Riding In Circles

Hamstring issues used to plague me.  I wasn't sure WHAT I was doing wrong, until I tried to ride in a higher cadence - more spinning, less pushing. 

Here's a handy tip to perfecting your cycling endurance and skill: try Perfect Circles. 

You create a perfect circle by thinking horizontally instead of just up and down.  Imagine wiping your foot at the bottom of the stroke and then reaching your knees toward the handlebar up top.  In other words, ride like the circles on your pedals are bigger than they actually are.  Keep them smooth, keep them even.  It helps to listen for that consistent cadence, eliminating the push push push from the top of the cycle stroke to the bottom. 

I like to practice single leg drills on my trainer at home.  It gives you a LOT of insight into what leg is stronger than the other, and which leg is doing more work.  Set a chair next to your bike and trainer and take one leg out at a time for sets of 4 x 30 circles, or something like that.  Drills are helpful in EVERY sport and we don't spend enough time on them in the cycling world.

Give it a whirl today.