Maoman, the ideal solution to your problems can be found in consuming copious amounts of Organic Snake Oil. Fortunately for you, I currently have plenty of Organic Snake Oil in stock.
And I’m leaving for Taipei in 3 hours, doomed to pester every Mom & Pop bike shop that I see for a frame size that they don’t even know exists. I wish I were short and fat.
Y’all suck. All y’all.
Damn. I did a good fast ride up FengKweiKou yesterday and after returning and walking about the house I got a sharp stabbing pain in the lower back. Only momentary, but incapacitating, so I have to completely stop moving for a moment before gradually easing out of that position. Now, this morning I’m feeling stiff. It really sucks and I get this after many/most good rides.
But as I said earlier, I think the answer’s obvious: getting older (I’m 49), less limber, sit at the desk a lot more than when I was younger and ride less frequently, etc. It seems clear to me that the solution is slow easy stretching excercises at least once a day, preferably more, along with situps and other easy exercises to strengthen the stomach and back. I’m working on it, but obviously have a ways to go. I also wonder what exactly arthritis is, how/when it starts developing and what one can do about it, because perhaps that could be a factor.
[quote=“Mother Theresa”]Damn. I did a good fast ride up FengKweiKou yesterday and after returning and walking about the house I got a sharp stabbing pain in the lower back. Only momentary, but incapacitating, so I have to completely stop moving for a moment before gradually easing out of that position. Now, this morning I’m feeling stiff. It really sucks and I get this after many/most good rides.
But as I said earlier, I think the answer’s obvious: getting older (I’m 49), less limber, sit at the desk a lot more than when I was younger and ride less frequently, etc. It seems clear to me that the solution is slow easy stretching excercises at least once a day, preferably more, along with situps and other easy exercises to strengthen the stomach and back. I’m working on it, but obviously have a ways to go. I also wonder what exactly arthritis is, how/when it starts developing and what one can do about it, because perhaps that could be a factor.[/quote]
Get in touch with formosa fitness. He really knows his stuff and should be able to tailor something specifically to your situation.
MT,
Sit ups won’t help. In fact, they’ll make the problem worse. Shortening the rib cage through spinal flexion is the last thing you need since you get too much of that from biking already.
As Craig noted, I can help you and others out with that. Give me a call or shoot me an email at the link in my signature and we can take a look at these things.
Heck, maybe we should have a free seminar for bikers since the problems are so widespread.
BTW, I’m wondering if you’d recognize me now. 
Hi MT,
have you ever tried Yoga? I do a simple Yoga exercise each morning right after getting out of bed. It’s the only Yoga exercise I know and I’ve been doing it for the past 3 years or so. I can’t remember having any lower back pain in all that time. The exercise is called “Sun Salutation” and you can find the instructions here: abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice … tation.asp
I highly recommend that exercise. It’s also good to do it just before you go for a ride (which is actually what I do since I usually ride in the morning). Try it for a couple of days at least (I usually repeat the exercise for 10-15 minutes every time) and see if it helps. Good luck!
I know you have all spent many a sleepless night recently, fretting and worrying about my futile quest for a big bike. Well rest easy, my staunch digital companions. These guys (and I have never heard of this company or brand):
authorbicycles.com
hooked me up with a 23" frame MTB, for a shockingly low price of NT$15500. Of course, the bike may disintegrate on the first ride, but I’m not in a position to be picky.
Their Taichung shop is at 台中市西屯區大墩路923-1號
Hi all,
I’ve got a 26" MTB that’s too big for me. Does anyone want it?
I declare war on irishstu! Filthy Irish. Filthy Stu. Filthy Irishstu.
waving fist in impotent rage as tears stream down my face
[quote=“Chaon”]I declare war on irishstu! Filthy Irish. Filthy Stu. Filthy Irishstu.
waving fist in impotent rage as tears stream down my face[/quote]
Hey, it’s OK. I decided not to give it away anymore. I threw it in a bin lorry instead. I had to go all the way to Taichung to get it, too, as I’d left it leaning against a lamp post just outside 大墩路923. I’m surprised no-one took it, frankly, since it was unchained and with a big sign saying “Free - please take me” written on it.
[quote=“irishstu”][quote=“Chaon”]I declare war on irishstu! Filthy Irish. Filthy Stu. Filthy Irishstu.
waving fist in impotent rage as tears stream down my face[/quote]
Hey, it’s OK. I decided not to give it away anymore. I threw it in a bin lorry instead. I had to go all the way to Taichung to get it, too, as I’d left it leaning against a lamp post just outside 大墩路923. I’m surprised no-one took it, frankly, since it was unchained and with a big sign saying “Free - please take me” written on it.[/quote]
You Fenian Fiend. We’ll see who’s laughing when I conk you in the head with a kettlebell.
That makes a lot of sense. Spend all day bent over a computer five days a week, then bend over the handlebars and ride like hell on Saturday morning, what does one expect? Especially when one hardly noticed but twenty years have flashed past in an instant and one is older, fatter and stiffer than one once was, but still expects to perform the same as before. I guess it’ll take some work to loosen up and recapture some of the past.
[quote] Most of these are posterior chain problems and I don’t want to seem self-promoting but there’s an ideal solution to these problems:
The kettlebell swing that Armstrong is doing is a nearly perfect exercise to undo the imbalances caused by too much cycling. It works the posterior chain more efficiently than anything I know. Kettlebell cosack squats are ideal for hitting the hip adductors, too. And they’re fairly simple exercises to learn.[/quote]
Very interesting. Which way is armstrong swinging it there, down between the legs and straight up?
