Comment on Newsletter

Please clarify for me the definition of the maximum heart rate formula. Does the 220 minus age = maximum heart rate.... or 90% of maximum heart rate?Thanks, Bill Slavin, aging newbie

My big questions are, who was the "AC" that the Spanish Federation catagorically stated was NOT Contador in the Fuentes files, and why did they clear him so quickly in the clenbuteral case ?

As stated, you get one chance to stand on the podium and smile and  here the cheers and feel like a winner. The rider should be given a choice. Take the 2 year ban now and not race or race or if found guily, race and take the chance of being stripped, and have the ban doubled, in this case to 4 years. This would have prevented Contador from racing for two years, or any other guilty party. Contador should have been stripped as he was, and then the ban should move forward another 2 years.

In my experience as a Licensed Massage Therapist, I've come across this type of neck pain often. In many cases, if levator scapula is in spasm it can mimic a pinched nerve, partially because it may be compressing the nerve. Find a good massage therapist, one with experience in orthopedic and/or sports massage, to help you. They should not only address the muscle in question, but all muscles acting on the scapula, specifically the lateral scapula. Also, until a more serious condition is ruled out, traction of the neck (by a massage therapist) should be avoided. I've had a lot of success treating this condition.Please note this is not meant as medical advice or a diagnosis/assessment; just an alternative suggestion.

My congratulations, John - you just lost your chance to have me as a premium member- I was going to subscribe for Premium Mebership today, but your article brought me to a full stop. Never (or at least for a long time) have not read something so biased.Let go into details:Firstly, banning Contrador for 2 years from now does NOT go well  along with the stripping him of results acquired after his acquital by the national federation - it would essentially mean 3-years ban, somewhat too steep for a unintentional offence (and the CAS desicion is based on the "tainted supplement" hypothesis which assume no intent to dope).Secondly, it again demonstrated that a concept of "ultimate responsibility" is just ridiculous - wit an increased sensitivity of the tests we may easily reach the level when some banned substance may be found in the blood or urine of every person in the world. Moreover, when so low levels are detectable by some (a few or even one) laboratory it very well may mean that even a level in the source (would it be tainted meat, tainted supplement or whatever) may be  low enough tobe undetectable in an average laboratory. Then how rider could be hold responsible for it?Thirdly, it showed (again and again) that a doping justice process is terriibly unbalanced (and not in the favor of rider).Forthly, it does not look fair when a rider is stripped from titles that he acquired when he rided legally after acquital and not as direct result of the doping offence that was incriminated to him. Let us consider an example - some one commited the crime but was first acquited, then sentenced to jail, would it be proper and fair to strip him from his salary for the period between acquital and sentancing on the reason that he shall be in the jail all this time and so shall be unabe attend his job? From my point of view this amounts to a pure nonsense (save probably the case this person acquired his job as a direct result of the crime).Regards,Aleksander 

OJ Simpson used to fly through airports and he never got clots.  Was he a coach?Just askin'.Ted.

I rec'd one of these amazing lights for Christmas.  After using it for about 6 weeks, I would give it a 5 star rating.

Coach Fred, I wish I had seen your comments years ago, because it would have saved me from a lot of calf cramping.  I have experienced cramps due to all the things you mentioned.The closest thing to a magic bullet for me was cleat placement--and I only found this 1 year ago.  I moved the cleat as far back as possible, and the improvement in my duration before cramping was immediate.  If I could move them further back without needing custom shoes, I would do it.  I have even seen the effects on the size of my calves, after a thousand miles or so--they used to be out of proportion with my thighs. My calves will always remain as the first to fail, and are my first indicators that hydration, electrolytes, or general fitness are out of balance.  But, it's good to keep them at bay for a lot longer now.

Along with those seeking improved pedal stroke smoothness by having invested money and training time in Computrainer/SpinScan and/or PowerCranks I'd like to find out how their efforts fit with the downstroke emphasis. 

I'm on a pretty heavy dosage of cholesterol medications:10/40 Vitorin 2x per day2500 mg Niaspan 1x per day50 mg Metropolol 1x per day250 mg Aspirin 1x per dayNitro pills...when/if needed (rarely).This is also coupled with triple by-pass surgery in the year 2000.I have a cholesterol check every 6 months, and the good news is that my TOTAL cholesterol hovers around 123-126 consistently.My Triglycerides are around 46HDL around 44LDL around 68  with the ratio hovering around 1.4That is the good news!  Now for the bad news!IF I 'over-do' it on a ride, especially on warmer days, I am asking for some extreme adductor muscle cramps sometime after these longer and intense rides.  We are talking EXTREME pain from these cramps.  They can occur right away after a ride, even in spite of stretching out and making sure I'm hydrated, to 12 hours after the ride.  I'll be sitting or lying down and all of a sudden the adductors will seize up, sometimes BOTH legs at the same time, rendering me totally helpless and in agony.Strange thing is I rarely get calf cramps and only suffer minor discomfort/fatigue in the quads.  When I cramp it is almost always the adductors.I, too, have taken CoQ10, and it seems to help; or does it?  Something else I've become religious about taking are Hammer Nutrition's ENDUROLYTE Tablets.  THOSE, along with staying hydrated do indeed HELP with this cramping.  I take 3 tablets about an hour before the ride, and depending upon temperature and how hard I'm riding, I will take 2 or 3 tablets per hour during the ride.  I make sure I'm well hydrated, and, after the ride, I will get some protein into me and hydrate some more.  In addition, of course is a pretty extensive (but NOT intensive) series of cool down exercises to try to 're-stretch' those adductors back into submission.  I don't force these, but found that if I don't do this, I'm going to cramp.The combination of the CoQ10 and Endurolytes do seem to HELP...Most times I will "feel" the potential to cramp, but the cramps won't seize up.  If I've done the Endurolyte routine, the cramps, if I get them, are also less severe; that is, instead of the 4-5 waves of them hitting me over and over, I'll get only 2 or 3.It seems that I only ever get one series of these cramps...but they strike without warning; I'll be fine one second and the next, I'm completely at their mercy and debilitated.My riding group get on me about not pressing it too hard and "you won't get stronger if you don't push it to the brink."  I tell them that "I don't want the "elephant back" and also, that they've seen me cramp up...do YOU want either of those things?"I average between 6500-7500 miles per year on my road bikes, play racquetball 3 times a week, and other than the debilitating horrible excruciating adductor cramps, road biking is the most enjoyable activity I can think of.  I have no intentions of quitting, and of course, my cardiologist is luvin' the activity level....Now, how to get rid of the pot belly....the cardiologist isn't at all concerned about it...but I certainly care, haha.T3flats

