I can usually suffer through the workouts but I am finding the one leg drills very difficult. My cadence is low and I find it difficult to continue beyond 30-60 seconds. I must confess that although I ride a lot, single leg drills are new to me. Any tips? Where should you put your unclipped foot?
Hi Chris,
For single leg cadence drills if you are completely new to these the struggle to start with is to fire up your neuromuscular system in order to perform the move properly.
If you need to, lower your resistance on the bike and get your cadence as close as you can to the recommendation. But again if you are a little slower, this will come with time and practice.
As for the ‘non working’ leg, the first time you can leave it clipped in but make sure you don’t put any resistance through it, if you do want to go unclipped, I recommend bending the knee so your leg is out of the way of the pedals but you are still maintaining a straight position on the bike.
Happy drilling
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I get a real pain at the top of my quads, where the legs meets the torso, I think it is hip flexors not really sure .I am fine for 20-30 secs then it is suffering
You hip flexors and your Rectus Femoris (one of your quadriceps) will be the culprit there.
Doing some hip hinges and glute bridges from the strength library can help you there with your mobility and also the hip related yoga sessions (hip flexor and groin recovery ; hip and pelvis stability)
Thank you. I do regular pilates which include hip flexor stretches and lots of riding work, looks like I need to focus on this some more
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This was exactly my experience and after doing these drills a few times things are getting better and I definitely see the value. I would put them in the same bucket as single leg squats.
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Coach, I’ll tag along here: should the unclipped foot be just in the air? Or would it be ok to set it on the floor (at least the tip?).
Thanks.
I recommend bending the knee so your leg is in the air but out of the way of the pedals but you are still maintaining a straight position on the bike and engaging your core muscles.
I find a lower cadence easier to manage
Which segment in Cadance Drills (builds/holds/single leg) should I do the single leg drills on? With my last session, I did 7 and 9, the two segments after hold. Single leg drills are very awkward now.
My experience with single leg drills is that choosing a very light gear in ERG mode stabilizes the trainer. In a hard gear the power climbed uncontrollably way above the target power when a smooth pedal stroke became a struggle. When the power took off it wouldn’t stop…
My two cents. Do not unclip. Why? when you unclip, your body will rotate (even just slightly) and you will not be square on the saddle anymore. you are holding one leg out/forward/back and you change the direction of pressure on your joints. This can lead to a variety of issues. some as simple as saddle sores, some pain in the knees, hips, etc.
My take on this… Just focus on one leg only while you let the other leg go for a ride. Your position on the bike does not change, you won’t rock in the saddle and you won’t put pressure where it is not needed. The studies done on elite cyclists show that most of the force is generated starting at the 12 o’clock position, and on the upstroke, the foot is unweighted. On a smart trainer, a host of pressures are generated and you can begin to feel your hip flexors working very hard. That is not normal cycling. Yes, I do pull up on the peddles when out doors, but it is only momentarily, and for different reasons.
Keep your foot clipped, don’t put much downward pressure with it as you focus to maintain proper form on the bike.
That may not be the popular answer, however, I do everything I can to avoid injury, and to train smart. My answer is not for everyone and some may disagree. You make the best choice for you. Cheers
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I generally feel it most in the ankle and shin from pulling upwards
I just made my first attempt at single leg drills. It didn’t go well at all! I just felt totally uncoordinated and wasn’t sure what to do with my un-clipped leg. It felt very awkward indeed. But I will give these drills another try and see if I can get the hang of it.
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I think I agree. It did feel like an injury risk for sure!
It’s a load easier outdoors. I cycle to the pool partly along a shared use riverside path so to make sure I go slow unclip one leg. I’ve literally never had to think about where to put the spare leg.
As for the ‘non working’ leg, the first time you can leave it clipped in but make sure you don’t put any resistance through it, if you do want to go unclipped, I recommend bending the knee so your leg is out of the way of the pedals but you are still maintaining a straight position on the bike.
Well done on getting through the drill Pete! Keep the second leg clipped in but use as little resistance on it as possible, also if resistance is a problem, set the trainer to level mode.
Another gentle way to do a little bit of single leg is on ‘Getting Away With It’ during the recovery sections it has some short drills. 
Single leg drills are hard. I really struggle to complete the last 10-20 seconds of the final set of single leg drills.