I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

How To Get Stronger Legs For Cycling

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When it comes to your muscles, cycling is a predominantly lower extremity exercise. Not including your heart, your legs are pumping harder than anything else in your body. Everything else remains relatively fixed in certain positions for prolonged periods of time, so it only makes sense that our training off the bike pays special attention to leg exercises for cycling.

You might be thinking…shouldn’t a cycling leg workout just consist of…cycling? 

Well, unfortunately our time on the bike will only take us so far in terms of output and overall performance. The fault of which lies in something called the S.A.I.D. principle.

Source: Maksym Protsenko/Adobe Stock

S.A.I.D. Principle

Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands (S.A.I.D.) is a guiding principle in exercise science that the body is always following. What it means is that the body will change only in relation to the demands you are placing upon it… 

For example, if you do push ups, you will get stronger arms and chest muscles. You will also get better at pushups.

If you start running, your ankles will get stronger and you’ll lose weight. You’ll also get better at running. 

If you sit at your desk, your glutes will get weak and your upper back will start rounding forward. You’ll also get better at sitting.

If you ride your bike, you will increase your cardiovascular fitness and tone your legs. You’ll also get better at cycling.

All these things are true…to an extent.

An important component of the S.A.I.D. principle is that the imposed demands have to be adequate enough for the body to make the continual corresponding specific adaptations. In cases where you’re getting weaker (such as the sitting example), this has to be thought about slightly differently. We will focus on getting stronger for the remainder of the article.

If you ride your bike 10 miles (and that is difficult for you), you will see improved fitness and strength adaptations in your body each repeated time you complete that distance. Once you are strong and fit enough to easily do 10 miles however, it is going to take a different or more intense stimulus to see new fitness/strength gains.

Source: Justin/Adobe Stock

How Does This Relate To Cycling?

Time on the bike will only get you so far. There are few ways outside of changing gears and the level of incline your riding that will make pedaling more difficult. It’s near impossible (and honestly, would be a bit strange) to try and replicate the reps and sets of a strength or muscle building focused gym workout whilst on the bike. 

Leg exercises for cycling should focus on building more muscle in the correct tissues, and also increasing their force production capabilities over extended periods of time. Luckily for us, these things can go hand in hand. It’s a matter of choosing the appropriate exercises and performing them in the right order to give us the maximum benefit. 

The S.A.I.D. principle is always at work. So what demands should we place on our bodies to get the adaptations that we want (i.e. faster, stronger, better cycling performance)?

Cyclist Legs Workout

By creating routines with exercises that are both similar and complementary to the positions and muscular contractions we see in cycling, Dynamic Cyclist is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to increase their leg drive on the bike. 

We’ve taken some of the exercises from one of their lower body routines to show just how beneficial the right movement selection can be. Each exercise includes a link to our coach Alisha teaching and demonstrating each movement, as well as a quick explanation about what makes it so powerful for you as a cyclist.

These are just a few exercises from a library filled with hundreds of videos and routines to help you ride pain free and be better on the bike. We hope you enjoy them and consider signing up for a FREE TRIAL with Dynamic Cyclist HERE!

Squat w/Band

Click here to try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

It wouldn’t be a lower body workout without squats. It’s a fundamental movement we’ve been doing since we were kids, and it is one of the best leg exercises for cyclists. The force produced in the power phase of your pedal stroke is produced primarily by your quadriceps (front thigh muscles), and that’s exactly what this exercise focuses on.

By adding the mini band around your legs, it forces you to press your knees outwards throughout the entire movement. This helps to engage your glute (butt) muscles which play an important part in your overall hip health and lower body strength. 

Hamstring Curls

Click here to try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

The hamstrings (particularly the biceps femoris) play a crucial part in cycling because of their dual function, knee flexion and hip extension. Both of these things occur in the transition between your downward and upward stroke, and because of the position of the hip while cycling, the hamstrings end up doing the majority of the extension work (as opposed to the glutes).

