Athletes often look to equipment to increase their speed on the bike. As a cyclist, you are the largest part of the aerodynamic equation and therefore, changing your positioning can lead to significant gains.
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VO2 max is an often-touted number in endurance sports, but did you know that your VO2max data provides a very important role in our longevity and quality of life?
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When we exert ourselves or stay in the heat, we begin to sweat and lose salt through the
pores of our skin. What we have to be sure to do after this is replenish that salt that was lost
through consumption via food/liquids. But how do we know how much we’re supposed to
have and how to avoid dehydration in the process? The solution is simple! With the sweat rate
test, we are able to see exactly how much sodium you lose, per 32oz, without you having to
even move from your seat.
When you come in for your test, we will connect two electrodes to gel pads placed on
your forearm and run the machine for about five minutes. This induces sweating in the spot of
the electrodes, allowing us to collect the sweat for about 30-45 minutes afterwards. With the
sample collected we run it through our analyzer and see exactly how much salt is lost through
your sweat.
So why is this something you would want to know? Salt plays a crucial role in how our
body functions, especially when exercising. By knowing if you lose a little or a lot of salt during
your typical workouts, you can hydrate different ways. For those that lose a higher amount of
sodium in their sweat, they will most likely benefit from drinking an electrolyte drink with a
specific amount of sodium before, during, and after they workout in order to stay hydrated and
keep their muscles working properly. With the Precision Hydration test, they are able to take
your data and the type of exercising you do and formulate a plan specific to your body’s needs
before, during, and after to keep you performing your best and help with recovery time. If your
goals or training change, you can go to your account and change the and a new plan will be
made based off of the sweat test results so that you only have to come in one time for the test!
There are many foods out there that you see the packaging of and chuckle a bit because you know it is so outrageous to be healthy. Take Swedish fish, for example. One of my guilty pleasures promotes on the packaging that it is “fat-free.” Unfortunately, the beloved marketing of the 90s and the generational hatred of fat went so far as to make candy seem a better option. No matter how much I love these little guys, I know they may be fat-free, but that makes them far from healthy for me to add as a consistent part of my daily diet, no matter how much I may want to.
The newest marketing is to push “high protein,” “natural,” and “organic” options. But, much like a magician, the marketing teams for much of the food industry seem to use sleight of hand. This marketing makes us focus on one detail while ignoring what the other hand is doing.
One of the products that first pinged my radar was the Kodiak Cakes pancake mix. I have often heard people say they are making a better choice by eating more protein. So, of course, you are consuming more protein, but when the serving size is equal, you get the following calorie count:
Aunt Jemima Pancake/Waffle | Kodiak Cakes | |
Carbohydrates (grams) | 34.6 | 31 |
Protein (grams) | 4 | 14 |
Total Calories | 174 | 250 |
I point this out because we often search for a more protein-rich option to be more filling. However, if we are not careful, it would mean that we could mistakenly consume 40% more calories by eating the “healthier” option.
So, as you focus on your nutrition, whether for health, weight loss, or simply trying to change your macronutrient percentages, pay attention to the details, not the marketing.
We receive many questions and concerns from newer cyclists regarding the dynamics and etiquette of their first group ride or mass start event. Luckily, both of these scenarios are handled very similarly. These articles can provide the insight you may need to help you feel more confident the first time you join a group of cyclists, you may not be familiar with!
First time on a new Group Ride – The title says it all; if you are a first-timer in a group setting, you can follow these pointers to reduce stress and have a great time!
Group Riding 101 – Okay, it isn’t your first rodeo, but you don’t want to be a fly on the wall and would like to work with others? Perfect, here are some basics of how to rotate through properly
Group Riding 201 – Feeling pretty confident now? That is great! It is time to improve your skillset and start working like a well-oiled machine while conserving energy. Learn the basics of a paceline here.
Group Riding 301 – If you have made it through the first three articles and are still with us, then maybe you are one of “the fast guys” in your community, have some race experience, are interested in racing, or like watching the pro tour races and want a better understanding of the dynamics of echelons and double pacelines. Here is your chance!
