It’s thrilling to pedal out, isn’t it? The open road, the warm wind blowing over your face. After a long ride, breaking old habits is hard. Yoga is the secret weapon you never knew you needed. It’s like your coffee shop customer stream! For cyclists, Be Well Academy yoga is peanut butter and jelly.

Imagine you’re at the 50th mile mark of a 100-mile bike ride. Your back yells louder than any baby who has not been given candy. “Downward dog,” I said. Yoga, how nice is that? With cycling muscles tight, sometimes it’s good to stretch out.

For example, one of them is flexibility. Cyclists’ hamstrings are usually as stiff as guitar strings and need special attention. Some sun salutations will help to soften the hamstrings making each pedal stroke smooth. This does not mean you must contort your body like a pretzel; all I’m talking about here is allowing it to move as freely as possible.

Balance is important too. You might have found youself unsteady while trying to clip into a stoplight. To help balance the branches of your tree pose are your best friend. By standing on one foot and acting as if you were an Oak tree that were swaying a bit, you teach your body to stay erect for four.

Breathing is another topic for us to discuss. Humans do it everyday, but only ever when they’re gasping for air on that steep mountain pass. Yoga will teach you how to breathe effectively and prperly. This isn’t just hippie talk; with big deep breaths of air rich in oxygen your lungs and muscle will be filled with the finest nourishment.

Nor can we forget about core strength. While you might think that cycling works the core, which is true, yoga engages deep core stabilizers too as you “sit in” poses like plank or boat. A strong core is important for good bike performance and reducing fatigue.

What about recovery? Who can resist a good old lie-down after a strenuous workout? Savasana, or stillness in corpse pose, lessens muscle soreness caused by cycling and promotes relaxation.

Yoga can also help you tough it out mentally – something every cyclist needs, particularly when facing headwinds or that seemingly unending uphill climb which never lets up. Mindfulness techniques in yoga lead to a concentration and resolve that translates beautifully onto bicycles.

Try adding warrior poses to your regime next time you are planning an epic ride or threading your way through a city in chaos. Wherever your pedals take you, mentally and physically you will be just that little bit stronger!