Ola Bikergang!Well, it's finally happened .. I've spin-jured myself ( get it!). I suppose this is due to my own stubborn nature and my refusal to believe that my knee pain was something more serious than a slight discomfort when I stepped out of bed in the morning. .. and I guess my decision to continue to spin despite this pain was likely a poor life choice ( should have listened to you Dion!) It really is true what they say you know.. if you listen to your body when it whispers, you won't have to hear it scream. And hey, guess what? It is only when you choose to neglect that whisper for too long does the Universe step in and decide to turn up the volume.This all being said, spin isn't the direct cause of my injury. If anything, continuing to spin with a knee cap that felt as though it were about to pop off was only the cherry on top of a lifestyle spent overindulging in too many fitness classes, and was only compounded by my decision to lend a deaf ear to my chiropractors advice in terms of rest, rehabilitation, and injury prevention. How often do you visit your preferred physiotherapist or chiropractor and readily agree to do all of the exercises they have recommended for you and then go home and do absolutely nothing? Hands up!! I realized yesterday that my foam roller is still in the trunk of my car, the exact place I left it almost a year ago when I moved into my current apartment... whoops.All of this in mind, I would like to take a brief moment to reintroduce the blog and to state my intention regarding the information I share with you. This blog is for you. It is here to motivate and challenge you. Together we will dive into the science behind spin mechanics ( so the next time Erin and Nate tell you to push your heels back you understand why). We will explore the relationship between diet, exercise, and motivation. And most importantly we will learn not to judge, but rather to support one another regardless of our personal health goals and lifestyles. Perhaps you spin because you want to work up a pre-brunch appetite, and perhaps you do not, and in either way, it doesn't matter. This blog is not here to change you. You are already perfect. It is here to motivate and encourage you to embrace the lifestyle that fulfills you and keeps you smiling. Here at YYC Cycle we are in the business of connection, and I will do my best to connect you with the information you need in order to guide you along your personal path to wellness. With growth comes change, so get ready to be challenged, to break your habitual lifestyle, and to be open to mystery! Let's begin with a simple challenge- for the month of June I ask that you try at least one new teacher or class time at YYC ( have you seen the new YYC passport? It's your personal ticket to spin paradise!) So here my fellow spin enthusiasts is where I ask you- are you listening to your body and ensuring that you take the time to indulge in self care following those many pumps and dips? Perhaps you're in the camp of bikergang members like Marco, Christine, Alison, and Taryn and your go to is an epsom salt filled soak in the tub, or maybe you're just like Laura Berg and you prefer to dip into the pool of cold pressed juice and restorative yoga. How many of you choose to use your foam roller as your go to post-spin method of restoration? Nobody? Thought so.And so, mostly because i'm great at finding anything to do except use my foam roller when I have spare time, and i'm just itching to get back on the bike, I have made the commitment to attend at least one rollax class per week. What's rollax you ask? There's only one way to find out! You can choose to join me as I stalk Justin Tan at either Junction 9 on Monday evenings at 7:15, or at Yoga Santosha on Sunday afternoons at 2:00 pm to engage in a little rollaxin' ( quite possibly the most unrelaxing experience ever). After dragging Kyle to class on Sunday afternoon I reached out to Justin to see which body parts he suggests you introduce to your foam roller in order to keep that spin bod well maintained. ( FYI: I am going to directly quote Justin on this for fear of misinterpreting what he says and causing all of you more pain than intended).Justin, what do you believe to be the the body parts that require attention after a spin class?"Hard to say the best muscles as spin is pretty all encompassing. Dependant on the individual we could spend time rolling the erectors of the spine, or into the upper trap and shoulder complex. However most commonly the go to muscles to open up post spin would be the hip flexor Tensor Fascia Latta (TFL), quadriceps mm focus on lateral quad, hamstring complex focus on bicep femoris, glute complex (Maximus and Med). Would also consider spending time into the shin (tibialis anterior) and calf complex (gastrocnemius and soleus)"... and if none of that made sense to you then just join me on the mat next weekend :)That's all for now, but please reach out to me with your questions, send me any information that you believe would benefit your fellow biker gang members, and look out for a fun new feature each month. Let's do this together, change can be scary but what's life without a little excitement?Maggie
