Too Quad Dominant, or Quads too weak?
My quads seem to be the major thing that fatigues first in big races (AmZof last week, Tour of Battenkill bike race 2 months ago and IMFL last yr). It seems to happen when I'm pushing hard for a long time on the bike. In the Tour of Battenkill road bike race this yr, it got to the point where I couldn't get out of the saddle to climb steep hills because each quad would cramp on every pedal stroke while climbing... It's weird, because some people called me QuadZilla because my quads seem to be engorged at the end of big races. At IM Florida last yr, my quads started cramping near the end of the bike and they were effectively super tight for the whole run leg. I kept telling them to shut up, but I know it still effected my run. I have certainly learned to run more upright with my glutes as more of my driving force, but it's still hard to run with fried, tight, or cramping quads.
I'm wondering if wall sits, or other quad strengthening exercises would be good for me...? Especially since my quads seem to be one of my major limiters... But I'm also pretty sure that there is a big difference between 30 mins worth of strength training and 5 hours worth of pedaling a bike. Alternatively, am I already too Quad dominate while I ride and is there a better way to fix this limiter? Should I be focusing on trying to pedal more with my glutes instead? If so, how to you even go about doing this? It has effected me in the aero position (IMFL aero on tri bike for 5hrs) and in a mostly upright position (Battenkill on a road bike in hills for 3.5hrs).
FWIW, here's my finisher's photo from IMFL so you can see that my quads certainly don't "look" undersized. But I'm sure there's a big difference in endurance between body builder quads and Macca's quads...
Anybody have any Thoughts?
Comments
interesting line of questioning...I know that you and I have both worked on glute and hip strength to improve running, prevent injury, etc. One thing I have notice on my bike is I am not as easily able to activate my glute muscles while pedaling like I do while running. This could partially be a result of my saddle height (on the lower side) but I think its also the nature of how our bodies pedal.
Are you a natural "masher of the pedals?" Mainly pushing with the quads?? Are you scrapping the mud" at the bottom of the stroke which probably activates the glutes and hamstrings the most?? Do you have this problem at easier paces for the same duration.
My initial thought is you don't need to strengthen your quads, but strengthen your hamstrings and possibly adjust your technique for pedaling. I will be interested to see what others think, but I just don't see the answer being "do wall sits" for a guy with a FTP of 3xx, and bike splits like yours...
Do you notice this happening in training AND racing? Or just racing?
Are you disciplined about not riding out of the saddle unless absolutely necessary?
Do you ride with power? What's your VI on these rides where quads are an issue?
Is strength training a regular part of your training regime?
I am a reformed pedal masher. I always used my quads to power through the bike. When I hurt my knee last year, I went to a physical therapist. He said I was very quad dominant (said I would have made a very good speed skater...guess I missed my calling)
. As a result, my hamstrings were very weak as well as my hip flexors. He also said that my glutes were not firing as a result. On that point, it sounds similar to what you described in your post.
The physical therapist gave me exercises for strengthening my hamstrings and getting my glutes muscles firing properly. I had never realized I was using limited muscles on the bike until I worked with him. After a few months of physical therapy, I started to notice that my glutes and hamstrings were sore after working out....probably because now that I was "firing on all cylinders" I was using those muscles. That only lasted a few weeks.
I still do some of the exercises he gave me once a week for maintenance.
Usually just while racing and only after like 3-4 hours of either steady (tri) or hard (road race).
I almost never get out of the saddle in triathlon, and if I do, it's just to loosen up and not to spike power.
All types of VI... I think it was like 1.03 at IMFL... And 1.22 at Battenkill bike race.
I also generally keep 90-95 cadence while racing.
Core stability and Glute strengthening has been regular before and after my runs for the last 6-7 months. No weights or traditional strength training as I am a former wrestler and have been actively trying to 'shrink' my oversized upper body for the past 3 yrs...
Ditto to what Lisa said....I would agreee/suspect that its a biomechanics issue where you are not utilizing your core/hammies/glutes effectively (it's why your quads are so big...)....I need to do some of the same work to balance out my form....
You may also want to review your bike position...but think some core & strenght training would benefit you.