Originally Posted by
gregf83
I think you need to review your physics. By pulling up you increase the torque applied to the crankset. During a sprint you are applying as much force as possible on the downstroke. Any force you can apply on the upstroke is additive and will increase the torque.
There is a ton of evidence that pulling up on the pedals allows for extra power during sprinting, it just hasn't been published (at least I've never seen any published papers).
For reference take a look at how track sprinters lock themselves into their pedals. They use a combination of clips and straps over top. That's not because they're pushing down harder on the pedals
Ah, thanks. I always wondered why the straps; if it were some arcane rule or what. I can't pull out of my SPDs when they're tight, but I'm not Chris Hoy.
It would be very interesting to do some hill sprints with pedal-based PMs and try different techniques and cadences. Love to see the results.
I only gave it everything I had on a hill sprint when I had a guy who was staying with me, so I only know what worked for me. The critical thing of course is to be in the right gear because it's impossible to shift. What would drop that guy was to pull up on the pedals like I was trying to rip them off the crank. No 10% BS. So it's definitely more power that way. The more up force you can apply, the more down force you can apply. Your legs are stronger than your arms.
I wonder if track sprinters every snap their pedal shafts. I have a couple friends who've done that with no good result unless you count a tidy lawsuit.
Other than short hard efforts, it's a heck of a lot easier on the legs if one can spread out the loads over more muscles. Lower load per muscle cross section area equals lower oxidative flux equals more endurance.