fundamentals, training, evaluation, recovery

After 2 1/2 weeks of getting back to basics and working on the fundamental pedal stroke, I wanted to see how that work payed off. A full circular pattern isn't automatic yet, but comfortable to sustain even at high cadance. It's not so tough anymore to sustain 200+ watts on the flats with a cadance of 100+rpms. Power feels smooth and consistent thru the whole pedal stroke. My quads and VMOs don't get as fatigues and are spared for very high intensity efforts.

My interval session last week evaluated all the work that was done and there was impressive data. I did 6 x 1min efforts in the saddle. Past intervals: 400-450watt averages. This session was 450-500watts. That about a 10% increase in sustained power. Possible explination are the 2 1/2 week break from all the hard training allowed my body to rest and recover. In addition, the pedal stroke and cadance work allows for more consistent output of power thru the whole power stroke and not letting my quads fatigue and activating other support muscles.

Unfortunately, a couple days after my interval training, I began experiencing posterior knee pain on the left possibly from biceps femoris strain and associated semimembranosus/semitendinosus compensation and pain. I think this was due to the fact that the bike that I did the pedal stroke training on was different bike than the bike that I resumed my intense training and intervals which I think the saddle heigh was a couple millimeters higher. This has caused me to reduce my intensity and scale down my workout, seek soft tissue work, and sit out of upcoming races.

Today's ride is the 1st time in a week where I felt almost back to normal ~90%. I had one incident of hamstring dysfunction while climbing out of the saddle at a relatively fast turnover. I was able to have multiple moderate efforts holding 25+ mph and high cadance.

So for now, I miss keep the intensity moderate until I am able to have a training session without and strain or awareness then it'll be back to threshold and interval training, spin ups, and climbing efforts.

What shape are you? D, O, □

I had an epiphany last week after talking to my teammate. He just had a lactate threshold performance test with Robbie Ventura a day after Ventura returned to the states from the Tour.
He told Benjamin lots of things about his form. One thing important is that Benjamin wasn't firing his hamstrings during his pedal stroke. Meaning he only pedals on the down stroke- 2-6 o'clock.

I evaluated my pedal stroke and realized that I pretty much have the same pattern. This equates to being about 40% efficient as you do not have consistent power throughout your whole stroke. Your cranks are circular, why isn't your pedal stroke the same?

If you're only activating your quads through the stroke, you really only have a downward pattern. If you pull up as well, your stroke is a square pattern. If you think of providing consistent power through he whole stroke, then you are more circular eliminating as much passive stroke as possible. You will build more stabilizer and hamstring strength and have a more consistent turnover.

So for the next 2 weeks, my focus will be working on pedal stroke and turnover until it is habituated and I don't have to think about circles. Putting the interval and threshold training on hold because there's no point if you do get the basics correct.

*images above from: Biomechanics of Sport, by Christopher L. Vaughan