By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Chief Endurance Officer The 2023 Tour de France has been one of the most thrilling editions in my memory. The performances, rivalry, and respect between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar were great to watch. Jasper Phillipsen’s power in the sprint stages has been remarkable. And it’s been exciting to …
Cyclists who ride year-round sometimes get lulled into a routine that long ago stopped being challenging enough or engaging enough to improve performance. It’s not that you’re out of shape or that you’re not training, it’s that you haven’t changed anything is so long that there’s no reason for your body to adapt and improve …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer The more I talk with athletes in my age group (60+), the more apparent it is that we don’t talk enough about recovery from orthopedic issues for aging athletes. Hip and knee replacements are becoming more common. Nevertheless, aging athletes struggle to find recovery and return-to-training …
Last weekend, the New York Times presented the fact Dick’s Sporting Goods refers to customers as “athletes” as if it is something new. It’s not. At CTS, we’ve referred to the people who work with our coaches as athletes from day one, nearly 23 years ago. Perhaps what’s worse is that the NYT views it …
Although coaches spend most of their time trying to help athletes fit more training into their busy lifestyles, there are times when life gets in the way and other priorities eliminate or dramatically reduce available training time. There are also times, particularly at the end of a long season, when athletes need a break. These …
For everything that happens in life, our responses are heavily influenced by principles we establish based on our values and experiences. When it comes to improving performance and outcomes in sport or life, I recommend abiding by these seven principles. Find your inspiration Inspired athletes always perform better. Whether you’re extremely fit or just starting …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Chief Endurance Officer As we start September, the bulk of the summer is in the rearview mirror. And while there are athletes who have big events coming up in the next several weeks, many of you are wrapping up your summer season. You have trained long and hard to …
Cycling skills are essential for speed, safety, and fun. Whether you ride solo, pedal with friends at the local group ride, or participate in cycling events and races, it’s important to practice and continually improve your cycling skills. This guide covers basic and advanced techniques for drafting, pace lines, riding in a group, cornering, descending, …
People have strong feelings about carbohydrate, despite the fact it is neither good nor bad. The positive and negative effects of carbohydrate on health, performance, and recovery come from when, why, and how much people consume. For endurance athletes, carbs are an essential fuel for performance and recovery. To understand this critical component of sports …
Whether you’re riding for one hour on the road or 12 hours in the woods, it is important to know what to take on endurance rides and epic cycling adventures. There are a small number of essentials you should carry on every ride. And, of course, there are the foods and fluids to take for …