Power Training for Cyclists

"When you think of power in sports, often a big shot putter in track and field or a weight lifter comes to mind. Lean cyclists may not look all that powerful, but the ability to generate power is not just related to how big the muscles are."

This is a small excerpt from my newest article in the Feb-March 2012 Canadian Cycling.

It's called "Power Your Way to Speed: Improved Strength Leads to a Faster You"

If you're a cyclist, you're going to want to check out the research I cite in this piece that will help you become stronger, faster and more powerful.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Here's a shot of the article I took with my phone:

Gluten Free Chocolate Macaroon Recipe

Pretty sure my buddy Tim is going to own a bakery one day.

I got another great recipe from him.

Check out these Gluten Free Chocolate Macaroons.  I made them last night and they were amazing!! (and real easy to make too!)


Here's what you'll need:


2 C shredded coconut (long flakes)
3/4 C almond flour
1/2 C cocoa or freshly ground cacao nibs*
1/2 C honey
3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
Splash of vanilla extract

*cacao nibs are a less processed, slightly more bitter, raw form of chocolate

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Roll into equal sized balls and place in a muffin tin.

Place in the freezer and patiently wait 10-15 minutes...and that's it!

Enjoy!! (thanks Tim!!)

-JK

Tall in the Saddle: Helping Cyclists get their Posture Right

Whether you're a desk jockey, a real jockey a cyclist or if you just sit too much (everyone!) your prolonged static hunched posture is going to be a problem.  You know what I'm talking about: rounded shoulders, hunched upper back, forward head translation with an anterior pelvic tilt - the list goes on.  This piece originally appeared in the May/June 2011 issue of Impact Magazine.


Having the correct posture on your road bike makes you more aerodynamic, keeps you stable and generates more power on race day. It increases efficiency, which improves your endurance. However, due to fatigue or lack of awareness, cyclists can be too hunched over, hampering race performance and limiting the ability of their lungs to take in oxygen because the rib cage is not able to expand properly.

The prolonged static posture a cyclist endures during hours of training has a major impact on day-to-day posture — commonly seen as rounded shoulders with abducted shoulder blades, and a forward head position with a kyphotic, or hunched, upper back. Compounding the problem is the hours spent in front of the computer, sitting on the couch, in a car or rounded over our dinner plates.

My Favourite Shoulder Prehabiliation Drill: The Kettlebell Arm Bar

The kettlebell arm bar is a static hold stretch performed obviously with a kettlebell (duh!).  It's actually a stretch and activation drill all in one.  The entire shoulder girdle is strengthened because all the primary movers and stabilizers have to fire so you don't drop the kettlebell on your head!  The pecs also get a great stretch out of the drill as well.

*Important* You must start light to get a feel of the drill.  The last thing you want to do is tear your shoulder out of its socket after reading this post - a 8-12kg bell should be fine.  A dumbbell can be used, but you lose the off-center effect that the kettlebell provides.  This off-center effect feels completely different, as you can imagine, compared to using a dumbbell.  I would also suggest you practice this drill with a spotter until you are comfortable.

How to perform the KB Arm Bar:

My Favourite Kettlebell Resources

<-----------WTF!!!!  Many trainers and trainees out there do not train with kettlebells (KBs) correctly.  Not even Jillian Michaels!  (that's horrendous technique!!!)

I was intrigued when I first heard about KB lifting roughly 3-4 years ago.  I wanted to learn more about it but wasn't sure where to turn.  Today there are many books on KB training but only a select few are actually worth reading and owning.  I've also worked and consulted with the best KB coaches I could find (James Talo RKC Level II, Carmen Bott RKC Level I, Tricia Dong RKC Level I, Shane Heins Tacfit Certified and Tom Corrigan IKSFA Certified Coach).  They all helped me take my KB training from the sh$ts to where it is today.  I use KBs to improve my GPP (general physical preparedness) and to add variety to my training routine.  I've built strength and explosive power that I wouldn't be able to do by just using dumbbells.

So, from my experience, I believe these are the best KB resources on the market.  I have provided a link to purchase these resources if you decide to.  I'm not going to try and hide it, but yes, I will get a small commission from each of your purchases - and when I say small, I mean small.  However, your loyalty and support of my blog and commissions all help keep this blog going.  So please, if you decide to purchases any of these resources, do so by clicking the book cover or link provided.  Thanks.

How to Work Out, Part IV - My #1 Tip

In How to Work Out Part IV, I was going to break down how you can adjusts your reps depending on your goals - but I'll save that for Part V.  Here's a short piece I just jotted down.  I thought you would enjoy it, as it's Friday and it's not too heavy with info.

If you missed it, you can find Part I here, Part II here and Part III here.

It's unfortunate, but most people who "workout" aren't doing it right. I'm not here to harp on anyone's technique or even to laugh at you. I'm just a guy who wants to help. My number one tip for you about training is to learn how to train FIRST from a fitness professional before attempting what you think is considered a "workout." That's why we have jobs! You wouldn't attempt to perform a major operation on your car if you didn't know anything about auto-mechanics would you? But this is happening on a daily basis with people in the gym - performing what they think is right, but without any knowledge about the human body, physiology and movement mechanics.

 Again, like I said, I just want to help - I'm not making fun of anyone here.

How To Work Out, Part III

In How to Work Out Part I and Part II, I've discussed workout templates and the principles of training.

In this post, I'll break down how to change the sets and reps based on your training goals.

Training Goals: Sets and Reps

Just in case, I'll mention that 1 repetition or several repetitions make up 1 set.  One or several sets are performed based on what you want out of your program.  The Essentials of Strength and Conditioning, 3rd. Edition breaks down the goal/load/repetition scheme like this:

• If your goal is strength, use greater than 85% 1RM* with repetitions equal to 6 or less
• If your goal is power, single effort, use 80-90% 1RM with 1-2 reps
• If your goal is power, multiple effort, use 75-85% 1RM with 3-5 reps
• If your goal is hypertrophy (muscle size), use 67-85% 1RM with 6-12 reps
• If your goal is muscular endurance, use less than 67% 1RM with 12 or more reps

How to Work Out, Part II

In Part I of this series on How to work out, I covered how to structure a workout.  In this post, I'll cover the principles of training.

There are several principles to take into account when designing or choosing an exercise program.

The principles are as follows:

-Principle of Specificity

-Principle of Progressive Overload

-Principle of Individuality

-Principle of Variation

-Principle of Maintenance

-Principle of Reversibility

Let's have a look at each principle in a little bit more detail.