Transitioning Fast and Flawlessly at Your Next Triathlon
Many athletes overlook transitioning and leave it out of their training program. You are not going to win the race on the transition but you can definitely lose it. If you are looking to improve your time by minutes with very little effort then transitioning is where you will get the most bang for your buck.
First off, you have got to have a plan. Too many triathletes wait for race day to start thinking about what they are going to do at each transition point and this shows through in the time it takes them to pass through. You have got to start thinking about this and practicing it weeks before the race. First things first, if you are wearing a wet suit then you will want to have your biking clothes on underneath. That way when you come out of the water all you have to do is peel of your suit and you are ready to go.
At the swim to bike transition it is best to have your shoes already clipped to your bike. You also want to make sure the pedals are in the proper position so that when you go to run with your bike to the mounting area the pedals are not going to get caught on the ground. In addition, most triathletes prefer not to wear socks on the bike, this will save you a lot of valuable time if you can just peel of your wetsuit, put on your shades and helmet and be on your way.
The bike to run transition is also very important. Make sure you get off your bike in the appropriate area. If you are doing a sprint or Olympic distance triathlon you may decide to wear racing flats and so perhaps you won’t wear socks for this leg either. Whatever the case may be, make sure to tie your shoes up tight and grab any accessories you may need like hydration belts, visors, etc. If you practice your transitioning at least once a week you will undoubtedly shave a substantial amount off your overall time. Plus, you won’t run the risk of forgetting something or getting injured while trying to make the switch.
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DS Carroll is a consultant for Biomedical Research Laboratories. Biomedical Research Laboratories market scientifically based nutritional supplements for endurance athletes including supplements for cyclists, runners, triathletes, and mixed martial arts. Visit http://www.epoboost.com to learn more about how EPO-Boost can increase VO2 max, running economy and endurance. Patent pending EPO-BOOST ingredients have been shown to increase VO2 max and running economy in college athletes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_Carroll |
Anaerobic Cycling Sessions to Improve Your Time Trial Times
I’ve found that a lot of cyclists have difficulties going anaerobic. Some of them can do it on an uphill gradient, others into a strong head wind, but on flat ground in decent conditions a lot of people just can’t seem to do it. Then they get into a race setting and there’s people going faster than them and they realize that it is possible to go anaerobic it just takes a hard sustained effort. In this post we’re going to discuss the importance and benefit of anaerobic sessions, as well as some ways to help you go anaerobic.
First off, anaerobic just means going into oxygen debt. When you go anaerobic you begin to produce lactic acid and your breathing greatly accelerates. This is easy to achieve in running, all you have to do is sprint for a few hundred meters and you’ll undoubtedly go anaerobic. In cycling it’s a little tougher, it’s based on the same principal but for some reason people have difficulties exerting themselves to this point on two wheels. But if you want to reach your maximum potential you’re going to have to learn how to do it.
The first method, which most people prefer, is to push a larger gear than normal. This will take some practice because a lot of cyclists have trouble generating enough power to turn the pedals at an adequate cadence while still maintaining proper form. Once you get it though it’s almost identical to riding uphill or into a strong headwind. Remember though, you don’t want to use too big of a gear, you still want to be in the 60-70 RPM range. Another point to keep in mind is to be conscious of the balls of your feet, and try to envision yourself pushing through the pedal and into the ground, this will ensure you’re using the proper muscle.
The other common method is pushing a small gear at a high cadence. This is sort of like what you see in the spin classes. This method is okay if done properly. What you have to keep in mind is that one of the greatest cyclists of all time, Lance Armstrong, was known for holding high cadences of 110-120 RPMs, whereas in a spin session you’ll see people getting up to 150 RPMs. You don’t want to go that high, if you’re going much over 120 RPMs you’re in too small of a gear. For most people a high cadence on the road will be in the 100-110 range. The key here is going lactic, you want to get to a point where you’re out of breath and feeling a burning sensation in your legs.
Whichever workout you choose, one of the most important points to keep in mind here is that it takes a lot of effort. In cycling I find people tend to think of it more as a low intensity exercise and rarely exert themselves to a point where they’re significantly out of breath. For these kinds of workouts your goal should be to get your heart rate up, get out of breath, and go lactic. You can do it, you just have to want it. I can assure you that if you do this sort of workout session twice a week, within a matter of weeks you’ll significantly improve your TT times, due to an increased lactic threshold.
