Paulatic wrote:Richard36 wrote:Why do you need to go to a gym? You don't and I never said you did. I said that the clients I have were gym goers and have now found a way to get some of the upper body stimulation that 'they' were after - without having to pay gym fees.
From the outset of this thread I’ve wondered how from standing on the pedals does it improve core strength or as you now describe as stimulation.
Apologies in advance if I’ve missed it but don’t think I’ve yet seen an explanation. I still can’t see how it’s different to just standing up or walking.
Well the comparison would probably be between standing pedaling v sitting (with regards core activation) though you can make comparisons with walking of uou would like to.
With sitting down pedalling we are essentially in an adult fetal position. Our core is very largely switched off, as sew our glutes. We can try and optimise our sittinf position to attend out the back but whits would be more due to the arms, lower and upper back pushing into a better position and would not do much for the anterior core.
When standing with the weight further forwards - closer to shoulders over hands - we use our core to both laterally flex us (a little, so the bike moves side to side as we balance) and to resist too much lateral flexion (when you see people flopping about from side to side).
When we stand our upper and mid backs are switched on (hard not have them on) and required to maintain this positon by pulling us upright. We are also using our quads to extend the knee and the glutes (assisted by hamstrings) to extend the hip.
In this position with the upper/mid back AND the muscles around the hip all on, it is very hard to have the core musculature in between, turned off.
Richard