If you don’t have the right form and technique, you not only lose out on a great workout, but you may be putting your body at unnecessary risk.

Hand Position

Ride with your hands in a position that feels comfortable for you. Move your hands around and experiment to see what works best for you. Avoid placing unnecessary weight in your arms regardless of the riding profile. Leaning on the bars means that you are tired and need to take a break. You will not get stronger and see improvement if you ride in this position and it can place unnecessary stress on body leading to injury. Also avoid placing your wrists in a flexed position for extended periods of time. This weight bearing, flexed wrist position has been associated with overuse injuries. To help reduce the likelihood of this occurring, change your hand positions often throughout class (taking the weight out of your arms and wrists) and keep your wrists in a neutral position as much as possible.

Torso Position

Maintaining a neutral spine while riding is ideal for improving torso function, reducing risk of chronic back pain or injuries and improving pedal stroke efficiency. However, because the hip is always flexed while riding and many people have reduced low back and hamstring flexibility, riding in this position can be challenging at first. Below are helpful ways to maintain a neutral torso position: (in order by priority)

1. Your body should always be centered over the center axis of the pedal in standing and seated positions; with your hips neither too far forward nor too far back.

2. Avoid rolling back through your pelvis and rounding your low back. This immediately encourages your entire spine to flex. Try rotating your pelvis slightly forward and lift with your tailbone upward. Sit on your "sit bones" rather than the top of your glutes.

3. Retract and depress your shoulders as if you are trying to pull your shoulder blades towards the center of your spine and into your hip pockets. Relax the upper back and arms to encourage your shoulders to drop.

4. Pull your elbows in comfortably close to your body, regardless of the hand position. Never rest your forearms on your handlebars. This position is cheating and means you are too tired to continue so sit up and take a break instead.

5. Keep your head in line with your spine. Focus a few feet in front of the flywheel. Dropping your head and looking towards your feet causes your shoulders to round forward which in turn rounds your back. This rounding motion compresses your lungs and rib cage making your breathing more shallow. By compressing the lungs and breathing incorrectly, much needed oxygen will not get to your working muscles making your ride less efficient.

Intensity Scale

STRENGTH

Maximum

Unable to continue with proper form. Muscles are fatigued. Need to strain to complete the repetition/ revolution.

Hard/Challenging

Starting to sense muscle fatigue. Able to perform 2 or 3 more repetitions with correct form.

Endurance/Moderate

Ability to feel the muscles contracting. Can perform work while maintaining proper form and alignment

Easy

Can do unlimited repeptitions.

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

CARDIO

Maximum

Ability to maintain the intensity for only 1-2 min. Breathless. Unable to talk.

Endurance Edge

Ability to train at this intensity for 8-10 min. at the most. Unable to carry on a conversation. Can give one or two word answers. Nearly breathless.

Endurance/Moderate

Training aerobically. Able to sustain workload for 30 min. or longer. Can converse during this intensity.

Easy

Can continue for an extended period of time. Very little exertion. Warm up. Cool downs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riding Profiles

When cycling outdoors, riders often change their profile (position) to improve efficiency, power and comfort. There are many variables, including terrain or wind, that might cause a rider to switch from a standard seated position to a standing position. This might also be the time when a rider changes gears or adjusts the RPM's to successfully overcome the challenge that lies ahead. I design my classes the same way. There are various profiles and RPM ranges that are incorporated into the class to provide variety, increase comfort and improve fitness.

Seated Flat

The most basic movement in group cycling, the seated flat helps build strength, stamina and a strong fitness base. As with real outdoor cycling, we add gear (resistance) to increase our speed which in turn, slows our leg speed to generate more power into the pedal stroke. The more intense the flat the wider your hands should be. Be sure you lengthen your spine and take the weight out of your glutes. Keep your chest lifted and gaze forward instead of down so your lungs can expand fully to supply your working muscles with enough oxygen. Although your upper and middle back may flex slightly, avoid rolling back on your pelvis and rounding out your low back. Try to maintain a neutral spine.

Seated Climb

The seated climb challenges your lower body, targeting the glutes and hamstrings for strength, toning and definition. More resistance is used to replicate an outdoor climbing experience. Make sure your legs are moving in a fluid oval pattern and your feet in circles; floating horizontally rather than vertically. Never compromise resistance for form.

Standing Climb

The standing climb is an out-of-the-saddle hill climb used to strengthen and define leg muscles, particularly the quadriceps. The body is more horizontal than vertical and hips are over the middle of the saddle so that your body is over the center axis of the pedal. Make sure you bend at your hips rather than round through your waist and mid back.

FORM

Proper form is an essential part of a cycling class. If you don’t have the right form and technique, you not only lose out on a great workout , you may be putting your body at unnecessary risk. Remember there is no competition in group cycling. Find the right gear and pace that feels best for you.