For decades the gold standard of aerodynamics has been the wind tunnel. For manufacturers, this is a great way to test equipment. Unfortunately, for many cyclists and triathletes, the thousands of dollars it costs to schedule time at a wind tunnel, plus travel expenses, is sure to take a big bite out of your equipment and racing budget ultimately deterring one from the many benefits that aerodynamic testing can result in.
We are excited to be one of the only North American fitters that has access to AeroLab’s AeroPro sensor! This device produces repeatable, accurate real-world aerodynamic testing with enough precision to measure differences in rider position, frames, wheels, helmets, and even a cycling kit!
Wind tunnels have their place, but real world testing offers data that provides significant benefits, which include:
Reduced Cost – Testing with Science of Speed and the AeroPro can be done for several hundred dollars to test a multitude of equipment and positions in two hours.
Real World Testing – This means that we can test you in your sustainable position, at your race speed and at a cadence and effort level you will ride at.
Whole Package Analysis – Often times parts and frames are tested individually in a wind tunnel but we race with the entire package and each piece impacts the other, whether positively or negatively. With the AeroPro sensor, we are able to quantify the impacts of the rider and equipment and how they affect one another.
Power meters have become much more prevalent in bike equipment in the past five years. Prices have come down significantly as the market has become more competitive. Manufacturers are making bikes with power meters as a stock option. Companies like SRAM are even setting up their components as “power ready,” alleviating the need to buy an entire crankset, ultimately reducing costs.
Power meters have been simmering in the background since SRM power meters were first spotted on athletes’ bikes at the 1984 Olympics. However, even though they were initially utilized for professional athletes is not a reason that you can not benefit from the same great technology that a power meter provides. Three of the key reasons a power meter can help you include:
Precision: Due to cardiac drift*, training with heart rate is often challenging when trying to do longer sustained efforts. Utilizing power provides the precision to ensure your first effort will create the same physiologic load as your last effort. You can see the variability in heart rate (red) and power (pink) in the image below. Note the climb of heart rate during the intervals and the peak heart rate increase from one interval to the next.
Accuracy: Heart rate has variability. Fatigue, stress, sleep, illness, and even hydration affect your heart rate. These changes are essential to note, understand and influence your training decisions, but we do not want the inconsistency to impact the workout metrics from one day to the next. On the other hand, barring some malfunction or change in your power meter, power will be the same today, tomorrow, and two years from now, which means that any changes result from improvements in your physiology and fitness.
Caloric Tracking: Last but not least is power’s more accurate caloric tracking. The improved accuracy of calories is because, unlike heart rate, power measures the actual work. If you have been around anyone using power, you may have heard them talk about their “kJs.” When they say this, they are referencing the number of kilojoules burned during their workout, which is a direct reference to energy. This information can help you in your diet planning and fueling strategies for training and racing.
Ultimately, if you will not utilize the data to guide your training, a power meter will be a paperweight for your bike. However, if you do choose to use the data, it can be a tool to propel you to never achieved fitness levels quickly! If you are still trying to figure out where to begin with your power meter search, here are our thoughts on power meters.
*cardiac drift – The body’s natural phenomenon of increasing heart rate caused during exercise lasting more than five minutes. This “drift” is caused by factors such as increased core temperature, the fight-or-flight response, dehydration, muscle activation, and many other factors
With the increasing popularity of cycling power meters, athletes often ask what power meter is the best, and what type they should purchase. There are many different options, and it can paralyze some if uncertain about what to buy. In the last 20 years of using them, coach Brady has tried many different types and brands, and here are his key variables to consider when purchasing a power meter.
Compatibility – This is detail number one! If it doesn’t fit your bike, it won’t do you any good, and there are several variables to consider, such as:
Reliability – Does the brand have a history of creating a quality product that is dependable, provides precise data and has good battery life.
Durability – Everything has a life expectancy, but certain details play into it. For example, a pedal is exposed in the incidence of a crash, whereas a crank-based system is a bit more protected in that case. Chainrings are another detail to consider, and if it is a one-piece or if chainrings are replaceable.
Price Point – If it doesn’t fit the budget, it doesn’t matter, but if it fits the budget and doesn’t work, it really doesn’t matter! Right?
