Perhaps the most cutting-edge product for amateur and professional cyclists is manufactured by the small Finnish company Myontec. It has created high-tech shorts that come equipped with electromyographic sensors to measure muscle activity. Electromyography, or EMG, is a technique usually used to evaluate and record the electrical activity of muscles, in order to detect abnormalities or analyze the biomechanics of their movements.
The shorts, called Mbody, measure the main muscle groups of the lower body: the quadriceps, the large muscle group on the front of the thigh, and the hamstrings – the three posterior thigh muscles. A recently launched version, called the Mbody Pro, also measures the gluteals, the group of three muscles of the buttocks, which play an important role in all sports, but especially in cycling.
The muscle activity data collected by the Mbody can be stored in a small device attached to the shorts, called the MCell. The values recorded include total muscle load, the balance between the muscles in both legs and an activity ratio among the different muscle groups, which shows how they are working together.
The MCell has a Bluetooth function that connects it to a computer or mobile app during training, so the cyclist and their coach can see what is happening in the muscles as they app for analysis. The software provides a detailed analysis of the muscle performance that can be customized and combined with other data, such as the power output and heart rate. This enables the cyclist to track over time how efficiently he/she is using the various muscle groups, and then make the necessary adjustments.
The Mbody can also be used in rehabilitation after an injury, because it monitors how the muscles are responding to therapy. And it shows how the other muscle groups are reacting to the injury, because they invariably compensate for it. The Mbody also measures how inactivity caused by a serious injury, such as a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), affects the healthy muscles. And, of course, you can measure when you have again reached optimal muscle performance and can get back on the bike and tackle the big climbs.
The Mbody shorts are used by dozens of top-flight sports clubs, including the Red Bull Pro Cycling Team. Here’s a tip straight from the manufacturer: warm up your glutes well before cycling. And remember that hip injuries are usually caused by over-training and muscle imbalances.
