Yoga for Cyclists, part 5: Posture

Sitting, or standing up straight, wouldn't seem to be much of a priority for cyclists. After all, when it really matters, you're bent over the bars anyway.

Well, actually that's not the case. Learning to strengthen and use the core muscles that affect the way you sit and stand are crucial to your performance  - and it requires a degree of concentration and practice.

As Road.cc yoga expert Karen Burt shows us, when Tony thinks he's sitting up straight, he's actually being a bit of a hunchback.

With the help of a pillow, Karen helps Tony rediscover the muscles he needs to develop to help him sit straight, but it's not all in the back.

Karen explains that a lot of times, when there is a pain in the body, the area causing the problem is often beneath the area in pain - and so she starts with the ankles, which take some heavy abuse in cyclists.

What's more, although the stomach is contracted when the cyclist leans into the bars, because the arms often take the strain, the stomach often fails to be made stronger.

Here's how to rectify your posture:

>>Read more: Our full Yoga for Cyclists series.