fitness

Spin class makes you feel like a rockstar.

I’ve never been able to decide if I love spin or yoga better, to be honest. They’re obviously very different, and I think that’s why I’m drawn to them for opposite reasons – they’re like my fitness Yin and Yang. Spin is high-energy, high-cardio, high effort – and yoga is slow, controlled, strengthening, stretching. In spin you contract. In yoga you expand. But both can be intensely internal and meditative experiences, which is why I love them.

A little yoga after spin class is just ideal.

Because spin is so high-intensity, you can help your body recover more quickly and get better results if you take the time to really loosen up your muscles after you’ve just tightened them. Cycling (whether you go legit road biking or traditional indoor spin or my personal favorite, the SoulCycle-esque choreographed dance-party variety) is a fantastic way to workout. It’s such a killer and highly effective form of cardio.

But cycling does also put your body through its paces. There are a few problems spin presents that we want to be aware of:

• You’re essentially folded in half at the waist. This shortens your hip flexors, particularly your iliopsoas (aka the psoas), which can cause poor posture and back and neck tension. (This is also one of the reasons why it’s not good to sit for long periods of time.)
• Although I’d love for your spine to be neutral while you ride (i.e. straight while maintaining the natural curve you have in your low back), in all likelihood, you’re riding hunched like Quasimodo. This rounding in your back can cause more pain and shoulder/chest tightness.
• You’re cranking your head up to look at the instructor. Or you’re hanging it down toward the floor. Either way, your neck ain’t straight.
• Since spinning regularly your butt is looking so toned you gotta buy new jeans. (Best problem ever)

But don’t worry – do yoga.

If you take the right steps to tend to those issues you can keep on spinning as much as you want. Doing these yoga poses after spin class can dramatically increase your strength and flexibility and improve your hill-climbing game. I know, I know – but none of us have time to stretch. That’s why I made this yoga sequence super short.

» Clearly I exist in a magical world where spin class lets out right onto a Hawaiian beach and you don’t sweat a drop «

Hold each of these 10 poses for 1 minute (or less if needed).

Yes, you’re smart – that’s only 10 minutes. That’s only 0.69% of your entire day. I legit just did some math for you on my iPhone to get that percentage because that’s how important I think this is and how invalid your excuses are. I’m asking for less than 1% of your day to help your body and prevent injury. Plus, you just put in all that time and effort to get the most out of your workout – consider this the final, non-negotiable step. It’s totally fine if you don’t do these stretches immediately after your spin class – I know you’re often not going straight home afterwards. Just stay for your class’s cool-down portion (don’t you fucking dare leave early) and then do these stretches whenever you can. They’re a lovely way to wind down before bed.

Now that I’ve convinced you, let me also remind you that as with any yoga practice, the whole point is to be mindful. You may use your phone only for your timer (but don’t keep holding it in your hand). You might as well make the whole process soothing and indulgent and turn down the lights and fire up some candles. Get real deep with it and pay attention to your body and your mind. Most importantly, remember to breathe deeply and relax as you hold these poses.

Ready? Here’s your post-spin yoga practice:

» Bonus: Start with at least three rounds of Sun Salutations to warm yourself up, especially if it’s been a few hours since you cycled. When you get into plank, try to hold for at least thirty counts.

1 » Low Lunge, aka Anjaneyasana

• From a straight-arm plank position, step your R foot forward between your hands and lower your L knee down. Adjust if you need to make sure your R foot is directly underneath or slightly in front of your R knee and that you don’t have any discomfort in your L knee (put a blanket under it if you need the cushion).
• Make sure your hip bones are in line with each other and square, then press them forward to stretch your L hip flexor (your R knee should stay above your ankle).
• I recommend putting your hands on two blocks, or you may bring them to your hips. Either way, lift up through the top of your head and engage your core to extend through your spine. Think of directing your energy up and squeeze your inner thighs towards each other. This should be fairly difficult, so bring your hands to the ground any time you need.
• If you want more, reach your arms overhead, lift up even more through the top of your head, then tilt from your shoulder blades into a min backbend. Make sure your neck stays long.

2 » Lizard Pose, aka Utthan Pristhasana

• Bring your hands down to the left of your R foot.
• Crawl your R foot slightly over towards the right and angle it out about 45 degrees. Your knee should be in alignment over your middle toes.
• Start to bend your elbows – lower down to your forearms if possible.
• Keep your back extending long by reaching forward through the top of your head. Keep your chin off your chest and keep your chest broad.
• If you want to make this harder, curl your L toes under and straighten out your L leg.