This exercise is simple, easy to do and all you need is a mini band. Because of the anatomy of the hamstrings and their crossing of the knee joint, they are an important stabilizer of the knee and contribute to its overall health. Many people experience knee pain while cycling because of an imbalance between the quadriceps and the hamstrings, this exercise helps correct that.

Tick Tocks

Click here to try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

In a way, cycling is a partly unilateral exercise (one side, one legged). Not entirely of course, because you have the support of both pedals at the same time. However, there are varying degrees of emphasis on each leg depending on which one is in its power phase. 

This can create an odd strength/timing imbalance if one side is stronger than the other, because one leg might be pushing faster and with more force. The tick tock exercise helps work on the strength of each leg independent of the other. It also places tremendous demand on your gluteus medius and minimus through the standing leg and dynamic abduction of your free leg. Both these things contribute to pelvis stabilization and overall hip health.

Now It’s Your Turn!

Give these exercises a try and see what you think! Adding some strength training into your routine can go a long way towards improving cycling performance, reducing injury and keeping your body healthy long term. If you’re not sure where to start, Dynamic Cyclist has put it all together into one simple package available for you HERE.

Benefits of Indoor Trainer Workouts

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One of the many joys of cycling is the youthful sense that you’re “playing” outdoors, as you ride and take yourself through the environment. However, at times life obligations or the environment can hinder your training plan forcing you to adapt your workouts. Bike trainers are a great way to fit in an effective workout, and there are several advantages of using a trainer that will enhance your skills as a cyclist.

Benefits of Trainer Workouts

Benefits of Indoor Trainer Workouts

Mental Endurance

Riding in place for over an hour or more can become incredibly monotonous; however, it obliges you to focus on the task at hand. In contrast to riding on the road, where you’re worrying about safety, taking in the scenery, or casually talking to your riding buddy throughout your workout. Spinning on a trainer compels you to think of your pedal stroke, breathing patterns, and pain. There are no distractions; hence you really need to rely on your sport psychology techniques to get you through your workouts. Additionally, you can listen to your breathing patterns and control them in order to reduce early fatigue. This can definitely come in handy during a race where extreme focus and endurance are required for an optimal performance.

Here a few ways to beat indoor trainer boredom with a few different games on the trainer.

Improved Bike Fitness

When riding on the road there are interruptions such as stop lights, making a U-turn, decelerating to avoid contact with the rear wheel of a fellow cyclist, or fighting a headwind just to name a few. Conversely, when riding on a trainer there are no gaps in your workout and you’re riding at a consistent effort throughout unless, you’re doing intervals.

If your workout contains intervals, then use a bike computer with a cadence monitor to alert you of your RPMs. By using this monitor you can do high cadence work intervals with low cadence rest intervals. Another benefit of a trainer is the ability to adjust the resistance felt while riding. After a few consecutive sessions on the trainer your legs will feel stronger when riding on the road, and you’ll notice an increase in speed.

Practicality

Probably the best aspect of using a trainer is how practical it is to use for one’s lifestyle. You can still fit in a great cycling workout despite snowy or rainy conditions. If environmental conditions are unsafe, then you can set up the trainer indoors at any time and cycle. Some people become creative with their workout space and place their trainers in the garage with no air conditioning and a big fan for added resistance to simulate road conditions. Additionally, if life commitments become more time consuming than usual you can still schedule a session in before dawn or late at night. It’s also an efficient tool to maintain the balance between family and training.

How Functional Mobility Will Make You Faster

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How Functional Mobility Will Make You FasterAnother season begins, the snow melts, and the flowers bloom. The giddiness and excitement of your new bike overwhelms you and you’re putting a ton of kilometers in the bank. Your quadriceps are sore, your hamstrings are tight, your hips begin to seize. This is all part of getting faster, right? Wrong. Speed and strength does not have to come at the expense of mobility.

Due to the repetitive nature of the pedal stroke, cycling puts us in a particularly vulnerable situation. We spend hours hunched over the bars, spinning our legs at 100 revolutions per minute. The impact is low, but over time the muscular imbalances take a toll. Adding mobility and stability off the bike will bring your riding to the next level.

