# Ankle Flex During Pedaling



## LauraM (Oct 27, 2010)

At a spin class I attend, the instructor is really good about reminding us all to keep a good posture. One thing she mentioned once was focusing on pedaling in complete circles (which I have heard before and think I understand the concept.) But as part of this she was saying our ankle should be flexing as we make the circle, as well. (I hope this makes sense!)

I have found that I only utilize my knee and hip joints for movement. I tried doing what she suggested but it felt awkward. So my question is . . . should I learn to flex at my ankle through the pedal stroke, or does it not matter?


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

There basically 2 types of pedal strokes. One utilizes a fixed ankle. The other utilizes the ankle and calves. If you posted this in the training forum, there would be 10 people bringing 10 studies to contradict each other....

I think the trick is to use one, make sure your bike is fitted to this technique and pedal stroke, and train with it. The fixed ankle pedal stroke often requires a slightly lower saddle position.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Some thoughts.*

Your instructor is referring to "ankling." As late as the middle of the last century, this ankle-flexing technique was thought to be how riders achieved more power and efficiency. It was also believed that riders who did not "ankle" could benefit from adopting that motion. Around 1970, a number of studies (Cavanagh, Sanderson, Nordeen, et al.) using high-speed cameras and force-measuring pedals revealed that

- very few riders ankled,
- if there was natural ankling, it stopped as as crank rpm (cadence) approached 100,
- virtually no elite riders at speed ankled,
- forcing an ankle flex where there wasn't a natural one did not increase power or efficiency.

In essence, the ankling technique was shown to be one that never was. The few riders who naturally flex their ankles around the crank circle shouldn't be discouraged from doing so because it does no harm to them.

If you're interested in pursuing this more, google "ankle", "biomechanics" and "cycling" together with names like Cavanagh, Sanderson, Nordeen, Snyder and Burke.


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## Zachariah (Jan 29, 2009)

Keep the toes pointed down through all of the pedal stroke, and get more oomph...


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Wim, I was into this sport in the 1960's when ankling was all the rage and supposed to be the holy grail. Lots of people wasted lots of time and effort trying to do it. Yes, since then, the sports science world has dropped it like a rock. The OP would be better off not listening to experts who tell him her to pedal unnaturally. The worst experts are those who tell us we should pull "up". I defy anyone to pull up at 100rpm.

Yes, the instructor is correct in saying to pedal "in complete circles" but it's almost impossible to do. For years I've attempted to get people to pedal more smoothly by mental imagery - imagine twirling tiny 2" cranks instead of the 7" ones we use (or so). It really works in smoothing out the stroke.

Then this summer I found an old article by training guru Joel Friel where he said it's impossible to pull up but it's not impossible to unweight the rising foot and free up a few watts of energy instead of the descending foot doing the job of lifting the other foot. As we're all experts at pushing down on pedals, he said to forget about that (because it comes naturally) and to do pedaling practice by pedaling in a triangle - lift the ascending foot as best you can (unweight it) with the hip flexor muscles (Psoas), push over the top (apex) of the triangle, push down to level with the crank spindle and then pull the foot back through the crank spindle - that's the "scraping dog$#it off the shoe action that really works. So we pedal a triangle with the foot.

With the guidance of my great Physiotherapist this summer I incorporated this into my day of on the bike core exercises. Using it on slight uphill grades is like kicking in a small turbocharger.

But back to the OP Laura. Pedal naturally but be aware of what you're doing and certainly try to pull backwards across the bottom of the stroke. This brings hamstring strength into it. Then try some unweighting of the ascending pedal. The more we do all this, the more it becomes ingrained into our motor reflexes. My Physio makes me do things for at least six weeks as, in her opinion, that's the time it takes to ingrain a new technique.

I know what your instructor is trying to say but unless she gives you some tools then you won't progress. I think I just gave you some. But the best advise is "be yourself". I also know that I contradict myself a bit in this post but it's not an easy subject to get across.

Just before I read your post I was talking to my Mrs and stated that it's possible to spot a naturally talented pedaler in seconds. They just have got "it". They look to be doing nothing special but they stand out like sore thumbs from those around them.

Edit - I just read Zach's post about "keep the toes down". There's another one where that either comes naturally (Anquetil, Davis Phinney) or "heels down" is natural like Phinney's nemesis Steve Bauer in the 80's. They were both at the opposite ends of style. Phinney won stages of the Tour de France and Bauer was a 10-day yellow jersey wearer in said race. So which one pedalled correctly? Answer - they both did.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Push down, go forward.*



Mike T. said:


> So which one pedalled correctly? Answer - they both did.


Good post! I remember the 60s "ankling" thing too. There wasn't a book or article that didn't urge everyone to learn it, complete with that stupid drawing of a black shoe going through the crank circle at biomechanically impossible ankle joint angles.

I think it's safe to say that "doing what comes naturally" is the answer. To tell someone to pedal toe up, down, or flex all around is just forcing a universal style on a motion which is individually predetermined. For what it's worth: the people who win races are the people who just push down harder during the downstroke than everyone else. 

/w


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

wim said:


> Good post! I remember the "ankling" thing too. There wasn't a book or article that didn't urged everyone to learn it, complete with that stupid drawing of a black shoe going through the crank circle at biomechanically impossible ankle joint angles.
> 
> I think it's safe to say that "doing what comes naturally" is the answer. To tell someone to pedal toe up, down, or flex all around is just forcing a universal style on a motion which is individually predetermined. For what it's worth: the people who win races are the people who just push down harder during the downstroke than everyone else.
> 
> /w


Heheheheh, yeah I saw that black shoe diagram many times too. To get a smile, to those who ask how they can go faster, I tell 'em to push down harder - and do it more often. That wins more races than all the toe-pointing "ankling".


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I always pedal heels down. Why? I don't know. It just feels natural & comfortable to me. I ride a lot with a good friend who pedals toes down. I don't think he's doing it wrong. He beats me up with some regularity.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Mr. Versatile said:


> I always pedal heels down. Why? I don't know. It just feels natural & comfortable to me. I ride a lot with a good friend who pedals toes down. I don't think he's doing it wrong. He beats me up with some regularity.


While plenty will start debates to which is better, but the bottom line is to train with one and make sure the bike fit works towards that goal. I'm more of a climber most climber types utilize ankling.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

spade2you said:


> I'm more of a climber most climber types utilize ankling.


While I don't consider myself a "climber," I do have to admit that I drop my ankle dramatically when the road gets very steep and my cadence goes down. My heel drops to its lowest point at top dead center as I forward-push the pedal through that segment of the crank circle. Not advice to others, just saying.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

wim said:


> While I don't consider myself a "climber," I do have to admit that I drop my ankle dramatically when the road gets very steep and my cadence goes down. My heel drops to its lowest point at top dead center as I forward-push the pedal through that segment of the crank circle. Not advice to others, just saying.


That makes perfect sense for your style of pedaling.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

spade2you said:


> That makes perfect sense for your style of pedaling.


...and my customary low saddle (about 40 degrees knee flexion at bottom dead center).


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

wim said:


> ...and my customary low saddle (about 40 degrees knee flexion at bottom dead center).


As it should be. :thumbsup: With my pedal stroke, I tend to sit higher, which subsequently leaves a few more spacers in the stem, but some of that is also due to my torso and arms.


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