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Yoga flows

Yoga for cyclists: 25 minutes after a ride or on a rest day

Riding keeps your hips bent, your lower back rounded and your head tipped back for hours. This class takes each of them the other way, with holds of about 30 to 60 seconds and a calm start and finish, the pattern a small trial used after hard training. No trial has tested yoga in cyclists, and it won't prevent injuries or make you faster: it's a way to loosen up and wind down, alongside your riding and strength training.

25 minBeginner15 movesA wallBack · Abs · Hip flexors · Quads · Hamstrings · Glutes
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Settle (3 minutes)

  1. Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)2 min
    Beginner · 3D demoLying or sitting, once your breathing has come down after the ride; in for about 4, out for about 6, with no holdsEasier: Breath reachHarder: Crocodile breathing (prone diaphragmatic breathing)
  2. Cat-cow8 waves
    Beginner · Back, Abs · 3D demoSlower than feels natural: undo the riding curveHarder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Front of the hips (4 minutes)

  1. Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)45 s each side
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Quads, Glutes · 3D demoBack knee padded; tuck your pelvis under until the front of the back hip stretchesEasier: Half-kneeling hip flexor stretchHarder: High lunge (crescent lunge, Ashta Chandrasana)
  2. Standing quad stretch30 s each side
    Beginner · Quads, Hip flexors · 3D demoA hand on the wall; knees together, hips pushed gently forwardEasier: Side-lying quad stretch with a strapHarder: Couch stretch

Hamstrings and buttocks (3 minutes)

  1. Supine hamstring stretch with a strap45 s each side
    Beginner · Hamstrings, Calves · 3D demoOther knee bent; ease off if the leg tinglesEasier: Leg-up hamstring stretchHarder: Contract-relax hamstring stretch (PNF)
  2. Reclined figure four (eye of the needle, Sucirandhrasana)45 s each side
    Beginner · Glutes · 3D demoHold behind the thigh; never press on the crossed kneeHarder: Pigeon preparation (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep)

The back the other way (4 minutes)

  1. Sphinx pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)3 holds of 20 to 30 s
    Beginner · Back, Abs, Chest · 3D demoOnly if leaning back eases your back; stop if anything spreads down a legHarder: Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
  2. Locust pose (Salabhasana)2 holds of 5 breaths
    Beginner · Back, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoLift your chest and legs a little; gaze downEasier: Seated upper-back lift (sit tall, shoulders back)Harder: One-legged bow (half locust)
  3. Child's Pose (Balasana)1 min
    Beginner · Back, Shoulders, Glutes · 3D demoKnees wide; forehead on a block if the floor feels far awayHarder: Extended puppy pose (Uttana Shishosana)

Chest, upper back and neck (4 minutes)

  1. Thread the needle (Parivrtta Balasana)30 to 45 s each side
    Beginner · Back, Shoulders · 3D demoHips over knees; let your head rest. Numb hands or a sore wrist: skip itEasier: Side-lying open bookHarder: World's greatest stretch
  2. Doorway chest opener2 × 30 s
    Beginner · Chest, Shoulders · 3D demoElbow at shoulder height; ease off if tingling runs down the armEasier: Elbows backHarder: Fish pose (Matsyasana)
  3. Chin tuck10 × 5 s holds
    Beginner · Neck · 3D demoGlide your head back, chin levelEasier: Lying chin tuckHarder: Isometric neck holds (four-way)

Hands (1 minute)

  1. Wrist & forearm flow1 min
    Beginner · Forearms · 3D demoSlow circles, then palm up and palm downEasier: Wrist circlesHarder: Wrist flexor stretch

Rest (5 minutes)

  1. Supine spinal twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)45 s each side
    Beginner · Back, Glutes · 3D demoShoulders down; a cushion under the top kneeHarder: Seated twist, bottom leg straight
  2. Corpse pose (Savasana)3 min
    Beginner · 3D demoKnees bent over a blanket if your back aches

Tips

  • After a ride, on a rest day or in the evening. Before a ride or a race, do 2 or 3 slow sun salutations and a few lunges moving in and out instead: whether long holds just before hard riding cost you anything is unclear, as small lab studies disagree.
  • Back sore on the bike? Keep the back bends within our back pain rule, and add the back endurance work in our back pain when cycling guide: in riders, back pain went with how much they rode and with weaker back endurance, not with tight hamstrings.
  • Numb hands or a sore wrist: skip thread the needle, change hand position often on the bike, and see a GP if numbness doesn't settle after rides.
  • Keep your strength sessions: heavy leg work improves riding, and jumps help the bones that cycling doesn't load. This class does neither.
  • With glaucoma, osteoporosis or a replaced hip or knee, use the swaps on our yoga for cyclists guide.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

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Questions people ask

How long does the yoga for cyclists: 25 minutes after a ride or on a rest day take?

About 25 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A wall. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 9 of its 15 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.