Cycling & Hip Flexors

[Orestes]

While at practice the other day, a friend of mine suggested I try yoga over cycling to augment my training. Her logic was that cycling lengthened the hip flexors, which would impede lunging as opposed to the stretching (but not building?) of the flexors that yoga would provide.

I'm a triathelete as well as a fencer, and the idea of having to cut down on the bike seems pretty crazy to me. To confuse matters, my coach, a Ukrainian of the old stripe, thinks cycling isn't as good as running but better than yoga (which he thinks is heretical).

Anyone here have any experience with this?

[Ordway]

I think both yoga and cycling would contribute positively to your fencing conditioning, in different ways. I do a moderate amount of cycling (mainly to commute to work) and I find that it is very useful in cardiovascular training and general leg muscle strength (including the hip flexors - not sure what your friend meant about lengthening those muscles or why that would interfere with lunging.) The nice thing about cycling is that it works the legs without impact. For me, that means it builds up support around my knees, which I can then use in fencing. Running would probably build up the leg muscles better, but at least in the past, my knees couldn't handle the impact stress.

Yoga is very good for flexibility and improving muscle tone. I definitely have found it useful. Depending on the movements, it can also be very good for strengthening the core abdominal muscles, which cycling doesn't do *at all*. Yoga is also good for cycling, for that same reason (cycling demands a strong core but doesn't build it at all, and flexibility is good for the pedal stroke).

In the end I think both yoga and cycling are useful cross-training for fencing. No idea on the specifics of hip flexors, though.

[rcmatthews]

I really have no basis for this opinion, but I would think that cycling would build up the legs more than running. Perhaps it is because I have done more running than cycling, but I don't really notice the feeling of my muscles being bgroken down after I run. Sure, my legs are tired, but its not the same feeling that I experience after lifting weights. Cycling, however does give that feeling.

[EPEEDAD]

I agree with Ordway,

while cross training is a balance of good workouts to compliment a sport, no sport does it all.

Use Yoga to physically and mentally work with the fencing and cycling.

They both sound like passions you have.

Actually out of the saddle cycling sprints may improve your lunge style with quicker response? You probably use a heart rate monitor, try measuring heart rate change during level or hill sprinting, compare to the change in respect to fencing?

I wonder if swimming improves your arm reflexes?

good luck

[esskreemr]

Assuming your friend is talking about the iliopsoas, I'd think that cycling would tend to shorten or tighten the hip flexors. Depending on your primary position, if you're a road biker the hip flexors would rarely (if at all) be extended to their full length. Even in an upright posture, you're still not going to stretch them to even close of what a good run or walk will.