Mountain Biker

[forathletes]

My son is an aspiring pro mountain biker. Of course, he is aerobically at a high level, but he has had some problems with muscles tightening up in races, not cramping, but just becoming too tight, especially in the legs, buttocks and lower back. This results in loss of power. His chiropractor recommended Yoga as a possibility. I know nothing about Yoga, but there appear to be several types. Is there a particular form of Yoga that would be good for someone who simply wants to increase flexibility as an athlete? He is not interested in the philosophical/spiritual/meditation aspects as he has those areas well covered. But he does need a program he can use to achieve and maintain optimum muscle/skeletal conditioning. Appreciate any advice. David

[InnerAthlete]

He is not interested in the philosophical/spiritual/meditation aspects

Based on the above sentence your son would be fine in a simple "stretching" class. It is also possible some of the local Strength Trainers (please use one that is certified) could spend two sessions with him and go through several routines he could do at home.

Yoga is not yoga without its vast body of wisdom backing it up. And I'm fairly certain that M.D.'s (or D.C.'s in this case) who recommend "yoga" are actually recommending asana, the postures.

However, if your son wants to practice the postures, do so with a balance between effect and safety (such that he progresses in the physical body AND does not do damage either in the moment or over time) then a well trained teacher is called for.

[forathletes]

Yes, I think your analysis is quite correct. Stretching or "practicing the postures" is what he is looking for. But I know little about Yoga and I can see how "dissecting" it for a particular, narrow purpose might be viewed as offensive and this I would understand completely. Thanks for your advice.

[InnerAthlete]

I'm not offended in the least. After teaching anything for a period of years, the teacher, assuming they are at all awake, realizes that students come for the learning for different reasons. It is part and parcel. It was this way teaching basketball at every level, except where the players were paid and then there was a unified reasons for them being there.

We give students what they want hoping one day they will want all that we have to give.

If he is interested in yoga he can most likely go to a class at the local gym entitled "Hatha" or Flow" or "Power" (or all three) and stretch a bit. The pace will likely be rapid and the safety precautions often overlooked or undersold. But that would meet the needs as you've outlined them.

You are always welcome and no thanks is necessary.

[cyclezen]

Originally Posted by forathletes

My son is an aspiring pro mountain biker. Of course, he is aerobically at a high level, but he has had some problems with muscles tightening up in races, not cramping, but just becoming too tight, especially in the legs, buttocks and lower back. This results in loss of power. His chiropractor recommended Yoga as a possibility. I know nothing about Yoga, but there appear to be several types. Is there a particular form of Yoga that would be good for someone who simply wants to increase flexibility as an athlete? He is not interested in the philosophical/spiritual/meditation aspects as he has those areas well covered. But he does need a program he can use to achieve and maintain optimum muscle/skeletal conditioning. Appreciate any advice. David

maintaining suppleness is, of course, a benefit; and ridin at high levels will work counter to suppleness.
Most stretching programs, whether they realize it or not, find their basis in Yoga asanas. But yoga takes this even a level greater because there's a clear directive in a well thoughtout yoga practice to balance asanas with opposites or complements - meaning one asana is followed by another which either allows recovery or balances effort across the body structure. Not sure if I'm expressing this well, but maybe the idea will get across. Many stretching programs, not directly rooted on yoga asana, give less thought to this 'balance' in practice.
So a good hatha yoga practice is generally better than most stretching programs, for that purpose.
But that said, I would recommend looking deeper into his body chemistry and structure situation. From experience, what you are sayin still speaks of electrolyte issues as he gets deeper into the race effort. Cramping isn't always the outcome of these issues. COuld also be positional issues or just musculature imbalance issues. Or likely, as is the case for most, some combination of all these areas.
Core strength - to include some reasonable upper body strength - has long been a neglected area for many high level cyclists, except maybe trackies. Note: I do mean 'strength', not necessarilly the need for 'mass'.
If he really is Pro or neo-pro level , then he deserves some comprehensive evaluation from well qualified coaching and conditioning experts. And then some real specific eval of his individual metabolic situation. If he's on a well structured team, it should fundamentally provide that.
Yoga is always a good move. But from what you describe, I don;t think it will provide the primary improvement for getting past the issues.
But it can't hurt to add into the whole training program.