Marathon & Beyond -- The web site for marathoners and ultrarunners.

Marathon and Beyond

News You Can Use -- Cross-Training & Triathlons

The Technique of Pedaling By Mark Evans

Learning to ride "right" is more than clipping in and letting the circular mechanics of the chain ring and cranks do the work for you. Cyclists need to think and to direct the motion of their feet. In its simplest form, an optimal pedaling stroke works forward and downward. It does not push down and then pull up, but rather has an oval-shaped (elliptical) motion stressing the downstroke-a forward and downward movement of the foot during the downstroke. To illustrate how this feels, find a moderately inclined hill. As you begin the gentle ascent, note how the pedal stroke tends to emphasize the front portion (downstroke); that is, the foot presses with more emphasis on the downstroke than during any other section of the pedal stroke. This is how the downstroke should be performed in nearly all terrain.

I developed and have used sector (phase) training for years in teaching the importance of the downstroke and improving the neuromuscular coordination of the other, less important phases of the pedaling stroke. Sectors refer to the four phases of the pedal stroke, and sector training concentrates on developing each phase separately. The backstroke, upstroke, and overstroke are what I call transitional phases of the pedal stroke. These phases do not play particularly important roles in total power output but lead into and out of the downstroke. Still, practicing these less important sectors improves the movement and efficiency of the entire stroke.

The foot and pedal move circularly, but the force applied to the pedal varies around the 360 degrees of the pedaling revolution. The position of the foot (toe up or down) varies as well according to the technique or preference of the rider. In general, during the 0 to 180 degrees (top dead center to bottom dead center) of the downstroke, the toe tends to point slightly upward, whereas in the 180- to 360-degree range, the toe generally points more downward.

Usually, the backstroke, upstroke, and overstroke are best trained independently in workouts. For example, a cyclist might do 3 x 2 minutes, concentrating on each secondary sector. During those 2 minutes, the other sections of the stroke are diminished. This should be followed by 3 to 6 minutes with emphasis on the downstroke (eliminate focus on other sectors entirely).

1. Downstroke: The downstroke begins as the foot and pedal move from 0 to 180 degrees, with the more propulsive section between 45 and 135 degrees. The motion of the foot should be directed forward and downward during the downstroke. Later, I'll discuss some drills and technical exercises to help you improve this important motion of the foot; however, the single most important pedaling tip I can offer is to maintain constant concentration on pressing the foot forward and downward on the pedal.

In race conditions, the amount of force generated by the downstroke is more than 96 percent of total power. This leaves roughly 4 percent for the rest of the pedaling stroke. Yet many athletes consciously try to pull up on the pedals, which contributes very little to total power output. By pedaling in a rounded or elliptical motion, the cyclist should continually strive to emphasize the forward and downward motion (downstroke).

2. Backstroke: The backstroke is the sector immediately following the downstroke in which the transition from the downstroke ends on one side and begins on the other. The backstroke overlaps with the downstroke and upstroke and is made by pulling backward and upward from approximately 120 to 220 degrees (4 to 8 o'clock). While in this sector, the opposite foot and pedal are entering the downstroke. The backstroke is a transitional phase and should be emphasized only in specific technique workouts.

3. Upstroke: For upstroke drills, the emphasis is on pulling upward from 270 to 360 degrees. Do not pull up when riding normally, as there is little if any power benefit (probably less than 5 percent). You may want to work this aspect when out of the saddle on hills or moderately rolling terrain, however.

4. Overstroke: The overstroke is the last transitional movement and precedes the downstroke by pressing forward over the top from about 320 to 20 degrees. As with any of these sectors, drill exercises are an important part of training. I recommend training sectors regularly as part of the warm-up, during breaks between intervals, when riding with a slower friend, or during the warm-down. There are virtually countless ways to design these workouts: time (8 x 30 seconds at each of the four sectors), distance (4 x 250 meters at each sector), or revolutions (four sets of 2 x 100 revolutions at each sector), and so on.

Later in this chapter, I'll describe particular drills and exercise techniques for improving these four sectors. Training these sectors independently improves the transition from one phase to the next and thereby increases pedaling efficiency. Remember, however, that the most powerful phase of the pedaling stroke is the downstroke.

Use of Muscles

The major muscles used in the pedaling motion are the vastus medialis and lateralis, gastrocnemius lateralis, and soleus. Although there are variations among individuals due to biomechanics, equipment, pedal and foot interfaces, intensity, and terrain, for the most part, riders use similar muscle groups in cycling. During the downstroke, the rectus femoris (flexor of the hip and knee extensor) is most active when the hip is extending (pushing downward and forward on the pedals). Additionally, the gluteus muscles are highly active during this phase, and the hamstrings and biceps femoris oppose this motion and stabilize the movement. Once at the bottom of the stroke, the hamstrings are highly active, driving the pedal backward and upward. Next, the tibialis anterior activates during the upstroke, and the gastrocnemius muscles act to balance ankle movement on the top of the pedal stroke.

Importance of Cadence

It is important to know that cadence (revolutions per minute of the pedal/crank arm) can be, and is, variable. No cyclist rides at any one set level of rpms due to changes in gear selection, terrain, wind, glycogen and energy reserves, and simply choice. However, experienced cyclists tend to increase their cadence as workload increases, thus reducing their energy expenditure. On the other hand, slower cadences require more energy and higher oxygen consumption (VO2max) than faster cadences. Perhaps this is why good climbers tend to spin at faster rates.

Is there an optimum cadence? Yes and no! More correctly, there are ranges of optimum cadences for different types of events, individual physiology and fitness, muscle fibers, gearing, terrain, and other environmental conditions. Cadences vary in relation to energy stores, length of ride, wind conditions, elevation, and type of terrain (hilly or flat). These variations are not as broad as you may think, yet there are differences, so there is no one set rule-except the shorter the event, the lower the cadence.

The same is true for heart rates, as discussed in chapter 1. There are just too many variables to set yourself into a specific targeted heart rate. Yet using perceived exertion (chapter 1) is one of the best ways to manage cadence and energy. Pedal pressure changes are the first indicator that pedaling rate is either too fast or too slow. As the forces required to press the pedal increase, there is a corresponding mental perception (RPE) that higher intensity is required to maintain a given cadence. When this happens, it's time to shift to a lighter gear to maintain a uniform pace. Conversely, with a lighter pedal force, as the rpms increase, the perceived exertion lessens as the athlete needs to shift into a harder gear ratio. The fact is, cyclists should shift gears frequently on the basis of intensity (perceived exertion). This is an excellent way to manage energy and optimize speed.

The most efficient cadences typically fall between 60 and 120 rpm. On flats, you'll likely be close to 90 rpm, and on hills, about 70 rpm (±10). There will be occasions when the cadence exceeds 120 rpm, for example, downhill and downwind conditions. Additionally, the cadence may fall below 60 rpm when climbing a very steep grade. It depends on the athlete's fitness and the gearing used, but these instances will be infrequent and should not affect performance significantly. However, on courses with particularly hilly or flat and downwind conditions, the athlete is wise to consider gearing choices most suitable for his conditioning and the course.

Excerpted from Endurance Athlete's Edge, 1997, by Marc Evans.

Additional Cross-Training and Triathlons' excerpts--Sleamaker and Niles.