Improving your Leg Strength with One-Legged Pedaling
During the winter months most cyclists are confined to the indoors and forced to ride on a trainer. It can be difficult to stay motivated and even more difficult to find new workouts that spice up your training. One drill many people often overlook or fail to attach much importance to is one legged pedaling. As you’ll see, not only is this drill great for adding spice to dreary winter months, but it also improves form and efficiency so you’re killing two birds with one stone.
When you pedal with two legs one leg is always pushing down, and for the vast majority of cyclists the opposite leg is doing next to nothing. Once you reach the top of the circle the other leg takes over and its opposite gets a break. This is very inefficient as it causes you to sway side to side and utilizes unnecessary energy. Perhaps over a short race you can get away with this kind of poor technique but for any of the longer you’ll be forced to correct this error if you want to seriously compete. The best way to improve this element is through one legged pedaling.
Basically what you want to do is leave both feet on the pedals but then choose one leg to do the pushing, just let the opposite leg travel along for the ride. A common way to do this drill is by riding for one minute with your left leg, one minute with your right leg, and then one minute with both legs trying to keep the same motion going as you were using in the one legged reps. If you continue to repeat this over time you’ll notice that your legs spin in a more circular motion, which is much more efficient, and both legs begin to apply an equal amount of pressure the whole way around.
Don’t be alarmed if in the beginning you have difficulties, it’s likely that you’ve been pedaling improperly for a long time and your muscles are probably well adapted to it. In short time though you’ll get the hang of it and I guarantee that pedaling in a higher gear and or at higher RPMs will take much less effort and will feel a heck of a lot better.
DS Carroll is a consultant for Biomedical Research Laboratories. Biomedical Research Laboratories market scientifically based nutritional supplements for endurance athletes including supplements for cyclists, runners, triathletes, and mixed martial arts. Visit http://www.epoboost.com to learn more about how EPO-Boost can increase VO2 max, running economy and endurance.
Patent pending EPO-BOOST ingredients have been shown to increase VO2 max and running economy in college athletes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DS_Carroll
Goal Setting for Cyclists – To Train or Not to Train?
The question is asked by cyclists young and old, new and experienced, how much do I need to train in order to be successful? There is no easy answer, it depends on an array of factors. In this post we will discuss goal setting and how this will determine the amount you train.
First of all you have to have a goal. The amount you train will be determined by how high you set your goals. It is important to note that dreams are not goals, dreams are dreams. It is good to have dreams in the back of your mind as a source of motivation, but if you treat your dreams as goals it may lead to frustration and a loss of self confidence if you fall far short of them.
You want to set your goals high enough so that you have to dig deep in order to achieve them but not so high as to make it impossible. So let us say your goal is to win your age group in a local time trial. That’s not that lofty and is definitely doable if you dedicate enough time and effort. The amount you train is different for everybody and if you’re a newbie it will probably take you a few years to figure out your ideal mileage. A few pointers to help you map out your training are as follows.
It is better to under train than to over train. At least if you under train you know that you can increase the mileage next season and come back as a stronger cyclist. If you over train you will have no idea what your potential is and most of the season will have been wasted.
Rest is just as important as workouts. Most cyclists, especially newbies, have difficulty resting on rest days. If you don’t rest though you body doesn’t have a chance to sufficiently repair itself, and so you run a high risk of over training.
Your weekly long ride should be at least the length of the event you’re training for. You want to make sure you are totally comfortable riding the distance of your highest priority race. You do not want the race itself to be the first time you have ridden the distance. Even for an event like an Ironman where the bike distance is 180 kilometers, many athletes prefer to ride up to seven hours for their long ride so that the race itself is nothing new or out of the ordinary.
Finally, you need to listen to your body. If you are scheduled to do a hard spin session but when you get on the bike your legs feel very fatigued and you are having troubles even keeping a moderate clip, it is best to just call it a day and get some extra rest. There is no sense in pounding through a low energy session when you are not feeling rested, the workouts going to do nothing other than put you at a higher risk for injury and over training.
