Originally Posted by
BROOKLINEBIKER
Hi everyone,
I am trying to find ways to engage my hamstrings and gluteus muscles when I pedal. When I am pedaling through the 6:00 position only my quadricep muscles seem to be activating. If I try to force my hamstrings to fire by pulling my ankles from 4:00 through to 8:00, I end up with a sore lower back. My physical therapist says my hamstrings have normal flexibility. I use Frog pedals and drop handlebars. How can I fix this?
First, make sure you and the bike are properly fitted, starting with the saddle position. If it is too low, you might be forced to engage your quads more than ideal.
After you have ensured the saddle is at the proper height, you could try a heel-first pedal stroke (driving down with the heel) to engage more glute and hamstring in the stroke. This may not work though if the saddle is too low.