Ergogenic aids, or performance-enhancing substances, include any substances that enhance performance or recovery. The term encompasses legal substances like caffeine and prohibited substances like anabolic steroids. Interestingly, the research that determined just how ‘sports enhancing’ they could be, was done in controlled laboratory settings rather than real-world scenarios. While controlled settings leave less room for …
Win True follows Scott Mercier’s trajectory from a kid in Telluride, Colorado, to the 1992 US Olympic Team, through his years as a professional cyclist for Saturn and US Postal Service, and his decision to leave the sport rather than participate in doping. Win True is his story of moral courage in the face of …
Topics Covered In This Episode: How ultrarunners should decide if they should include strength training What are the benefits of including strength training in your plan What’s the minimum effective strength training volume? How strength training programming should change throughout the season The biggest mistakes ultrarunners make with strength training Guest Bio: Sarah Scozzaro is …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Exercise intensity is one of the most important variables that determines the effectiveness of a workout. As a result, most workouts express the target intensity by power output, heart rate, pace, and RPE. What does RPE mean? Rating of …
Nothing ruins a great ride faster than discomfort caused by friction or pressure between you and your saddle. There’s a lot going on in your shorts: pressure from supporting a substantial portion of your bodyweight, heat and moisture from exertion and sweat, and friction from spinning your legs and scooting fore and aft on the …
Topics Covered In This Episode: Cultivating mental health Concepts for a model of resiliency Skills that help improve performance through mental health Guest Bio: Dr. Justin Ross is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in athlete mental health and performance – addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, disordered eating, insomnia, and stress to developing high-performance sport …
Endurance training blocks are a great way for cyclists to accumulate a large volume of training hours and miles in a relatively short period. Endurance blocks can be very useful for athletes who are engaged in high-intensity interval training programs, or who compete frequently. During periods of high-intensity training and racing, aerobic endurance can actually …
Cycling does a lot of great things for your body, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t sometimes a pain in the neck… or shoulders… or back. Back pain is one of the most common complaints we hear from cyclists, whether new or experienced, young or old. Strength training and stretching can significantly reduce lower back …
People use cycling to achieve various goals, including health, fitness, competition, fun and adventure. Weight loss often occurs naturally as a consequence of increased hours and miles on the bike. CTS typically approaches weight management from the perspective of improving endurance sport performance, like increasing power-to-weight ratio. However, we recognize weight loss is a primary …
Topics Covered In This Episode: Jason climbed 100 peaks for his 100th FKT: the Washington Bulgers (100 highest peaks in Washington State) How to approach daunting challenges Tactics for staying in the moment Dealing with unpredictability and low points Behind the story of the upcoming film Journey to 100 Guest Bio: Jason Hardrath is an …