BCTTT Forum

So - getting used to the new steed and spending time in aero-tuck (love the word tuck, for some reason). Things that are currently giving me most grief are:

- neck - gets very achy after a couple of hours with significant time on the bars
- lower parts of deltoids - likewise, although I can move my arms forward and back on the pads which helps a bit

I assume this isn't exactly unique, other folks must have faced/heard of similar challenges. Any wisdom you can offer on exercises / stretches / etc. for this?

I've been to Mr Google and found this: http://www.active.com/cycling/articles/ ... p_mobi=yes, but these mainly focus on a problem I don't have, i.e. back.

It's your glutes

"Cycling anatomy" is quite a good general book

I can really say, as don't have the problem. My TT exercises focus on flexibility - tight hamstrings back.

But if your back and stomach is stronger, then you might not be putting so much strain on the neck, shoulder and arms.

Stronger the bigger muscles are, the less the smaller muscles have to do. So a good core and flexibility programme might help as much or more so than neck exercises.

As a triathlete, who has to run after a spin on two wheels, rather than a cyclist who can afford to lock up on a TT and seize into one position, during the ride, sit up , flex the muscles, loosen any tight spots, and then resume the aero position, the time lost, is more than made up in the run as you don't have to resort to doing ' hanging dog ' yoga exercises to regain mobility.

Good question

I fear I'm gonna be a) sat up every 45-50 mins for a minute or so on mine or b) crippled

Whoops

Acclimatisation, when I first rode my TT bike I would come in off short rides and my neck and shoulders/back would be really sore. Just didn't hurt after a while. In a good way that is, I didn't just lose feeling.

Practice, as well as strength and flexibility.

And more powerful glutes too.

Envoyé de Montréal

Yeah I did have the sneaky feeling it was going to be the case of H-ing TFU. Also now thinking glasses obscuring field of vision may have something to do with this.

kfjatek wrote:Also now thinking glasses obscuring field of vision may have something to do with this.

Hmm. I foresee a £300 lid with integral visor being the only solution to this. I'm sure Anna will understand, it's a safety thing after all.

Sent through the ether by the magic of physics using Tapatalk

That's already sorted, Lazer Tardiz is waiting to get its debut. No visor though (yet).

Been to physio just now and got a couple of exercises etc. for upper back flexibility too - hopefully these will help.

Core strength is king. It gives your legs a stable platform to pedal against. Without it, you will tense your shoulders up to counteract the rocking about.

I have to remind myself to relax onto the bars now and again. I start to tense up and feel achy so have to give myself a reminder to keep my upper body relaxed.

I also get the issue with glasses - my helmet slips down, pushing my glasses down and causing the top of the glasses to get into my line of sight. I might try tightening my hat, otherwise I will attempt to buy myself out of the problem.

Exercises I like to do for core stability and to help with bike position:

Crunches on a swiss ball - either normal sit-ups or starting in a press-up position with thighs resting on the ball, then crunch until your ankles are on the ball and you are in a ball shape. Don't fall off.

Also, with kneeling with fore-arms on the ball, in TT position. Then roll your arms out to stress your core, delts, lats etc.

Something else I am convinced helped me was doing the Tour of Sufferlandria on the TT bike. So, a good number of hours in TT position, but also I was following the instructions perfectly: you have to do a fair amount of high cadence stuff. Before starting the Tour I'd have struggled to hit 120rpm without bouncing in my seat: by the end of the tour, I crossed the finish line in top gear at an indicated 83kph, 570W and 152rpm.

I think I really improved my pedalling technique, which translates into less rocking and less need to attempt to stabilise using my shoulders. I totalled about 100km on the TT bike this weekend and the main feeling I have is that my hamstrings are aching more than my quads. Surely a sign that I'm learning to pedal in circles?

Technique? On a bike? Who'd have thunk it?

Blobomofo wrote:83kph, 570W and 152rpm.

What gear were you pushing?!!!

sent from the depths of the id