Muscle Recruitment - Cycling Stroke

That is so cool!  I've never seen it broken down like that!

I'm going to pass that one on.

that is really interesting!

That pic may be that's why people think they need to do weights to be a stronger cyclist though - that guy is ripped!  

How should a pedal stroke "feel"? There's two different ways I've noticed pedaling and not sure which is right.

The really cool thing about this picture is that if you picture yourself pedaling on a bike in slow-mo you can actually visualize which muscles are being used when comparing it to the picture. Thanks for posting this by the way its really neat!

Fred D - 2013-05-02 10:31 AM

gsmacleod - 2013-05-02 10:00 AM My LBS linked this image this morning; thought it was worth sharing: Shane

Very kewl! I wonder if it matters if you ride seat forward (tri positioning) vs. road cycling position where the seat is usually further back on the timing of muscle recruitment?

Considering that the primary difference between a road fit and tri/TT fit from the waist down is a forward rotation around the BB, I'd guess that it's the same, only everything gets rotated clockwise a couple degrees.

Interesting as the green part of the cycle stroke is exactly the part of the stroke I have hip flexor pain...it's dead on for me.  It's kept me off the bike for a year.

Thanks for sharing Shane!

Very interesting presentation.  I'm sure I'll be thinking a lot about it on my next ride.  It's useful to visualize which groups kick in where/when.

x2

I guess I'm surprised that the glutes are the key muscles engaged during 12-3...always imagined that was more of quads (maybe not at top of the stroke, but starting around 1 or so)

Unfortunately, I bet you're right, Arend.

People will look at this, and try to use it to justify training muscles instead of energy pathways.

The graphic shows which muscle groups "should" fire during a good pedal stroke, not necessarily which ones do.  This recruitment needs to be learned.  Practicing one leg circles on a trainer or flat roads are one way to begin understanding (or confirm) the correct feel.  Good post by the OP.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with me, too.  When I look down at my leg, I don't see those colors at all.

Alternatively, you can 'learn' it by pedalling a lot with you feet on the pedals.  If you are in a good position, it's almost impossible not to end up with those muscles firing in that order.

So you don't train energy pathways through strength training?

you do, but you'll get 30 reps total in the gym, and you'll get 30 reps in 20 seconds on the bike

Run up hill.