Shoulder Excercise

[Kloosty]

I've just started doing century rides on the weekends (112km in 4.5 hours!) but in and around the 90k mark my shoulders start to get sore. Are there any exercises I can do to increase the 'stamina' of my shoulders and upper back?

[GeorgeET]

Yes absolutely. I have had pain and misalignment with my upper back. I have found adding load and weight exercises to your routine helps eliminate weak spots along with some stretch exercises.This also builds up your bone and muscle strength and realigns your skeleton. Drink fluids with electrolytes too. Potassium as in bananas, potatoes with skin, sweet potatoes etc helps.
Changing your hand positions by adding bar horns. Maybe some sports drinks without caffeine.

Listen to your body do not push it at first. Feel the areas that are causing you pain and identify exercises that work that area. Ask a trainer. Work your loads up to max lift in 8 -12 reps.

Some exercises that work for me: Sitting down with dumbel in both hands behind you lifting up. Bench press and similar exercises,overhead lifts with dumbels in each hand,sitting on a machine facing forward with your hands in front and pull them back like the breast stroke. Great for between the shoulders.

Rest after ride..............

[Kloosty]

Well not being fit isn't really my problem... I used to play varsity university rugby and I've also been a cheerleader for the last few years so I have pretty good shoulders. It's just after four hours on the bike (and I do have drop handle bars) the muscles right above my shoulder blades get sore and tired.

[GeorgeET]

Yes I can see from your photo and your ambitious rides that you are fit and young. Like I said adding weight exercise helps . IT will make a bigger difference as you approach my age. :-))

I too was a college athlete, mostly soccer, track and judo, however always adding weight training.

Changing your hand position helps a lot too.

However sometimes rest is the best thing, and ibuprofen.:-))

Where are you?

[Kloosty]

Eastern Ontario, Canada. I'm basically looking for a quick and dirty exercise I can do before work or on those days when I can't/don't have time for a bike ride.

[GeorgeET]

Canada cool.
Ye everyone want a magic bullet. Me too. No pain no gain . You need Harry Potter.:-)))

The position on road bikes is very demanding, even as a teenager they were uncomfortable to ride.

Add additional hand positions on bars.

Shrugs are good for the top of shoulder area , barbell palms facing you standing, shrug shoulders.

Push ups and pull ups, (if you can rig a bar,) in morning. Will improve circulation, and muscle strength. Even if you are in good shape.

[marathon marke]

One of the best things that has worked for me over the years is to consciously work on relaxing the shoulders while I'm riding. I would do this often over the years, intentionally pushing my shoulders down, until one day I realized that I was doing it without thought anymore. I also sit up every once in a while and one at a time, bring my hand down across the small of my back, much like a speedskater does when in a tuck, placing the back of my wrist across the small of my back. That helps to stretch the shoulder muscles out. And as others have already stated, a good fit on the biker is very important.

[DaveM]

If you're doing cheerleading and rugby I doubt you lack shoulder strength. I'd try working on your core strength (abs and back). As your core gets tired, it collapses and puts all the weight on your hands which is what makes your shoulders tire.

[marathon marke]

Very good point, DaveM. I'm sure it would be diffucult for most of us to get too much core strength!

[GeorgeET]

Good point , strength is always build from the inside out. Abs strength is important my chiropractor used to tell me this. For me the upper body chest and back workout did the most. My ABS are OK. Balanced body works best. I do not see the chiro any more. :-)))

Proper posture counts.

[Patricmurphy]

I find that when I use the drop down position I get sore shoulders. Normal riding with hands near the gear levers is not a problem. I was thinking that in the drop down position, my head is angled up to look where I am going. Has anyone experienced this?

[Bill]

(12-03-2012, 05:31 AM)Patricmurphy Wrote:  I find that when I use the drop down position I get sore shoulders. Normal riding with hands near the gear levers is not a problem. I was thinking that in the drop down position, my head is angled up to look where I am going. Has anyone experienced this?

Yes I have, but found it was because my muscles were not "used" to being in this position. After a while one gets used to it by strengthening those muscles.