INDOOR CYCLING: ONE STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE: I’m watching you. In class, anyway. One of the joys of teaching for me is to see my students progress in their cycling skill over time. I recently noted how smoothly student Janet Bergeland was riding. She was in a notably good posture, with a good pedaling action and good energy.
I knew what I was seeing, but I wanted to know what she was feeling. Was she feeling a difference in her riding? I asked her and here is what she said:
∙ “On the road I have fewer problem with moderate hills. Seated climbs are now much easier and the difference is being noticed by others. Improved form and strength has helped me a lot. It’s kind of cool.”
∙ “Those biking shoes that clip to the pedal, I had a hatred of them after trying them out and falling over a few times. I thought I would never learn to clip and unclip and so I avoided them for years. Indoor cycling offered a way for me to overcome my dread and find out I could do it! I love the extra power on the road.”
∙ “The time trials we do in class help me too. I apply this training to a stretch of road that is flat, smooth, four lanes but not real bike friendly. The faster I get it over with the better.”
∙ “Biking in a class I am able to observe the great form and concentration of the more intense/serious athletes. Quiet upper body, smooth circles. I can learn from watching these people that might leave me behind in the dust on the road or bike path. It’s kind of fun.”
Thank you so much, Janet, for those insightful comments. You’re a great learner and a pleasure to have in class.
Come on, what has indoor cycling done for you? Drop me a note, I’d love to hear.
WHY YOU WANT CYCLING SHOES: Your heard Janet testify to the benefits of her cycling shoes and how she has gone from fear to love. Similarly, I've had several students approach me recently with various issues regarding cycling shoes. “What kind should I buy?” “How should they fit?” “What cleats do I need?” Let's see if I can help.
Indoor Cycling can be done in running shoes but it is not the ideal. If you are committed to being a regular participant, I suggest that you invest in proper cycling shoes. But don't think you can't cycle in running shoes, you can. Not having cycling shoes is NOT an excuse to not come. But there are two advantage to cycling shoes.
First, the hard sole protects your foot. All the force of your work in cycling focuses on the relatively small area where the pedal axle meets the shoe. A shoe that flexes in that area can cause problems.
Years ago, I wore a pair of uncleated and softer-soled "cycling" shoes for bicycle touring. I thought it would be more convenient to use them for that purpose since cleats in those days protruded beyond the sole of the shoe and made you walk awkwardly with your toes pointed up in the air. I used them for a three day tour from Des Moines to Madison, Wisconsin with full camping gear. The result was that the forces of pedaling put so much pressure on the bottom of my foot that I ended up having surgery on my plantar facia, the big tendon in the arch of your foot. Nowadays you can have the best of both worlds, because cycling shoes have cleats so small they are "hidden" in the sole of the shoe; but the shoe is still stiff enough to fully protect your foot.
I recommend a racing/ road style cycling shoe, or a mountain bike style shoe. Either should have the very hard sole that fully protects your foot. Cycling sandals or touring style cycling shoes will also work but will probably not have as stiff a sole as a racing type shoe.
The second advantage of a cleated cycling shoe is that it allows you to pull back on the back part of the pedal stroke engaging the hamstring muscles that otherwise are underutilized. Imagine being able to apply more of your leg muscles to the effort of cycling, not just primarily your quadriceps. You will be more efficient and faster.
There are different styles of cycling pedal/cleat/shoe combinations. Spinning bicycles use the popular Shimano SPD style. These cleats were originally mountain bike cleats and so many of the shoes that will fit them are technically mountain bike shoes.
If you go to buy cycling shoes, pay some attention to fit. The shoe should be designed so it does not slip in the heal. But it should also have enough room in the toe box area so that your toes can move a bit and your foot can expand slightly as it gets hot. You will want to try several brands since many cycling shoes are designed to be a bit narrow - particularly the European ones. Sidi has a separate wide model. In my experience, Shimano shoes are also a bit wider. Just try on several brands and see what works best for you.
A proper fitting of a cycling shoe should be done at the bike shop when you buy your shoes. Again, this is a reason to use a local bike shop. Also, when you buy your shoes, have the shop install the correct cleat for your intended use.
Especially at first, I recommend not cinching the velcro closure too tight so that your foot can move slightly from side to side regardless of the adjustment. The design of the shoe at the heel should keep your foot from slipping. You can then fiddle with this as needed, especially if any knee pain develops.
I have never had a student try cycling shoes who hasn’t loved them.
CYCLIST CORE STRENGTH MYTH DEBUNKED: Cyclists Need a Strong Core (True). You can do core exercises on the bike (False).
There is so much misunderstanding about the role of the core in cycling. Most cyclists neglect their core.
You need a strong core to ride well. Think of your core as the platform from which your legs power the pedals. A strong core keeps your platform stable. If you have a shaky platform you will have inefficient movement side to side instead of a strong, stable platform supporting your pedal stroke.
But, this is the key part, you don’t get that stability by consciously engaging your abs. Your core is made up of about 30 different muscles, of which your abs are only one. Your ab muscles (think “six-pack”) don’t hold you on the bike. It’s your hips and adductors in particular that hold you in position and you don’t engage them by “sucking in your abs”, or “engaging your core”. Your strong core takes care of it itself without conscious instruction. Holding your abs in while riding does nothing but restrict your breathing.
So how do you get that strong core? Some people believe that you can improve your core strength by doing various movements on the bike. There is no efficient way to do core exercise on the bike. Consider how hard it is to do a sit ups or crunches? Or to hold a plank? Can you get that kind of feeling while simultaneously pedaling?
Cyclists who want to improve their riding by improving their core strength should visit the gym before or after class. Since the “core” is made up of many different muscles, I recommend doing at least one exercise from each of the following groups in each workout:
1. Exercise in the Saggital plane, where movement is front to back.
2. Exercise in the frontal and transverse planes, where movement is side to side or twisting.
3. Static exercises, such as a “plank” that work the core stabilizers.
4. Exercise designed to strengthen the glutes or butt.
Email me at bill.roach@mchsi.com and I will send you my favorite three exercises in each one of these four categories. And let me know if you have any questions.
WISH TO WILL: Here’s a blog that I think you will like. Leah Newman, a local personal trainer and coach, publishes an excellent blog entitled “Wish to Will”. Her speciality is to cover
holistic health and diet in a compelling and practical way. It’s a nice compliment to this publication, which focuses more specifically on indoor cycling and aerobic exercise. Go to http://www.wishtowill.com to take a look.
KETTLEBELL CLASSES: I teach a kettlebell class Wednesday’s at 9:30am at the YMCA - Healthy Living Center. Cost for each five-week session is $40. The next session starts July 10th.
Kettlebell is a great whole-body strength exercise that can also give you a good cardio kick. And it is fun to throw the darn things around. You don’t need experience. The class is designed as a small group learning experience.
You can register at the front desk if you think it might be a good change for your personal workout.
QUOTE: "Discipline is choosing between what you want NOW, and what you want MOST."
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