Speed Drills For the Cyclist
Form A Better Season
by Gale Bernhardt of the Performance Associates

Ahhhh, a new year -- somehow, January 1 brings new resolutions, new goals and new enthusiasm. If you begin logging long hours now, doing the same workouts you'll be doing in May, I'm guessing your enthusiasm will be worn thin by the time the summer race season arrives. One good way to keep your enthusiasm fresh, and perhaps improve your race season, is to focus on form this time of the year.

During the winter months, try to refrain from making every indoor cycling session a movie experience. Watching a movie once per week, if you're stuck indoors for your long ride is fine, but don't do it every indoor training session. I suggest athletes do form drills at least once per week during the winter months. Yes, even those of you who train in nice weather year-round need to work on form.

Why do drills? Some drills provide neuromuscular stimulation, intended to improve economy. Perfect practice makes perfect - not just "practice makes perfect." Eliminating any dead spots in your pedal stroke, using isolated-leg drills, can improve your economy.

Another way to improve economy is to increase the rate at which oxygen is delivered to the muscles. High-speed spinning, with a minimal load, allows oxygen to be delivered to working muscles at increased rates, but it isn't an extremely stressful workout. I'll suggest some drills to do now and how to carry good form through the race season.

Form Drills for the Bike

Drill B1) This drill will improve your ability to make smooth circles and improve your pedaling economy. Now: Put your bike on a wind trainer and set the resistance low. Place a chair or stool on either side of your bike, so you can place your foot on it, while the other foot pedals by itself. After warming-up 10-15 minutes, alternate 30 seconds of spinning with your right leg only, 30 seconds of spinning with your left leg only, and 1 minute with both legs. This is not an 'aerobic' workout, so don't worry about getting your heart rate into some particular training zone. Instead, worry about making smooth circles with each leg. When you first start doing this drill, you might find you have a "dead spot" at the top of your pedal stroke, where your foot seems to stall-out. By practicing this drill, you are trying to eliminate that stall. This is called "Isolated Leg Training" or ILT drills. Slowly work your way up to doing around 10 minutes - total accumulated time- of ILT work for each leg, during a single session.

Next season: In long training rides or races, "unweight" one leg for five pedal strokes and let the other one pedal smooth circles, then switch legs. This reminds you to pedal efficiently, while giving your legs a break. Try it, I think you'll find you won't lose speed, and it feels as if your legs get a rest.

Drill B2) Too many athletes get on an indoor trainer and pedal for endless time, at a single speed. Vary your leg speed with "Form Spins". Now: Warm-up 10 minutes, spinning 80-90 rpm, with the trainer on a light setting. (This can be done on rollers too.) Then, spin 4 minutes at 90 rpm, 3 minutes at 100 rpm, 2 minutes at 110 rpm and 1 minute at 120+ rpm. You can do this as a long warm-up or you can repeat it a couple times, as an entire workout. You should be trying to keep your butt on the bicycle seat (no bouncing) and your toes should be relaxed. Can you wiggle your toes at high rpm? Next season: Once per week, on a mostly easy ride, include a couple of form-sprints, spinning at 110+ rpm for 30-60 seconds. It will help keep your fast-twitch fibers fired up and breaks you out of the rut of pushing big gears or sprinting under a load, all the time.

I look at the winter months as an opportunity to work on technique, form and add variety into workouts. Work on perfecting your efficiency and your ability to relax, while visualizing performing at your best. A little time spent on form now will pay off next season.

Gale Bernhardt coaches age group and professional endurance athletes from her office in Loveland, Colorado. Look for her book, written with the female cyclist in mind, available from VeloPress in March 1999. She can be reached by e-mail in the "Performance Associates" website at: www.ultrafit.com.