Our current “go to” power meters that we have seen our athletes have great success with and personally liked are the Quarq Power meter or the Favero Assioma power pedals.
If you are uncertain about what power meter would work best for your, let us know! [email protected]
Over the years, many athletes have become frustrated with the difference between inside and outside perceived effort. During my years in Colorado at CTS, we often heard from athletes how it felt so much harder to ride on the then-popular Cycleops Fluid Trainer. As a result, several other coaches and I began to look into why that may be. Comparing crank-based power meter and hub-based power data, the one variable we noted was that hub torque, when compared to crank torque, significantly increased when indoors vs. outdoors. Ultimately, due to time, and other priorities taking precedence, we concluded that it was likely due to the difference in momentum/wheel speed.
With smart trainers, many athletes say their power indoors and outdoors has a different perceived effort. As coaches, we want to make sure we compare apples to apples. There is always a slight variability in power data collection, and we want to ensure that your power numbers always come from the same device. Because of this, we want to ensure you select the proper power source.
When you log in to Zwift, a prompt will ask you to select a “Power Source” this is the device that will determine how the trainer responds to your efforts. We recommend that our athletes use the power meter on their bikes for the power source. By doing this, we know that the data that we are receiving will be from a consistent device, whether you are indoors or outdoors.
It may sound silly because most trainers, and power meters boast a +/- 1% accuracy, but we have seen variability of up to 10% in trainers of all brands and among the same brand when using the same power meter.
Finding a massage therapist who works well with athletes can take time and effort. There is a wide range of techniques, levels of experience, prices, varying personalities, and most of all, let’s be honest, you are lying in various states of undress that may make you feel uncomfortable in the wrong setting.
To help you out, we went straight to the source and contacted our trusted massage therapist to understand better where to begin in your search for your massage therapist and answer the often feared concept of clothing. Lori Padgett, LMT, has been our go-to massage therapist in Tallahassee for the past five years. She has helped many of our coaches rehab after injuries and kept many athletes functioning at incredibly high levels.
As coaches with in-depth knowledge of physiology and anatomy, we are big on our massage therapist’s understanding of the science behind massage. Due to the highly technical nature of massage therapy, we wondered if there is an accreditation that stands above all others and would be an excellent place to begin your search. Lori informed us there is no specific accreditation to look for but stated that she “stresses the importance of the continuing education classes that a massage therapist has taken.” This continuing education is an excellent indicator of a professional continually trying to improve their craft.
Each of our coaches and many of our athletes have mentioned the wide range of costs for massage therapists they have experienced over the years, with varying inconsistencies in the outcomes. So much so that we began to believe you didn’t always “pay for what you get.” From Lori’s perspective, “many therapists do not know their worth, or they become afraid because they don’t want to lose their clients by raising their rate.” The theory that “you pay for what you get” may not always be true; she did state that she believes “based on the amount of CEUs and experience,” a massage therapist has does justify a massage therapist to have higher rates.
The often and even more feared question is, “Do I have to be naked for my massage?” For some, there is not a second thought about disrobing and hoping underneath the massage sheet; for others, it is a very nerve-wracking experience and leads to a great deal of confusion about what is common. “It is best for you to feel comfortable and be able to relax, so if that means you have your underwear on, that is what you should do,” says Padgett. Added tension makes it harder for your massage therapist to do their job correctly, ultimately decreasing the results and the quality of your massage. At the end of the day, as athletes, we are in a massage for results. So, disrobe to your level of comfort and ease your concerns.
As you are looking for a massage therapist, Lori does want our athletes to know these key details:
It is important to share as much as possible. The client information helps to know when you are hurting, what hurts and what your history may have created.
Listening and asking open-ended questions about your health and injury history are skills your massage therapist must possess. The in-depth knowledge they can attain will give them insight into what to do.
Communicate with your massage therapist. This communication can be as simple as you prefer it to be quieter during your massage, you do/don’t like the bed to be heated, or even if pressure is too light/hard.
You should begin to feel improvement within three sessions.
Do the homework (self-care)
If you live in the Tallahassee area and are searching for a massage therapist, Lori may be the fit for you! You may contact her at 850.274.7947