Training Muscular Endurance Through Low Cadence.
Cycling is a sport that demands a combination of aerobic endurance, muscular strength, and efficiency in pedal strokes. While most cyclists focus on building their aerobic capacity through long rides and high intensity workouts, there is a growing recognition of the benefits of incorporating longer intervals at low cadence (60 - 70rpm) into training routines.
This blog will explore why it's important for cyclists to embrace this training approach, examining how it extends muscle fibre load, increases localised muscular endurance, enhances tendon and ligament strength, and recruits additional muscle fibres for pedal stroke movements.
Before diving into the benefits of longer (10 - 30min) intervals at low cadence, let's briefly define muscular endurance and distinguish it from aerobic endurance. Muscular endurance refers to the ability of a specific muscle or muscle group to sustain repeated contractions over an extended period. It focuses on the ability of the muscles to resist fatigue and generate force continuously. On the other hand, aerobic endurance primarily relates to the capacity of the cardiovascular system to supply oxygen and energy to the working muscles.
Extending Muscle Fiber Load
Performing intervals at low cadence significantly extends the time muscle fibres are “under load” during a workout. This prolonged muscular effort stimulates adaptations within the muscle fibres, improved oxidative capacity, and increased resistance to fatigue. These adaptations ultimately lead to enhanced endurance and sustainable power output.
Increasing Localised Muscular Endurance
Longer low cadence intervals target the muscles used specifically during the pedal stroke, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. By targeting the muscles involved in this desired movement pattern, cyclists can improve their ability to maintain force production under fatigue.
Enhancing Tendon and Ligament Strength
Cyclists can often neglect the importance of increasing tendon and ligament strength which can lead to increased injury risk. Low cadence drills can help address this by placing greater stress on tendons and ligaments, promoting their adaptation and strengthening. As these connective tissues become more robust, they can better withstand the repetitive stresses encountered during cycling, reducing the likelihood of overuse injuries.
Recruiting More Muscle Fibres
Although the action of pedalling recruits the muscle involved (quads, hamstrings, glutes etc), it is entirely possible for a large number of individual muscle fibres within those muscles, to lay “dormant” (effectively reducing a cyclists efficiency). Long intervals at low cadence demands the recruitment of additional muscle fibres to sustain power output. By recruiting more muscle fibers through this type of training, cyclists can develop a more comprehensive muscle activation pattern during each pedal stroke. This recruitment not only enhances performance but also helps to correct muscle imbalances and improve overall efficiency in the cycling motion.
