Do you have torque?

Do you have torque?

The perils of perfect timing

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, experts established approximately 90 RPM as the perfect tempo. The reason is simple, logical, and still valid today.

At a lower cadence, you pedal with more force. Since your heart beats more slowly, this type of effort puts less strain on your cardiovascular system than pedaling faster to achieve the same power output. For example, 75 RPM to reach 250 watts, rather than 90 RPM to achieve the same result.

But it also causes muscle fatigue, which ultimately wears down our endurance.

Between the high crank speed seen in track cyclists (above 100 RPM) and the old fashion of large gear ratios, inherited from the days when cyclists and racers tackled monster mountain passes with a small 42-tooth chainring and a 24-tooth sprocket, sports scientists have established that 90 RPM is the ideal number, as it balances the effort between muscular and cardiovascular exertion.

However, we must avoid turning this into a dogma and adopting only this pace.

Firstly, because there are cases where it is not as ideal as it seems. An example? When stuck in the wheels, producing very low power, it is better to turn your legs slowly to rest (the muscle load is low and turning slowly also protects the heart).

And then certain situations require you to push down hard on the pedals and maintain good muscle strength over a prolonged period of time. For that, you need to have good "torque."

Be careful, however, not to confuse this with a burst of speed: brute force, but which lasts only a few seconds, or a minute at most. This allows you to keep up with the strongest riders on short climbs, but risks leaving you behind if the slope gets longer.

If you mountain bike, you know how much a good punch will save you trouble on a technical section, with a powerful pedal stroke allowing you to clear an obstacle that would otherwise have slowed you down.

But on a slow climb with a loose surface that sticks to your seat, steep and long passes, and hay fields that make you feel like your Tires to the ground: there, you'll need legs that can push hard gears for a long time.

Give yourself some "torque"

If you are a regular at Cartel, you have probably already participated in training sessions where very low cadences were required to achieve fairly high power outputs. 75 RPM and below, for example.

This is an effective type of exercise, but one that you don't necessarily do on a regular basis. And frankly, to improve your "torque," it would even be better to lower the cadence even further (50-60 RPM).

If you want to incorporate some "torque" exercises into your plan for the coming months, you can try this (once you've warmed up properly):

3 x 6 minutes at 50 RPM seated, at 80-90% of your FTP, with 2 minutes of rest at 40-50% of your FTP while maintaining a very high cadence (between 90 and 100 RPM).

You can also do a kind of blend, which works on all three types of cadence, maintaining the same power, 3 x 8 min, this time with the first block at 60 RPM, the second at 90 RPM, and the third at 110 RPM.

Finally, you can also split your 8 minutes into 4 x 2 minutes (without rest) by alternating, for example, 2 minutes at 60-70 RPM and 2 minutes at 90-100 RPM. You can also vary the techniques and alternate between seated and standing efforts. 

Weight training to the rescue

One of the most effective ways to improve your torque is also to do strength training.

Aim for short repetitions with heavy weights (squats, lunges, deadlifts) and a slow tempo (e.g., 4-1-4) in order to recruit your slow motor units.

To improve your punch, work more on speed (explosiveness). This means that the weights should not be too heavy so that you can move quickly. Plyometrics is also a very effective method for boosting your power.Box jumps, which require raw power and momentum, are an excellent way to work your fast-twitch muscles. However, you must have progressed through strength training before adopting this type of session, as there is a significant risk of injury if you start it overnight.

Come check out our weight room or try one of our circuit training classes. We have everything you need to give you torque and/or punch.

* Our venue is currently closed due to the COVID-19 crisis, but we will reopen as soon as the government allows it. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details.

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