Plyometrics

[Ruby60]

Hi,
Interested in your thoughts and opinions regarding plyometrics and cycling.
I'm hoping to improve my sprinting power and "escape velocity"...aka jump.
Can anyone suggest some cycling specific plyometric exercise routines?

Thanks,
Ruby

 

[CoachFergie]

Hi,
Interested in your thoughts and opinions regarding plyometrics and cycling.
I'm hoping to improve my sprinting power and "escape velocity"...aka jump.
Can anyone suggest some cycling specific plyometric exercise routines?

Thanks,
Ruby

In a cycling sprint the power delivery is over 15-30 seconds. Even over as short a distance as 200m the best sprinters in the world pace themselves and avoid going out too hard.

A plyometric exercise is non specific to cycling in two ways. Firstly the eccentric loading of the muscle never happens in a cycling event. Secondly the application of power is shorter than a second. You could do an plyo exercise that can be sustained for 30 reps (if you did 2 reps per second) in the way that some trackies did 60sec of squats for the Kilo or 5 minutes of leg press for the pursuit but why not do this on the bike instead.

While 98% of sprinters, 50% of track endurance riders and 15% of road riders (approx figures) do gym work there is no physiological basis for doing so and they are just repeating what their coaches did when they were riders or what strength coaches tell them.

I would hit out on the road or on the erg and if this was an area I wanted to develop then practise 3-5 maximal sprints over 15-30 seconds 2 times a week when very fresh. Competition is great. Find some others to sprint against. The best sprint countries are the ones with 3-5 good sprinters who all push each other along.

 

[Tapeworm]

I vaguely recall reading somewhere cyclists performing plyometrics similar to that of ice skaters, ie: lots of single leg stuff, bow jumps, stair bounds etc BUT 1) this wasn't a study so the results cannot be quantified and 2) was during the offseason in the depths of winter.

There was also a study done with plyos being worked in with cycling sprints to some favorable result (IIRC), if I can find I will link.

My personal experience is that a solid ergo (or spin bike even), a fan, a bucket and crash mat will serve all your sprinting needs if you can't do it outside.

 

[Ruby60]

Thanks for the replies!
I think I get the picture...once again it appears the best way to improve one's riding is to ride the bike!
Ruby