Just wanted to share my recent experience. It’s in no way conclusive – just something I’ve observed since dumping my Powercranks back in Nov.
First, a little background. I purchased PCs after IMH in '06. I didn’t buy them because I believed in those so-called “efficiency” gains that Frank speaks about or that I’d improve my run. I just wanted to bring some change and a new challenge to my bike training. Change and challenge always motivates me to ride more often. I rode them often and almost exclusively from late Nov through April. Since I had no plans on racing with them I dumped them during race-specific prep and went back to regular cranks. I managed to increase my FTP by about 20w that season but I also did more riding that year than any previous year. It’s impossible to say what contributed to my increase in FTP since I significantly increased my mileage too. As always, it was likely a combination of factors. Anyway, in '07/'08 I rode just as hard as the previous year but I rode less often because I had to deal with a major family issue. Unfortunately my FTP probably decreased slightly last year which, to some degree, is probably an indication of how important frequency/volume can be.
Now I’ve had a run-related problem in my right hip flexors for some time that only bothered me when my volume peaks. However, one thing I noticed is that it got much worse when I started riding PCs. In '07 my right hip flexor flared up pretty bad in late July/early August but settled down in time for IMC. Last year I spent much of the year injured and did little running as a result. For example, I manged one long run of 2hrs between IMs and didn’t run for 5 weeks prior to IMC and almost no running at all between IMC and Kona. Even though I didn’t ride my PCs during my race-prep periods, I was beginning to wonder if my hip flexors were just too fried by the time I got to race prep.
So, this year after Kona I decided to dump for my PCs. A large part of the reason why I dumped them is because I’m a guy who believes that you should train by set of principles and it’s become apparent to me that I didn’t believe in any or most of the principles Frank has been preaching. Therefore, I found it odd that I was using a tool he invented.
So far it’s turned out to be a great decision. I haven’t done any formal testing but I’m about 10 - 15lbs heavier than race season, which is typical off-season weight gain for me, and I’m running about 30secs/mile faster than any previous peak race season fitness level. What’s scary is that I’m usually about 30sec/mile slower during the off-season (primarily from the weight gain). I just don’t feel like my hip flexors are so “worked” all of the time which has allowed me to run faster without getting really sore or injured.
Now I’m not saying that you would have the same experience as I did if you dumped your PCs. My situation could be unique. One benefit I will say about PCs is that they forced me to ride hard as I found it more difficult to get a rhythm on them when riding at <75% of FTP. However, I just believe people need to think really hard about the true benefit that PCs provide an athlete. From my experience, overload is overload. You can create an overload on regular cranks no differently than PCs.
Ask yourself, “Do you subscribe to the principles behind PCs?” If not then you should probably move on…
Now I’m not saying that** you would have the same experience as I did if you dumped your PCs. **My situation could be unique. One benefit I will say about PCs is that they forced me to ride hard as I found it more difficult to get a rhythm on them when riding at <75% of FTP. However, I just believe people need to think really hard about the true benefit that PCs provide an athlete. From my experience, overload is overload. You can create an overload on regular cranks no differently than PCs.
you should change your subject to "dumped my pc's" then. BTW, did you take a dump over them after you dumped them!
Chris, you’re killin’ me! I moved sites at work and now can commute to work by bike more readily. I have PCs on my old road bike and was looking forward to spring when I can start riding them and knock 2’ of my 10K run time.
Well, I’ll still ride them since it’s fun to pass someone while pedaling in opposite directions. It takes them a second to figure out something’s wrong, then the mind-bending ensues. In a couple of weeks the wife and I taking a weekend trip to Gatineau Park for some skiiing. Egads, I’m turning into the second coming of Dev Paul!!!
Nah, no need to debate anything. I’m just sharing a summary of my experience. Nobody has enough detail about me or my training to successfully debate anyway.
Btw, (not directed at you, eganski) I’d prefer if people would just avoid making unnecessary comments/jokes about the product. I have to admit, even though it seems like I disagree with many of Frank’s principles, I admire the passion he has for his product. I only wish that half of the vendors out there had the same level of passion for their own products that Frank has for PCs. If that was the case then we might actually get quality customer service which is pathetically lacking these days.
I admire the passion he has for his product. I only wish that half of the vendors out there had the same level of passion for their own products that Frank has for PCs. If that was the case then we might actually get quality customer service which is pathetically lacking these days.
Passion can be a good thing but it’s not the first thing I think of when I’m looking for a good product or good service. A long time ago in an earlier incarnation of my life I worked for a guy who was passionate but incompetent. The most competent person in that place was the secretary and she was the opposite of passionate.
I admire the passion he has for his product. I only wish that half of the vendors out there had the same level of passion for their own products that Frank has for PCs. If that was the case then we might actually get quality customer service which is pathetically lacking these days.
Passion can be a good thing but it’s not the first thing I think of when I’m looking for a good product or good service. A long time ago in an earlier incarnation of my life I worked for a guy who was passionate but incompetent. The most competent person in that place was the secretary and she was the opposite of passionate.
Well, at least Frank doesn’t waste people’s time with smart-ass nonconstructive comments like some people do.
