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Fit Yoga Magazine & Iyengar Yoga teacher, tony eason

A few months ago, freelance writer Matthew Solan interviewed me concerning the benefits of a yoga sequence for cyclist.
And now, the interview is featured in the February 2006 Edition of Fit Yoga Magazine.


Fit Yoga Magazine - Centering the Cyclist - A Yoga Sequence for Cyclist.

Fit Yoga Magazine – February 2006 – Centering the Cyclist by Matthew Solan

“When Tony Eason goes for a bike ride, he doesn’t pedal around the block a few times. Eason, an endurance cyclist, treks between 50 and 100 miles per week, mostly through the pretzel-like trails of Marin County, north of San Francisco. That distance grows when he gears up for a long benefit ride like the AIDS/LifeCycle, a 575 mile, seven-day sprint from the Bay Area down to Los Angeles.

Eason may not be the typical cyclist, but he has one tip that can benefit all riders: Do yoga! Eason has been practicing yoga for a decade, about as long as he’s been cycling. He trained at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco and has been teaching for the last four years. “Yoga brings awareness to the individual muscles cyclist use,” he says. “Plus, yoga provides a way to remove incorrect body alignment. The right alignment will help you economize energy and allow you to ride longer and in more comfort.”

In this way, yoga and cycling go hand in hand. Proper alignment helps you go deeper into a pose and hold it for longer and with greater integrity. If your alignment is off just a little, it can create physical limitations or even muscle tension.

It’s the same with cycling, When you’re on a bike, your posture and movements don’t change much. You sit in the same spot, your legs constantly move in the same motion, and your hands and arms are placed in a stable position. Yet, the smallest change in alignment – whether it’s improper foot placement, moving the knee laterally or medially, locking the elbows, or round the upper back – can cause muscle strain and make you work harder than necessary.

Yoga can train cyclist to maintain a healthy alignment. Here’s a look at how cyclist should be properly aligned and what postures can help you strike the right pose when you’re in the bike saddle.

Knees. Your knees move in a piston-like motion in order to power the legs and propel your bike. Yet if your alignment is off, your knees can move slightly inward or outward instead of straight up and down. This can strain the joint, damage the ligaments, and eventually cause irreparable damage. Practicing Virabhadrasana I or II (Warrior I or II) promotes the right cycling knee alignment. When in the pose, keep your knee directly above your ankle in a straight line. Move your knee inward or outward, and you can quickly feel a strain. Keep it in line, though, and you can hold the pose longer without discomfort.

Arms and Wrist. Eason says you should ride with slightly bent arms held at right angles to the body. “Cyclist often ‘lock’ their arms, either through fatigue or not being mindful, which shoots the pressure from the road into the writs, forearms, and shoulders,” he says. You can practice this bent-arm alignment in Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) or in a modified Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) with the forearms flat on the ground.

Lower Back. Cyclists often get in a bad habit of rounding the backs. Instead of bending forward from the hips, they bend from the upper back. This causes the thoracic spine to jut out and collapse the chest, which restricts the flow of oxygen. Practicing Urdhva Mukha Svanasan (Upward-Facing Dog) can help cyclist maintain a concave back that curves inward and an open chest to promote better breathing.

Spine. A strong, properly aligned spine position also helps create an open chest. This spinal alignment is crucial in many standing and seated forward bends. Here, a tall, neutral spin – not too forward or too back – keeps the chest from caving as you move into the pose. To get used to this sensation, move from Dandasana (Staff Pose) into Janu Sirsasana (Head-to Knee Forward Bend).

Go with the Flow.
No matter if you’re an endurance or recreational cyclist, your pedal strokes should always be steady and smooth throughout it’s 360-degree rotation. They should never move up and down in a herky-jerky fashion. A fluid movement provides less stress on your knees and creates more consistent power from the legs.

Proper flow is also at the heart of yoga. How often has your teacher instructed you to gradually move in and out of a pose without any abrupt movements? Flow helps maintain the poses quality and avoid sudden changes that could lead to strain or injury. Practicing Sun Salutations is an excellent way to learn the aspect of flow. Shifting from pose to pose at your own speed teaches how to move in a consistent, steady rhythm. This is the same type of continuous smooth action you want to adopt for your pedal stroke.

You’re in the Bike Zone.
A constant challenge for cyclist is to stay tuned to their bodies amid the many distractions that arise. Competitors may become anxious when someone passes them and/or from fear of losing. Recreational riders can get caught up in the scenery, weather, or their chattering minds.

In yoga, when your mind begins to drift, you focus on your breath and its rhythm to help you become mindful of how your body is moving and what you need to adjust.

The same philosophy works in cycling. If a fellow rider, sudden rain, or whizzing car distracts you, go instantly to your breath, eason advises. “It’s a great way to gather your concentration,” he says. “be mindful of taking full and steady breaths, and then you can re-focus on your alignment, and then your stroke.”

*Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Tony Eason
**Matthew Solan is a freelance writer based in St. Petersburg, FL.

FIT YOGA is the fastest growing yoga magazine on the newsstand today. Since its first issue was published in February 2004, it has captured the attention of yoga practitioners, yoga teachers and fitness instructors nationwide. With its fresh, airy design, striking covers and engaging editorial coverage, FIT YOGA has a broad appeal in the marketplace.
In just a few short months, FIT YOGA has established a newsstand distribution that includes major magazine outlets nationwide, predominantly supermarkets, pharmacies, department stores, chain bookstores and natural food stores.

BOOKSTORES
Barnes & Noble, B Dalton, Borders Bookstores, Walden Books, Hastings, and Chapters.

SUPERMARKETS
Kroger’s, Safeway, Albertsons, Winn Dixie, Shop & Stop, Ralph’s, H.E. Butt, Nash Finch, Meijers, Vons, Dominick’s

PHARMACIES
C.V.S., Walgreens, Eckerds, Longs, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Rite Aid, Osco, Sav On

DEPARTMENT STORES
WalMart, Target, K Mart

HEALTH FOOD STORES
Wild Oats, Whole Foods, GNC

Check it out! Wishing the best of all possible worlds,
Iyengar Yoga teacher, tony eason

2 thoughts on “Fit Yoga Magazine & Iyengar Yoga teacher, tony eason”

  1. I appreciate this post. I am a yoga teacher (Iyengar style) looking to get a road bike for commuting/touring and know the importance of good form and fit, plus keeping the body flexible. This has been helpful. Thanks!

  2. Thank you for the great article! I take yoga classes and just got a new bike, hoping to participate in a local race… It was a great read! Thanks again!

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