[quote=“GC Rider”]Hi MT,
have you ever tried Yoga? I do a simple Yoga exercise each morning right after getting out of bed. It’s the only Yoga exercise I know and I’ve been doing it for the past 3 years or so. I can’t remember having any lower back pain in all that time. The exercise is called “Sun Salutation” and you can find the instructions here: abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice … tation.asp
I highly recommend that exercise. It’s also good to do it just before you go for a ride (which is actually what I do since I usually ride in the morning). Try it for a couple of days at least (I usually repeat the exercise for 10-15 minutes every time) and see if it helps. Good luck![/quote]
Also the first thing I do in the morning (roughly; actually the first thing I do is drag a can of whatever cheap energy drink I’ve stocked that week out of the fridge and chug half).
Although I’m not hep to a lot of the new HIIT stuff, I love the zen involved in light powerlifting which I do every third day or so. Also, I refuse to wear a belt or any other support (but I rarely lift anything more than 315lbs in any of the three movements). Going belt-less forces me to focus on good technique (the zen part), but infrequently I strain my back when I rerack a plate because my head is still in the lift and I get the weight too far away from my center of mass (the zen part). Long story short, sun salutation is like a miracle stretch the next morning. Poof, no more pain. Highly highly recommended.
Great advice, GC. 
That makes a lot of sense. Spend all day bent over a computer five days a week, then bend over the handlebars and ride like hell on Saturday morning, what does one expect? Especially when one hardly noticed but twenty years have flashed past in an instant and one is older, fatter and stiffer than one once was, but still expects to perform the same as before. I guess it’ll take some work to loosen up and recapture some of the past.[/quote]
Hi MT. Just caught this so sorry for the late followup. Yeah, most people don’t realize the effects of being hunched over all day and then doing exercise where you’re hunched over. Spinning class goers get this a lot. And usually when you tell someone something like this, they want to do situps or something to strengthen the core. But that makes things worse.
[quote][quote] Most of these are posterior chain problems and I don’t want to seem self-promoting but there’s an ideal solution to these problems:
The kettlebell swing that Armstrong is doing is a nearly perfect exercise to undo the imbalances caused by too much cycling. It works the posterior chain more efficiently than anything I know. Kettlebell cosack squats are ideal for hitting the hip adductors, too. And they’re fairly simple exercises to learn.[/quote]
Very interesting. Which way is armstrong swinging it there, down between the legs and straight up?[/quote]
Yes, the kettlebell swing goes straight down between the legs. Here’s a clip:
This rehabs the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower back) very well. It also works the core hard – most everything cyclists need, all in one movement.
[quote=“Formosa Fitness”] Here’s a clip:
[/quote]
that cliup should be NSFW…
;0
Seriously though, Im gonna try the yoga one, that looks good - any advice for neck aches? Principly pain between shoulder blades to collar bone 
Are you referring to her posterior chain? The kettlebell does a body good. 
Shoulders are complex but for many bikers, something like shoulder dislocates work well:
Start with a band and work up to a stick. The elbows MUST stay locked the entire time.
The yoga stuff is good, but it won’t make the core strong. Stretching is a short-term fix at best. You have to address muscle imbalances for long term relief and that means some corrective strength training.
Rode YMS on Saturday with MT. Great weather and ride, and good company–too bad Greenmark felt unwell and couldn’t join us.
Went for a long ride on the # 7 and around the dam on Sunday and felt back pain during every climb.
This is the first time I had such discomfort. I’ve had a bit of an issue with my left shoulder for a couple of months now and have been unable to do pushups regularly, so I think my back muscles might be a bit weak.
According to Formosa Fitness:
Formosa Fitness, I don’t understand this. Maybe you could explain it a bit more clearly. See below:
The extensor muscles are attached to the posterior (back) of the spine and enable standing and lifting objects. These muscles include the large paired muscles in the lower back (erector spinae), which help hold up the spine, and gluteal muscles.
The flexor muscles are attached to the anterior (front) of the spine (which includes the abdominal muscles) and enable flexing, bending forward, lifting and arching the lower back.
So, you’re advocating that we stretch the extensors, ( main back muscles) and strngthen the flexors, (muscles which include the abs), but that’s what you told MT not to do. :s
What I’m trying to do is give a brief bit of info to get people started working on this issue. But I’m not laying out a full training program here. That’s best done individually since a generic program doesn’t fit all cases. Ideally I’d have a client learn how to both stretch and strengthen both flexors and extensors so they could see the difference.
Additionally, when looking at anatomy it’s best IMO to look at the whole kinetic chain instead of bits and pieces. So I advised against situps and other common ab flexion exercises since that will make the spinal flexion problem worse. The ab and the spine flex and extend together naturally. So it wasn’t just spinal extensors I was suggesting that he stretch, it was the front of the torso as well.
This doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in written form, which is why I suggest that people come in. A couple of minutes doing the exercises clears up any confusion.
[quote=“Formosa Fitness”]What I’m trying to do is give a brief bit of info to get people started working on this issue. But I’m not laying out a full training program here. That’s best done individually since a generic program doesn’t fit all cases. Ideally I’d have a client learn how to both stretch and strengthen both flexors and extensors so they could see the difference.
[/quote]
Has MT also been teaching you how to write legal English that guarantees absolutely no guarantee?
Sorry but there are no guarantees. That’s just the way it is.
As a general rule, I don’t write programs for free especially on forums because no one has made a commitment to the training. People haven’t come in and see what I do, I haven’t seen their conditioning, diet, and specific lifestyle, etc. and so there’s no relationship of trust there nor is there any meaningful info for me to work from.
Second, generic (or even custom-made) programs almost always have to be tweaked using feedback from the client and what I as the coach see. Without that, none of this works very well.
Finally, most people don’t stick with generic programs anyway because they may not understand the exercises or the other variables mentioned and may implement them incorrectly. They also usually won’t stick with it because there is no coach that has taken the responsibility to fix the problems and progress the client towards results. That’s what I do.