Stretching

We’ve heard it a thousand times: “Stretch!” But before you stretch, there are a few things to understand before you go whole hog and start lunging in the car park before the Saturday club ride.

Pre-Ride Stretching

Dynamic Stretching is the best way to get your body prepped for the rigors of your ride. While static stretching has been shown to negatively impact speed and power, dynamic stretching will get blood to your muscles, and mobility in your joints. Get a few of these dynamic stretches in before you down your coffee and crumpets.

Throughout the Ride

It’s still early in the season (remember?) and you’re barely hanging on late in your club ride, and your shoulder, neck and back are acting up. Take the time to move around a bit. Stretch your neck, roll your shoulders and move your back. Cramping or feel a twinge in your calf? Skip a few turns in the rotation in order to take a minute to stretch those tight muscles.

Post Ride Stretching

You made it home, had your shower and post ride nutrition. Time to take a few minutes to reset your muscles. Have a look at ILB contributor Jem’s post ride routine. Post-activity stretching has been shown to reduce Delayed Onset Muscular Soreness (DOMS), increase rates of recovery and improve range of motion in your joints. While there is some debate as to how long you should stretch, anywhere between 15-30 seconds will yield the desired results. There is no debate, however, as to how deep you should stretch: Make sure you are only stretching as deep as it feels comfortable. Any signs of pain, pinching or discomfort signals that it is time to back off a tad. Stretching longer than 60 seconds, or deeper than comfortable is more than likely causing unnecessary trauma.

Mobility & Yoga

Yoga is trendy, but the activity has been around for thousands of years (in comparison, the bicycle is about 200 years old). Yoga provides focus to both static and dynamic stretching, and always adds a component of movement to the practice. The nature of the sport and the position on a bike renders basic balance and maintenance a challenge. As time and intensity on the bike increases, certain muscles are worked to exhaustion, while others become dormant and atrophy. With a very limited range of motion of the legs, and a virtually static upper body, finding movement in other directions, off the bike, is vital to longevity. If yoga isn’t your thing, adding some basic functional stability workouts will help. While yoga stresses mobility and flexibility, functional strength training stresses strength and stability– Both have their place in a monthly cycling training plan. An hour or two a month dedicated to mobility will help you in a few key areas.

Flexibility

80 percent of your aerodynamic drag is caused by your position on the bike (sadly, the $10,000 aero bike will only help you 20% of the way. Imagine how fast you would be if you invested $10,000 in your position and coaching?). Adding a few yoga practices to your training plan will slowly improve your position and gift you a handful of free watts. Wind tunnel testing suggests that a position change can improve your aerodynamic drag by well over 20%. That might be the difference of being able to ride with the A group instead of the B group!

Stability

Yoga and functional strength training will frequently introduce movement in directions other than forward and backward. Forcing you to engage your core and stabilizer muscles will improve bike handling and stability on the bike. The changes are subtle, but feeling more confident into corners, descending and staying in an aerodynamic position when on the front of your club ride are not to be ignored.

Discovering Injuries

Adding a few days of strength and mobility may also reveal weaknesses and muscle imbalances that you didn’t realize you had. Did a certain yoga practice relieve some chronic back pain? Maybe side lunges will suddenly ease knee pain that you recently discovered.

It should be noted that certain types of yoga can be pretty tough on your muscles. A rigorous Vinyasa or a slow, deep stretch Yin class can have your legs feeling pretty slow on the bike the next day. Plan an easy ride for a day after yoga. Taking the time to assess your body off the bike will give you an added boost in confidence and self awareness.

Fascial Therapy

Get on the roller. If you haven’t heard a friend say this, get some new ones. The foam roller is your new best friend. Fascial tissue has been neglected for a long time, and is only making it to the mainstream in recent years.

What is Fascial Tissue

There is a lot of current research on fascial tissue, but it used to be regarded as the sack of tissue that keeps all of your muscles and organs in place. The new understanding of fascia suggests that the membrane act like a coil providing direction, stability and recovery to muscle tissues. Neglecting this vital tissue may be hurting your performance on the bike. A number of recent studies show that fascial release (like getting on a foam roller) reduces injury and increases function of the muscles. When we do exercise, we create scar tissue– Massaging your legs with a foam roller will release built up scar tissue and allow the fascia to realign itself and function more efficiently.

Let’s be honest, we aren’t professional cyclists even if we have a soigneur at home. We are weekend warriors, and have very little time outside of family, and work obligations — But maybe a bit of cross training will pay more dividends than you expect.

Postlude

I come from a background in (American) football. When I started cycling, I came into the sport carrying all of the baggage from football (both physical mass and methodology for training). There was very little focus on mobility and flexibility. In the off season we had a rigorous training plan that included 4 heavy lifting days, interlaced with 2-3 practices per week. The workouts were not functional, and were focused on building a lot of mass. In any case, over the course of my career, I naively assumed that mobility and flexibility would ultimately come at the expense of strength– The reality is just the opposite. Working on mobility, flexibility and stability will only improve your functional performance. 5 years removed from contact sports, I am now clearly seeing the benefits of introducing strength training and yoga throughout the season. I’m getting faster and stronger while simultaneously becoming more stable and much more mobile.

Four Steps To Avoid Overtraining

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Four Steps To Avoid Overtraining

avoid overtrainingAnyone can suffer from overtraining and in fact, it’s more likely to occur in beginner cyclists as they try and do too much, too soon.

As you go about doing your regular cycling sessions, one thing that you do need to keep yourself very aware of is the concept of overtraining. Some people mistakenly believe that overtraining will only happen to serious athletes and top notch cyclists who are training for hours each day, but this just isn’t the case.

To help ensure you are doing everything you can to prevent overtraining, let’s look at four steps you should take.

Sleep Well

First, one of the top things that you must keep in check is your sleep needs. If you are not sleeping enough each evening, this is going to sacrifice the recovery you make between rides and will most definitely put a dent in your recovery.

You should be sleeping at least 7 hours, preferably 8 or more during intense training times.

Take At Least One Off Day and A Cross Training Day Each Week

Second, it’s also important that you take at least one day off each week to allow for complete rest and recovery. Don’t exercise 7 days a week or you are on a fast road to overtraining. Remember, your body needs time to recover, so don’t be afraid to give it that time.

In addition to that, you would be best suited to doing a day of cross training as well at a moderate intensity level. Go for a swim or take a leisure walk with a friend. There are many ways to move and keep up your fitness without it being an intense ride.

Don’t Fear Carbohydrates

Make sure that you are eating enough carbohydrates as well. If weight loss is your goal, you may be cutting back on this particular nutrient quite readily in your diet, but that will set you up for some problems down the road. As your glycogen stores become more and more depleted, you will notice that it becomes harder and harder to do the rides you set out to do. Eventually, high amounts of fatigue will set in and when they do, your rides will cease to exist. Overtraining will set in and you’ll be required to take time off.

The most important times to consume carbohydrates are during your rides (especially ones at high intensity) and immediately after rides. After you have replenished the glycogen and carb stores you can go back to your paleo diet that is low in carbs or  The Paleo Diet for Athletes.

Assess Your Stress

Finally, be sure that you assess your stress levels. Remember that it’s not just exercise stress that can add up and impact your cycling performance. You can also start to experience stress from relationship, financial, or work related issues and this can wear you down as well. You want to keep your life as stress free as possible and that will go a long way towards helping you avoid overtraining.

So keep these quick tips in mind and you can forge onward and put the risk of overtraining behind you.

Weight Lifting For Cyclists

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Weight Lifting for Cyclists Do’s & Dont’s

Spending some time lifting weights in the gym can be a great way to avoid muscle imbalances, prevent injury and increase power on the bike. However, lifting weights is not without risk. Below is a quick list of do’s and don’ts to make sure your gym workouts provide maximum benefit and minimum risk.

