# Should i be pushing down or pulling up



## Golfjunky (Nov 23, 2011)

hi Guys and Girls, i have done a few rides on my new bike and am now thinking of how to improve things. should i be pushing with my thighs on the down stroke or pulling up with my heel. i have seen vids on youtube which say i sould be on the ball of my foot from 12 -5 o'clock then sweeping back with a slightly raised heel until 7 o'clock then heel up back to 12 is that correct ?any other tips welcome.


----------



## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

Yes....


----------



## vontress (Jul 19, 2009)

That's a lot to think about while riding. You definitely want to push and pull. The sweeping motion feels pretty natural. I would say that's all pretty good advise, but ride your bike and it will come. Enjoy


----------



## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Single leg pedaling drills are a good way to discover the motion you should be using to pedal normally. You'll notice dead spots in your pedal stroke, and the single leg drills will help you to smooth those out.


----------



## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Golfjunky said:


> hi Guys and Girls, i have done a few rides on my new bike and am now thinking of how to improve things. should i be pushing with my thighs on the down stroke or pulling up with my heel. any other tips welcome.


IMO/E one of the ways to improve is to learn how to pedal in circles. Very simply put, think "push down," "scrape mud off of shoe", "unweight leg on the upstroke" (allowing the opposite to push it through the 12 position), then begin the down stroke and repeat. During every phase, the goal is to keep motions smooth and consistent. If you find that you're rocking in the saddle, something (bike fit, form) needs to be addressed.

Along with the above, developing a smooth an adequate cadence (varying with terrain/ conditions) is essential. Noobs find it difficult to maintain a good cadence (~90's), so this takes some time and effort to develop, but the benefits include higher endurance/ lower energy expended and less chance for knee injuries. That's why I suggest a computer with cadence. Not essential, but it does simplify monitoring/ regulating cadence.

This vid (IMO) has a number of useful tips not specific to triathletes:
VIDEO: Pedaling Technique


----------



## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

push down and forward, pull back. if you start pulling UP you'll run into problems later. you'll get used to pulling up and then you'll do it when you sprinting out of the saddle. your rear wheel will come off the ground and no one will want to be within 10'-15' of you during a sprint. yelling and screaming will most likely follow any of these sprints.


----------



## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

For me, I find that the trainer has been a good place to work on pedal form and stroke. There are less distractions, allowing you to concentrate on one specific thing. But work on the trainer is just a lab that needs to be translated/altered into more practical on road use.


----------



## btompkins0112 (Dec 13, 2011)

robdamanii said:


> Single leg pedaling drills are a good way to discover the motion you should be using to pedal normally. You'll notice dead spots in your pedal stroke, and the single leg drills will help you to smooth those out.


This ^^ 

Emphasize smoothness of the pedal stroke.......don't just mash down on the pedals, but pull through the bottom of the stroke. :thumbsup:


----------



## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

BostonG said:


> For me, I find that the trainer has been a good place to work on pedal form and stroke. There are less distractions, allowing you to concentrate on one specific thing. But work on the trainer is just a lab that needs to be translated/altered into more practical on road use.


Trainer is a great place to practice this kind of thing. It's also great to get out on the road early in the season and practice the same things on the road during your early season base miles.


----------



## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Go a google search for Joe Friel Pedaling Drills. 

He has several that will help you become more efficient.

Nevermind the search. Go here - Joe Friel's Blog


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

You've only done a few rides. You shouldn't waste any mental effort thinking about stuff like this. Just ride, and try to be smooth at higher cadences. I.e., shift to lower gears and work on spinning smoothly. The biggest pedaling issue with most new riders is using gears that are too high and cranking too slowly. Practice spinning, and smooth pedaling will come naturally, eventually. Most of this stuff about specific pedalling styles, pushing, pulling, scraping, pedaling in circles, etc., is pretty meaningless. Mind games that maybe add a little improvement for an experienced rider.

Do the miles, spin the cranks.


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I agree with JCavilia . Whether or not you're an experienced rider or a rookie you can think yourself to death with this kind of stuff.

Here's the truth. 

1. You should always try for *smoothness/suppleness*. The best way to do this is to use lower gears that don't require too much effort. If you're a brand new rider start by keeping your cadence between 70-80 rpm. Every time the left pedal comes down is 1 rpm. More experienced riders usually spin faster than that, (85-95) but I suggested that as a starting place assuming you're not used to pedaling that fast. As you ride your cadence will likely increase. 

2. Nobody pulls up. Ever. In fact nobody does anything but push down on the pedals except for short periods of time when extra power is needed. When climbing or accelerating riders not only push down on the pedal, but they also pull back. Someone above said it's like scraping the mud off your shoe. That's a good analogy. That will give you noticeably more power for short periods of time when you need it. Frankly at this stage of the game I wouldn't concentrate on it. Try it a couple of times. Even professional racers don't use the "pull back" unless they need it. Pedaling like that for long periods of time uses too many muscles, uses too much energy to be maintained for long distances.

Need something to concentrate on, to strive for? *Smooooothness.* Always try to be smooth. No bouncing on the seat, no letting your head bob up & down, no yanking on the handlebars. Keep your head up, look well down the road, try to relax your shoulders and arms and ride a straight line with your body remaining still and your legs moving easily and smoothly at ~ 75 rpm to start.

Practice sitting still on the bike, relaxed, and spinning.

As you ride take a look at some other riders. You will IMMEDIATELY recognise experienced riders by the way they sit on the bike and make everything look easy. You'll be able to spot them a half mile away.


----------



## milkbaby (Aug 14, 2009)

Mr. Versatile said:


> I agree with JCavilia . Whether or not you're an experienced rider or a rookie you can think yourself to death with this kind of stuff.
> 
> Here's the truth.
> 
> ...


Nobody pulls up even when they're only pedaling with one leg? 

But seriously, whut these two gentlemen said. Be smooth, don't overthink it, enjoy!


----------



## teflondog (Aug 23, 2011)

I just pedal the way I always did since I was a kid (just pushing down). Overtime your body should become more efficient at it. I think a computer with a cadence function is a useful tool when learning to spin higher RPMs.


----------

