Staying Mobile as a Rider: My Yoga Routine On and Off the Bike - Yoga for women who ride

Staying mobile on and off the bike - Yoga for women who ride - @saffronsyoga @saffronharrison 

A smooth ride starts before you get on the bike. Before I ride, I always make time to move my body with a short yoga session for mountain bikers. It's a way to prepare my body and mind for riding. If I rush to get out and on the bike, which we all want to do, that's when I forget a piece of kit or my head just isn't in the ride.

Yoga for women who ride

A 20-minute mobility and yoga session that warms up the muscles and joints, loosens the body, ready for whatever the ride throws at me. Deep breaths calm the mind so I can be more present and enjoy being out on the trails.

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But is 20 minutes of yoga before you ride enough? No. To keep the ride smooth, we need to keep the body moving every day, even on the no-ride days. We need mobility in the joints, core strength, and movement that supports mountain biking. A daily mobility routine for riders helps to reduce injury and supports riding longer, stronger and more comfortably.

Here are my tips for adding off-bike mobility into your day.

1. Follow me, use my video daily as motivation for yoga for cyclists. Then, when you are ready, freestyle it and add your own moves. Click here to find a 30 minute video, like and subscribe to my channel so you don't miss any other videos.

2. Listen to your body. Move in a way that feels good for you. We feel different every day, so move differently every day — especially when balancing riding and recovery.

3. Put no pressure on yourself. I find not having a set time each day to do my mobility or yoga practice works for me and my family.

Trail Bloom ambassador Saffron

4. It’s yoga time. When things are calm, I let everyone know that I am going to do some yoga. The big kids respect this and do their own thing, the little one joins in — copying, climbing on me, and chatting away. I invite him, and then he’ll usually play nearby.

5. Join a yoga class. I love being taught — it challenges me and improves my mobility as a mountain biker. Try a few different teachers at different venues and see what feels right for you.

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In these winter days, yoga is my saviour. I miss my bike rides, and some days I do go and check on them in the shed. I can't always ride in winter, but I can always do yoga, and I feel better for it. You will never regret a yoga session. Breathe a little deeper, relax a little more — and you’ll feel better on the bike the next time you ride

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