By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS “Cycling keeps me sane.” We’ve all heard similar one-liners on group rides or social media posts, and there is plenty of evidence that exercise can play an important role in mental health. However, based on recent data and personal conversations with coaches and athletes throughout the …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS For a long time I have advised athletes to cut back on or stop consuming alcohol in order to remove a barrier to improved performance. At the same time, I have to admit that I find the first slug of an ice-cold beer at the end …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Game changing technological advances that truly improve athletic performance are relatively rare. Sure, there are iterative advances in power meters and new features added to apps, but substantive changes don’t happen very often. That’s why athletes should be excited about INSCYD, a training software and athlete …
By Chris Carmichael, inspired by Renee Eastman This blog post was entirely inspired by CTS Coach Renee Eastman, who recently completed her National Academy of Sports Medicine Nutrition Coach certification. In social media posts and a series of emails, Renee reminded me of one of the biggest challenges we see athletes face when it comes …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS For many people, January 1st was the start of a new 30-day challenge. Maybe it was Dry January, a commitment to abstaining from alcohol for a month. For people looking to change their eating habits, maybe it was Whole 30, a commitment to eating only whole …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS At the end of the year I often write a ‘best of’ list that includes my best day on the bike, some of the great products I’ve had the opportunity to use, and some of the most meaningful people and experiences from the previous 12 months. …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Strava released its annual “Year in Sport” report last week, putting some hard numbers to many metrics I think many people assumed had increased due to the pandemic. Anyone looking to purchase a bicycle or get replacement parts in 2020 knows they were in short …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS In a year that’s been like no other, the month of December will probably be like no other as well. Historically, we find that athletes miss more workouts in December than any other month, and this year athletes are facing more obstacles to staying fit than …
Nobody wants to talk or hear about training and workouts on Thanksgiving Day. I get it. Enjoy turkey day, and the next few days of leftovers. But come Monday, it’s back to work! Athletes train year round This is the time of year that defines an athlete. Anyone can get excited about going for a …
By Chris Carmichael, with data from Coach Adam Pulford Athletes often specialize in disciplines that favor their strengths. In cycling, some beginners recognize they have an aptitude for sprinting, or climbing, or time trialing, and that’s the aspect of the sport they focus on intently. They become “sprinters”, “climbers”, and “time trial specialists”. It makes …