Power to the Pedals

Ask any cyclist what would most improve their on-the-bike performance, and the answer you’ll probably get from both casual beginner riders and experienced racers is “get stronger.”

What they’re actually referring to is power — being able to apply a greater force during
each pedal revolution for a sustainable period of time.

Generating more power is the key to climbing hills easier, pedaling into strong headwinds or going faster on flat terrain.

Although many types of training activities will help increase the amount of power a cyclist can generate, a simple way to improve power output is by doing functional strength training that targets the muscles used while cycling.

Functional strength training differs from traditional ‘go to the gym and lift weights’ in that the exercises are designed to develop sustainable strength in the upper body, core and lower body muscles.

Note that we're talking about more than just leg power - a strong upper body and core also contribute to powerful cycling.

One simple strength training workout for cyclists is a 45- to 60-minute routine that combines a series of body weight exercises with on-the-bike strength work.

Do this routine twice a week, and after a month or so, you’ll start to see improvements in your ability to put power to the pedals.

The three-part workout can be done at home using an indoor bike trainer, in a fitness club on a spin bike, or even outdoors on your bike if you have a suitable area for the strength exercises.

Start the workout by doing 15 minutes of easy spinning on the bike to warm up, gradually increasing the effort to a moderate level by the end of the warm-up period.

After warming up, get off the bike and do the following series of strength exercises, moving immediately from one exercise to the next.

 - Lunges: Take a long step forward with one leg and go down until the front knee is at an approximate 90-degree angle, then step back to an upright position and repeat the lunge with the other leg. Start with 10 lunges per leg and build to 20.

 - Push-ups: Start with 10 repetitions and add one per session until reaching 30. After finishing the last repetition, hold the push-up position for one minute.

 - Step-ups: Step up onto a platform or bench with one leg, balance briefly on that leg, and step down. Do 10-20 repetitions per leg and then repeat with the other leg. If you are new to this exercise, begin with a 6-8 inch platform and gradually build up to knee-high.

 - Bicycle core exercise: Lie on your back, raise heels 10-12 inches from the floor, and move your legs in a circular ‘pedaling’ motion. Start with 30 seconds and increase to one minute.

 - Calf raises: Using a small step or platform such as a flat 2x4, do single-leg calf raises where you go from having a dropped heel to standing on your toes. This is best done with a chair or railing in front of you for support. Start with 10 repetitions per leg and increase slowly to 30.

 - Do a second set of push-ups as described above.

 - Single leg hip lift (pelvic tilt): Lie on your back with one leg bent, foot on the floor, and the other leg extended upward. Lift your hips as high as possible using the bent leg, hold for 1-2 seconds, and lower to the ground. Start with 10 repetitions per leg and increase to 30 over time. For added difficulty, place heel of lower (bent) leg on a platform or chair.

 - Side leg raises: Lie on your side and slowly raise the upper leg as high as possible, then lower. Start with 15 repetitions per leg and increase to 30 over time. Turn onto opposite side and repeat with the other leg.

After completing the strength exercises, get back on the bike, shift into a very hard gear, and pedal at a slow cadence of 50-60 RPM. This part of the workout is called a ‘muscle tension’ (big-gear) interval, and its purpose is to train your body to push a hard gear for an extended period of time.

On an indoor trainer, you will probably be in the hardest resistance setting and in one of the hardest gears. The effort should be difficult enough that you have to really work to keep the pedals moving in circles (i.e., like climbing a steep hill).

If the workload feels easy or moderate you need to be in a much harder gear.  This should feel kike the hardest 10-15 minutes you've ever suffered through.

Start with 10 minutes of big-gear pedaling and gradually work up to 15 or 20. Stand up on the pedals every fifth minute and pedal standing for one minute, then sit back down and continue.

After the big-gear interval is completed, shift to an easy gear, spin for several minutes to cool down, and then stretch thoroughly after the workout.

When you are able to comfortably do two of the above sessions per week, increase the duration of each workout repeating part two (strength) and part three (big-gear) a second time during each session. The longer sequence will be warm-up, strength exercises, big gear, strength exercises again, and big gear again.

Give it a try for a few months — this workout will help you develop more pedaling power.

Upcoming Events

March 30: Burma Road time trial, angelobike.org/
April 10: Road bike TT Series, angelobike.org
April 12: Moon Pie night trail run, roadlizards.org
April 24: Mountain bike TT Series, angelobike.org
April 26: Lone Wolf Run, roadlizards.org
April 26: Colorado River Bikefest, ballingernoonlions.org
May 16: Relay for Life, relayforlife.org