do you use your calf muscles?

[jawaka]

I found this chart diagram showing leg muscles used in cycling.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/arti ... train-them

I've been on an exercise bike to better see my pedalling: I can look down without falling off.

It looks like I don't routinely use my calf muscles very much except on a hard setting on the exercise bike.But I sometimes see cyclists with hard knotted calves on the bike, so is this a technique to learn or do we intrinsically have different pedalling techniques?

I also looked looked at the difference with ankling; most of the professionals seem to do it. I notice that if I do this on the exercise bike my calves seem to automatically work, and more too than if I pedal without ankling. I can see this because when the outside calf muscle relaxes it relaxes further hence it contracted more.
but i don't think I ankle automatically when on the bike, do you in fact do so , or is it a technique to learn?

[Tonyf33]

A combination of foot position and pedalling action has a decent sized input into how much you use your calves I would think.
My calves are a fairly muscular 16" with 99.9% of my riding seated, my quads & GM are pretty big too for a non athlete, I did however used to play a bit of rugby league back in my younger days so leg power as a forward was quite important.
At the end of the day if you are cycling hard then you're going to be exercising the muscles in a way that develops them, I don't need to look at a watt meter, speedometer or GPS to know when I've had a good hard ride. The muscles are what they are and unless you're bodybuilding or a competition rider how much use they all get isn't massively important is it?

[andrew_s]

Anyone who doesn't pedal with their heels will be using their calf muscles.

[Mick F]

I have very well developed calf muscles from a lifetime of cycling.
Pedal with the correct part of the foot, and your calf muscles provide much of the lower leg power.

As Andrew_S says .................... anyone who doesn't pedal with their heels will be using their calf muscles.

[GrahamMC]

I often see cyclists in front of me with large calf muscles and tend to think these are the ones who use high gears and low cadence - would that be right or is it just how people are naturally shaped - related to general body shape perhaps?

[TrevA]

I often see cyclists in front of me with large calf muscles and tend to think these are the ones who use high gears and low cadence - would that be right or is it just how people are naturally shaped - related to general body shape perhaps?

It's related to body type. I have massive calves because I'm a mesomorph, but my ectomorph friend has hardly any calf muscles at all, but he's just as fast as me. He's a better climber, but I can beat him in a sprint.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Its a misconception that you have to think about using calf's on a bike.

So who's are these

[Mick F]

Stand for a minute in bare feet supported on the balls of your feet ......... with you heels a good inch off the ground.

Tell me that your calf muscles aren't used.

[Lance Dopestrong]

Hi,
Its a misconception that you have to think about using calf's on a bike.

So who's are these

The guy from the Mr Muscle ads?

[Tonyf33]

Stand for a minute in bare feet supported on the balls of your feet ......... with you heels a good inch off the ground.

Tell me that your calf muscles aren't used.

They are used but not as much as people think, most of the power in cycling comes from your quads and glutes, the calves do play a part but far less both in time around the pedal stroke and as a % of the overall input.

[Tonyf33]

Hi,
Its a misconception that you have to think about using calf's on a bike.

So who's are these

That's Chris Hoys legs, his are generally bigger than other pro cyclists as he is in the power/explosive type cycling as opposed to the long distance endurance stuff. He doesn't have massive quads either compared to some but maximises what he has with great leg speed.
If you look at Brad Wiggins and Chris Froome's calves, they are like matchsticks

[david7591]

Stand for a minute in bare feet supported on the balls of your feet ......... with you heels a good inch off the ground.

Tell me that your calf muscles aren't used.

Surely not a fair comparison for cycling, as most of the time the cyclist is sat down with his ass on the saddle and his hands on the bars, taking most of his body's weight.

[Tonyf33]

Stand for a minute in bare feet supported on the balls of your feet ......... with you heels a good inch off the ground.

Tell me that your calf muscles aren't used.

Surely not a fair comparison for cycling, as most of the time the cyclist is sat down with his ass on the saddle and his hands on the bars, taking most of his body's weight.

No, it's an accurate comparison, when you are flexing your calves whilst pedalling (assuming using ball of foot) your heel will be higher than the toes at maximum flex/strain which highlights the muscle as opposed to a flat foot which whilst on a bike would be in the neutral position of not exerting any pressure on the calves as per the diagram linked in the first post.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

[Mick F]

Stand for a minute in bare feet supported on the balls of your feet ......... with you heels a good inch off the ground.
Tell me that your calf muscles aren't used.

Surely not a fair comparison for cycling, as most of the time the cyclist is sat down with his ass on the saddle and his hands on the bars, taking most of his body's weight.

When you pedal hard, there is little or no weight on the saddle ........... or there shouldn't be.
The power you put down on the cranks is through the front of your foot. The pedal spindle should be in line with the ball of your foot.

Stand on the ball of your foot and lift your heel up. That is the position you should be in when riding.

.........it's an accurate comparison, when you are flexing your calves whilst pedalling (assuming using ball of foot) your heel will be higher than the toes at maximum flex/strain which highlights the muscle as opposed to a flat foot which whilst on a bike would be in the neutral position of not exerting any pressure on the calves as per the diagram linked in the first post.

Thank you Tony.

As for the chap in the photo above.
He's got big thighs, but we can't see his calf muscles, and even if we did ............ so what?
No-one has said, least of all me, that there are no other muscles involved than calves.