The crouched rider position doesn’t exactly bode well for comfortable thoracic spine and neck position over a long grind up a mountain bike trail. And if position alone isn’t enough, it’s incredibly easy to tense up these areas when the going gets tough. While this can’t be completely mitigated, improving scapular control and overall shoulder strength can certainly alleviate the situation. Pair this with some good breathing techniques and you’ll be setting yourself up for success.  
 

 
 The bent over position often leads to long periods of time spent with the neck in extension, shoulders rolled forward and little movement in the upper portion of the spine. Over a long mountain bike ride, this can yield discomfort or limited range-of-motion. Moreover, the more these tissues fatigue, the more likely you are to break form when it matters most.

Here’s a quick anatomy 101: The shoulder blade can and should move independently of the ribcage and neck. If this isn’t happening reactively, surrounding tissue groups like the upper traps are happy to pick up the slack. Not only is this inefficient in terms of power production, but over time it can become a pain in the neck. Literally.

We’ve compiled a variety of exercises to help gain control of of your shoulder blades, stabilize the thoracic spine, and improve overall functionality of your shoulder. With practice, you’ll optimize scapular stability which will do wonders for control as you mob steady down the trail. And don’t forget the soft-tissue recovery drills to get you ready for the next mountain bike ride.