is single leg training valuable?

kevin69

Hi, i just tried riding single legged during the ericsson workout on trainerroad.
i found it really difficult to keep any sort of rhythm through the top of the stroke @ 90rpm.

Is there much benefit from single legged training?
The priniciple of specificity would suggest that its mainly good for single-legged cyclists, and i have two

If it is worthwhile, any tips on how to improve?

Trev The Rev

kevin69 wrote:

Hi, i just tried riding single legged during the ericsson workout on trainerroad.
i found it really difficult to keep any sort of rhythm through the top of the stroke @ 90rpm.

Is there much benefit from single legged training?
The priniciple of specificity would suggest that its mainly good for single-legged cyclists, and i have two

If it is worthwhile, any tips on how to improve?

Single leg training is the best possible training for one legged cycling.

I doubt it is of much use for 2 legged cycling but I'm happy for anyone who has the scientific data available to prove me wrong.

danowat

Probably a good way to injure yourself

Cookie91

I'm no expert, however i believe that single leg training helps to correct imbalances, i.e the right leg working harder than the left.

CRAIGO5000

Cookie91 wrote:

I'm no expert, however i believe that single leg training helps to correct imbalances, i.e the right leg working harder than the left.

That. It highlights any errors or laziness in the stoke and makes it obvious enough for you to correct it. Alternating from left leg to both legs to right leg and so on re-trains your brain to pedal more efficiently.

ShutUpLegs

Cookie91 wrote:

I'm no expert

themogulman

When I had a bike fit by Adrian Timmins at Cadence he recommened it to get a smooth pedalling technique.

I would say it helps to give you a feeling of the up stroke of the leg.

Alex_Simmons/RST

CRAIGO5000 wrote:

Cookie91 wrote:

I'm no expert, however i believe that single leg training helps to correct imbalances, i.e the right leg working harder than the left.

That. It highlights any errors or laziness in the stoke and makes it obvious enough for you to correct it. Alternating from left leg to both legs to right leg and so on re-trains your brain to pedal more efficiently.

The demands of single leg cycling are significantly different to that when cycling with both legs, and what you feel (e.g. any perceived imbalances or lack of smoothness) are a result of removing the vast majority of rotational mass from the system on one side, so much so that the the muscle force and velocity patterns you are now required to use are not all that specific to development of two legged cycling performance. It's a different movement pattern, with different demands.

If you are going to cycle with one leg (e.g. if you have an injury and cannot use one leg for some reason but wish to continue training), then it is best done with the non-drive pedal inertially weighted, with around 10-12kg being about right.

If you are concerned with an imbalance between legs, then first check your off bike activity is good (posture, shoes, basic body functionality etc), and your bike set up is good too, but keep in mind that asymmetry is normal and is not, per se, an inhibitor to performance.

I suggest people use as many legs as they have available.

kevin69

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

I suggest people use as many legs as they have available.

i'll stick to trying to improve my two-legged performance then.

thanks.

Alex_Simmons/RST

kevin69 wrote:

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

I suggest people use as many legs as they have available.

i'll stick to trying to improve my two-legged performance then.

thanks.

well, as an anecdote, I had a lower leg amputation in 2007, yet this is exactly what I did once I was able to pedal again with a prosthetic leg.

I ended up with a higher threshold W/kg than I had prior to my amputation.