question on cycling

Amprodude

Just wondering what parts/muscles of the body are targetted when you are cycling a hill and when you are sprinting on the flat?

Darkglasses

Depends on your own pedalling style I think. I'm pretty sure I engage my glutes and lower back more than anything when climbing, some would use more muscles lower down.

Zyzz

I would hazard a complete guess and say the muscles in your legs.

disco1

A seasoned cyclist will both pull and push hard on climbs so glutes.hamstrings..calfs..

not to mention out of saddle on sprints and climbs so pectoral...arms...and back..also.

not yet

With the crazy drivers around I'd go with the muscle in your loaf.

ednwireland

core - strong core (after the legs) http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/core

Amprodude

Just wondering really because i would be a very good climber but not such a good sprinter.

Amprodude

Zyzz wrote: »

I would hazard a complete guess and say the muscles in your legs.

You dont use the same muscles in legs for climbing and sprinting because if you did you would be good at both.

Darkglasses

Amprodude wrote: »

You dont use the same muscles in legs for climbing and sprinting because if you did you would be good at both.

No there's a heck of a lot more to it than that!

Brian?

Amprodude wrote: »

You dont use the same muscles in legs for climbing and sprinting because if you did you would be good at both.

You use the same muscles. However you have a mixture of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. A higher proportion of fast twitch lend to being a better sprinter than climber and vice versa.

You could also be a better climber because you're lighter than most people.

Ole Rodrigo

I find my arms get a good workout, and if I pull the bars hard enough on the hills ( and lay off the pastries ) I might even get a sort of six pack eventually.

jane82

You tend to be quicker going up hills if you are small and quicker downhill if you are big.

Amprodude

jane82 wrote: »

You tend to be quicker going up hills if you are small and quicker downhill if you are big.

Im 6 foot 2. I wouldnt consider that small. Im lightweight yes though but heavier than some guys and still climb better than them.

jane82

Amprodude wrote: »

Im 6 foot 2. I wouldnt consider that small. Im lightweight yes though but heavier than some guys and still climb better than them.

Lightweight would be small. Heavy weight would be big.
How long you are is just one of the dimensions that make your size.
If you added 10 pounds your uphill would suffer because you are dragging another ten pounds up the hill.
Of course you can get better without losing weight but its a huge factor in time up a hill.
The energy you carry as a moving force will increase the more weight you are carrying. Momentum and all that jazz. On a downhill bigger is better. Of course you can get better with technique and stuff but its a big factor once you keep the head down and stay out of the wind.

Brian?

Amprodude wrote: »

Im 6 foot 2. I wouldnt consider that small. Im lightweight yes though but heavier than some guys and still climb better than them.

You have a higher power to weight ratio than those smaller guys.

jane82

Brian? wrote: »

You have a higher power to weight ratio than those smaller guys.

Probably because what looks like small muscles are longer than the shoter guys little muscles.

Raam

Amprodude wrote: »

Just wondering what parts/muscles of the body are targetted when you are cycling a hill and when you are sprinting on the flat?

It can depend where on the saddle you are sitting. If you are more towards the rear then it would be your hamstrings working harder, but if you move towards the front of the saddle then your quads would kick in a bit more. Handy to know if climbing and you want to give your legs a bit of a break.

jj1

jane82 wrote: »

You tend to be quicker going up hills if you are small and quicker downhill if you are big.

I'm not sure about this. I reckon we're all quicker going downhill.

Darkglasses

jj1 wrote: »

I'm not sure about this. I reckon we're all quicker going downhill.

That's just like, your opinion man.

:pac: