When a new year begins, it’s a great time to implement new training strategies. Here is a list of 33 great ways to boost your cycling performance. I’m sure that you can find inspiration for your cycling training and wish you a very happy new year! Indoor Cycling 1. 7 Secure Ways to Improve Your
33 Ways to Improve Cycling Performance Read More »
This article is a guest post from Shim Ravalia, who studies a master’s in sports rehabilitation at the University of Kent (Gillingham, Medway). In this article, she outlines the current knowledge on optimising our recovery by choosing the right recovery drink after training. If cyclists do not recover properly straight after exercise, there is no
Post-Training Nutritional Tips for Cyclists Read More »
It takes time to build big muscles. Before a muscle would start to grow it needs regular training sessions and plenty of the right calories served at the right time. You will need more calories than normal because building is muscles not essential for your body to survive.
When a muscle increases its square diameter we call it hypertrophy. Nutrition plays a big role for hypertrophy and therefore I have included a nutritional article in the series about how to avoid additional body mass. Elite cyclists and other serious riders should normally try to avoid hypertrophy since it slows them down on the hills.
Strength Training Without Additional Body Mass – 2 Read More »
October is a quiet month for most cyclists in Europe. Unless you ride 6 days races on the velodromes or ride cycle cross in Belgium, there are no cycling races in the rest of 2008. Thus, October is the month where most riders decrease their overall training amount to a minimum to recover after a long season.
It is often said that the three basic elements for a cyclist are: Training, nutrition and recovery. In October the recovery should have the primary focus, because your body needs rest.
Training
Depending on your fitness level and ambitions, your training amount should be decreased to 50% or less than normal. Try some of the bike disciplines that you are not used to. If road cycling is your primary discipline, then go for a ride on a mountain bike or visit an indoor velodrome. There is a great potential for learning skills from these sports and you are guaranteed some enjoyable rides. Remember to invite the established mountain bikers to hit the roads with you when they have taught you a lesson or two off road.
Nutrition
Don’t focus too much on what you eat and how much you eat. October is when you have the chance to do what normal people do all year around, but don’t overdo it. Eat a burger and have a beer with your friends. One month should not make you really heavy, but please don’t look like Jan Ullrich when we reach November”¦
Recovery
Don’t underestimate the value of a decreased training amount and a period with less focus on target zones, threshold watts and body weight. It clears your head and recovers your muscles. Regarding to the overload principle, training less in periods is an important part of getting stronger.
Over to the readers: What is your primary focus in October?
Off-Season Training, Nutrition and Recovery Read More »