Don’t – Start with Heavy Weight

Using heavy weights right out of the gate might impress onlookers (but probably won’t because your a skinny bike rider) but this isn’t an exercise your muscles are used to so a weight you have to struggle with is much more likely to result in injury. Also heavy weight makes it hard to keep good form and excessive body English reduced the benefit on target muscles and again increases the likelihood of injury.

Do – Light Weights and Good Form  training-at-Gym

Start with light weight and good form, this will teach your body the correct movements and avoid injuring yourself. High reps with a light weight will build increased muscle endurance instead of bulk. Plus you won’t look as silly as you think, if you are easily lifting light weights it is clear to everyone that you could lift more, as opposed to grunting and struggling with moderate weight.

Don’t – Focus Just on Legs

Yes, they turn the pedals but the rest of your body matters as well and your legs are already getting a good workout when you are riding while many other muscle groups are not.

Do – Include Core & Upper Body

Maximize off the bike training benefit by really working your core next time you hit the gym. Your core muscles stabilize the hip joints and provide a strong platform for your massive legs to push against. Core workouts should include side muscles (obliques) and back muscles which can drastically reduce back pain on long rides. Including some upper body exercise will help with posture, bike handling and injury mitigation in a crash.

Don’t – Use the Knee Extension Machine 

It can boost your ego to see the way your quads bulge when doing knee extensions but the risks are not worth the rewards. Extending the knee from a heavily flexed position compresses between the back of the kneecap and thighbone which will eventually wear down cartilage.

Do – Squats or Less-Press

These will give you the leg workout you are looking for while evenly distributing forces and taking pressure of your kneecaps. Remember to begin with light weights and focus on good technique.

Craig Richey CX Worlds Louisville

About the Author:

Craig Richey is a multiple time Canadian National team member, representing Canada at mountain bike World Cups and cyclocross World Championships. Craig is currently doing an MBA in Boston and recently launched SponsorConnected.com

Top 10 Off Season Activities for Cyclists

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off season activities for cyclists

Top 10 Off Season Activities for Cyclists

1) Cross Country Ski. This is probably the most popular and trendy winter activity for cyclists and not without reason. Nordic skiing is very demanding of the cardiovascular system and elite xc skiers generally rank as having the highest VO2 maximum levels of any athletes in the world. Getting out on xc skies is a great way to train your heart and lungs so next race season your legs start burning before your lungs do.  Many top cyclists, such as former mountain bike world champ Catherine Pendrel, do a lot of cross country skiing and even include some racing in their Nordic season. Cyclists tend to gravitate towards skate skiing as opposed to classic for a couple of reasons. Firstly, with skating you don’t have to deal with grip wax which is required for classic technique, and with icy or warm snow conditions grip wax can be a major hassle. Secondly, skate skiing tends to use your legs more and less arms, which is a better match with a T-Rex cycling physique .

2) Hit the Gym. During the busy cycling season it can be hard to find time to go to the gym, but proper gym workouts can improve strength, power, and muscle recruitment on the bike. Cyclists should also use this time to build up their core strength which will provide more stability and injury prevention during the race season. Your significant other likely won’t complain about the 6-pack either.

3) Run. It sucks and you will probably wish you were on your bike instead, but it is easy and convenient way to get in a quick cardio workout. Keep your runs short initially and on softer surfaces, higher frequency with shorter duration will help you avoid injury and adapt quickly to the impact of running.

4) Rest & Sleep. A key purpose of the off-season is to recharge your body and mind so you are ready and motivated to train and race hard again soon. Rest is important and can be fun, catch up on reading and watching movies.

5)Work. Sadly most of use have to do it. Now that you are not travelling to races and spending longs days on your bike, channel some of that time and energy into your profession. Be productive and start building a foundation for the year so you are set up for success and can take some time off when needed next race season. Don’t forget to set goals and when you achieve them reward yourself, a new set of race wheels or exotic race/training destination can be the motivation you need to get things done in the office.

off season activities for cyclists

6) Rock Climb. A less obvious off-season activity but just about every city has an indoor climbing gym. Climbing is a fun way to build up some upper body and core strength without bulking up. Plus indoor climbing can be fairly social and it is good way to expand your circle of friends.

