pedaling with my toes down.

[aly]

I went to my absolutely amazing LBS today and got fit. Even though I wasn't able to buy my bike there, they put me in the trainer and spent about 45 minutes fitting me and giving me advice (all for $12). It turns out that my biggest problem is I'm losing power by pedaling primarily with my toes. Using my toes (and the balls of my feet) also makes my hips rock a little. I guess this is pretty common with beginners. It's not surprising that I have this problem since I wear high heels constantly and have no stretch at all in my calves and hamstrings. I'll just have to really concentrate on keeping my heels down. Now I have another thing to try to think about while riding. Great.

Besides the pedaling problem (he lowered my saddle a little to help me out) things looked pretty good. He watched me pedal and did some measuring. He also shifted me here and there to show me differences. It was so much more involved than what the other store did. I'm going to head back in a month to talk about getting a slightly longer stem and narrower handlebars. He think they'll help me out, but wants me to ride a little more first. Totally worth the time and money.

Anyone have any amazing stretches for calves? Or any good tricks for keeping your heels down?

[Aggie_Ama]

I also pedaled with my toes down. The only way I broke it was by concentrating on keeping my heels down. Now it is second nature but it felt weird when I started, I rode that way for 3 years! Once you are pedaling right you will be faster.

[Zen]

If you take spin classes or have access to a spin room during non class hours go in and find a spot where you can watch your pedal stroke in the mirror. You just have to concentrate on keeping your foot flat thru the stroke.

An easy calf stretch is to stand on a step on the balls of your feet and just drop your heel until you feel the stretch. Do one leg at a time and alternate.

[LoriO]

All my years of horseback riding has at least paid in that aspect. Keep your heels down is drilled in to you from day one .

One good exercise that I think someone already mentioned is stand on an edge of a step with your toes and the ball of your foot on the step and your heels hanging over. let your weight drop down into your heels and stretch out those lower leg muscles.

YOu can also stand facing a wall about an arms length away from the wall. Put your hands on the wall and then lower your body towards the wall. Be sure to keep your feet flat on the floor.

[aly]

I find spinning so much more difficult than actual riding. I've avoided it because it's so hard. I guess it's time I just suck it up and spin. I also think I might get some elastics and just pull on my feet to try to stretch them while watching tv.

Aggie-Ama- I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one! It's probably a good thing I caught it now before I got too used to pedaling the wrong way.

[VeloVT]

For both of the stretches mentioned above ("wall push-ups" and dropping your heels off a step), it's a good idea to do the stretch first with your knee straight, and then with your knee (on the leg you're stretching) bent. The stretch targets the upper part of your calf with the leg straight and the lower part of your calf with the leg bent -- it's important to hit both parts.

You can also sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you, take a stretching rope, and wrap it around the ball of your foot. Pull your toes back until you feel a good stretch. You can also stretch the tendons on the sides of your calves/feet by adopting the same position, but instead of pulling back, pull one side of the rope more than the other, "rolling" the foot to one side or the other (your toes should still be pointing towards the ceiling).

Good luck. I need to work on my pedal stroke too, I have a tendency to pedal toes-down a bit.

[Torrilin]

I have a whole collection of stretches I go through that get different muscles. Windmills (you probably remember these from gym classes), various stretches sitting on the floor with legs in a V shape, or legs straight, or doing a swimsuit model sort of pose. Toe touches, both straight leg and with crossed legs. Lunges, leg lifts (both lying down and standing)... The list goes on and on . I find it's easier to get muscles to relax if I work over as many as I can, gently. YMMV

The main thing is to use good form and to be gentle with yourself. If you're not sure that you have good form, or you remember gym teachers encouraging you to go for more extension without talking about form, you probably want a spotter. Bad form means the stretch does little (if any) good, and sometimes bad form can make things worse (increased risk of injury mostly). Do not push until a stretch hurts a lot. This is a good way to hurt yourself. A bit of pain is ok if it goes away immediately when you stop stretching.

Spin classes are probably a good idea too. A good instructor will want you to have good form, because good form is less tiring.

[Sheesh]

I have plantar fascitis and achilles tendonitis from wearing heels five days a week for YEARS, so I know exactly how you're feeling. The stretches mentioned in this thread are all the same stretches that my physical therapist has me doing. I also recommend massaging your arches and calf muscles. I've been going to PT twice a week for six weeks and have gained some flexibility but I still have a ways to go. Start stretching now before you end up where I am!

