At MOXIE, our goal is to provide a fun, safe and effective ride, every time. Your instructors are giving cues, but do you know why?
What do the cues mean and how do they affect your ride?
“Bellybutton to spine, engage your core”
Keep a neutral spine to protect the low back from strain. A strong core and abdominals will help maintain a neutral spine. When you activate the abdominals, the muscles in the back and glutes are activated.
“Shoulders away from ears, slight bend in the elbow”
Pull the shoulders away from the ears to help keep the shoulders relaxed and avoid strain and potential injury in the neck and back. Overreaching can cause stress on the spine and back muscles. Pinning the elbows in can reduce tension in the shoulders.
“Push and Pull”
Focus on the push, but pull with equal intensity, as the pulling up on the pedal targets the hamstrings and glutes, balancing the work in the legs. Don’t let the quads do all the work! Keeping a “flat stroke” with feet flat and neutral will avoid the toes pointing down, which can create tension in the low back.
“Breathe in through the nose, and out through the mouth”
Your breath provides energy to your body and helps to regulate your heart rate. Efficient breathing provides better oxygen consumption. Breathing also increases the mind body connection.
“Release the death grip from the handlebars”
The handlebars are there to help stabilize, but not hold you up. As a check, flutter your fingers while riding to make sure you don’t have too much weight in the hands. A tight grip puts pressure on the shoulder. Leaning heavy on the handlebars can also cause your pelvis to tilt upward, causing the knees to work harder.
“Make sure you have enough resistance on your bike to keep you safely in the saddle”
Maintain enough resistance to keep the knees from flaring out to the sides to protect the ligaments and tendons in the knee and hips. Knees should track forward and be in line with the ankles while pedaling. Proper resistance will keep the hips from rocking inthe saddle.
Incorporate these tips in your ride to maximize results while minimizing and preventing injury.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.
