Power-producing capacity of a human leg is clearly affecting the ROM of joint angles! This is a contact force w/in the joints & it is related to risk of injury! The shock that is taken at the joints , at the ligs, at the tendons are a very real risk of injury! So why do we see so many with a lower saddle, knowing the knee is in a more flexed position, through the whole pedaling cycle? When you change the joint angle, you change the muscle length also! Now comes the question, of knee flexion or knee extension. This affects total muscle power, muscle force depends on its length. In other words, muscle must allow you to have a full range of motion upon the saddle at a full range of lengths that produces force near maximal. Moving muscles towards the eccentric contraction during too much lengthening robs power from the pedal force! Bottom line, the velocity of a cyclist depends on the amount of mechanical power by the energy systems. Sure there is power lost to air and surface friction, the aerobic & anaerobic, but more important a performance is affected by the direction of a pedal force, the timing of the pull, the gears, and yes the saddle zone, allowing adjustment of the mechanical power!
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 14:55:09 +0000
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