The PowerCranks™ Concept
PowerCranks integrates a one-way clutch in each crank-arm of your bicycle or stationary bike. This patented modification changes the cranks from being fixed to each other at 180º (as are regular cranks), to being independent from one another. So, each leg can drive the bicycle but one leg cannot assist the other.
This turns the bicycle (or exercise machine) into a feedback device to teach a new, better, pedaling coordination which also happens to help improve running coordination. Without feedback as to whether one is using the muscles as desired or not it is not possible to change what one is doing. If the rider hopes to ride these cranks like regular cranks the rider is forced the use of all the muscles of the lower extremity and many core muscles in a balanced and coordinated fashion. failure to do so results in feedback to help the user understand that poor technique is being used so they can fix it. The user gets positive feedback when they are doing it right and negative feedback when they are doing it wrong. When the user is pedaling correctly with PowerCranks they are "pedaling in circles". (Note: pedaling in circles does not mean putting equal pressure on the pedal around the entire circle, this is impossible. What it means is doing some positive work (or, at least, no negative work) around the entire circle). What more can one ask for in a cycling training tool?
This required movement pattern will dramatially improve your performance if you depend on your legs for speed and power because it forces the cyclist to use optimum pedaling technique and, for runners, near optimum running coordination. While it is commonly believed that "practice makes perfect", this is not the case if the practice is being done using poor technique. By forcing proper technique, PowerCranks increase the efficiency of your workouts. For the same amount of time invested training you will see improved benefits if you are forced to practice perfectly. If you and your workouts suffer from time constraints (doesn't everyone's?) and you want to optimize your performance, PowerCranks should be part of your training routine.
While results vary considerably (depending upon how good you are when you begin them) our typical new user is gaining 2-3 mph in cycling speed and 1 min/mile running improvement in 6-9 months. Studies are showing about a 10% improvement in cycling efficiency, power, and large improvements in VO2max in only 6 weeks (over what can be done without PowerCranks). Just so you are not fooled, these improvements do not come easily. Training with PowerCranks is not easy, you must be willing to do the hard work. But if you will do the work, PowerCranks facilitate these improvements, and the improvements will be much bigger and more extensive than you could have ever imagined possible.
In summary, PowerCranks:
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Force the rider to learn how to "pedal in circles" by making it impossible for one leg to assist the other helping to improve speed and efficiency.
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Force the runner to train a better running coordination improving speed, efficiency, without additional impact, reducing risk of injury.
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Force the athlete to become better balanced right/left and fore/aft helping to reduce injury risk.
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By training more muscles, VO2max can be increased, increasing athletic potential.
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Increase your basal metabolic rate by working twice as many muscles
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Fully train the hip flexor and hamstring muscles to be the aerobic equivalent of the antigravity muscles.
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A great rehab tool since one cannot use a good leg to do the work for the bad leg.
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Useful in rehabilitation since the good leg cannot assist the bad leg
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Build core strength, balance, and fitness
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Improve your running ability in a non-impact environment
- Lower the risk of injury in future athletic endeavor
Why do PowerCranks have such a revolutionary effect? Or, in other words, why is there so much room for improvement in athletes who are otherwise training hard now?
As children, we learn how to pedal our tricycles and bicycles by pushing on the downstroke and just relaxing on the upstroke. Since we were not attached to the pedals, as we wanted to go faster and faster, we learned two things, first, we had to always keep a little back pressure on the pedals on the back stroke so we would always be in contact with the pedal, ready to apply power as soon as the pedal came over the top and, second, since we couldn't pull up more to go faster the "only way" to go faster was to push harder. As we grew older this learning continued to be reinforced. Again, we learned to push harder on the downstroke but we could not reduce the back pressure on the upstroke any more or we would lose contact with the pedal. So, we all learned in order to go faster all we could do was train to push harder. Unfortunately, such coordination does not optimize cycling efficiency and has little to do with running or any other sport other than cycling.
Once this coordination becomes ingrained it is pretty much impossible to undo without proper feedback. It is pretty much impossible to change lower extremity coordination by thinking about it (listen to Robert Krulwich explain why). The reality is that, without PowerCranks training, we have all pretty much ignored half of the muscles in the legs. While the form we learned as chlldren in order to go fast on the bicycle might have been optimum when we were not attached to the pedals, this form is not optimum for adults wanting to maximize performance once we become attached to the pedals. The problem comes in figuring out how to undo these less than optimum habits that are ingrained into the nervous system after 10 to 20 years of doing it "wrong". We can't do it by simply thinking about it. It can only be done if there is real time immediate feedback that can change the spinal cord reflexes. Fortunately, now there is PowerCranks and PowerCranks provide this feedback to ensure you will make this change if you will put in the time on them.
Why do PowerCranks have such a revolutionary effect on running improvement?
Nobody was more surprised than us when we started getting the reports of these fantastic running improvements starting in as little as two weeks. But as we analyzed this talking with serous runners and running coaches, it just turns out that proper cycling technique is closely related to proper running technique. If you have any questions about proper running technique or running form we encourage you to go to the running section of the web site and watch one of our introduction running videos. Good running form and good cycling form are closely related but cycling doesn't involve pounding the body so the athlete is less prone to injure onself as the intensity of training goes up!
The PowerCranks™ revolution forces changes that make the athlete better with no requirement for increase training time. Become a better athlete by training more of your total muscle mass while improving technique. Take the PowerCranks challenge, see how much you can improve!
PowerCranks are such an effective training tool we give you an unconditional 90 day money-back guarantee. What other product gives you that? We can't think of any. This gives you plenty of time to get through the adaption and to start to see the big improvements.