The Right Fit

Getting back on the bike has been a huge challenge for me (Dawn). Many years ago, when I first met Chris, I was able to use cycling to get myself back to health after a nasty bought of CFS that was disabling. It was tough but this time around it is even tougher. I am older, I had another child and I am now cycling in an area with a lot more hills than flats. (The first time around I was cycling around flat terrain.) It is harder to get that same satisfaction that riding gives you when you feel like you are constantly battling hills.

When I was able to use Darth Fuji it was a blessing and a curse. The blessing was being able to take hills a whole heck of a lot easier (Carbon is frickin' amazing!) the curse was that it was sized for a man over six feet tall. I was so far stretched out that after ten minutes of riding I was tormented by the strangest combination of intense burning pain and numbness in my low back. Riding Darth Fuji was the most fun I have ever had in my life but the pain made it difficult to get in the length of rides I need for my goals and recovery was taking much longer than my usual agonizingly slow pace.

Riding Darth reminded me of the Chinese phrase, "to eat bitter". I continued to ride through the pain as if I needed to go through that crucible to earn time on Darth. If I could eat the pain, the bitter, and keep going, that meant that I appreciated what gifts I had been given by so many folks who have been helping me get back on the road.

Okay, self-sacrifice... martyr... yada... yada... yada... After a few rides to purify myself I was done with the pain. That was when I went to The Wizard (Rob) at Body Concepts. He took one look at me on Darth and told me right off that the stem was way too long and that I should get the bike fit to my dimensions. We were really concerned about how much to change as this was a loaner that would have to be converted back quickly if it was needed. Rob said it wouldn't be a problem and whipped out an old, stubby stem he had handy.

Every girl needs her "Spinderella" moment.

Rob set Darth up on the trainer at the Body Concepts office and I mounted up. He watched closely as I pedaled away. He would stop me, take measurements and tweak the seat. I rode more and he stopped me, swapping out the stems, tweaking the seat more. I resumed pedaling and he started talking to me about my posture on the bike. I had deep bends in my wrists that were setting me up for pain down the road. My core was weak and I was slouching as I rode, also not good for back pain. He helped show me how to improve my riding posture and then set me loose for a test ride around Old Folsom.

The difference was amazing! Before I had been afraid of Darth, not realizing that my discomfort was because I had much less control because I was way too stretched out. Instantly I felt in total control of the bike and cornering was amazing. I no longer had anxiety about crashing. The difference of a simple bike fit was intoxicating! I had never even heard of a bike fit before I met Rob. I though you just raised and lowered a seat and that was the best you could expect. The difference that I feel now is like night and day.

Has Darth been lured away from the Dark Side? Will I someday look good in the Princess Leia slave outfit? We shall see, but in the week since the bike fit I have lost two more pounds and I feel like I am on my way to becoming a real cyclist!


NOTE:
If you are interested in checking out Body Concepts and learning some great cycling tips be sure to check out their Presentation Classes! There is even one tonight! See you there!

Please RSVP to: nrobyn@bodyconceptsinc.com  or (916) 939-6800 ... only 30-spots available per presentation 

DATES:

All presentations 7-8:30 pm at Body Concepts

April 28^th      Injuries- how to prevent/recover from them

May 12^th       Flexibility- a less painful performance enhancer

May 26^th       Core Strength- turbo charge your leg power

June 16^th      Bike Fit- a balance between comfort and performance

June 23^rd      Biomechanics- optimize your efficiency

PRESENTER:

Robert Kopitzke has been an Orthopedic-Sports Physical Therapist for over 23-years, he obtained an "Elite" USA Cycling Coaching license in 1998, is a Master Pilates Instructor and certified Neuromuscular Reprogrammer. He has worked with hundreds of cyclists throughout the Sacramento region since 1994 as Peak Cycling and established Body Concepts in 1998.

For more information about Rob and Body Concepts: www.bodyconceptsinc.com