Whether it is a cyclist or a enthusiast, we are always looking for ways to improve athletic performance.
Some people work very hard when training, but ignore the time not to ride a bike. Of course, the most effective way to make yourself stronger is to train hard in a scientific way, but there are many other things that can affect your performance. Here are five things that I can tell you from the perspective of a coach and former professional rider that can affect your riding performance when you are not riding.
Core muscle training:
If you can only do one exercise when you are not riding, then it must be a training to strengthen your core strength.
The process of riding a bicycle is asymmetrical. When riding, the two legs alternately perform different actions: one leg is pedaling down and the other is lifting up. In order to make this process as efficient as possible, we need to mobilize the core muscles to stabilize ourselves, otherwise the torso will keep shaking when stepping on.
No matter how strong your legs are, if only half of the power can be converted into forward power, a lot of power is wasted. Strengthening the core can also help avoid minor injuries and illnesses.
Sleep
When I was in the national team before, a coach of mine once said that there is actually no such thing as overtraining. There is only insufficient recovery. The body repair is the fastest when we fall asleep. If you cannot guarantee the quality of sleep, you will not be able to recover from the hard training you did before. For the cyclist, sleep is probably the most important thing besides training.
massage
Before delving into this issue, one thing to clarify is that the actual function of massage is not supported by rigorous and accurate scientific basis, but in fact, after more than ten years of professional cyclist career, the author sincerely recommends you to try Take a massage. According to the author's experience, the effect of massage is to relieve the tension in the muscles, which may cause pain or cramps. Not only that, the relaxation of the spirit when receiving massage is no less than its effect on the body.
There is a misunderstanding that massage people often enter, that is, a truly effective massage should be so painful that one’s nails are pierced into the massage bed, which is not the case at all. Yes, some tight parts may cause some pain when pressed, but the overall process should be relaxing.
If the massage process is too stressful and painful, it may cause further damage to the muscles. Needless to say, this is contrary to the original intention of receiving massage.
In my opinion, the placebo effect of massage should never be underestimated. I like to receive several massages while preparing for important events to convince myself that all the preparations I can do have been done. Not only that, the more massages you receive, the more your body adapts to this process and the better the results. In this way, if you are seriously considering adding massage after training, the author recommends a series of continuous therapies until the important event comes, instead of just going for massage the day before the game.
Professional riders can be said to be lucky in this regard, because the team is often equipped with logistics staff and even professional masseurs who can provide massage to help riders relieve fatigue and soreness, but with the help of some tools, such as foam rollers or massage balls, you I can achieve the same goal myself. When used correctly, they can effectively help relieve tension in the iliotibial band and hip muscles.
Impedance training
The power equation is very simple, nothing more than cadence multiplied by torque. The cadence of most riders is within a naturally adapted range, about 80 to 100 rpm. The most effective way to increase power is to exert more force with each pedaling without drastically changing the cadence.
Most training programs include a lot of cardio training, which is of course extremely important, but the key is that the human heart and lungs are equivalent to fuel pumps, and the muscles that really produce the so-called output.
Impedance training can help you exert more force every time you pedal, and under the same cadence, greater torque equals higher power, which means you will ride faster. But the so-called resistance training does not just refer to lifting irons in the gym. Besides going to the gym, there are many ways to help you improve your absolute strength.
For endurance athletes, I recommend 8-15 reps per set, 3 sets per leg. This means that in this training you will do pure resistance exercises, as for endurance, you can get improved while riding, don’t worry.
Shaved legs
This is often controversial among male riders. Should it be scratched or not? Of course, not everyone can accept it, and it is normal to have disputes, but it is indeed beneficial to shave off the legs.