7) Swim. It doesn’t matter how ugly the weather is outside the (indoor) pool is always the same. Swimming is a great way to stretch out, open up your chest, and improve your posture. Breakout the flutter board to strengthen your hip flexors and stabilizer muscles to provide more stability on the bike.

8) Snowshoe. Less popular than xc skiing, going for a snowshoe is a fun winter activity that is growing in popularity. Snowshoe technology has come a long way and they are surprisingly cheap, so if you have some old snowshoes in the garage donate them to Salvation Army and treat yourself to a new set.

9) Hike. A possible alternative to snowshoeing if there is no snow. A fairly low key activity that gets you out into nature and away from the hustle of daily life.

10) Turbo Trainer. Yuck! I know, but start your favorite movie and do an easy spin. A few trainer rides will make your pedal strokes feel less like squares when you get back on the bike. Don’t push yourself, when you get sick of the trainer and keep checking the clock then stop.

 

off season activities for cyclistsAbout the Author:

Craig Richey is a multiple time Canadian National team member, representing Canada at mountain bike World Cups and cyclocross World Championships. Craig is currently doing an MBA in Boston and recently launched SponsorConnected.com

 

Winter Doldroms

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Training: Winter Doldroms?

winter doldromsThis training article comes courtesy of Rob Swan, a NCCP Level 3 certified coach with Critical Performance Endurance Sports.

For many cyclists December marks the end to the cycling season. It also signals the start of the “Dreaded Winter Doldrums” – a time of seemingly perpetual darkness. We end up going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark; so the only time we see daylight is from a window or on the weekend. But how do we beat it and actually become stronger for next season? What can we do through December to maintain or improve upon last season’s fitness?

At this point I assume you have taken a rest and recovery period after your final race and training season. Amazingly, there are many options for us to choose from during the cold winter season.

Snow Shoeing: The sport of snow shoeing has really taken off in the last decade or so. Best of all, it’s a great cross training sport for any cyclist. Snow shoeing can be recreational, fitness building, or competitive. North America’s snow shoe racing scene is growing with independent races, race series and even national and North American Championship races each year. Some of the benefits of snow shoeing are:

  • increased aerobic capacity;
  • increased leg strength;
  • increased lung capacities with altitude training and High Intensity Training (HIT);
  • feeling your lungs explode in one of the toughest sports around; and,
  • the combined social benefits of the sport and being in nature.

Cross Country Skiing and Biathlon: It is no wonder that Nordic athletes have some of the highest VO2max readings on the planet. They are training and competing almost always at higher altitudes then most other sports for extended periods of time. Furthermore, the type of training they need to do requires a tremendous amount of energy and aerobic fitness and capacity. Cross country skiing consists of two styles: Classic (old) style, which has more cross-over benefit to running; and Skate skiing, which engages the larger cycling muscles. Whichever style you choose, the greatest benefit would be the ability to improve your aerobic capacity. Cross country skiing engages the entire body, so the oxygen demands are greater than most other sports. On a basic level this increase oxygen requirement contributes to an improved ability to absorb and transport oxygen to the muscles.

Biathlon is one of the oldest winter sports and is the most popular winter sport in Europe, on par with hockey in Canada. It also happens to be one of the most demanding sports. Biathlon features athletes skate skiing various distances followed by five rounds with a biathlon rifle. Needless to say combining cross country skiing and rifle marksmanship into one punishing sport makes biathlon an excellent winter sport for any athlete. There are many youth and masters programs all over the country.

Cyclocross: With its incredible variety of intensity, terrain, obstacles and weather conditions, cyclocross is not only the most spectator-friendly form of bike racing, it’s an awesome spectacle for any sports fan. Fans of the sport are treated to 30 – 60 minutes of constant, intense action-packed racing, with many opportunities to see their favorite racer from just one vantage point.