3 + 4 » Repeat Low Lunge + Lizard on the L Side

5 » Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend, aka Upavistha Konasana

• Sit down and move your legs as wide apart as you can.
• Tilt your pelvis forward by reaching your sitting bones back.
• Flex your feet and point your toes and knees up to the sky and try to push outwards through your heels to keep your legs straight.
• Straighten out your back and reach your hands out in front of you on the ground. Crawl your hands forward and fold forward from the waist while keeping your toes and knees pointing straight up. I highly prefer if you focus on keeping your back straight and core engaged in this position instead of rounding into a little ball with your head just dangling down. I mean really. Keep your upper body as active as the lower half and relax your shoulders.

6 » Baby Cobra Pose, aka Ardha Bhujangasana

• Lie down onto your stomach.
• Place your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
• Place your forehead on the ground and make sure your body is straight and you’re pressing down through the tops of your feet. Lengthen out through the top of your head.
• Try to draw your belly button away from the floor.
• Without moving your hands, try to pull them down towards your feet.
• Now keep that muscle engagement in your shoulders and hover your hands off the ground while you try to lift your chest up off the ground into a mini backbend. Keep your neck long, belly button pulling up, and feet pushing down.
• Hold for a few breaths, then lower. Repeat for the full minute or until you are tired.
• Side note: The traditional pose is actually done with your hands on the ground, but hovering your hands will strengthen your back more, so that’s what I always do! You won’t go as deep into the backbend, and that’s okay – our goal here is to re-engage your upper back muscles and we’ll be backbending in a sec.

7 » Bow Pose, aka Dhanurasana

• Now for our full backbend: if you know you have back problems, you might prefer to skip this one. But the key to prevent dumping into your low back is to keep trying to lift your bellybutton away from the floor. It probably will barely move, but you want that core engagement.
• Stay lying down and bend your legs. Reach back and grab onto your ankles.
• Push your tailbone down towards the floor to keep your lower back long. Try to actively relax your glute and back muscles and focus instead on stretching out the front side of your body.
• Extend through the top of your head, pull your navel in, and lift your chest and knees off the ground.
• Push your feet into your hands and your hands into your feet.
• Make sure your knees stay hip-width in distance. (Pro tip: Try squeezing a block between your inner thighs. This will engage them and keep your knees aligned with your hips.)
• Keep the back of your neck long.
• Hold for a few breaths, then lower. Repeat for the full minute or until you are tired.
• End this pose by lying on your stomach, forehead on the ground, arms by your side. Bend your knees and windshield wiper your feet side to side to loosen up again through your low back. If needed, rest in Child’s Pose (focus on the rounding of your spine to counter the backbend.)

8 » Bridge Pose, aka Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

• Lie down on your back.
• Bend your knees and place your feet onto the ground so they’re hip’s distance and parallel.
• Keep your arms long by your sides and your graze straight up to the sky. (Note: it is very important that you not turn your head once you get into Bridge Pose, so keep looking up!)
• Push through your feet to lift your hips up as high as you can.
• Keep your knees in line with your hips. (Pro tip: Bring that block back between your inner thighs. Blocks are the best.)
• Relax your glutes and back while puffing your chest up to the sky.
• Without actually moving your heels, try to pull them towards your head. Hello, hamstrings!
• If you’d like more, shimmy your shoulder blades underneath you and clasp your hands, interlacing your fingers.

9 » Supine Pigeon Pose, aka Supta Kapotasana (Variation)

• Stay lying down. Pull your R knee into your chest. Start with your L leg bent with your foot flat on the floor, as it was in Bridge Pose.
• Hold onto the back of your R thigh.
• Flex your R foot and lift it up away from your R thigh as much as you can, aiming to bring your leg into a 90 degree angle.
• Rotate from your hip to try to bring your R foot towards your L shoulder. Keep your leg in that same 90 degree position with your foot flexed – don’t twist your knee. If it’s easily within reach, grab onto your R ankle with your R hand (keep the L hand on the thigh) to help guide your leg.
• Now pull your R knee slightly across your body towards your L shoulder. You should feel a stretch in your R outer hip.
• Keep your shoulders down and relaxed on the ground and maintain the natural curve of your low back – no rounding!
• If you want more, try to straighten your L leg out onto the ground. Keep that foot flexed as well and point your toes and knee up to the sky.

10 » Repeat Supine Pigeon on the L Side

» Bonus: End with a long, juicy Savasana. Relax – you earned it!

How many of you take spin class or do outdoor cycling? What’s your favorite kind? And – be honest – do you usually stretch afterwards? Let me know in the comments! 

xo,

Amy