People say you should “engage the core” when riding in an aggressive position, but it’s not quite clear to me what this actually means. I’d like to be able to ride longer in a more aggressive position without putting any weight on my hands, since cycling tends to wreck my wrists and hands (especiall…

Name: Numb Hands While Cycling? (A Simple Approach to Fixing)
Uploaded: 2021-08-17T21:13:45Z
Description: If you’re loading your hands excessively it could be a bike fit issue. [Numb Hands While Cycling? (A Simple Approach to Fixing)]

Are you limited by the UCI rules? If not consider going to a preying mantis position. I suffered in an aggressive aero position with my hand/wrist/ ulnar nerve and in the biceps. Since I changed to the preying mantis position which was far more comfortable I knocked minutes of my TT times.

I’m not talking about hyper aggressive TT positions. I have TT bars for TTs! Really I am talking about being able to ride in a lowish position without undue weight on the hands.

Do you mean on a road bike? A quality fit is your answer. I think my fitter said lowering the saddle slightly would engage the core more. What ever he has done it has certainly helped me on the road bike. Coincidently it was him who fitted me to the preying mantis position on my TT bike.

Actually working on your core a lot through strength training will engage it more, is my experience. As you develop it through strength exercises etc. you will engage it more unconsciously on the bike.

If the objective is to spare your wrists and hands, have you tried a hoods position where your hands are holding the hoods (so it’s legal) but your forearms are resting somewhat on the bars to alleviate pressure through the wrists? If it’s a drops position, then I tend to simply think about holding…

If you’re loading your hands excessively it could be a bike fit issue. [Numb Hands While Cycling? (A Simple Approach to Fixing)]

You might also want to try Foundation exercises. There is more emphasis on the back as core. I do both. Foundation is by Dr Eric Goodman and Peter Park. The book has all of the exercises.

How to best engage the core to sustain an aero position with less pressure on the hands?

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rb250660 August 17, 2021, 9:13pm 9

If you’re loading your hands excessively it could be a bike fit issue.

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How to best engage the core to sustain an aero position with less pressure on the hands?

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