Look, I don’t choose to focus on the exceptions. As a general rule, passion is a great thing. Passion + competency is obviously better. I’m not really sure what your point is about passionate but incompetent people though. I think the more important issue is understanding the difference between a smart person and a wise one. The latter never makes any person feel like they’re incompetent. Mind you, I don’t claim to be a wise person but hope to one day.
Look, I don’t choose to focus on the exceptions. As a general rule, passion is a great thing. Passion + competency is obviously better. I’m not really sure what your point is about passionate but incompetent people though. I think the more important issue is understanding the difference between a smart person and a wise one. The latter never makes any person feel like they’re incompetent. Mind you, I don’t claim to be a wise person but hope to one day.
Hmmm. Not knowing that sometimes a wise person must let others know they’re unsuited for a particular job isn’t just not wise, it’s also not smart.
Ok who are you and what have you done with the real Chris??? Did Andy come and lock you in his dungeon of pain and make you do intervals on normal cranks until you cried uncle?
I don’t have to dump them, cause I would never ever use this product… It doesn’t make sense to put a device on your bike that makes you more tired, and slower…
I think Frank claims that the device helps running as have some users. Chris (Lakerfan) claims it hurts your run.
Personally, I don’t feel it takes your run speed up after extensive use. I do feel that in the very short term if and only if you have not been doing run speedwork, you can quickly get back up to your top race day speeds at shorter distances, simply because slow running does not tax the hip flexors to the same extent that PCs do. However if you have been doing high end running, especially 200-400m repeats, I don’t think that PC will help you any more. To get benefit in the near term with PC’s you have to ride at high RPM for durations not much different than your target race distance.
I do believe for a runner who does not want to do those high end speed sets, and who does not snowshoe or XC ski (both of which tax the hip flexors as much as PCs or high speed run intervals), using PC’s will help, but only in the near term. Pretty well all new PC users, immediately feel a benefit to their running however, if I put a group of runners on 3 weeks of run intervals they will say the same.
All of this of course assume that your hip flexors are already in good shape and you won’t hurt them with PC’s, (or with snowshoes or XC skis for that matter…and people do).
I’m not even going to wade into the cycling efficiency debate as there are 1000 threads that cover that.
Extensive use of the hip flexors seem to be a bad idea to me. I still feel them after my 2 day XC ski adventure from thursday and friday and I could not get a decent run done the past two days. The legs just don’t want to move fast. Fast running looks like a better way to train fast running than Power Cranks. And XC ski just hurts too much to make a benefit for us normal amateur sporters. If power cranks would be half as much fun as XC skiing I would order them today!
I recall that after doing my first IM that my hip-flexers were completely blown out. I could not pick my leg up at all off the ground. It was interesting to me because my dad had Polio when he was a kid and the virus attacted the quadricep and hip flexer muscles in his legs. He always had this odd way of walking. He had to swing his leg through like a pedulum and then lock out his knee to support his body weight over his leg. He did this amazingly well and got around on his own for years like that. However, that’s exactly the way I had to walk the day after doing IMH in 1989 and I recall talking on the phone to my Dad about it the day after the race.
In future IM races it was never a problem - two things changed in my training after that race. Running in hilly terrain as much as I could for all runs and steep running hill- reps became a regular part of my running, and I started doing way more nordic skiing each winter, particularly classic skiing every winter.
I forgot to add speedskating. I was speedskating on the canal on Sunday and my legs were pretty cooked from an XC ski race on Saturday. I noted that when I ‘drove my recovery knee forward’ and then only started my push off after my recovery knee passed through my hip line, I ended up with a lot less quad burn than skating with a somewhat inactive recovery leg. Lots of hip flexor work there…interesting thing is that the winter when I speedskated ~6 hours per week and XC skied ~6-10 hours per week and only ran 10K per week till mid March (after which I ramped run mileage from 10-90K in a period of 9 weeks), was when I did my fastest marathon (2:48) in Mid May…go figure…plenty of endurance and hip flexor work and eccentric loading without the pounding of running.
One thing that powercranks does not give you is the eccentric loading, so as much as Frank would like us to replace lots of running with lots of PC work, you still need to do the work to load the muscles in an eccentric way…the best way is actually running!
I admire the passion he has for his product. I only wish that half of the vendors out there had the same level of passion for their own products that Frank has for PCs. If that was the case then we might actually get quality customer service which is pathetically lacking these days.
Passion can be a good thing but it’s not the first thing I think of when I’m looking for a good product or good service. A long time ago in an earlier incarnation of my life I worked for a guy who was passionate but incompetent. The most competent person in that place was the secretary and she was the opposite of passionate.
Well, at least Frank doesn’t waste people’s time with smart-ass nonconstructive comments like some people do.
Look, I don’t choose to focus on the exceptions. As a general rule, passion is a great thing. Passion + competency is obviously better. I’m not really sure what your point is about passionate but incompetent people though. I think the more important issue is understanding the difference between a smart person and a wise one. The latter never makes any person feel like they’re incompetent. Mind you, I don’t claim to be a wise person but hope to one day.
Thanks, Chris
You go down the wrong path too many times to get there. Like Mr. Chung said, too much passion…
I moved sites at work and now can commute to work by bike more readily. I have PCs on my old road bike and was looking forward to spring when I can start riding them and knock 2’ of my 10K run time.