The art of cycling
I've written previously about how practicing the Feldenkrais Method improved my cycling, enabling me to find comfort in a wider range of positions on the bike. What makes that possible?
In walking, we use our feet to support and move our self along the ground, and also to give us sensory input about the ground - its hardness or softness, slope, consistency, ability to offer resistance vertically (for the purpose of supporting our weight) and also horizontally (for the purpose of propelling ourself). The sensory information helps us organize our self for movement, adjusting the attitude of our feet and indeed the rest of our self to suit what we are doing.
In cycling, the situation is more complex. We get support through our feet on the pedals, and also through our sit bones on the saddle and our hands on the handlebars. This gives us six points where we give our weight to the bike, which we can use in any combination. For example, if we stand up on the pedals, we are not using the sit bones at all. If we sit on the saddle we can put a part or all of our weight onto the sit bones, and we can give more weight to the right or the left sit bone. At the same time, the sensory input we receive through those six points informs us not only about our own self-organization but also the attitude of the bike and its contact with the road.
Next time you ride your bike, feel where you are giving weight. Can you lighten the weight you give to the saddle without standing up - giving your full weight to the pedals while your sit bones still touch the saddle? Or can you give the full weight of your body to the saddle, letting only the weight of your legs rest on the pedals? And how much weight do you give through your hands?
Add to all these combinations of how we give our weight, different ways we can use our self in the action of cycling. Let's consider some of the ways the sit bones can move:
they can slide left and right over the saddle as we pedal, each sitbone in turn getting a bit further from our head.
they can rock forward and backward, each sitbone in turn rolling forwards towards its forward edge while the other rolls backwards towards it backward edge.
they can be a little further from each other - wider apart - than in standing on the ground. Or they could be a little closer to each other. Or the distance between them could vary as we pedal.
To help feel with precision, it can be useful to vary the position of your feet - have your heels a little wider than normal, so your feet point a little inwards, or a little narrower than normal, so your feet point a little outwards. How does that change the movement of your sitbones on the saddle? How does it change the shape of your back? These are subtle differences and feeling them with clarity is a process. Regular time spent dedicating your attention to sensing yourself in movement, will pay off. You'll discover new ways of using yourself, and may, like me, feel faster, stronger, more comfortable, and better in control of the bike.
What makes you feel most in control when cycling? And when do you feel that - is it when you're pushing hard or when you're taking it easy? Please leave a comment.