The Best Exercises for Cyclists to Strengthen and Stretch the Upper Body

A cyclist’s upper body needs to be both strong and flexible when they ride. That combination may seem like a contradiction at first, but you need both stability and mobility to ride with solid form over varying terrain. “The purpose of combining strengthening and stretching exercises is to stretch muscles that are often tight for a cyclist while strengthening muscles that tend to fatigue as the cyclist rides,” Aaron Robinet, integrated movement specialist, corrective exercise specialist, and owner and head coach of Athletic Power and Performance in Sacramento, California tells Bicycling. “Strengthening weak muscles allows cyclists to hold good riding form for a longer duration. By stretching tight muscles, riders reduce their energy burn, which results in improved endurance.” Fortunately, a little attention to the upper body goes a long way to boosting ride performance and enjoyment. “If your upper body starts to fatigue, it doesn’t matter how energetic your lower body is, you’re going to be done,” Robinet says. That’s why you need these moves that both strengthen and stretch the arms, shoulders, chest, neck, and back muscles to support your rides. [View in Browser]( [Bicycling]( [SHOP]( [EXCLUSIVE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [The Best Exercises for Cyclists to Strengthen and Stretch the Upper Body]( [The Best Exercises for Cyclists to Strengthen and Stretch the Upper Body]( [The Best Exercises for Cyclists to Strengthen and Stretch the Upper Body]( A cyclist’s upper body needs to be both strong and flexible when they ride. That combination may seem like a contradiction at first, but you need both stability and mobility to ride with solid form over varying terrain. “The purpose of combining strengthening and stretching exercises is to stretch muscles that are often tight for a cyclist while strengthening muscles that tend to fatigue as the cyclist rides,” Aaron Robinet, integrated movement specialist, corrective exercise specialist, and owner and head coach of Athletic Power and Performance in Sacramento, California tells Bicycling. “Strengthening weak muscles allows cyclists to hold good riding form for a longer duration. By stretching tight muscles, riders reduce their energy burn, which results in improved endurance.” Fortunately, a little attention to the upper body goes a long way to boosting ride performance and enjoyment. “If your upper body starts to fatigue, it doesn’t matter how energetic your lower body is, you’re going to be done,” Robinet says. That’s why you need these moves that both strengthen and stretch the arms, shoulders, chest, neck, and back muscles to support your rides. A cyclist’s upper body needs to be both strong and flexible when they ride. That combination may seem like a contradiction at first, but you need both stability and mobility to ride with solid form over varying terrain. “The purpose of combining strengthening and stretching exercises is to stretch muscles that are often tight for a cyclist while strengthening muscles that tend to fatigue as the cyclist rides,” Aaron Robinet, integrated movement specialist, corrective exercise specialist, and owner and head coach of Athletic Power and Performance in Sacramento, California tells Bicycling. “Strengthening weak muscles allows cyclists to hold good riding form for a longer duration. By stretching tight muscles, riders reduce their energy burn, which results in improved endurance.” Fortunately, a little attention to the upper body goes a long way to boosting ride performance and enjoyment. “If your upper body starts to fatigue, it doesn’t matter how energetic your lower body is, you’re going to be done,” Robinet says. That’s why you need these moves that both strengthen and stretch the arms, shoulders, chest, neck, and back muscles to support your rides. [Read More]( [Read More](   [Understanding the Suspension on Your Mountain Bike]( [Understanding the Suspension on Your Mountain Bike]( In this episode of Gabe’s Bike Shop, we learn all about mountain bikes, compression, sag, and rebound. And we close by putting the Santa Cruz and Scott head-to-head. [Read More](     [Who’s #1? Ranking the Top 2024 Tour de France Contenders]( [Who’s #1? 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