I started regular sessions of hypopressive exercises with the aim of enhancing my cycling performance; specifically in order to improve my breathing techniques and posture on the bike. The benefits were two-fold, relating to improvement in cycling performance and faster recovery after physical effort. The immediate benefits I noticed on the bike after the first few sessions were striking. Firstly, deeper, more controlled respiration while cycling, allowing greater ease of cardiac endurance over a challenging route, such as a long mountain climb. Secondly, a more relaxed dorsal posture on the bike, encouraging greater extension of the back and shoulders, counteracting the common cyclist tendency to hunch the shoulders over the handlebar. Following a hard cycle training ride, I found that doing a short session of hypopressive exercise accelerated recovery. I noticed a significant reduction in tiredness after a shorter time and my cardiac frequency dropped to its rest level more quickly. My back, shoulder and stomach muscles also appeared to relax faster.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this type of exercise to any cyclist wishing to complement their training, by improving breathing and posture, as well as by speeding up effort recovery.
Tom Watkinson
English teacher