CoachFergie said:
It's in print on the Internet. Sounds legit
From BikePro,
What is pedaling technique?
" What we are talking about here is adapting your technique to a certain situation. There is not one singular style or technique that is best for all aspects of a ride. In some ways, it is much like the advanced electronic systems controlling car engines today in that the gear selection, valve timing, ignition timing and fuel pluses, or your technique on a bike, is controlled such that it best suits the situation. Constant real time changes are required, and of course there is a guide as to which 'technique' is best for different situations.
Can pedaling technique be learnt?
Yes. Just like walking, cycling, swimming or playing an music instrument It can be learnt by any person.
Do I need to consciously perform the technique?
The process of obtaining a new skill incorporates several levels of learning and awareness.
Level 1 - Unconsciously Incompetent (most recreational riders & some bike fitters belong to this category) At this level, the person is unaware of his/her lack of knowledge or skill in a given subject or task. A person who is unconsciously incompetent is either not aware of the existence/relevance of the skill or they do not realize they are deficient in that skill.
Level 2 - Consciously Incompetent
At this level, the person recognizes there are skills he/she needs to learn, but has not yet addressed the skill deficit.
Level 3 - Consciously Competent
When consciously competent, people can reliably perform a skill without assistance, but it requires a certain amount of concentration and focus on their part. As they use their newly acquired skill, it will become increasingly automatic.
Level 4 - Unconsciously Competent
At this level people can perform a specific task without conscious effort. The person has had so much practice that the skill has become automatic or second nature. Some common examples of tasks that often become automatic with practice are driving, knitting, typing, riding a bike, repetitive assembly tasks, etc.
For example, Pilates as an exercise involves conscious control of the movement of each body part, and the proprioceptive feedback to execute a few precise, controlled repetitions. Unlike Pilates, cycling is high repetition dynamic sport. Proprioceptive feedback mechanism may work under 60rpm in a stationary trainer, It won't work on the road ! The brain cannot process so much information
When a rider reaches level 4 (unconsciously competent) in regards to their pedaling technique, they do not rely on proprioceptive feedback. Their central pattern generator can produce meaningful functional output in the absence of sensory inputs (i.e. pedaling has become so much of a pattern that the brain does not have to think/to tell what the leg has to do). It is quite difficult, once a rider has reached level 4, to pedal with the wrong technique at any load, unless they consciously force themselves to! High performance pedaling technique is not something that comes naturally to everyone. I stress again that pedaling is not necessarily a natural motion, unlike breathing! It is a skill that needs to be learnt and mastered.
We are more than competent to help you to archive this.
Level 5 - Unconsciously perfectly Competent
Though reaching this level may be the ultimate goal, achieving this will take many years of dedication & hard work. This level, is basically the level World Champions are at.
People avoid complacency and stay abreast of new developments and competency standards. If the "world" changes, unconsciously competent people can quickly become unconsciously incompetent!
How long does it take to learn?
It takes a few hours to a few days to become "Consciously Competent";
A few weeks to a few months to become "Unconsciously Competent";
and Many years of hard work to become "Unconsciously Perfectly Competent" "