Cyclocross is a great way to stay in shape during the off-season, but road racers will benefit from better handling and confidence in adverse conditions and bumpy surfaces. Mountain bikers will enjoy more versatility and efficiency in handling extreme technical terrain and forced dismounts. Triathletes will also benefit from a way to maintain cycling and running fitness, and improve bike-handling skills.

Indoor Cycling: I am not going to get too in depth into indoor cycling as the subject has been covered often. What I will say is indoor cycling can benefit every level of cyclist. There just may be days when it’s not possible to get outside or you may just want to boost your fitness with focused and precise training. The greatest benefits to indoor training are time management, precise control of intensity levels and duration, and the social aspects of riding beside one of those “fast” athletes you never get to talk to on a group ride. Go find a Computrainer studio and race your friends up Mt. Ventoux of the Tour de France.

winter doldromsFAT Biking: Now if you truly want to stay outdoors through the winter months, test-ride a FAT Bike. Then, of course, you will be buying a FAT Bike because you will want to ride every day, winter or summer. These bikes can go anywhere, anytime and anyone can ride them. For winter, they are great as a commuter because they will roll over roads, dirt, snow and ice without a problem at all. You can take them on snow covered mountain bike trails and on snowmobile trails for the ultimate in winter fun. As well as sheer enjoyment, these bikes will help you maintain your fitness.

Rob Swan is Biathlon BC’s provincial head coach, as well as a NCCP Level 3 certified coach with CriticalPerformance Endurance Sports. Rob can be reached at: coachrob@criticalperformance.ca.

Sign up to race in the Grandfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan here after some winter cross training.

Alcohol and Cycling Performance

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beerAlcohol and cycling. Do they really mix?

How bad is alcohol in relation to cycling performance? Well… some of this information might make you feel depressed. If you would like to plead ignorance in the future I would just stop reading now.

The Liver

I think we have all heard/said the statement “I am carbo loading” in relation to having that delicious cold beer. Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth. What actually happens when you start drinking any type of alcohol is that your liver spends all of its energy trying to remove alcohol from your bloodstream; it no longer has the capacity to convert glucose into glycogen.

Glycogen is a major energy source that your body uses to pedal that bicycle. It is generally quite depleted after a ride and should be replenished by consuming carbohydrates.

Since your liver is busy trying to clear the alcohol from your bloodstream and is unable to convert the glucose to glycogen, your body has to do something else with it… I’ll give you one guess… … … Fat. Yup… that glucose will now be stored as fat. Soo… to be more realistic, we should actually be say “I am fat loading.”

Recovery

Alcohol has been known to affect sleeping. If you do not sleep well then you will not produce as much human growth hormone – a hormone that builds muscle. Coupled with that, alcohol is a diuretic resulting in the fact that you will likely need to get up from your already disturbed sleep.

As you know from my article about hydration as little as a 2% decrease in body water weight decreases your performance. So it is going to be difficult to perform the next day at your best.

On top of all of this, studies have shown that drinking alcohol lowers testosterone levels. Testosterone is key to developing muscle in men AND women.

All of these factors add up to a less than optimal recovery.

What Are You Going To Do About It?

1. Having a few cold beer after a ride because I feel I “deserve” it.

I certainly make a point to refuel properly by eating before indulging in my “reward”.

2. Drinking before an event.

It is not a good idea to drink the day, or even 2 days, before an event, as the 2% dehydration rule may effect your outcome.

3. Overall consumption.

Decreasing your overall consumption is relatively easy in small increments. Just focus on cutting out excess as discussed in my 5 healthy tips for cycling article.

This article may be a little depressing;however, I am not going to give up drinking. It took me a couple frosty beverages to complete this article. I am not getting paid to bike for a living and I am all about enjoyment of life. On the other hand, knowing this information certainly has changed a few bad habits.

Cycling Aerodynamics – How Much Can It Really Help?

