yoga for cyclists

FIND BALANCE OUTSIDE THE LINES: THE LATERAL LINE

Sarah Jamieson / Associations, Reflections, Styles, Thoughts, Tips / , , , / 0 Comment

We live a world were our structural language is centered around cause-and-effect. Western world requires us to understand systems by dividing them into their own unique parts, in order to define the contribution of each identifiable bit in relation to the whole. The concern with this line of thinking is that the human body is not assembled out of parts, it is a uniquely connected whole.  

Yoga and fascial based philosophy works to embrace the very notation that when you change or impact the structural components of one line, you innately effect and structurally change them all. Thus, we are a sum of all parts – a web of connected myofascial mass.

Last week we looked at the role of fascial communication, a great tool towards linking mind and body, and over the last several weeks have looked at 4 out of the 12 fasical lines related to athletics and prevention of injury.  In this article we continue to discuss the interconnected web of our fasical system with the Lateral Line.

For many linear athletes a common structural breakdown related to a lack of lateral stability, or a lack of rotational mobility, stem from a weak link in the lateral line.

Why? Simple – runners and cyclists are forward motion repetitive athletes and if not balance out with lateral mobility and rotational stability based movement patterns, common strain patterns can start to surface; such as knee pain, ITB pain, or pelvic deviations.

The Anatomy:

Your lateral line transverses each side of the body, starting at the neck, with then scalenes and sternocleidomastoid, then connects to the iliocostalis cervis, traverses in a woven pattern  to your torso at the external and internal obliques,  lateral ribs and intercostals, and deep QL’s. Following along the lateral line then connects fascially over your TFL, IT band and gluteus group; which further connects over the fibular head to your peroneals and then the fibular malleolus.

In movement the lateral line creates lateral flexion in the spine, abduction of the hip and eversion of the foot, as well as acts as an adjustable “brake” for lateral and rotational movements of the trunk. It also helps to balance out the left and right sides of the body.

The repetitive habitual movements seen in running and cycling, forms one’s posture, and the posture requires changes in the structure – the body’s fascial ‘fabric’. In other words, a gesture becomes a habit becomes a posture and eventually lodges in our structure. Thus compensations can occur and becomes a reality, like rounded back or forward head carry, but can be treated and fixed.

Adding in rotational mobility drills and side flexion and extension movement patterns can improve overall performance and establish balance in all the lines discussed previously.   

In Yoga the lateral line can be strengthened by integrating these asanas:

  • Half-moon pose  
  • Triangle pose
  • Gate Pose
  • Lateral Side & Extended Angle Pose
  • Mountain Pose with Lateral Flexion

Soft Tissue Release to these areas can reduce tension to the lower mechanics:

  • TFL (tensor fasciae latae)
  • ITB (Illiotibal band)
  • Gluteus Group

 Sources: Thomas Myers – Anatomy Trains

CYCLE THIS! NOTHING SUPERFICIAL ABOUT THIS MYOFASCIAL LINE

Sarah Jamieson / Styles, Teachers, Tips, Yogis / , , / 0 Comment

In celebration of the Tour De France, the next myofascial meridian we will focus on is the Superficial Front Line (SFL); which functionally balances out the Superficial Back Line (SBL) in the sagittal (anterior-posterior) plane. *applause*

France is a bit far, but for those of you gearing up for local cycling spec events, listen up! Cycling requires strong quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, but, overusing these muscles without maintaining proper form can throw mechanics off balance and excessive wear on joints can occur.

As we know a common occurrence in medicine is to treat symptoms, and isolate the pain referral point, however, symptoms are not always where the problem begins but rather where they are being expressed, hence the need to prevent, rather then treat.

Road cyclists are susceptible to many overuse injuries. Most injuries usually occur at the hip or knee, with the forward posture of cycling we see many clients with rounded shoulders and unbalanced postural mechanics.

The solution is simple = prevention an take precautions by stretching your fascia.  To understand the structural functionality better, let’s look at the anatomy.  

The Superficial Front Line (SFL) runs on both the right and left sides of the body from the top of the foot to the skull including the shin, the quadriceps group, the rectus abdominis, sternal fascia  and sternocleidomastoideus muscle, connecting to the temporal bone. In terms of muscles and tensional forces, the SFL runs in two pieces – toes to pelvis, and pelvis to head, which function as one piece when the hip is extended, as in standing.

In the SFL, fast-twitch muscle fibers predominate and function in movement to flex the trunk and hips, to extend the knee, and to dorsiflex the foot. Chronic contraction of this line creates many postural pain patterns, pulling the front down and straining the back and neck, thus cyclists are more predisposed to structural breakdowns in this train.

In Yoga,  stretches are focused in backbends and sequenced stretching the front of the body – the SFL.  As with cycling specific muscle recruitment, two obvious muscle group to release are; the quadriceps group and hip flexors. This opens the front of the hip and helps to reduce anterior pelvic tilt, which aids in reducing lumbar lordosis. Other key muscles that can lack functional integrity are the neck, which is  important to release forward-head posture, as well as reducing stress to the SBL.  

The breathing and meditation techniques in yoga can turn your simple ride or intense workout into a moving meditation and can power up your cycling in many ways.

Take 10mins a day, get off the bike and hit the mat. Here are a few key anterior opening stretches and quintessential backbends to implement into your routine:

  • Warrior I and Kneeling Lunge – Virabhadrasana  – opens hips, hip flexors and abdomen
  • One legged King pigeon Pose – Eka Pada Rajakapotasana – hip and SI joint opener
  • Fish Pose – Matsyasana – Opens the chest and throat/neck
  • Upward Facing Dog/ Cobra – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana  –   flexibility of the spine

 Happy Cycling!

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