Bike Spin

Bike Training

I prefer biking to running for "base training" because it provides aerobic and endurance training. Although running does provide aerobic training it doesn’t have the other advantages of biking like low impact for aging knees. Biking also builds muscle tone and strength much more so than running.

If you are new to serious biking, here are some basics. Biking should be done three times a week at the beginning of the training program. Two times a week will be fine but other training activities (the circuits) should be added after the first few weeks to supplement the two-day bike program.

Biking Technique
Serious bikers talk about something called spinning. Spinning is the most efficient way to move on a bike. It means you form a complete circle of power with your pedaling action. Pedaling isn’t a series of alternating downward pressure strokes, it is a continuous circle of pressure on the pedals. The downward push shouldn’t do all the work. As the right foot comes to the top of the pedal circle the left foot begins to pull up during the back of the pedal circle. Combining the pull back and up with the push down and forward gives the circle no weak points. Alternating these movements from right to left foot and from pushing to pulling requires some practice, but once you have the idea of spinning, biking enjoyment is reached. It’s hard to explain because it feels so powerful yet requires much less strength. You become an efficient machine, in tune with the bike.

Here’s how it’s learned: