Magic Coaching Minute: Standing Flats

Watch as Jennifer provides great coaching tips for standing on a “flat” road (i.e. above 80 rpm).

After this video was first published in 2014, I saw a discussion on one of the online forums discussing a “standing flat” and how to be more stable. I suggested the points made in this video. One person said, “but then you’re not on a ‘flat road’ anymore.” 

Think about this for a moment. A “flat” and a “climb” are hypothetical constructs when riding indoors. You aren’t really doing one or the other. Adding resistance to support you when standing and moving your hands to the outside of the handlebars are simply ways to have more control, put out more power, and be more stable while standing up—regardless of terrain. The bike has no idea if you are on a “flat” road or a “hill,” nor does it matter. 

I coach flats and climbs in a general sense indoors, because I love to bring the outdoors indoors through visualization. But it’s just that—visualization. Yes, your body responds differently to higher resistance/lower cadence versus lower resistance/higher cadence. But you can accomplish those training objectives without the restrictions of defining it as a “flat” or a “hill.” 

Watch this video with that in mind. These tips apply to any time you stand up.

NOTE: Before you have your new or less fit riders stand up at any cadences (and especially above 80 rpm), you may want to try this trick to teach them how to balance while standing.