silly newbie question

[ssp65]

I've only been cycling for a few months now but I am wondering about my pedaling technique. I have noticed that well trained cyclists have stongly developed calf muscles but as a newbie to cycling, I feel pain in many areas of my body but nothing in my calves. I feel pain and fatigue in the lateral and medial quadraceps but never anything in my calf. Does this indicate that my pedaling technique is incorrect?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Smartt/RST]

I've only been cycling for a few months now but I am wondering about my pedaling technique. I have noticed that well trained cyclists have stongly developed calf muscles but as a newbie to cycling, I feel pain in many areas of my body but nothing in my calves. I feel pain and fatigue in the lateral and medial quadraceps but never anything in my calf. Does this indicate that my pedaling technique is incorrect?
Thanks for any advice.

Not at all. Your quadriceps, glutes and upper hamstrings are the main power producing mucles of the legs; the main purpose of the calves is to transfer that power to the pedals, although they do contribute to actually producing power a little as well. Where you feel "pain" is as much a matter of your position on the bike as how you are pedaling: if you sit more forward, you are likely to feel more pain in the quads, move back, and you'll feel more in the glutes and upper hamstrings. Either way, you *should* feel it in the quads, glutes and hamstrings, and not so much in the calves.

 

[ssp65]

Not at all. Your quadriceps, glutes and upper hamstrings are the main power producing mucles of the legs; the main purpose of the calves is to transfer that power to the pedals, although they do contribute to actually producing power a little as well. Where you feel "pain" is as much a matter of your position on the bike as how you are pedaling: if you sit more forward, you are likely to feel more pain in the quads, move back, and you'll feel more in the glutes and upper hamstrings. Either way, you *should* feel it in the quads, glutes and hamstrings, and not so much in the calves.

Thanks. I'm glad to know I'm doing it basically right.