Old 03-16-03, 09:31 AM
  #5  
easyrider
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First, a lot of people (not necessarily cyclists) that think their right leg is stronger are wrong. Kicking a ball with the right leg means you are putting the left leg in the position of supporting weight and balancing the body, which isn't easy. This is why most right handed high jumpers and long jumpers launch off of the left foot.

Second, muscle imbalance can occur from long periods of cycling and is best addressed off of the bike through weightlifting. Work the legs individually. While squats and leg presses are great, they do not allow you to monitor the ways each leg is contributing. Address this with leg extensions and curls done one leg at a time. Do not increase the weight lifted by the stronger leg until the weaker leg catches up.

Third, measuring the muscle mass can help give an indication of potential problems but expect some small (normal) differences. When measuring, make sure that you are the same distance above the knee on both sides. Like many cyclists, I suffer from a light case of patella chondromalacia and, at the worst, my left thigh was a full inch smaller than my right. When I address the issue with rehab lifting I can get that down to half an inch and my riding is much smoother.
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