It will take time to get the feeling of how you respond to certain types of training but if you keep the pointers listed above in mind you’ll be well on your way to having a successful season. Once you set a goal, you want to structure your training accordingly to achieve that goal. You don’t need to train 45 hours a week in order to win your age group at a local time trial. If you’re realistic about your goals and training volume I can assure you that with hard work and determination you shouldn’t have any problem achieving them.
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DS Carroll is a consultant for Biomedical Research Laboratories. Biomedical Research Labortories market scientifically based nutritional supplements for endurance athletes including supplements for cyclists, runners, triathletes, and mixed martial arts. Visit http://www.epoboost.com to learn more about how EPO-Boost can increase VO2 max, running economy and endurance. Patent pending EPO-BOOST ingredients have been shown to increase VO2 max and running economy in college athletes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_Carroll |
Master Six Key Abilities to Be Successful in Cycling
The old adage that knowledge is power is especially true for the serious cyclist. One of the most important pieces of information you can acquire is the different abilities that encompass the entire realm of cycling. In total there are 6 key abilities in cycling that should be understood and worked on if you want to be a successful cyclist. In this article we will discuss what each of those abilities are and where each is applied, that way you can determine which abilities need to be focused on most in order to achieve your goals.
1. Endurance
The most obvious ability is endurance. For most people new to the sport much of the riding they do is in the 1-3 hour range, so they are very familiar with endurance. This particular ability is used in century rides but it is tapped into during longer time trials.
2. Strength
The second ability is strength. This ability can not be overlooked because it is often dependant on the terrain and weather conditions. If you are riding uphill or into a strong headwind then you will need to have a great deal of strength if you want to be successful.
3. Speed
The third ability is speed and its accompanying skill set. Speed in its most basic sense is the ability to spin the pedals at a very quick rate, but with speed also comes the added necessity to handle and maneuver well. This ability is crucial in short time trials and short bike races like those found in a sprint triathlon.
4. Muscular Endurance
Next is muscular endurance, which is basically a combination of endurance and strength. This is the ability to go long but into a strong head wind or uphill.
5. Anaerobic Endurance
Fifth is anaerobic endurance. This ability is crucial for people competing in time trials and races of an hour or less. Anaerobic endurance is basically the ability to sustain a very fast speed for an extended amount of time.
6. Power
The final ability in cycling is Power. Someone who possesses a lot of power is able to accelerate to a fast pace in a very short amount of time. This particular skill is very useful in short races where pace changes are frequent.
Knowing the basic elements of cycling will allow you to isolate each aspect of your training and work to improve each element individually. A good cyclist will incorporate specific workouts for each ability into their weekly schedule so that in a race they never encounter anything they are unfamiliar with.
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DS Carroll is a consultant for Biomedical Research Laboratories. Biomedical Research Labortories market scientifically based nutritional supplements for endurance athletes including supplements for cyclists, runners, triathletes, and mixed martial arts. Visit http://www.epoboost.com to learn more about how EPO-Boost can increase VO2 max, running economy and endurance. Patent pending EPO-BOOST ingredients have been shown to increase VO2 max and running economy in college athletes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DS_Carroll |
Is Cross Training Important for Runners?
Many serious runners put in between 40 and 80 miles a week. This can be very taxing on the body and sometimes can lead to injury and burnout. A great way to prevent this is to switch up some of your longer less important runs with sports like cycling and swimming, which utilize the same muscles and systems but are low impact.
If you’re serious about running and want to reach your full potential then you don’t want to switch your speed workouts with cross training sessions. Speed work is important and targets muscle groups and systems that can only be improved by running fast. Instead, if you have two long runs or tempo runs a week you could replace one of those. Cycling is great if you want to get the heart rate up but reduce the pounding. Also, if you cycle at a high resistance or on hilly terrain it can greatly improve your strength. Since your main sport is running you’ll want to stay away from high intensity cycling, in other words speed work on a bicycle, because your muscles likely aren’t adapted to this kind of training and you’ll run a high risk of injury. In fact, it’s even recommended for people who are concentrating solely on cycling to bike for at least two years before getting into high intensity workouts.
Swimming is a viable cross training workout for runners as well. Swimming takes a lot of upper body strength, which is also necessary in running, so you might get a bit of a leg workout but more importantly you’ll build upper body strength. If you’re not keen on swimming then you could also try pool running. You’ll need a pool with a moderate depth in order to perform this correctly, but if you only have a lap pool then you can try it with weights in order to make it a bit more challenging.
