Yoga for cyclists: Half Reclined Hero pose by Total Women’s Cycling a Road Cycling video by Total Women’s Cycling

The Half Reclined Hero’s pose gives a really great stretch to the thighs, hip flexors and the front of the ankles. A perfect post workout treat for those tired cyclist legs.

How to do the Half Reclined Hero’s pose:

• Start seated with both legs straight out in front of you
• Bend the left leg and carefully take the left foot back to the outside of its own hip, toes pointing backwards
• Try to get both sitting bones to the floor
• If you canʼt get both sitting bones down you need to place a block underneath the right hip to make the hips level
• If you are on a block and already feeling a strong stretch in the thigh just stay here
• To recline take the hands to the floor behind you and release down onto the forearms
• From here lift the sitting bones slightly and press the tailbone towards the heels while bringing the front rim of the pelvis back
• Release the sitting bones back down and then start to lie all the way back
• Stay here for 5 to 10 breaths
• To come up tuck the chin in, press the hands into the floor and push back up
• Repeat on the other side.

What to watch out for:

• The bent knee will try to flare out to the side – try to keep the knee pointing forwards
• If this pose causes any pain in the knee joint then release off straight away
• Make sure the toes point back
• The front leg can be bent if that feels more comfortable.

Variations:

To make the pose super comfy you can have a bolster or some firm pillows or folded up blankets behind you and recline onto these. Place the bolster or blankets right behind the hips so that the whole of the spine can be supported.

Our instructor is Polly Clark; yoga teacher and founder of Mountain Yoga Breaks who offer weekends combining mountain biking and yoga in the beautiful Welsh countryside.