In today’s discussion we are going to cover the concept of body position – in particular the benefit of maintaining a stable core across the entire spinal and pelvic range.
Why is a stable pelvis so important for a cyclist? If we assess our riding styles, any cyclist will have experienced a ‘tired’ or sore back from time to time and a consequent decrease in power the more fatigued you become. This is often due to the ‘core muscles’ – the stabilisers of your spine and pelvis – getting tired and your hips and/or mid and lower back starting to sway with every pedal stroke.
Having a stable platform is potentially the most important aspect to technique in cycling. Without a stable pelvis and mid back, energy is lost, speed drops and you can put yourself at risk of injury.
One way to ensure you are able to keep your pelvis and upper back stable when pedaling is to practice ’tilting’ your pelvis over 3-5 seconds before holding it steady for 10 seconds as soon as you sit on the saddle. On the second or third movement, hold the middle position and imagine ‘seeing’ the muscles that are contracting gently to hold it in this stance.
Gently start to pedal with low to moderate load – think 50-60% of your FTP as a guide – at around 85-90rpm, trying to keep even pressure the whole way round the pedal stroke whilst keeping those pelvic muscles engaged. I like to call this ‘tracing the chain’ to give you an image of what we are trying to achieve.
Once you are comfortable with this, try to ensure that you follow the same principles as the intensity increases and concentrate on the even pedaling pressure whilst keeping the pelvis stable. Most people find that with concentration they can do it for 15-20 seconds – but it becomes very tiring the longer it goes on, especially as the intensity increases!
That’s completely ok – as with anything athletic, the more you are aware of things and the more you practice them the more natural the process becomes.
The same approach can be taken with your thoracic stability – your upper spine. Having a stable thoracic spine whilst pedaling ensures energy is not lost through your shoulders swaying or your chest dipping. Learning how to activate the muscles which stabilise your thoracic spine on the bike can be as simple as practicing the movement patterns when holding the hoods of your bike.
Sit in the saddle, moderately grip the bars with slightly bent or ‘soft’ elbows and lift your head into a natural, neutral position. Next, imagine you are allowing your shoulder blades to drop down towards your hips (away from your ears). Your shoulder blades should sit in neutral position and be flat against your rib cage with some moderate tension.
This is naturally a difficult process to get your head around in the first instance but we’ll continue to reinforce these technique points to you while you are working under load in your Echelon classes.
It is usually best to get used to controlling your pelvis and ‘tracing the chain’ at the first instance, as this is the point where more energy is lost and what contributes to the dreaded sore back after riding hard and/or long.
Seeing a personal trainer can also make a huge difference in creating a stable platform, especially when combined with understanding the method of efficient positioning and pedaling. Echelon Cycling Studios is owned by the great folk at Life PT – please enquire with your coach and they will put you in touch with Kristin, Tanya or one of their fantastic trainers! www.lifept.com.au
As always, please remember that our coaches love giving you the tools to take out on the road/trails to enjoy our wonderful sport. If you would like to focus on any areas on your technique, please make sure your coach is aware so we can provide particular feedback to you in class.
Ride safe!
Kym Howard – Senior Coach