Over the last year or so I've observed a pedalling technique used by more advanced riders, and after experimenting with it myself, it's proving to be a valuable asset. It's essentially just out-of-the-saddle pedalling but in an aero position. Basic instructions would be to put your face near your stem, your butt in the air, and pedal, keeping your upper body as low as possible and your weight back. It's also good to have a relatively low cadence for this to work well. The great thing about it is that it's equally applicable to both road and mountain biking.
On the road it makes for a powerful and fast sprint with more power than regular out-of-the-saddle pedalling and far less wind resistance. It's great for keeping speed up short hills, sprinting for city limit signs, and any other time you need to produce a lot of power.
On the trail, where aerodynamics are less of a concern, this position keeps body weight centered which keeps handling and traction in check while allowing maximum power output. I often find myself accelerating in this position without really meaning to.
The massive power produced comes from the full body-weight on the forward pedal and from the rearward hamstring being fully extended - where it is the strongest. The downside is that all the force generated by the rearward hamstring is transferred to the forward quad making this technique inefficient as hell. This technique also requires A LOT of strength. Not just quad strength but core and upper body strength too. It's definitely something that has to be worked up to, but for me it's been well worth it and I've only been at it for a few months now. The good news is that the strength gained from practicing this technique transfers well to seated pedalling.
