Spinning Circles: How to Maximize Your Pedal Stroke Power
Wanna ride faster with less work? Here's how your pedal stroke can help with that.
![Spinning Circles - How to Maximize Your Pedal Power. Spinning Circles - How to Maximize Your Pedal Power.](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/1/spinning-circles-1515619873.jpg?crop=1xw:0.786xh;center,top&resize=640:*)
Picture-perfect pedaling is more than pushing down on the pedals. It also involves pulling them up and around in an act that cyclists call pedaling circles. Ultimately, the goal is to eliminate any "dead spots" in your pedal stroke—at no point in each pedal stroke should your legs just be coming along for the ride; they should always be applying some pressure to propel you forward. The smoother and more evenly powered your pedal stroke, the more efficient it is, which allows you to ride faster with less exertion.
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Spinning circles is admittedly easier if you use clipless pedals, but some riders instead use cages with toe straps, which bind your foot to the pedal, for the same effect. But even if you're riding in tennis shoes on plain flat pedals, you can still work on using your ankles to pull the pedal all away around the pedal stroke and minimize dead spots.
Here's a great description I got from Todd Carver, a biomechanics expert at Retul in Boulder, Colorado, who found that when riders pedaled using the following technique, they were able to produce the same amount of power (as measured in watts) at a heart rate that was about five beats per minute lower. Simply put: They rode the same speed with less work. This is how to do it. (Looking for more tips on how to make the most out of your cycling? Selene's book has tons of tips for getting fitter, faster and healthier.)
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