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Old 12-05-04, 12:54 PM
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Garfield Cat
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Originally Posted by netso
I have had a sore hamstring for almost 6 months. It has really bothered my riding, after about 10-12 miles it starts hurting. This has really slowed me down. I cannot seem to mend the hamstring. Any suggestions? I used to be a competitive bodybuilder in my younger days, hamstrings used to heal in a few weeks.
Stan
The type of stretch that works for me is with a rope like a jump rope or even a towel. I lie flat on my back and put the rope on the bottom of one foot while wrapping the ends of the rope with both hands. This is like a stirrup used in horseback riding. I raise the leg simultaneously pulling on the rope to bring the leg up to 90 degrees or even more. I hold that position for a while till it hurts a little. You don't want to create too much pain by this prolonged position, just enough to do a stretch.

To add additional tension, while you do this on one leg, the passive leg can be lifted off the ground like 12 inches. This will create a different stretch on different muscles.

I do this stretch on both legs prior to any bike ride. I do this in repititions of maybe 3 or 4 with a different stretch inbetween. The other stretch is just to try to do the splits with both legs going to the left and right as you support your weight with your arms and hands as if you're doing push ups.

After these stretches, you will be able to stand up and touch your toes or the ground with ease.

The other exercise I like doing is for the stomach muscles, the abs. Its a copy of the Pilates where you lie on the back and bring one knee at a time up to your chest and try touching the knee with the opposite elbow while the hand is near your ear. I do 50 of these before a ride. I think road bike riding depends a lot on the strength of the stomach muscles.
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