by adam on Nov.16, 2011, under Biomechanics, Sports
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If you’re a big fan of using power to measure your cycling performance and you train on multiple bikes with different geometry, you may notice that your power outputs will be slightly different depending on the bike you are on. If this is the case, don’t be alarmed, you’re $2000 powermeter probably isn’t broken rather your engine may not be operating at full capacity. The most noticeable discrepancy will be from road to tri bikes. The reason can be explained by simple biomechanics. The main function of triathlon bikes was to increase a riders aerodynamics but as a secondary function the more aggressive seat tube angle will allow the legs to be saved for the run.
When we ride in a traditional road setup, we heavily rely on our quad muscles to produce power and extend our knee. The same holds true for a tri setup, however, to a lesser extent. As we shift forward in our position on the bike we begin to get more recruitment from our hamstrings and glute muscles to deliver force and, as such, get less contribution from our quads. The trade off for getting off the bike is that our quads will be less fatigued making the transition to running much easier. While running, the quads typically function to assist in decelerating the leg with every step, so in the long run, tired quads are a bad thing. The power discrepancy, however, comes from the fact that most people have a weaker posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes) and rely more on their quads, which is reasonable considering the quadriceps muscle group is one of the strongest in our body. The situation, however is not hopeless and you can improve your power output in the tri position by doing some simple strengthening exercises. Exercises such as RDL’s, squats, lunges, and hamstring curls are all great for improving overall leg strength. If you would like a list of some exercises, please feel free to email me and I can send some for you to try. In addition to strengthening, activating that now strong posterior chain near the bottom of the pedal stroke will help eliminate the “dead spot” at BDC of the pedal stroke. Using the analogy of scrapping mud off the bottom of your shoe is a good visual to keep in mind during training to help improve your overall power output. Give those a try and see how that can improve your performance for next year! Cheers, Adam Redmond |
Biking Central Park
by adam on Sep.26, 2011, under Nutrition
Thanks very much for stopping by our blog this week. It’s been a while since I’ve updated our blog but I was recently in New York at the beginning of September and if you ever get the opportunity to visit NYC in the fall, take the trip. The week that we were there just happened to be the same time that the US Open for Tennis was on as well as the NY Jets home opener on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. We actually got to see the game live at the new Meadowlands Stadium and it was quite the spectacle to see the game alone but given the significance of the game, it was very special to witness.
If you’ve ever been to New York, you know that there are endless activities to do along with hundreds of sights to see. Central Park is usually on the list of things to see for every tourist but we decided to see it from the perspective of a 5 speed rental bike. We couldn’t have asked for a better day for a “ride in the park” but it was amazing to see the number of road cyclists and triathletes making laps around the park to get their training in. Obviously getting out for a long ride in the country is tough for most New Yorkers but it was great to see how people were still able to get their training in. I know I definitely take it for granted being able to go 30 minutes down the road and have endless stretches of highway to ride but after seeing how difficult it is in places like New York, it definitely makes me appreciate what we’ve got right in our backyard.
Like I said though, if you get the opportunity to see NYC in the fall, take the trip because it is one you won’t forget.
I wanted to also quickly mention all of our partners and sponsors that we have working with us throughout the year. We have many coaches and teams that refer their athletes to us for bike fittings but now that the outdoor season is winding down, it’s time to start thinking about off-season training plans. We have aligned ourselves with some of the best coaches in the city and I strongly encourage everyone to check out what each coach has to offer so you are able to take your training and racing to the next level for the start of the 2012 season. For a full list of all the coaches we work with, check out www.speedmatrix.ca/about/links.
Thanks again for stopping by our blog this week!
Cheers,
Adam Redmond
Speed Matrix Canada
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