What muscles do you use when you are pedaling?

This topic has 21 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 4 months ago by PotomacCyclist.

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January 3, 2013 at 8:30 pm #958882

Bilsko
Participant

Nice try, Tim.

January 3, 2013 at 8:38 pm #958884

KelOnWheels
Participant

@Bilsko 39457 wrote:

Nice try, Tim.

Last edited by Bilsko; Today at 03:31 PM. Reason: This may be more accurate: http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2011/10/primer_v2-660×560.jpg

Nah, that’s too short to be Tim.

January 3, 2013 at 8:54 pm #958889

Bilsko
Participant

But, joking aside, its a great infographic (Tufte would be proud). I’ve been curious about that. I wonder how much the allocation changes depending on bike fit, or position on the bike (ie. riding down in the drops or TT style, vs. sitting upright, etc.)

January 3, 2013 at 9:02 pm #958890

jrenaut
Participant

I don’t understand, I don’t see my smugness muscle in that diagram.

January 3, 2013 at 9:08 pm #958892

crysb
Participant

Make sure to stretch and strengthen your hamstrings as well! All quads = bad for knees. I think being clipped in might help for this but can’t say for sure.

January 3, 2013 at 9:28 pm #958896

Greenbelt
Participant

I think I mostly use the muscles in my brain.

January 3, 2013 at 10:24 pm #958900

Vicegrip
Participant

cool, much better answer than “The ones that are all yelling at me”

January 3, 2013 at 11:02 pm #958904

mstone
Participant

Hah, my “A” muscle is way bigger than that one.

January 4, 2013 at 12:10 am #958908

PotomacCyclist
Participant

I mostly use my thumb muscles. Lots of gear shifting for me!

January 4, 2013 at 12:44 am #958915

acc
Participant

Right now I have a right hip muscle that hurts enough to wake me up at night. Stretching matters.

I think Dirt has said before that it’s better to deal with these minor annoyances proactively rather than allow them to fester and throw you out of the saddle for several months.

And Tim talked about paying attention to the different phases of pedaling as a way to build strength, power, and speed.

Anyway, during the off season heal what ails you. And it’s a good time to focus on mechanics and not becoming hypothermic. :rolleyes:

January 4, 2013 at 2:20 am #958931

PotomacCyclist
Participant

Stretching and functional strength training and bike fit matter. And you’re right, it’s best to treat a minor problem right away instead of ignoring it, riding (or running) through it and turning it into a major problem.

That’s why I’m taking this week off from riding or any other exercise. I skinned both knees when a vicious out-of-state treadmill attacked me last week. (No, it had nothing to do with me doing sprints/strides after having walked through the snow to get to the fitness room.) I’m letting the skin heal up completely before riding again. That will take care of the injury instead of having it turn into a lingering problem for the next month or two.

January 4, 2013 at 2:10 pm #958951

Tim Kelley
Participant

@PotomacCyclist 39508 wrote:

That’s why I’m taking this week off from riding or any other exercise. I skinned both knees when a vicious out-of-state treadmill attacked me last week. (No, it had nothing to do with me doing sprints/strides after having walked through the snow to get to the fitness room.) I’m letting the skin heal up completely before riding again. That will take care of the injury instead of having it turn into a lingering problem for the next month or two.

Don’t worry, it could have been worse. It could have been caught on video: http://iwannagetphysical.blogspot.com/2012/12/friday-funny-448-treadmill-fails.html

January 4, 2013 at 2:23 pm #958953

jwetzel
Participant

@acc 39492 wrote:

Anyway, during the off season heal what ails you. And it’s a good time to focus on mechanics and not becoming hypothermic. :rolleyes:

What is the “off season?”

January 4, 2013 at 2:25 pm #958955

Tim Kelley
Participant

@jwetzel 39530 wrote:

What is the “off season?”

That’s where you work on your Strava KOMs and CRs instead of riding centuries every weekend.

January 4, 2013 at 4:44 pm #958984

Megabeth
Participant

On the bike trainer last night, part of what I did was pedal using one leg, alternating each minute.

I feel every one of those muscles today. Ow ow ow.

It’s amazing how isolating each leg makes you focus on the whole mechanics of the pedaling circle and the motions required to get you through that whole circle.
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