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There’s nothing soft about a mountain biking ride. It’s an intense workout that requires you to work your whole body. Just one painful injury could keep you off your seat for weeks. Of course wearing the right protective gear is a good start, and you’re tough enough to take a little graze (as long as you have your Barbie plasters to make it all better, right?) Your knees, hips and elbows usually take most of a beating when you tumble, but overuse injuries are very common too.
The repetitive movements you make when you ride cause these. And if your bike isn’t set up correctly for you, you will very likely soon suffer from back or knee pain. Warming up for five minutes before a ride (burpees are good for this) and taking breaks to stretch your legs and back will help. But there’s more you can do to prevent injury. Just add these simple stretches to your fitness programme.
#1 Wrist Stretch: Place one arm straight in front of you and parallel to the ground. Rotate your wrist down and outwards and then use your other hand to further rotate your hand upwards by pulling on it.
# 2 Reach-up Quad Stretch: Standing straight, step forward with one leg. Reach up with both hands, push your hips forwards, lean back and then lean away from your back leg.
#3 Achilles Stretch: Stand on a step and place the ball of your foot on the edge. Bending your knee a little, drop your heel towards the ground.
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