Using Glutes While Cycling by Mark Allen

[@xueyue30]

you are absolutely right, I just found out these by myself last week. but the issue is, when I dont know these, I wont search for these videos. I guess we have to awaken by ourselves when the time comes.

[@blaquaman1739]

I was trying to figure out why my knees were hurting and I randomly tried this technique and it felt amazing

[@magicf7076]

It makes a huge difference if you are able to use the glutes. Basically I moved my saddle more and more forward, to the optimal point.

[@therealmarkallen]

Glad that helped!

[@xueyue30]

这个讲的特别对，最近我骑车自己调整的时候，发现了这个臀肌参与的方法，和视频里讲的一模一样。 其实就是现在多数人有骨盆前倾的问题，把骨盆调整回来就可以了。不要撅屁股，收紧臀部肌肉和大腿后侧的股二头肌。然后就发现以前只用股四头肌和小腿肌群的你，突然压力减轻了很多，如果正确的话，臀部骑一会就会酸胀。体态的变化就是弓一点腰，大概屁股会前移2公分左右。 骨盆前倾的矫正方法也是收紧臀肌，股二头肌，和上腹肌。

[@KR-lv7vz]

Got it! Thank you! Some times I can feel it on my buns, but not always and I didn't even realize what I was doing. Now I'll be able to be more mindful of my sitting and back position

[@therealmarkallen]

Glad the helped.

[@mike_p941]

I did this on todays ride and made an enormous difference. thanks tons !!

[@therealmarkallen]

Great to hear Mike! Glad it made a big difference.

[@Ballistichydrant]

I should also mention that most people even regular cyclists have very weak hamstrings because we just don’t use them in our modern lives. In order to develop your hamstrings you can start practicing Romanian deadlift and traditional deadlifts. Strong hamstrings can improve leg drive and power production in cycling sprints to an extent that will surprise you. But these muscles take ages to develop in grown men because we barely use them and as a result are usually very weak. But once developed they are incredibly powerful and will increase cycling performance like nothing else.

[@therealmarkallen]

Working on them as we speak!!!!

[@sh4rkhappy]

Only in sprints or on a saddle too??

[@holdencaulfied7492]

People always say to do squats or whatever to be a stronger cyclist. How about you just ride more? Until you're riding 6 hours a day like a pro, forget leg exercises, you've got more riding to do!

[@shannonthompson3377]

Thank you so much for this. Rehabbing from 3rd hip surgery and that quad dominance has been so detrimental to my recovery. This helps so much!

[@therealmarkallen]

Glad that helped!

[@asra6166]

Thanks for this im gonna try this out! I only noticed this issue when I realised peddling upright on the tops was so effortless while I struggle alot to put out the same power while on the hoods. It led me to believe I wasn't using my glutes while on being low and now I understand how.

[@therealmarkallen]

Did it work?

[@asra6166]

@@therealmarkallen I wanted to hold off commenting and figure out whether I was doing anything wrongly. And yes it worked!! Felt akin to sitting alot more in the seat and bending from my stomach rather than my hips. Which mimics a little like I'm cycling on the tops. Not sure if that's the intention but damn, soo much free power!!

[@newt2120]

Wtf is the tops? What is the hoods?

[@discbrakefan]

@@newt2120 These refer to positions on road bike drop handlebars. The “tops” are the flat section on the top part of the bar either side of the stem. The “hoods” are the parts most people hold most of the time - the section of the brake & gear lever body where you hold them and the “drops” are the lowest part of the handlebar where the bar loops downward.

[@Dogface1984]

Cool gunna try this

[@therealmarkallen]

Good luck. Hope it helps.

[@aletheia3]

Cool.. I'll try this!! Thanx!

[@therealmarkallen]

I hope it helps.

[@yazzijazzi5152]

Thanks for this! Going to try on next ride!

[@therealmarkallen]

I hope it helps!

[@DS-nw1wc]

Thanks for the instruction 👍

[@therealmarkallen]

Any time!

[@nicktham1244]

Thank you

[@EnigmaticAnomaly]

Thanks for this! I'm quad dominant and have a bad habit of flaming out quick under power. I'm going to give them a shot, as I've always had a difficult time utilizing the glutes in my pedal stroke. Now ... any advise of sprinting on an indoor trainer? Same issue - quad burn out.

[@therealmarkallen]

Yes, one tip...start just below your max power and build up into it even in a very short sprint rather than trying to hit max power right away and sustaining it.

[@EnigmaticAnomaly]

@@therealmarkallen Good advice! My thing has always been to start low rpm and explode into berserker mode. I get a fairly decent initial peak power, something around 14wkg at the end of a race, but once I get the Kickr's flywheel speed my power drops by nearly 300w even though my cadence remains the same in the mid 90s. What I've been doing recently is starting in an easier gear (52/14) to get the cadence up, then dropping to the 13, yet with similar power dropping off results. I'll try what you suggest, perhaps rising only slightly out of the saddle to keep the weight further back and centered over the bb.

