Squats, Pedal Stroke and Jumps # 4

The Series continues with squats, isolated moves and pedal strokes and more...a couple more blogs to go on this theme.

Enjoy!

See you in class!

“Squats” and Other Isolated Movements

Isolating the lower body while pedaling might feel like a great exercise for the quadriceps, but it can place undue strain on the knees and spine. Instead, try a hill climb in Hand Position 2.

PEDAL STROKE

Do not pedal backwards or with one foot out of the toe cage or cleat. Pedaling with one leg is an advanced drill that elite cyclists practice on trainers —not fixed gear bikes like the indoor bike. On a indoor bike, these drills have absolutely no benefit, since muscles work the same and burn equal numbers of calories pedaling forward and backward.

JUMPS

Jumps are effective and challenging, but when they’re performed too fast, they don’t do any good. Since the focus of jumps is to create smooth transitions between seated and standing positions, the key is proper speed. If jumps are performed too quickly, the exercise is ineffective.