Visit www.epoboost.com to learn more about how you can improve your endurance, speed and strength. You have nothing to lose with our 90 day money-back guarantee.
Boost your endurance with EPO-BOOST™ and you’ll run faster and farther, we guarantee it!
Identifying your Weaknesses as a Cyclist
If you’re new to the sport of cycling then you may not be very familiar with the terms limiter and weakness. In this post we’ll go over what each term means to the sport of cycling as well as why a weakness may not necessarily be a limiter. The reason will become apparent as we better define the terms.
Weakness
So first off, a weakness is pretty obvious, it’s something you’re not very good at or not as good as you are at something else. So for example, you may have exceptional endurance and be able to ride for five hours straight without any problem, but when it comes to the sprint you’re nothing to contend with.
Limiter
A limiter on the other hand is a weakness but is a weakness that you’re going to come up against in a planned race. For example, you may be a weak sprinter but if you’re doing a century ride or even a double century then it’s likely that the weakness won’t be much of a factor, therefore it’s not a limiter. But if you’re planning on doing a short time trail then not only is your sprinting a weakness but it’s going to be a limiter in your performance because a short time trial is basically an all out sprint.
Knowing your weaknesses is crucial if you want to improve as a cyclist, but you’ve also got to understand what your limiters are. Once you’ve determined your weaknesses you’ll then want to look at the most important races you plan on competing in and determine whether any of your weaknesses will be a limiter for that race. If so, you’ll want to concentrate a great deal of your training efforts on improving that limiter. If it turns out that your weakness is not a limiter for your most important race then it shouldn’t be much of a priority in training. Finding adequate time to train is difficult enough, there’s no point in dedicating a great deal of time to a weakness if it isn’t also a limiter.
Visit www.epoboost.com to learn more about how you can improve your endurance, speed and strength. You have nothing to lose with our 90 day money-back guarantee.
Boost your endurance with EPO-BOOST™ and you’ll run faster and farther, we guarantee it!
Improve Your Lactate Threshold and Swim Faster in Your Next Triathlon
Whether you are a runner, cyclist, triathlete, or an endurance athlete you need to train as fast as possible without hitting the wall from high levels of lactic acid in your blood. Elite athletes and coaches know that increasing lactate threshold is essential to success.
There are several factors that can be modified to improve performance and endurance in athletes. VO2max, exercise economy, and lactate threshold are all factors that can be improved with training and nutritional supplementation. If you can improve your lactate threshold your race speeds will improve. This article will focus on training to improve lactate threshold in swimmers.
If you are an amateur swimmer training for a local event like a triathlon then you need to understand the mechanics of a swim workout. A workout is basically comprised of two elements, endurance and threshold. Let us say you are training for a sprint triathlon with a 500 meter swim. What would be the point in swimming three miles continuously three times a week? Every time you hit the water you are swimming almost ten times your race distance. This kind of practice is known as swimming “junk miles” and many swimmers do it.
For a short race like a 500 meters you are basically going to be sprinting the entire way; endurance should be of very little concern. Instead, your preparation should be geared towards increasing your lactic threshold. All world and Olympic endurance athletes incorporate lactate threshold training into their workouts.
To increase your lactate threshold you are going to want to swim at or even faster than race pace in training. So let us say you do five 50 meter repeats. If your goal is to swim the 500 in 6:25 then you would want to shoot for somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 seconds for your 50 meters. Perhaps the first couple of times you will need to have a few minutes break between each 50 meters in order to repeat the time, but as you progress in your training you should decrease the rest period until you are basically swimming ten – 50 meters at around 40 seconds a piece.
This same sort of practice can be used with just about any swim distance; lactic threshold expansion is an integral part in your training program.
Of course, if you are training for an iron man swim of 2.4 miles then endurance is going to be a factor. But once you feel comfortable swimming the distance in order to get faster you will have to do the same kinds of workouts as the person training for the 500 just on a bit larger scale, 100 or 200 meter repeats for instance.
Designing a swim workout is that simple. There is no need to look for a long fancy training plan that is difficult to follow. If you want to improve your times then you have got to swim faster in practice, it is that simple.
