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I would like to clarify a detail of RPM. I notice that when I am in ride easy, racing and aero, I emphasis the pull point for timing. When in seated climb, standing climb and during intervals (in attack and in racing), I emphasize the push point for timing. Is either point is more efficient than the other? Which is preferred?

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Together against globesity.

Not sure LM stand on this but from my experience as RPM, Freestyle and outdoor cyclist-I try to avoid empahsizing any part of pedal stroke over another.  I emphasize smooth pedal strokes-making sure participants make a mental  to -carry foot forward on top of the stroke,push down the front, drag across the bottum (with heels down but using ankling) and pulling up the back.  In outdoors we don't emphasize any part of the stroke either-just different gearing and smooth efficient strokes.  Not sure why you're doing this?? Anyone else??

I should clarify, I'm observing my own pedal stroke. It just feels like on heavier loads my timing is synced to the push point and at lesser loads to the pull point. Since indoors uses music for timing, I was just wondering if anyone noticed how their pedal stroke is synced to the music they choose/use, assuming technique is solid.

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Together against globesity.

OK I see-yes I do check that my cadence is in synch with the music on Tracks 3,5,7.  I don't really feel it in the pedal stroke itself. In another cycling cert-we were taught to pick a foot and synch it with the music (if we wanted to ride to the beat) when that foot is at 3 o'clock.  With heavy resistance (like a hill or sprint with load) you may feel more resistance at the front of the stroke, but ideally you should aim for equal pressure at all 4 points-that's what it means to smooth out the pedal stroke.  Now in outdoor cycling (I know, RPM is and inddor class) when the pedal stroke becomes uneven-or not smooth-we change gears.  That's because you want the pedal stroke to be efficient.  When the pedal stroke isn't smooth then it's not efficient therefore you're loosing power-wasting energy-definitely NOT something you want when riding a Century-or sprinting the line-or pulling in the wind or even climbing.

So, yes you can synch to the music but you shouldn't really feel it (it may seem like you feel it-hopefully that's the mind body connection working) and if you really do feel it you may need to work on smoothing out that stroke.  I definitely wouldn't cue the class that way though. The biggest mistake I see fairly new riders or riders who never ride outside do is way too much resistance in the climbs-thus all they feel is the downstroke and way too little resistance in the sprints-I call that free wheeling-legs going really fast and the pedal stroke looks sloppy even if they're not bouncing in the saddle.  One leg pedal strokes will help smooth things out too-especially if you use the right amount of resistance.

I see what you are saying. I'm solid on technique. I just wondered if anyone made a connection to where they are in their stroke when they are 1/1 in RPM, on the flats compared to the hills. I'm not teaching it or making a concentrated effort to work in this manner. One day I observed it and I took note. I thought I would ask if anyone else had ever noticed it for themselves.

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Together against globesity.

Yo,

Actually I do.  I use the push point for the whole class and when I'm team-teaching we even sync legs.

Which brings me to another point:  Does anyone know which leg one is supposed to 'lead' with?  I know it matters in programs like Attack but I never hear much about it in RPM... 

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-- Alasdair.