Leg shake/shimmy/thing

[soOpOSMthanks!]

What's the deal with that? I see it done alot where the rider just kinda...shakes/shimmies their legs?

 

[brianf7]

Maybe you got Parkinsons syndrome so dont worry do you gom cross eyed as well.

You probably have a nerve twitching.

 

[Andrichuk]

Feels good!

 

[PainIsYourFriend]

I heard it was to help remove lactic acid. Don't know if it actually works though. One guy probably saw somebody else doing it etc etc. Baa Baa

 

[zachariahwilbur]

This is not known to me..!! Thanks for sharing...!! About Latic acid..

Gr8 post..!!

Wilbur..!!

.

 

[daviel]

Heads off cramps.

 

[forty four]

yeah i always see people do that in hard rides or races i sometimes do as well loosens up the muscles. as for the lactate clearing myth only blood flow really does that. same with the massages loosens muscles has no effect on lactate levels.

 

[usedtobefast]

it helps ward off cramping, not for long though. loosens the muscle.

 

[forty four]

yeah does slow onset of cramps but as someone said not for long. for cramps i try and take in some calories mixed with high amounts of various electrolyte salts.

 

[JessyBurke]

I heard it was to help remove lactic acid. Don't know if it actually works though. One guy probably saw somebody else doing it etc etc. Baa Baa

Really? Remove lactic acid by shaking off the leg?

 

[Boeing]

What's the deal with that? I see it done alot where the rider just kinda...shakes/shimmies their legs?

Phil and Paul comment on it now and again in their commentary saying it is to shake the lactate out but I find that humorous and have no way to physiologically back that up

 

[JessyBurke]

Yeah I got a bit curious about it. If they could provide the pathophysio of it it would be nice

 

[Comobosques]

shakin the legs

i started doin this last year, mainly on decents where im not pedalling for a bit, helps keep things loose.

 

[JessyBurke]

So it actually relieves you from the comfort of stiffening up huh?

 

[Comobosques]

i think it helps yes. if you just did a huge climb and then start descending, unless youre movin somethin around, your gonna seize up. for me descending: a little free pedal here and there mixed in with some shakin

 

[usedtobefast]

Really? Remove lactic acid by shaking off the leg?

as i said, it helps ward off cramping. but it only helps for so long, because once
you start cramping up in a race, they ain't going away for long. staying loose
on a descent is another place it helps, as was pointed out with freewheeling.
i learned it from Nelson Vails.

 

[JessyBurke]

Ahh I see. So it does serve a purpose. Because I've seen some riders do that and I thought it was just a mannerism or something like that. Thanks for the input guys.

 

[lean mean &green]

i'd categorize the leg "shimmy/shake" as a low intensity ballistic stretch. i only rarely participate in this activity, sometimes on a long solo ride where i've been seated for long periods of time. how beneficial is it to flexibility? probably not very. i think that the greatest benefit of this is to give the stabilizing muscles in the pelvic girdle (hip) and low back a short break on a very long ride.

vigorous ballistic stretching has gotten a bad rap and probably deservedly so, but doing it in this fashion at a low intensity is harmless and there aren't many ways to perform static stretching of the hamstrings/hip while on your bike.

lastly, be careful. the best time to shimmy is probably on a gradual descent and never do this in a tight group of riders, you won't look "pro", you'll just look unsafe and stupid.

edit - i thought we were referring to clipping out and shaking but realise some people stay clipped-in and do a mini-shake. same applies but clipping out and sitting up a little really relaxes the hip and low back nicely.

 

[pedaling squares]

i think it helps yes. if you just did a huge climb and then start descending, unless youre movin somethin around, your gonna seize up. for me descending: a little free pedal here and there mixed in with some shakin

What he said. It just seems to increase comfort now. Until I read this thread I wasn't even aware that I do this, but I do now and then.