How Can I Remedy a Weak Leg?

Question: While riding, I sometimes feel my left leg drop off significantly in its contribution to powering the bike. Is there a training technique for dealing with this? – Don B.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Yes, try one-leg pedaling on an indoor trainer to increase the strength of your weaker leg.

Warm up for 15-20 minutes while pedaling with both legs. Then unclip your strong leg’s foot and hook it over the trainer near where it connects to the rear wheel. Or, you can place it on a chair or stool just to the side.

Pedal at about 90 rpm with your weak leg. Use an easy gear at first until you get accustomed to the unusual feeling.

You’ll probably find it difficult to pedal for more than 2 or 3 minutes. The muscles that lift your thigh and push the pedal over the top of the stroke will fatigue quickly.

Don’t worry. You’ll improve rapidly. And as you do, increase the gearing and the amount of time you pedal. Aim for 3 sets of 5 minutes.

Do this drill 3 times a week. If it doesn’t help in about a month, you might want to check with your physician to see what’s causing one leg to be significantly weaker than the other.

Fred Matheny

Coach Fred Matheny is an RBR co-founder who has four decades of road cycling and coaching experience. He has written 14 eBooks and eArticles on cycling training, available in RBR’s eBookstore at Coach Fred Matheny, including the classic Complete Book of Road Bike Training, which includes 4 eBooks comprising 250 pages of timeless, detailed advice and training plans. The Complete Book is one of the many perks of an RBR Premium Membership. Click to read Fred's full bio.

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