Rib Cage exercises

[zap]

Yesterday, while riding hard with local racers for 50-60 minutes, little muscles in the left rib cage 5" from the lower sternum start to protest. I couldn't compete well in the sprint due to the pain. Pain would go away after 5 minutes but still a little sore today. This happened a few times late last summer as well.

Anyone have any suggestions regarding strength training, stretching exercises, etc. Thanks in advance.

[bostondrunk]

sound to drunkman like you getting little muscle cramps. try drinking more (beer) maybe, drink twice as much as usual your next sprint workout, including hydrating well beforehand. Maybe take an electrolyte supplement as well.
Now take 2 tylenol, and report back in a few days.<burp>

[pale scotsman]

Hey Zap - Those are classic cramps. The only way you are going to train skeletal muscle is by stretching, proper diet (fluids & carbohydrates), and get this one.... getting used to increasing amounts of physical exertion. If it's really bugging you there are ailments that may increase the susceptibility to cramping that you might want to look into. For what it's worth I'm no doctor, but I do work in a hospital. :)

[Needs Help]

Anyone have any suggestions regarding strength training, stretching exercises, etc.

I would suggest a medicine ball exercise. Lay on the ground and tighten your stomach muscles, then have your wife drop a heavy medicine ball on your stomach from the top of your house. Repeat as possible. :)

[womancyclist]

Learning how to breath properly is probably the most overlooked part of cycling. IMO. Being able to keep your upper body as still and relaxed as
possible while powering the pedals is a skill that takes practice (especially
in race situations). I'm still trying to master that! We all tend to tense up
with hard exerted efforts that it inhibits our breathing.

I have been told that one should incorporate technique of breathing thru the belly (almost like a frog) helps.
Take a look at these recent pics of Lance and Jan TTing.
They are expanding there stomachs to get in as much oxygen as possible.
No beer bellies here!

Here are pics from cyclingnews:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=photos/2004/mar04/murcia/stage2/cycling-tourofmurcia-u-64

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=photos/2004/mar04/murcia/stage2/cycling-tourofmurciaar-63

[zap]

I'm not sure that this is a classic case of cramps. Same muscle between the same ribs. When I had this happen to me a few times last year, it was always at the same part of the ride. Only 12 miles in! On Wednesday it occured at around mile 30, after 20 fairly hard miles. The only pattern I've noticed so far is that it occurs at fairly elevated breathing levels, say heart rate of 172-175 for several minutes. It does not occur during shorter max efforts nor does it occur on long rides.

I consider myself to be fairly steady and relaxed even at fairly high levels. Belly breathing for me is natural. I've been doing this for 18 years but have been increasing my efforts in the past year to regain and improve upon my abilities from 13 years ago.

As the Pale Scottsman says, maybe I just need to get used to the physical exertion.

[csb]

is part of the exercise to jump to ones feet and run up the stairs (or
ladder if need be) and hand the ball off to 'wifey', scamper back down,
into prone position to await the next 'incoming' interval or is that 'wifeys' duty?