Standing to pedal

[Dogmama]

If he says "jump" do you say how high on the way up?

Just wondering...

[Thorn]

Well, lookey here, beginning Spinerval users. When he says "small ring", he only means that if you have a double. If you have a triple, when he says "small ring", he wants you to use the middle ring, and says you will never use the small.

http://www.spinervals.com/index.php?...7aa66ec4778e43

And my response when he explains that on one of the DVD's..."in your dreams LCD boy...."

Seriously, some of us...well, at least me...just aren't built to handle it. I have a chart in front of my bike that translates "guru gears" to "my gears". I respect my knees and accept my limitations. And, you know, ECT shouts at me just as much when my gears are lower and my heart rate soars just as high as it should, so, "take that, ECT, yes, I did shift down...pphhpttt"!

[firenze11]

If he says "jump" do you say how high on the way up?

Just wondering...

Perhaps. But I also give him the finger. You can guess which one.

Actually I really like when coaches yell (out of encouragement, of course). When I did a rowing camp at the Naval Academy all the girls did a challenge on the ergs to see who could go the farthest in a certain amount of time. It came down to me an another girl and the two coaches split up between us. The frenzied yelling at the end was the best. (and the fact I won ).

That being said I have yet to do anything more than an 8.7 aerobic Spinervals. I'm both curious about and terrified of a 9.9 Sprinting one that came with one of the Aero Base Builders.

Thank you so much for all these suggestions. I'm going to try a harder gear next time. I think that's a major part of the problem. And focus on trying to find the right balance and pulling up on the upstroke. Reading your responses made it make more sense to me.

I'll try it all out tonight.

The thing I love about Spinervals is that I can make it my own workout and tailor it to my needs. I really hope I see a difference on the road in spring.

[Velobambina]

He doesn't even notice when I fast forward through the lunge sets either.

V.

Ahem, you should be in BCR 12 and standing if you don't want to do those lunges, girl.

[aicabsolut]

I think of it as dancing on the pedals. Makes it seem a little easier..

hahaha great Phil Liggett-ism!

For me, standing took practice, practice, practice. I grew up on cruisers and flat roads with never enough resistance (or need) to stand up. I was really embarrassed to discover that standing up on my road bike was nothing like standing on a spin bike.

Anyway...It helps to start out in a heavy gear on the trainer to get the hang of it. However, too big of a gear will cause you to have noticeable gaps in the pedal stroke once you start to get tired. It requires a lot of quadriceps control. Then, try short standing bursts outside, again in a pretty big gear--shift up 2 to 3 gears from what feels comfortable sitting and spinning a fairly high cadence. Then get back to the trainer and try lighter gears, faster legs. You may only be able to do it a few seconds at a time. Work on getting longer intervals on the trainer, then return outside. It may help outdoors to practice more on gradual hills in heavy gears (smaller hills just in case you feel like you're getting into trouble, then you can sit and shift down). Then try to stand on the flats, with hands in the drops. Try this in sprint intervals. Spin up fast while shifting into harder gears, then click up one or 2 more, stand, sit, shift down, slow down, repeat.

You may well need to put more weight on the bars. The only thing you need to be mindful of is that TOO much weight on a hill or during a sprint on the front wheel can cause your rear wheel to skip.

Once you get the basic mechanics down of how to stand in a hard enough gear so that the bike doesn't wobble all over the place, then you can start to do more "dancing," smoothly.

[Grog]

I believe the dancing-on-the-pedals bit comes from the French expression: "monter en danseuse," i.e. "climb as a dancer." "Pédaler en danseuse" also can be used. I think the dancing motion has to do with the "dance" you have to do with the bike, sort of pushing it to one side while you're standing on the other feet (of course that's not possible on the trainer). But the image may still help.

[firenze11]

I think the dancing motion has to do with the "dance" you have to do with the bike, sort of pushing it to one side while you're standing on the other feet (of course that's not possible on the trainer). But the image may still help.

Actually I think that image will help me a lot. I'll keep it in my mind and try it when I can get outside again. The last time I tried to stand and pedal outside was pretty awful. I looked goofy to myself on the bike, I can't imagine how I looked to any bystanders. But practice will make perfect! I'm just itching to get on the bike outside. It'll probably be about another month here w/ the funky snow.

[Grog]

Actually I think that image will help me a lot. I'll keep it in my mind and try it when I can get outside again. The last time I tried to stand and pedal outside was pretty awful. I looked goofy to myself on the bike, I can't imagine how I looked to any bystanders. But practice will make perfect! I'm just itching to get on the bike outside. It'll probably be about another month here w/ the funky snow.

Once you start riding outside, choose a steep-enough hill, get into a bigger gear and try it. I think it will become natural quickly. It's a bit strange to explain but you're really "throwing" your bike from one hand to the other, shifting your weight from side to side. Now that I'm thinking about it I'm not sure which hand gets the bike while, say, your right foot is down. But it's really obvious when you do it. Just don't over do it: it can be a waste of energy...

Enjoy! It's really satisfying to power up a hill, standing in the pedals.

[Andrea]

When I first started learning to stand and pedal, I thought of when I was a kid and my dad bought me a pair of rubber boots that were too big for me. I went out & tromped around in the mud, and to keep from walking out of my boots, I had to pull my foot up with my toes pulled up rather than pointed. I get the same feeling when I stand on my pedals!