Hi Beth Parsons here again. I'd like to see a show of hands of all those who've hurt their shoulder mountain biking.
No? No hands up?
That's because your shoulder separation is stopping you from putting your hand up. And why you haven't gone to the doctor about it yet!
Does this sound familiar? If so then you're probably like me - the only thing you "make time for" in a day is eating, because being hungry is annoying and it gets in the way of a good time. However, I'm here today to remind you that not stretching will also get in the way of your good time.
Stretching? Like yoga? Yeah you know it's super cool right now - just ask any dude with an ironic mustache or one of your girlfriends on a Bali yoga retreat doing "toxin flushing cleanses" between her binge drinking.
But you know you could benefit from a little more mind body connection. Admit it, you got up from your crash, sat back down on your bike, failed to note that your arm not being able to lift itself to the bar as a sign of injury - used your good arm to lift the bad one up to the grip and continued to bike down thinking "It might be time for a beer, or maybe another lap- we'll see how it goes."
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| Capturing a spiritual moment like this one for your facebook profile picture is super sweet and shows off your skills - but stretching isn't going to stop you from breaking bones right? |
Wrong. According to Clair Bond, an LMT, stretching could mean the difference between a season stopping injury or not. For example "All bikers need to open the shoulder joint" says Bond " ...[to] release just how tight the pecks can get." By doing so, Bond explains, you will "cut down on your injuries, when falling or getting bashed by a tree".
This sounded good to me, so I sat down with Clair and worked out a realistic stretching regime I can do in one of the only settings I'm likely to take a moment to chill after a ride: The lake side dock. Nothing fancy pants, you've seen em before. Check it out. Then do it. Oh and don't give me a hard time about sucking at stretching- I KNOW ok.
OK start with your neck. Boring I know, but as Bond points out "One of the hardest parts of riding is on your neck."
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| Take a second and do this... |
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| ...and this. Yarrow you are a good friend. I used the one of you in focus because the number of chins I can make made me puke a little bit in my mouth. |
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| Super important to stretch the forearms after a long ride. Keep the shoulders down and note Yarrow's thumb position, facing downwards. Make sure to do both sides. |
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| Relax your lower back all the way to your toes. Get your friend to push your toes down like this. If you are a girl like me then your feet smell like roses and are never sweaty. |
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| When pushing down on the toe beds, make sure that the legs are as straight as possible. If you are on your own, put your legs up against a wall or tree and just breathe. This is better then just reaching for your toes while sitting, explains Bond, "it's a Great way to reduce leg cramps". Relax your back. |
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| This one is not painful at all. Notice how I'm really relaxed and focused on my breathing? You will be too. "When you add the cross over, you add a full hip and glute stretch" says Bond. |
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| Here is another way to get the same stretch. Reach behind your knee and pull the leg forward - try to keep your bent knee flat/open to the side. |
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| I like this one. You sit cross legged and let your hands dangle over the edge. But see how my butt isn't on the dock? |
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| Get your good friend like Yarrow here to help you. |
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| There. I could stay like this for a while - feels great on those uber tight hips we women get from biking. |
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| This is how we hang out normally and talk about the day. This stretch "opens up the quads and hamstrings" says Bond. Focus on relaxing the low back. |
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| Use your sweet Race Face kneepads to protect your kneecap. |
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| By bringing in the leg to the glute, you add an even more effective stretch to the mix. |
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| And then back. You know this one. |
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| Clock stretch. Oh boy this one really is my favorite it feels soooo good. Lie on your side with your top leg bent out in front of your body. Your top arm starts at 9:00 and then you slowly bring it up to 12, and open to 3:00. Does that make sense? You'll feel it, you just let your arm lie out there and your open up your shoulder. Relax, breath mmmm. |
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| This little stretch you can do anywhere you can find a tree or something to hold on to. |
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| Here I am at the pumptrack doing the same stretch. Thumb down one is good for rotator cuff says Bond. |
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| If you look less like this... |
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| ...and more like this |
Then these stretches are for you. Do them and I guarantee you'll be way more awesome then you are now.
If you are looking for a really unbelievable massage therapist on a float home look no further. Clair is unreal. You fix your bike when it's not running smooth - now go fix your body too.
www.floathousemassage.com Thanks Matt Walker
www.aspectphotography.ca for the photos and Yarrow Reid for being wicked like usual.
About Clair Bond Claire grew up on the north shore, has extensively traveled and explored the world for work and play. She is back on the shore after doing her training in massage and integrated health in Hawaii. Her combination of massage, stretching, breath work and deep tissue work, comes from her love and background of Mana Lomi, traditional Hawaiian massage and sports therapy.
Her studio is in North Vancouver, on a float house near Lonsdale Quay.
Please contact her at
floathousemassage.com or 1-778-868-6516
