One leg stronger?

[firenze11]

I've been noticing that one leg always seems to do more work when I ride. I've been trying really hard to focus on engaging my left let more but it still feels like the right is working harder. Hmm, does that mean the right one is weaker? I know I should probably do one-legged drills but all I have is spin class right now so I don't have much time to do them (maybe before class starts for a bit).

Anyone else have this problem? What do you do?

By the way, I think spinning is really helping my legs, I feel more muscle and today I kept checking my legs out in the mirror - I see a difference! Woohoo! Can't wait to get back on my actual bike.

[Eden]

Have you had a pro bike fit? One thing I found out when I had mine done is that I have a fairly big leg length difference. Uncorrected that definitely has an effect of the power output of each leg - depending on which leg your seat height is set up for you'll totally see a power difference between the legs and one will seem weaker. I got some shims under my cleat and and extra insole in that shoe and it made a big difference.

[firenze11]

Ah you could be onto something! I was having some hip troubles this summer and some TEers suggested leg length discrepancy. I still haven't been to the PT but maybe this makes sense. I should really go.

I haven't had a pro bike fit yet but I think you're right, I should get one when I get a chance.

I wasn't sure if this was just a normal thing, like everyone has one leg that's bigger kind of thing, or if I was maybe imbalanced somehow.

Thanks.

[Jiffer]

I had a pro bike fit and later that same day a sports massage. I found out two things that day. The bike fit guy told me I have more power output from my left leg, which is surprising since I'm right handed .... and my massage therapist told me I pull more with the left and push down more with the right (based on how my muscles felt, I guess).

My bike fit guy told me my legs were the same length, so that was not an issue for me. I do wonder if I could get my shoes fitting better, if it might help. Just lately, when I have tried to focus on even force on the full rotation of each foot, I find my foot moving in my shoes, unlike when I don't really think about it. So, I'm wondering if I'm compensating somehow for how my shoes fit. If only my feet weren't so dang narrow AND long. I have Men's Sidi's in narrow (because they don't make a women's in my length, which is Women's 10 in the normal shoe world). I think they fit me as close as any non-custom cycling shoe will ever fit me, but proper inserts might help. I do have Sole inserts, that I heated in the oven and shaped to my foot & shoe, but I think I need to look into something other options that might work better.

If you have a pro-trainer, you can work on cycling with one leg at a time, to focus on what exactly that leg is doing and strengthen the weaker leg. My bike fit guy actually recommended cycling with one leg at a time to improve technique, which you could technically do on a regular bike, just not as easily as a trainer. But if you were to keep both feet clipped in, and then let the stronger leg just 'go along for the ride' and tell yourself to focus for a specific length of time on just the weaker leg, and then maybe do that in intervals, that might help.

I do highly recommend a pro bike fit. I learned so much that day in addition to the changes he made to my actual fit.

[suz]

If you still can't resolve your imbalances after trying all these other great suggestions offered here, you may also want to check out a Chiro trained in Active Release Technique (ART), a form of muscle and soft tissue manipulation that helps break up scar tissue and relieve tightness caused by overuse and/or injury.

Our bike club had a Chiro speak about this at our last meeting. After struggling for over five years with SI Joint issues (hips/glutes/back pain and feeling like I was riding with only one leg), and trying everything from bike fits, phys. therapy, stretching, one-legged drills, etc., I finally experienced a noticeable improvement in leg strength after only a couple sessions of ART. The stiffness I had been experiencing in my hip flexor was gone after only one visit and the pain in my lower back is vastly reduced. I also had uneven muscle development in my glutes and back as the stronger side tried to pick up the slack.

I was, like a lot of people, somewhat wary of Chiropractors (after all, they're not REAL doctors ), but when it got to the point I was thinking of chucking the bike for bingo, I had to give it a shot. I'm very happy I did.

Good luck!

Suzanne