight and ensure you have access to the brakes. Do a few laps of lava bars in the parking lot to remind your body that it’s your feet, legs and core that keep you upright on the bike, not your arms and hands!
3. One finger Braking. Perhaps in your time off the bike you forgot that you have insanely powerful brakes and only a single finger on the lever is required to slow you down! Two fingers on the brake lever places increased stress on your hands, offers less control over the bars, and gives you unnecessary additional pulling strength. If you are graced with a modern hydraulic brake set-up, one finger is all you need on those powerful pistons to ensure complete stoppage and control. If this is news to you, make sure you get yourself signed up for a skills clinic in 2023!
Pain Point #2: Quads and Glutes are on FIRE
If you are mid descent and finding you need to slow down, sit down, or even take a break because your lead leg simply can’t support you a second longer, you are applying too much pressure on your front foot and leg. Hop off the bike, get into a staggered stance, and jump up and down a few times. Focus on applying equal pressure through both of your feet, not just your leading leg! Then, get back on the bike and either jump or simply bend your knees up and down in the same position you were just jumping to practice evenly weighting your feet on the pedals.
Start in a staggered stance position and press evenly through your feet. NOTE: My right foot should be flat on the ground. Due to multiple ankle sprains my right ankle hardly bends.
Jump up, and practice landing softly and evenly on both feet. Do this same exercise on the bike, but just bending your knees, not launching yourself off your pedals!
When descending, newer riders often allow their front leg to drop forwards which takes you out of a level pedals position. This not only shifts your weight too far forwards and takes you out of a balanced position, but places more of your weight on your front leg and can create that fire and burning sensation we want to avoid. Don’t be so selfish front leg, share the load! Revisit the lava bars drill above and think about pressing down evenly through your feet as you descend!
Pain Point #3: Back Pain
Ever notice how stretching is normalized before a soccer or basketball game but when it comes to bike riding we’re expected to hop from our desk to our car to the saddle with zero body prep and simply feel great. Hmm, no wonder that back is screaming at you! A few light stretches and body prep movements can be really helpful to wake up the glutes, get your pelvis correctly situated, and loosen up the back. I also recommend easing into your rides. Start with a 45 - 60 min ride rather than trying to charge straight into a 4 hour epic! Here are 3 simple stretches to do as you wait for the rest of your family to load up the car.
Glute Bridges
Lay flat on your back with feet pressing down and tuck your chin till your sure you have at least one chin roll. Double check that your back is flat against the ground (this means your pelvis is in a neutral position). Without rotating your pelvis or arching your back, lift your hips up and squeeze your glutes. Lower back down to the ground, double check your pelvis hasn’t changed positions, and repeat for 8-12 reps. This will not only help to activate your glutes, but improve your mind-muscle connection and make it easier to recruit those massive muscles as you start climbing!
T-Spine Stretch
Start with hands and knees on the floor and tuck one hand behind your head. Reach with your elbow underneath your torso, then rotate in the opposite direction and open up your chest as much as you can. This motion will help you to stretch your thoracic spine. Don’t press on your head with your hand, the hand is back behind the head mostly to get it out of the way!
Banded Monster Walks
Grab a small loop band and place it around your ankles. Walk side to side and forwards and backwards maintaining as much tension on the band as you can. Emphasis should be on slow, deliberate steps and fighting the tension of the band as your feet move towards one another. These “monster walks” will help activate your glutes and hamstrings, which will help you to keep your knees stacked directly over your toes and power you up and over steep nasty climbs! Perform enough reps so that your muscles wake up, but not so many such that you need to reach for a box of tissues.
Lumbar Stretch (AKA Scorpion Stretch)
I absolute love this stretch and you will frequently find me sprawled out in the morning rolling around on the floor for a few moments to loosen up my lower back. Start by laying flat on your stomach with your arms spread out like a “T".” Lift one foot, bend the knee and cross your foot behind the leg that’s still straight. Try to bring your foot to the floor as you attempt to keep your arm pits pinned to the ground.
If your low back is the primary area you experience discomfort, check out this video for additional exercises you may find helpful:)
Pain Point #4: Cheeks Aching
If you find your cheeks are aching mid descent then you know you’re doing it right! Smiles for miles :)
Strength Training is one of the best ways to ensure your smile stays wide and your body stays healthy on the bike. Check out buildSOLO for an excellent at home strength training routine for mountain bikers!