[@redstonemidget]

How about climbing out of the saddle? I still dont know where to find the "right spot" to activate when climbing oots.

[@therealmarkallen]

Yes that activates the glutes for sure when you climb out of the saddle. However, it also uses a lot of oxygen as you know, so it's not as efficient as sitting. Keep in mind that there will always be quads working when you generate power in the pedal stroke. So the glutes are just taking up a bit of the force. They are never THE source of power. But even if you get say 10% of your power from glutes, that enables you to gain a ton of speed and power before your quads would blow up!

[@kennyramsey4555]

I completed my one and only sportif event on what was and still are non firing glutes. Crawl up hills, getting passed by everyone. Need to work on it. Hope this helps

[@therealmarkallen]

Let me know if you have gotten the hand of it!

[@csn583]

Thanks, trying to train it to be second nature instead of something I have to keep reminding myself of!

[@therealmarkallen]

Keep working on it. This is something that I have to constantly remind myself of even after years of doing it!

[@Katheter07]

This guy is right on. But you don't have to scoot your butt forward to roll your hips under. Try this on a short hill. Get back on the saddle, sit more upright, hold the cross bar with your fingers and then roll your hips under. Point your toes to make up for the longer distance to the pedals. If it works then try a longer hill and of course, in lowest gear for starters.

[@therealmarkallen]

That works also!

[@holdencaulfied7492]

What is that red thing on your bike frame? Is it a gas tank lol.

[@UsyksmashedFurytopieces]

Do you use glutes more in out of saddle cycling compared to sitting in the saddle?

[@therealmarkallen]

For sure more while out of the saddle. But if you can get even a 10% load reduction on the quads because you are using the glutes while sitting, your ability to sustain higher watts without blowing up is huge.

[@guyholbrow5143]

Thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely try that next time and see if I can feel the shift to the glutes; I’m assuming like running you want the glute to engage just before the quad in the chain sequence?

[@HackHunter1835]

What am I doing wrong if i feel more strain in my Calves? Note, ive had a bike fit, I dont think its positioning. And i use pedal straps. Thoughts?

[@wardieleppan8443]

When in the cycle should the glutes kick in? What roles do they play?

[@ok-lv1qy]

Hip extension

[@ok-lv1qy]

Posterior rotation of the pelvis

[@therealmarkallen]

They are actually a small addition to the overall power in the pedal stroke, but that small addition enables the quads to avoid blowing up like a balloon when you are going hard. And that is super key!

[@alaefarmestatesllc]

When I stand up, the burn gets way worse lol

[@therealmarkallen]

Keep working on it. You'll get it.

[@Ballistichydrant]

Maximum glute activation on a bicycle is in the 2-12% range. They are not a main mover in bicycle leg drive. You can switch between the 2 main movers, quads and hamstrings by either pushing downward on the pedals (quad dominant) or pushing forward on the pedals (hamstring dominant). Forget about the glutes on a bicycle. They are contributing almost nothing to the power curve.

[@therealmarkallen]

That is true, but to take even 2% or up to 12% off the pressure of the quad and you are able to sustain a much higher output without that quad blow up that can take place. And that is gold.

[@Ballistichydrant]

@@therealmarkallen I appreciate what you’re saying. The hamstrings are huge powerful muscles. By focusing on their development you can increase your power output and endurance by as much as 100%. So I don’t think that focusing any attention on a mechanically disadvantaged muscle (glutes) to attain a 12 % improvement. I’m lucky as I have a deadlift bar in my house so I can spend a few minutes every single day focusing on developing my hamstrings and quads. Another stratagy for reducing quad burn is HIIT style sprints. Ride on flats, cruise, then go all out for one full minute, then cruise to recover , then repeat, try to get to V02 Max on each sprint. Your body will rewire both the vasculature of your legs and your nervous system so that the burn doesn’t occur. It takes time but I think you might be surprised how quickly your body will adapt. This machine we’ve been given is really remarkable.

[@asra6166]

Your assumption here is that 10% of glutes is equivalent to 10% of quads strength. Fyi the glutes are the most powerful muscle in the body. 10% of it is going to put out alot more power and takes alot more time to fatigue. Why would anyone resist free watts???

[@Ballistichydrant]

@@asra6166 horseshit

[@Ballistichydrant]

@@asra6166 The glutes are not involved in cycling. If you’re feeling your glutes after cycling it’s only because they are so atrophied that any cursory use of them causes a burn. Learn to use your hamstrings. Much more effective muscle group for this exercise. They have the greatest mechanical advantage and in sum are much larger and more powerful than your glutes

[@waterdeptworker]

Is it just me or does it seem like men over 50 are in better shape than men under 30?

[@therealmarkallen]

Well that depends on the person of course. But unless a young person lives in a very active area where people are exercising a lot (think a town like Boulder or a surf or ski community), in general I see that there are a lot of younger folks who just don't exercise whereas older folks seem to have the mentality of training regularly. That's a big generalization though.

[@chrispeters2022]

When riding a bicycle you are riding a bicycle