Power is nothing without control, so the Pirelli advertising slogan goes...
How about 'flexibility is nothing without control'?
When assessing Riders in the studio flexibility is often a notable obstacle to a comfortable and efficient bike fit.
That coupled with common asymmetries can cause the Rider issues in achieving his or her desired cycling goals.
So what does this mean, an aggressive regimen of forced stretching of muscles and tissues with the aim of 'willowy' flexibility, in a 'no pain no gain' style assault on the task in hand.
Well ideally no.
Flexibility is great and certainly a useful attribute to us all, not least those riding a bike, but flexibility on it's own is not the aim.
Having the body control to sustain a comfortable and efficient position is also very important. Without the control there is an ever present possibility of over stretching and causing injury to the joint or other structures.
When stretching posture is very important.
Being able to touch your toes when standing is a perhaps an indicator of flexibility, but without considering if all the structures in the chain that are being stretched are moving as they should, repeating this activity will just lead to the flexible structures getting more flexible and the tight structures at best simply staying tight - ultimately leading to injury.
Perhaps consider that the chain is only as good as it's weakest link.
When fitting a bike to the rider, the comfortable position that is able to be maintained is more important that the ideal numbers for joint angle to a point. The ideas are a great guide for reduction of injury and can provide an aim for the rider, but comfort is the key.
The same is true for stretching, being comfortable and sustaining a good posture is key for continued improvement and consistent gains both off and on the bike.
Good position when working through the degrees of (almost) inevitable asymmetry is hugely important. Often I find the dominant side of the rider is a little tighter than the contralateral side. In many case this leads to a less efficient and potentially injurious movement on that less dominant side.
Care is then also required when stretching to pursue balance where possible.
Some simple self tests will highlight your own asymmetry and if you are seated reading this have a thought about your posture...
until next time, thanks for reading and happy miles.
fit-me-up
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