Waking up those leg muscles

[Blew it]

From my early twenties up to a few years ago, my prefered method of keeping fit was a weight training regime of an aerobic nature rather than bodybuilding. This method uses light weights, high repetitions and quickly moving to the next excersize in the sequence before the pulse and breathing rate return to "resting". This type of weight training is designed to improve stamina, prevent muscle strains and of course, ensures excellent cardiovascular function.

In the many months I have been following this forum, I have often noticed that people returning to cycling have more than a little trouble bringing those soft leg muscles back into use. Perhaps I could offer a few tips on doing that.

A great many muscle groups are involved with riding a bike, but let's keep it simple and just deal with the muscle on the front of the upper leg that provides most of the power in pushing those pedals down, The quadricep, the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. When excersizing this, or any muscle to exhaustion, with the exception of the abdominals, it is vitaly important to allow a 48 hour "recovery" period before repeating the excersise. Failing to do so results in the development of a "short" muscle, lacking in elasticity and prone to injury and cramping.

Might I suggest, in the first month of returning to cycling, that you avoid riding every day, doing so will actually prolong the time it takes to become a strong pedaller. Much better to ride on alternate days until the strength returns to your legs. Remember the 48 hours "recovery" period. It will greatly ease your return to cycling. Ride it one day, polish it the next, then ride again the following day and so on.

Hope this helps

Bob

[HarryB]

Say if anybody had been stupid enough to ride everyday and got short stumpy muscles prone to injury and cramp, are there any exercises that one could do to improve the muscle tone? Or is there nothing you can do? I personally find it is my buttocks that feel the strain rather than the other muscles - makes sitting down uncomfortable as I seem to have replaced the nice comfortable fat with muscle.

[Blew it]

Hi HarryB,

Good question, and I have to confess I don't really know the answer as to how to reverse the effect you speak of. I would think, that extending the range of flexation would eventually elongate the muscle to its correct length.

The Glutes (buttocks) and also the hamstrings come into play when smartly pulling the leg rearwards as in preparing to kick a football. A rider using toe clips would also bring these muscles into use when drawing the pedal round at the bottom of the power stroke thereby assisting the start of the power stroke by the other leg. Do you use toe clips?.

If the frame size is too small or the saddle set too low, the legs would not extend to almost straight at the bottom of the power stroke resulting in a short muscle.
Perhaps we need to think about the saddle type. A wide comfort type supports the riders weight mainly on the soft tissue of the buttocks. Muscles bunched up in such a way cannot flex freely and a problem may well ensue. My own saddle is of the very narrow type with a maximum width at the rear of five inches. My weight is almost entirely supported on my pubic bone which I much prefer, even though most of my riding is on very rough rural offroad routes.

One final suggestion. The best source of advice regarding the setting up of a bike, has to be on the late Sheldon Brown's websight, It's an absolute gold mine of information.

Best wishes

Bob

[HarryB]

Thanks for the info. I used to go to a gym but thought it pretty pointless as if I am going to exercise, much better to make it useful, by going somewhere. I suppose the downside is that you don't have the support and information that you would have with a trainer (but they are out of my price range anyway).