Your training program will be difficult in the beginning, but if you stay determined to improve then you will see astronomical gains in a very short time. Combining this training workout with nutritional supplementation to increase VO2 max and exercise economy and increase your speed and endurance.
DS Carroll is a consultant for Biomedical Research Laboratories. Biomedical Research Laboratories market scientifically based nutritional supplements for endurance athletes including supplements for cyclists, runners, triathletes, and mixed martial arts. Visit http://www.epoboost.com to learn more about how EPO-Boost can increase VO2 max, running economy and endurance.
Patent pending EPO-BOOST ingredients have been shown to increase VO2 max and running economy in college athletes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DS_Carroll
http://EzineArticles.com/?Improve-Your-Lactate-Threshold-and-Swim-Faster-in-Your-Next-Triathlon&id=3717146
Visit www.epoboost.com to learn more about how you can improve your endurance, speed and strength. You have nothing to lose with our 90 day money-back guarantee.
Boost your endurance with EPO-BOOST™ and you’ll run faster and farther, we guarantee it!
Cycling Tips for Your Feet
Cycling is a low impact sport and yet many people still suffer from foot and leg injuries. Here are some quick tips to protect your feet:
1. Cycling Shoes- Cycling shoes are designed to allow for better pedal power to increase efficiency while pedaling. So they are more rigid that other shoes. It is important that if you wear orthotics, that you continue to wear them when cycling to keep your foot in a better position when cycling. If you do not want to purchase cycling shoes, make sure that you get a stiffer hiking shoe.
2.Position of foot on the pedal- the ball of the foot be positioned centrally on the pedal for the most comfort and efficency. The toes should not extend over the front of the pedal.
3. Pedal Clips and clipless pedals-Toe clips help keep the foot in place when cycling. The most efficient method way to ride is using a clipless method. Clipless pedal are designed similar to ski bindings in which the shoe has cleats that connect to the pedal. This allows the rider to clip in and clip out. You need to remember to unclip yourself as you dismount the bike or you will have a “Big” surprise.
4. Seat Position -The seat needs to be in the proper position for the rider. If the seat is too high, the rider will experience pain in the back of the knee. A seat that is too low cause pain in the front of the knee. If the seat is positioned to far forward or too far backward pedaling will be less effecient and place addition stress on the knee. The angle of the knee should be about 35 degrees.
Share your tips with others and post your comments.
Disclaimer: Team Epo-Boost is not giving medical advice and suggests you seek medical attention if you are experiencing pain in the ball of the foot, shin pain, or knee pain and make sure that you have made the proper adjustments to your bike and shoes.
Visit www.epoboost.com to learn more about how you can improve your endurance, speed and strength. You have nothing to lose with our 90 day money-back guarantee.
Boost your endurance with EPO-BOOST™ and you’ll run faster and farther, we guarantee it!
Endurance Running, Swimming, Cycling – Ice Baths BRRRRR…
If you bike, run, or swim at high intensity for any period of time you may have experienced sore muscles and discomfort. Many endurance athletes are spending 15 minutes or so in an ice bath to ease the pain after a long run.
Ice baths or cold water immersion therapy constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown. Once the skin is no longer in contact with the cold source, the underlying tissues warm up, causing a return of faster blood flow, which helps return the byproducts of cellular breakdown to the lymph system for efficient recycling by the body. This means that not only do you suppress inflammation but you also get rid of of the broken down tissues from the body. So ice baths reduce inflammation of tissues and joints, relieves soreness, and speeds recovery.
Ice baths require more than just 1 tray of ice. Get about 30 lbs of ice and add to water and climb in brrr, soak for 15 minutes and yes, your teeth will be chattering. Stay no longer than 15 minutes or you may cause tissue damage. Some people suggest getting into the tube in cool water and add the ice to create less of a cold shock to the body.
Another option might be to hop into a cold lake (if you are lucky to have one nearby) and stand in cold water for 15 minutes. Wrap up and drink a warm beverage while sitting in the tub. Have fun and feel great the next day!
EPO BOOST Blog- Transitioning Fast and Flawlessly at Your Next TriathlonMany athletes overlook transitioning and leave it out of their training program. You are not going to win the race on the transition but you can definitely lose it. If you are looking to improve your time by minutes with very little effort then transitioning is where you will get the most bang for your buck. […]
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- Transitioning Fast and Flawlessly at Your Next Triathlon
