Fast twitch fibres running vs. cycling

[smck]

Just have a question about how well being able to run fast (sprint) translates to having a good kick*?

*This isn't from a sprinting point of view, more just an ability to accelerate the bike quickly.

My racing and training this season has been severely limited since I've been living in another country but last season when I was racing A3 in France I found that my kick was and pretty much always has been very average. I am very quick though when running. I play football(soccer) at a high enough level as a winger, and have been the fastest player in any of the teams I've played for in the last few years. My average kick is probably down to bad out-of the-saddle technique, wrong gearing etc. but I was wondering is there any physiological difference between the two sports. It's very much down to calf muscle fibres in sprinting(running) AFAIK, so I'm wondering since pedalling is more pushing down with the quads, and stabilisation with the calves, do the fibres in the quads matter more for better acceleration on the bike?

Cheers

[Tapeworm]

Yes, there are most definitely differences, some of which you've mentioned. Another key difference in cycling is the lack of eccentric loading of the muscles. The firing patterns of course are different, body position, cadence etc.

Sprinting on the bike is "natural" for some but for all other requires time and practice to be done well. Anecdotally people good at running sports usually "convert" well to cycling though usually it takes time to establish the specific adaptations to cycling.

[phourgenres]

It seems different to me, because in cycling you're sprinting at the end of race after you don't really have much gas left in the tank. In most other sports you are sprinting on rested legs. Not sure if this means you still rally your fast-twitch fibers in the same way, or you begin to depend on more than just those muscles (since a lot of your legs is depleted).

[Tapeworm]

In a maximal effort all muscle types are recruited. Sprinting "tired" won't be as powerful as being fresh due to a whole host of issues caused by fatigue from the prolonged effort prior.

[davidalone]

Sprinting on rested legs?

You've obviously never done track events like the 800 or 1500. Or been at the pointy end of a cross country race.
granted the first few laps of the 1500 or 800 are never done at the intensity of the final lap, but your legs and cardio system are hardly 'rested' by the time you're on the last lap!

But I will agree good runners convert well to cycling. specifically those that specialise in the 10ks/5ks, and also the 1500s/ miles. they generally have very good cardio systems and have decent fast twitch fibers in their legs. 800/1500/mile runners have also trained themselves to run the last lap at a screaming pace when they're tired and hold that pace for 40 seconds to 1 minute final lap, so they usually make good 'long distance' sprinters.

longer distance guys like marathoners tend not to have the fast twitch fibers to respond to the accelerations in cycle racing, despite having the engine. probably good TTers, especially if they can convert their pacing ability to cycling.

of course, there are exceptions everywhere.

[jlove123]

I have always wondered this. I currently train full time to run and ride my bike as often as I can without burning myself out. I have found that I can be very competitive with very little time on the bike. Last summer I was running consistently 80 miles a week and riding 3-4 nights a week. With very little tapering from my running schedule, I won a couple of races. Granted I was only doing cat2, and they were mountain bike races. I would be interested to see how I fair in road racing.

[HillRPete]

Hey jlove123, that's very interesting.

I want to do a marathon next April, prepare for it starting Sept/Oct, and then go back to cycling. (Having a running background, only cycling for a few years).

It would be great if you could share your experience in another thread.

[jlove123]

I started a new thread, I didn't mean to take over this thread. I find this stuff very interesting.