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Cycling aerodynamicsThere are two ways to get faster on a bike; increase power or increase aerodynamic efficiency.

For most of us it is very difficult to make 5% power gains, it takes lots of work and dedication; however, many of us are able make immediate 10-20% aerodynamic gains. Aerodynamics is one of the simplest and fastest ways to gain free speed.

Biggest Drags in Cycling Aerodynamics

Aerodynamic drag accounts for approximately 80-90% of the resistance felt while pedaling. Of that 80-90%, 70-75% of that drag comes from your body and the remainder from your bike. So it stands to reason that the biggest gain can be from changes in your body. I am not talking about weight loss, (although that would help) I am talking about body position.

Getting into the “aero” position as opposed to being on the hoods can save 3 – 6 minutes in a 40 km time trial. That is a ridiculous difference. Lets look at some other factors and costs.

Comparing Different Situations Related to Cycling Aerodynamics

Approximate savings over a 40km time trial:

  • Aero Helmet vs non aero helmet – 1 to 1.5 minutes – $150 +
  • Aero bars vs upright position – 3 to 6 minutes – $50 ++
  • Shoe covers vs non shoe covers – 30 to 60 seconds – $50 +
  • Rear disc wheel + front deep dish vs spoke wheels – 1 – 2 minutes – $1000+++
  • Skin suit vs Normal Jersey – 1 – 2 minutes – $250 +

As you can see some aero purchases can save you a significant amount of time, but the largest aerodynamic gains are from your body position. Don’t go out and buy the most expensive gear before you dial in your body position.

Try to keep things in perspective, a $200 helmet can save you almost as much time as $3000 wheel set.

Body Position

Above it basically says drop your body to make your torso as flat as possible. The flip side is knowing how far is too far. Flexibility plays a huge role in being able to get in the most aerodynamic position. As luck would have it, flexibility is my weakest area, so I am like a sail out there.

My hips, glutes and hamstrings are my limiters when it comes to a more aero position. I can’t even come close to touching my toes… my focus over the winter… foam roller and stretching.

There is a sweet spot in dropping low enough to be aero and being upright enough to be comfortable and produce power.

Roll Down a Hill

Cycling aerodynamicsTest how slippery you have become with the small tweaks you have made.

Before you make any changes find a hill that resembles a ski jump and roll down it from a complete stand still and see how far up the other side of the hill you make it. Mark the spot where you have come to a stop and repeat this a few times.

After you make a change redo the test… did you go further up the hill? Great you are more aerodynamic. Easy free test.

ATTACK Those Rollers

by

Cycling Rolling Hils
The key to rollers is maintaining your cadence and gearing!

Stay in the gear that you started the hill climb for as long as possible. Shift only when your cadence starts to slow below 75. A cadence between 70 to 90 is ideal. If you shift too early you will lose valuable momentum; however, if you shift too late then you might stall out.

Attack the bottom of the roller and gradually increase effort as you climb the hill until you must shift. Short rollers are like mini intervals. Just remember you are going to be able to rest on the other side. But wait… the climb is not over yet… make sure to power over the top and only stop pedaling once you have crested and the gravity has kicked in to high gear. Make sure to not lose any valuable momentum by stopping pedaling just as you crest.

An important thing to remember is when you are shifting try to “easy pedal” for a split second to allow the shift to happen. If you don’t, you run the risk of dropping your chain… or even worse breaking it! You attack rollers with a lot of intensity so there is going to be a lot of pressure on the chain if you just try and shift, it may also result in not shifting at all and again you will lose valuable momentum by slowly stalling out. If you have been cycling long enough this has inevitably happened to you… not fun! You look down as if there is something wrong with the bike… but it is usually just how you use it.

I try and stay seated as long as possible by keeping my cadence high in the beginning, but once the cadence starts to slow, I get out of the saddle and find a nice rhythm to finish off the climb powering over the top and cruising down the backside.

Cycling rolling hills is FUN! I Love it!

The complete guide to climbing – by John Summerson

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