Prehab Not Rehab
 

In previous years, I rode moderately-hard all year round. Like many of us, I often ended up with some kind of overuse injury somewhere along the line. This time around I'm attempting to smarten up via a "prehab" program, largely of my own design, whereby I consciously try to slowly build a base of strength, flexibility and aerobic capacity slowly through the winter and early spring.

Joe Friel's Cycling Past 50 offers some good ideas on this subject, but I'm hoping we might all share our thoughts and experience about ways to avoid overuse injuries later in the season. Any tips?

I'll start with one: Continue to stretch throughout the entire year.

Move to San Diego.

My experience has been that the proper fit it the easiest way to avoid overuse injuries.

Getting the proper fit was trial and error for me, but the assistance of a fit guru would probably be a faster route to that end.

Depends on your lifestyle but I have an active job that keeps me fairly supple. Summer rides are what most of us prefer- so Come the Autumn and the rides get shorter and in winter they are shorter still and less of them. I am trying to keep up midweek rides throughout the winter. May not go out and hammer or find very steep hills- but providing I can still get out for a couple of midweek rides- I will be happy. None so far this week though as Monday I was dead- and last night and tonight-a bit too much rain and wind. Still tomorrow though so might only be one ride this week.


Seen the weather forecast for tomorrow and high winds and torrential rain coming in.

I've got no advice but the obvious. But I do like the word "prehab".

"They're tryin' to make me go to prehab
And I say, no, no, no..." (With all due respect to Amy Winehouse, not that she'd notice...)

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously -- to prevent injuries you can cross-train and you can train specifically for your sport. And of course you'll want to include weight-bearing exercises to stave off osteoporosis.

Also check out Yoga and Pilates classes. You'll get stretching and strengthening benefits. Making your core muscles stronger will help your back in the long run, too.