Mountain biking is all about balance—both on and off the bike. It challenges your body with endurance, strength, and agility while demanding sharp mental focus. Yoga, on the other hand, provides the stability, flexibility, and presence needed to recover and perform at your best. The 25-minute Vinyasa yoga flow is designed to support your riding—whether as a warm-up, post-ride recovery, or a standalone session on rest days.
How did you [Anja Kaloh] start with mountain biking and yoga? What drew you to each?
I actually got into mountain biking before yoga, which might be surprising considering that I’ve been a full-time yoga teacher for several years now, while mountain biking has never been something I pursued "seriously." In the past, I sought movement that gave me adrenaline, challenges, a sense of excitement, and action.
While studying at the Faculty of Sport, there was a Surf and Bike equipment shop just across the street. That’s where I bought my first all-mountain full-suspension bike, which felt almost unbelievable to me. Soon after, I signed up for a course and obtained my mountain bike instructor certification. At one point, I even went on a bike trip to France with a group. It was an amazing experience.
Yoga came into my life later. I completed my first training in 2016, and soon after, I started teaching part-time while doing other jobs on the side. Now, yoga is my profession, and mountain biking remains a hobby that I truly enjoy.
How do mountain biking and yoga complement each other?
From my experience, yoga and mountain biking share at least one fundamental element—presence. When riding on technical terrain, if you’re not fully present, you can quickly fall and get injured. Yoga, on the other hand, isn’t dangerous, but it constantly invites you into the present moment, into the "here and now."
For me, they complement each other in a way that yoga provides a sense of calm, stability, and a safe, predictable space. Mountain biking, on the other hand, brings more physical effort, adrenaline, an increased heart rate, and an element of unpredictability and risk—something that needs to be faced and overcome.
From a physical perspective, I believe yoga can support almost any sport. For mountain biking specifically, flexibility is a major advantage—especially in the chest, shoulders, hips, and spine—all of which can be improved through regular yoga practice. Additionally, yoga helps develop at least a basic level of strength, particularly in terms of stability. Lastly, I’d say that yoga enhances overall body coordination, which is beneficial not just for biking but for everyday life as well.
Are there specific yoga poses beneficial for mountain biking, and why?
In this yoga practice I’ve designed, the first part focuses on dynamic movement as a warm-up. We start with a few minutes of movement to activate key muscles and improve mobility:
- Seated Twists: Warms up the spine and enhances rotational flexibility.
- Reverse Tabletop: Opens the hips and strengthens the glutes and shoulders.
- Navasana (Boat Pose): Engages the core for better bike control.
- Cat-Cow: Promotes spinal mobility and reduces back stiffness.
- Anahatasana (Heart-Opening Pose): Stretches the chest and shoulders, which can become tight from gripping the handlebars.
- Modified Upward-Facing Dog: Opens the shoulders and warms up the upper body, preparing it for the ride ahead.
- Low Lunge with Pulsing & Twists: Loosens the hips and improves flexibility.
The second part of the practice is dedicated to static stretching. After a long ride, deep stretching helps release tension and restore balance:
- Anahatasana Hold: Further releases the shoulders and chest.
- Quadriceps Stretch: Eases tension in the front of the thighs after pedaling.
- Chest Stretch (Prone Position): Counteracts the rounded posture from biking.
- Hamstring Stretch with a Strap: Helps prevent tightness in the legs.
- Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose): A final relaxation to restore energy and calm the nervous system.
Practice on
Whether you’re chasing trails or taking a recovery day, integrating yoga into your routine can help you ride longer, recover faster, and feel better on and off the bike. Just like mastering a technical descent, a consistent yoga practice builds strength, flexibility, and focus over time—making it the perfect complement to mountain biking.
Connect
- Instagram: @asteya.studio_
- Website: asteya.si
