By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Our coaches get a lot of messages that start out with, “I was going to ride, but…”, followed by an explanation that they didn’t ride because it was raining, or threatening to rain, or too windy, etc. Some move their rides indoors, but many just …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Power meters are everywhere, and now with app-connected smart trainers and smart bikes athletes indoors and outside are training with power. All that data is great, and advanced training software can help make sense of it, but as a coach I see athletes making two big …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Optimizing performance for masters cyclists can be trickier than getting the best out of a 20-something professional athlete. The complexity comes from fighting the slow and natural decline in performance potential after about 40 years old, coupled with busy lifestyles that incorporate relationships, children, and …
It’s time to move on from Zone 2! When it’s time to develop the speed and power for high-intensity, race winning efforts, you need to build anaerobic capacity. Anaerobic capacity is a major factor in whether you make the breakaway, stay with the pack over the summit, charge up a technical feature on the …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Races and events are back on the calendar and the weather is getting warmer, so weight loss is a trending topic in coaching conversations across my entire staff of 50+ endurance coaches. No two conversations with athletes about healthy weight loss are exactly the same. There …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS One of the best parts of spending my life working in the endurance sports community is having the opportunity to meet and get to know brilliant scientists, coaches, entrepreneurs, and personalities. Of course, the more people you meet the more discerning you have to be about …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Eating in the evening often gets a bad rap because people associate it with mindless snacking and polishing off a whole bag of chips or a full pint of ice cream. Sometimes, though, what is bad for a sedentary population can be good for athletes. …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Head Coach A few weeks ago, major media outlets splashed out headlines declaring that “fat but fit” is a myth because a new study suggests that being fit does not protect people from the heart health risks associated with carrying excess bodyfat. The problem is, saying people can either …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS So, cycling’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), has decided to enforce a ban on the ‘supertuck’ cycling position in the pro peloton because they say it is dangerous for the rider and riders nearby. I’m not as involved with pro cycling as I used …
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 …