How to recruit your hamstrings and glutes with flats
04-07-17, 09:28 PM
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How to recruit your hamstrings and glutes with flats
Hey guys, so my commuter bicycle has flat pedals and I don't want to put clip or clipless pedals because commuting in the city is much easier with flats.
I'm having a hard time recruiting my hams and glutes when I'm cycling with flats. Its much easier on the road bike with clipless because I can simply pull up with my hams and glutes. Tips?
I'm having a hard time recruiting my hams and glutes when I'm cycling with flats. Its much easier on the road bike with clipless because I can simply pull up with my hams and glutes. Tips?
04-08-17, 06:08 AM
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Get some Power Grips!
I think they work better than clipless, and since they are soft, it's not a big deal if you don't get your foot in them.
I think they work better than clipless, and since they are soft, it's not a big deal if you don't get your foot in them.
04-10-17, 09:20 AM
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Ask Tiger Woods how to activate your glutes.
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04-10-17, 09:51 AM
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TENS unit with pads on each cheek and a couple on each massive guad.
04-10-17, 07:27 PM
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I was given a pair of powergrips, and I hate them. Too hard to get into and out of. I use toe clips on the road and flats around town. A set of spiked, mtb pedals will allow for some pull back at the bottom of the stroke though.
04-12-17, 06:36 AM
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I used my MTB spiked flats which helped a little. I started pointing my toes down just after the down stroke at about the 5 O'clock position. I could immediately feel the engagement of my hams and glutes and I felt like I had a much more rounded pedal stroke. This translated well with all my pedals and now I just have to make this second nature even with my clipless pedals.
04-12-17, 07:54 AM
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So I'm probably just feeling it more in my hams which feels a bit weird to me -- but I think that's a good weird feeling. I do think its easier to recruit glutes in general but I always associate my hamstrings with my glutes for some reason.
04-12-17, 08:37 AM
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Why need hamstrings and glutes commuting city flats? How about practice high cadence, say, average 105-120?
04-12-17, 09:16 AM
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My city commuter is a single speed. I went from 50T-17T to a 50-19T but any change in the gearing and I'd need a larger chain honestly...
04-12-17, 09:35 AM
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04-12-17, 11:10 AM
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A guy on a group ride commented I have large quads but my hams looked lacking. I think pedaling more efficiently with flats will help all disciplines of cycling that I do.
My city commuter is a single speed. I went from 50T-17T to a 50-19T but any change in the gearing and I'd need a larger chain honestly...
My city commuter is a single speed. I went from 50T-17T to a 50-19T but any change in the gearing and I'd need a larger chain honestly...
It's hard to train hams at city flats with platform pedals. If you want to train them on a bike, steep hill (8-10%) repeats do wonders.
Depending on your riding styles and the distance of your ride, certain muscle masses could work against you. For example, I rarely see good climbers with large quads. Even if they do, most likely they won't last in long climbs. Almost all of the good looking muscles gained from artificial body building are useless in cycling.
04-12-17, 11:14 AM
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04-12-17, 12:31 PM
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Single speed and flats are incompatible IME. At least put clips and straps on or switch the flats out for rat-traps that'll take clips. When I was a kid and worked in downtown Seattle, I commuted in clips and straps. No way of getting up those hills in plain flats. It works. Just don't tighten the right strap and don't tuck that one in the buckle.
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04-12-17, 05:17 PM
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Try to be mindful of pressing into your heels rather than toes - this is a cue we use in Pilates. It'll recruit your glutes more rather than your quads. Pressing into the front part of the foot will recruit your quads to straighten your leg.
I'm not sure of the neurological underpinnings of this but there should be some medicos on this board that can enlighten us.
I'm not sure of the neurological underpinnings of this but there should be some medicos on this board that can enlighten us.
04-13-17, 06:36 AM
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I didn't think my post would be quoted like this ... I'm face palming at my office right now. I deserve this I guess.
