Anyone who lives an active lifestyle, be it simply jogging in the morning or strength-training for hours, knows how important it is to take stretching seriously before indulging in physical activity. The same is true for mountain biking. Stretching doesn’t only allow you to unlock your best performance on the trails but ultimately prevents you from suffering long-term injuries.

It’s exciting to ride the terrains as soon as you can but on your next ride, take just a few minutes before you begin to do the following basic stretches:

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Wrist Rotations and Forearm Stretches

Mountain bikers are prone to getting wrist injuries and nerve damage due to long periods of overextending their arms. Warm-up your arms and wrists by rotating them in opposite directions and holding them out while stretching for a few seconds.

Lunges and Calf Stretches

It’s not surprising that the lower body works the hardest when you are biking. Don’t take their strength for granted and always stretch them out first. Lunge on each knee alternatively then stand on your toes to stretch your calves.

Single Heel Drops and Achilles Stretches

Discomfort and pain in the heels are not uncommon for mountain bikers either, unfortunately. Position yourself on the edge of an elevated platform, like a stair, and drop your heels to stretch your Achilles’ tendons.

Hip Opening Stretches

The hips are often neglected when it comes to warming up before mountain biking, but they actually do a lot of work for bikers. Lie down on your back and bring one knee at a time as close to your chest as you can.

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Lower Back and Core Warm-Up

Because bikers have to crouch down on their handlebars while biking, lower back pain is not uncommon at all. What you can do to stretch your back and core at the same time is do a seal pose on a yoga mat or clean surface and hold for a few seconds.

Taking the time to really stretch and warm up your muscles before a long ride will not only benefit your ride for that day. It will tremendously help you stay fit and healthy enough to continue mountain biking for many years to come.

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