If you’re a cycling enthusiast looking to increase your power on the bike, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re training for a race, triathlon, Ironman 70.3, or Ironman or simply want to ride faster and more efficiently, there are several strategies you can use to boost your cycling power.
Work on your pedal stroke
A smooth and efficient pedal stroke can make a big difference in your power output. Focus on applying equal force to both pedals, and avoid pulling up on the pedals or letting one leg do more work than the other.
Improve your cadence
Cadence refers to the number of times you pedal per minute. A higher cadence allows you to maintain a higher power output without tiring as quickly. To improve your cadence, try using a cycling-specific power meter or spin class.
Strength train
In addition to cycling, incorporating strength training into your routine can help you generate more power on the bike. Squats, leg presses, and lunges are all great exercises to target the muscles you use while cycling.
Upgrade your equipment
Investing in high-quality cycling equipment can make a big difference in your power output. A lighter bike, for example, will be easier to pedal and require less energy to ride. You should also make sure your bike is properly fitted to your body, as this can help you ride more efficiently.
Pay attention to your nutrition
Proper nutrition is essential for optimal cycling performance. Make sure you’re fueling your body with the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to support your training.
Get enough rest
It’s important to allow your body time to recover between rides. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and taking rest days as needed to ensure you’re well-rested and ready to tackle your next ride.
Train at high intensity
Interval training, where you alternate between periods of high and low intensity, can help you improve your power output. This type of training challenges your body and helps you build the strength and endurance needed to ride harder and faster.
Practice good form
Good form on the bike is essential for generating power. Make sure you’re sitting upright, keeping your elbows bent, and using your core to stabilize your upper body.
Ride in Bigger Gears
Riding in greater gears at a similar cadence in a specific arrangement of conditions makes for a reliably higher power yield. You can apply this tip by investing continuously longer energy in greater gear amid a ride.
For instance, if you regularly ride up a three-mile slope in a gear combination of 34 x 19, you can build your outfitting to 34 x 17 for three minutes.
Whenever you ride in 34 x 17 for four minutes and after that five minutes, and so forth until the point that you can ride the whole slope in 34 x 17 at a similar cadence you recently held in 34 x 19. This would show a huge increment in power!
Ride Uphill
Riding on an inclined slope is an incredible method to increment muscular endurance, which is the capacity to pedal a generally higher gear at a moderate cadence for a longer period.
It’s successful on the grounds that cyclists will in general decrease cadence and increment normal pedal power when riding tough (i.e., push more diligently on the pedals). One approach to altogether support your power output is to dynamically overload on the stretch of the climb.
Ride into Headwinds
When you live in flatlands, riding uphill won’t work for you. On the other hand, riding into an opposite wind flow can be successful indeed. Similarly, as with riding in higher gears and uphill, it’s an incredible method to enhance muscular endurance.
Obviously, you can’t design a headwind ride ahead of time, however, you can exploit a windy day by riding a rectangular circuit around two miles long. This will furnish you with reliable time periods of headwinds, tailwinds, and crosswinds.
Use Block Training
Block training comprises of hard exercises for a few sequential days pursued by an equivalent measure of recovery (days off or simple exercises).
In light of the severe stress put on your musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, block training is an exceptionally successful approach to encourage the physiological adjustment process and essentially increase your power output. The key is to ensure that you give your body gets enough time to recover after the training block.
Follow the 75% rule
The 75% rule states that amid a given training week, no less than 75 per cent of your miles (or time) ought to be at or below 75 per cent of your maximum heart rate (MHR).
As such, somewhere around three-fourths of your week-by-week preparation should occur in Zones 1 and 2 (50-70 per cent of MHR, 65-85 per cent of lactate threshold pulse and a limit of 75 per cent of utilitarian edge control).
It’s hard to believe, but it’s true, the majority of your cycling should comprise simple recovery and endurance-building rides. So how would you get quicker? That is the other piece of the 75 per cent rule. 10% of your week-after-week mileage ought to be in Zone 5 (90-100 per cent of MHR, 105 per cent of LTHR and 106 to 150 per cent of functional threshold power). At the end of the day, it should comprise extremely intense riding.
Conclusion
By following these tips and incorporating them into your training routine, you’ll be well on your way to boosting your cycling power. Remember to be consistent in your efforts, stay motivated, and have fun!