 I've been biking for years and used to get wicked calf cramps while sleeping. Last year a pedaled about 1,000 miles, I have had some years with up to 3,000.  My first solution to calf cramps was to anticipate them coming on during my sleep, jump out of bed before they got bad and then I'd do a diagonal plank against the wall to pull the cramp out.  Previously I developed Plantae Fascinates from overextending my foot on a bike that was set too large for me.  I also got a frozen shoulder from being too hunched over on the bike.  During the past two years I've been working with a personal trainer and have pretty much eliminated the cramps, Plantae Fascinates, and the frozen shoulder.  His general thought was that my body was out of balance, strong calf, weak core, Gluteus and Quads along with limited side to side movement.  This situation caused an overuse of my strong calves when I went biking.  After about 10,000 lunges, squats, chest presses, arm stretches, sit-ups, other upper body work, a cortisone shot in the shoulder, buying a properly sized bike and having it fit correctly everything is in much better balance.  I don't get the cramps, my planter fascinates is about gone and my shoulder is all loosened up.  I think the balanced body concept was totally lost on me for years.   Marc Webb 

I share the same struggles with genes and a naturally high chloresterol/LDL level.Two things that I have found...1. the more advanced scientists that look at this talk about two different types of LDL (yes even it has good and bad sides it seems).  They are large particle and small particle.  Large particle LDL is fine. Small particle LDL builds plaque.  If you have plaque evident from a scan then it may be interesting to ask your doctor to tell you the amount of big vs small LDL2. Reason being that large LDL is supposed to come from meat/dairy, but small LDL is produced more by wheat-originated produce and is heavily influenced by the insulin cycle (and thus related to glycemic index stuff)There is a guy who is a heart surgeon who claims to have fixed a lot of these supposedly hereditary challenges by getting people to "imagine" they have caeliacs and adopt a gluten-free diet.I would prefer that to muscle cramps and a life on statins.As usual DYOR everyone - but it is worth exploring.  Amongst some of my friends this approach has not only helped their heart health but reduced incidences of IBS, helped them drop weight etc etc. 

I have to wonder about how people have their saddle hight set in relation to crank length especialy in relation to the rise in hight of the knee vs the maxing out of leg length using long cranks and the impact this has on closing up the chest area when the cranks are at TDC especially those who have low profile on a time trial bike.  The impact of trying to push big gears when you should be changing down will result in your muscles dealing with an increase in torque being applied to hte peddles which in turn increases the recruitment of fast twitch muscle fibers which in turn prefer to use carbohydates as a fuel since they lack the enzymes necessary to process high quantities of fat - so unless your Carb stores are well stocked you could be in trouble depending on the lenght of the event. 

Jim,    Great article on crank arm length.  I've been in the bike business for 25+ years, and couldn't agree more with your conclusions.   The shorter-arm revelation came to me about 15 years ago, when a knee injury ended my running career.  At 5'9" I've now got 170s on all my personal bikes, including my mountain bike, and totally suffer not! from the difference.  I tell customers with confidence, that unless they have extremely long legs they have no need for long crank arms; shorter arms will save their knees and make them pedal much more smoothly.Paul Ahart, Friday Harbor, WA

Really good issue of the newsletter.  Thanks.  I especially liked the 411 on shorter crank arms.  At 60 and a triathlete, my coach has been giving me fits about the need for a smoother stroke. Looking forward to the intel on the carbon crank next week.Also, nice touch on the drawing for premium members.  I joined a few years ago to support the newletter because I think it's one of the best.  I will renew this year.  Thanks. IceMan.  

Would love to answer this week's poll, but as of 8:30 EST you left out what I consider an obvious choice: "No, but would like to have one done." The two "No" choices assume that anyone who answers "No" sees no value in a pro fitting session. That certainly doesn't apply to me, and I suspect it is true of many others as well.

Congratulations on a clever repair!  I find great satisfaction in fixing things that can't be fixed.  (I was the maintenance man at a 7-12 grade boarding school for years.  Had to fix things that couldn't be fixed all the time.)  The real hero in this story, though, is VICE GRIPS!  How long have they been around?  And still as marvelous a tool as ever.  But, you gotta get good ones!  Lots of cheapies out there.

Don't forget to have some blood work done as well. I was terribly tired for months, putting it down to reduced fitness and age but it got so bad I went to the doc. Severe vitamin D deficiency; go figure. Now on a big dose of vitamin D and improving already, a month later.