Having a strong body will make you a better cyclist. You’ll be able to hold a more aggressive position on the bike, ride in comfort for longer, tackle tougher trails off-road, and will avoid injuries. 

We’ve been working on a series of yoga videos with expert Abi Carver – each one targeting a specific area that cyclists can benefit from targeting.

The video below works specifically on strength, and Abi says: “Being strong is essential in every sport but aches, pains and injuries can occur when repetitive movement patterns cause muscular imbalances. For example, mountain bikers have over-developed quads and weak glutes.”

Using yoga to build up strength helps to address those imbalances and regain strength in underdeveloped areas of the body, to reduce risk of injury.

Inflammation fighting foods

Working on your strength will put pressure on your body – causing ‘delayed onset muscle soreness’ or ‘DOMS’ as a result of muscle damage and inflammation. Once this heals, your body will become stronger – but you can limit the resulting discomfort by eating foods that calm inflammation.

Tart cherries are well documented as having a number of health benefits, including reducing inflammation. Studies have shown people who drink cherry juice after endurance training experience less inflammation and oxidative stress compared to those who don’t. That means more time to train and build up those strong tissues, tendons and ligaments

That’s why Montmorency Cherries have sponsored this yoga series – and you can read more about the awesome effects of adding cherries into your diet here. 

Without further ado, here’s the yoga tutorial…