In all positions:

Excessive upper body movement, including crunches, push ups and excessive side-to-side leaning is not only inefficient and bio-mechanically incorrect, it can throw off your balance and possibly strain your back, hips, knees, etc. If you want to build upper body or ab strength, dedicate time to these exercises in a separate strength building session — off the bike. 

Excessive lower body movement is also inefficient and unsafe. If you're butt is doing the "cha-cha" you need to add more resistance. Figure Eights with your hips or entire body puts your body at risk for injury. And spelling your name with your butt is just silly nonsense. These movements are all old school and haven't been allowed in class for years so don't do them on your own and take the chance and get hurt.

Bouncing

Many indoor cyclists have the impession that in order to work harder they need to pedal faster. This is not only incorrect but unsafe. In order to pedal at this higher cadence the resistance needs to be very low which is the only reason why they can pedal that fast. If you rode in this manner outside you would go nowhere. In outdoor cycling we add resistance, making the body work harder to move the bike faster but the legs are actually moving slower because we're getting more power into the pedal stroke. Due to the mechanics of the indoor bike and its 38 lb flywheel that will pedal all by itself when there is not enough resistance against it, when you ride too fast or with too little resistance it causes bouncing in the saddle or pedals because the flywheel is in control not you. These bouncing/shaking/jarring sensations travel through your knees, hips and spine leading to potential injury. When the resistance is too low and he cadence too fast the momentum of the flywheel is doing all the work. You need to add enough resistance so you are moving the flywheel therefore you are working harder to turn the pedals. Injuries occur in and around the knee because the quadricep muscle is not engaging. When the quadricep muscle is contracted it helps keep your kneecap tracking correctly. When the legs are moving without enough resistance the quadricep muscle will not contract to keep the kneecap tracking properly leaving it vulnerable to injury. The faster you spin your legs the more likely your kneecap will come flying off.....not literally of course but the more vulnerable you become to an injury. More resistance means more muscle activation, increased muscle strength and endurance, which equals more caloric expenditure and less stress on the joints and connective tissue.

Riding Posture

Your body should always be over the center axis of the pedal in all standing and seated positions. Avoid moving your hips, knees and body too far forward or too far back.

Pedal Stroke

Imagine your feet moving in circles around the face of a clock. The 12:00 position is when one foot is in the highest position. The opposite foot will in turn be in the 6:00 position, or in the lowest position, closest to the floor. The 3:00 and 9:00 positions are when one foot is all the way forward and the opposite foot is all the way back. Whether sitting or standing, the position of the pedal stroke between 2:00 and 4:00 should be the hardest. So the resistance is heavier on the front of the pedal stroke and lightest at the back of the pedal stroke. Your legs and feet should move in a fluid revolution no matter what gear, cadence or position you are doing. Do not pedal backwards or one leg at a time. Always keep both feet in the toe cages or cleats.

Taking a few minutes before your cycling class starts to check out your bike's "fit" can help prevent injury and improve your technique. The chart below can help you identify trouble areas.

PROBLEM	POSSIBLE CAUSE
Pain in front of knee	Saddle too low or too far foward, not enough resistance
Crotch and butt discomfort; uncomfortable ride; Achilles tendinitis, hamstring, lower-back, hip problems; pain in back of knee	Saddle too high, handlebars too low
Lower-back, crotch, butt  discomfort	Saddle too far forward, handlebars too low
Hamstring problems; lower-back pain; Achilles tendinitis	Saddle too far back, handlebars too low
Tingling, numbness in hands, wrists; shoulder pain	Handlebars too low
Impaired pedaling (pushing down instead of making circles)	Not enough resistance
Numbness, tingling in feet	Shoes too narrow; pedal straps too tight
Arch pain; plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the fibrous tissue of the sole)	Wearing soft-soled, noncycling shoes
Source: IDEA Health & Fitness Association

TECHNIQUE TIPS 

• Try to “float” or balance your body horizontally, eliminating any bobbing, bouncing or dead spots in the movements that come from hitting 6:00 and 12:00 when there's too little resistance on the flywheel.
• While pedaling, your feet should disappear for a split second at aprrox. the 8:00 position. If not, you might be pedaling “bow-legged”. Try pulling your knees in slightly.
• Think of the pedal revolution as an oval rather than a line or piston. Imagine your legs floating horizontally. When the resistance is heavy enough your feet will naturally move corrrectly. The resistance should be heaviest at the front of the pedal stroke and lightest at the back of the pedal stroke.
• Relax your arms and loosen your grip and try to use your arms and hands for stability and balance.
• Remember your arms won’t get you up hill, neither will clenching your teeth. Take any unnecessary tension out of your upper body and redirect that energy down to your legs.
• Let your belly relax or hang and stay focused on your relaxed breathing.