[short cut sally]

a bike shop also told me i was a toe pedelar. when i went back for a repair, i told him that i was trying to correct myself and i had to constantly remind myself to change. lbs said that it's not a bad thing, just not effecient. if i was managing with the way i was used to i could continue on as it wasn't harmful. i do try every now and then to correct myself but it is hard, and my muscles seem to ache a little more when i peddle correctly. so i think i went back to my old habit/routine. i've started just doing plain stretches, on the floor arms to toes, and then legs in a V and take both hands to the one foot. that has even helped with my back pain while riding.

[Starfish]

And, make sure to warm up before you stretch. Some gentle exercise, and even a little hot water soak of your legs/feet.

Also, a note about spinning. I, too, find it harder than actual riding. For me, it helps to remember that I can ride my own class, just like out on the bike I can ride my own ride. If you need to sit out a set or just spin easy to recover for a few minutes, do it!

[aly]

Yay! 16 miles today. I tried so hard to keep my heels down, but it was hard. The ride was long, hot and in the mountains. I kept reminding myself, but would soon forget. It also, as shellyj mentioned, aches more.

The only thing that sucked was that at the end of the ride there is a long hill. By the time I got there, I was exhausted. At first, I was thinking about my feet, but by the end, my boyfriend had doubled back behind me and I was just trying to finish up and make it to the top. At the end of the ride I was happy. My boyfriend promptly told me what a great job I did- then added "but you really have to work on that foot thing. After I got behind you, I looked and it was bad." It was awful timing. He rained on my little parade. I tried to explain to him that I'm acutely aware of the problem and I know he only means to be helpful and supportive, but he really needs to work on his timing. I was tired and emotional and always react defensively to even the most well meaning advice. But geesh- couldn't he have waited and let me feel good for a bit?

The ride, all in all, was fun. It feels great to ride longer and feel stronger. It will also be son nice when my form improves. It turns out that a female racer, who works at our lbs, has a spinning class where you bring your own bike and work on a trainer. She also occasionally takes the group into a local park to work on stuff. I think it'll give me a nice little boost on building my strength and a great opportunity to work on form. I'm going to check it out this week.

16 miles! I can't believe it!!

[LoriO]

Doesn't it feel great when you are able challenge yourself like that!!!

I have never biked with someone that is a serious biker and I am scared to think what they would point that I am doing wrong.

I have already learned so many things here that I am trying to adapt to my riding.

[luvs2ride]

my former Team in Training coach called peddling with your toes, "Sissy-la-la" peddling. I found that very funny and it was also a big problem of mine when I first started riding. We'd say, "she's doing the Sissy la-la," and the other person would laugh but would quickly correct their form. No one wanted to be doing a "Sissy la-la!" . . now I only seem to have this problem with my left foot but ususally keep my heel down on the right . . there's always room for improvement! HA HA

[equus123]

one thing i focus on while pedalling and trying to keep my heels down more is to mentally focus on the pull in your foot. i know this sounds contrary to popular belief, but hey, it works for me.

when i want to have a heels down, solid pedal stroke, i focus on pedalling in a rectangle. hear me out.

1) obviously be conscious of the angle in your ankle (i.e. heels up or down)
2) next i focus on trying to pull my cleat off the bottom of my road shoe. in doing this, i'm focusing on pulling backwards straight from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock.
3) then i focus on again trying to rip the cleat off but by pushing my foot straight across from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock.

[i know everybody says "pedal in circles" but if you can do this technique effectively, you actually are pedalling in a circle and also a more efficient one because there's more force being generated around the entire circle instead of mainly just the downward portions. ]

this may sound weird but hop on the bike and give it a try. if it doesn't work for you then oh well. it works for me.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I found that once I was aware of my sissy-la-la pedaling on toes thing, I just couldn't do it so much anymore- I became too aware of it and kept correcting it automatically. After a while of this awareness you just start doing it less and less. Toe pedaling seems to very really common when you're starting out.

It's not a big deal and we really shouldn't feel bad when people point it out to us. It's just one of many many efficiency biking tips we'll hear -and benefit from!- over the years from various helpful people.