STRENGTHENING EXERCISES TO PREVENT MUSCLE CRAMPS
Muscle cramping is serious because you can lose a race if your muscle locks up. So to prevent muscle cramping and muscular imbalances, it is important to identify where the imbalance is and then concentrate on strengthening exercises to focus that particular muscle group.
Muscle groups which are often used when pedalling a bicycle are:
- Quadriceps
- Gluteals
- Gastrocnemius
- Hamstrings
- Adductor
- Abductor
This article talks about strengthening exercises that will help you overcome muscle cramping. It is important to strengthen your muscles if you notice that certain muscles fatigue quicker than the others when you are riding.
Muscles which are more prone to cramping are :
- Rectus femoris: It helps to straighten your knee and bend your hips.
- Gastrocnemius: Helps to point your toes down.
- Hamstrings: It helps to raise the heel of your foot towards the butt.
Here is a list of few strengthening exercises that will help to prevent muscle cramping :
- Lunges: It will work your hamstrings, gluteals and quadriceps. Start with no weight and then you can do 3 sets of 20-25 reps. You can also do the exercise holding dumbbells or using resistance bands.
- Split squats: It will work your hamstrings, gluteals and quadriceps. It is also helpful if you have a chronic knee injury.
- Calf raises: It will work your soleus and gastrocnemius. This exercise helps to strengthen both the muscles that make up the calf.
- Bridges: It works your lower back and gluteals.
- Hamstring curls: It helps to strengthen your hamstrings.
- Cross over with resistance band: It will help to strengthen your abductor muscles.
- Hip exercise with resistance band: It also helps to strengthen your abductor muscles.
Along with your training schedule, you can add these exercises a few times per week as it will help to prevent muscular imbalances that lead to cramps.
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