1Training & Health

Cold winter rain is tough on bikes and riders. The roads are slick, visibility is low and after the ride your reward for getting soaked is a big bike-cleaning project. No wonder most cyclists hate to ride in the rain. The biggest obstacle is getting out the door in the first place. It's warm and dry inside; cold, wet and nasty on the road. The couch is much more appealing. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Bicycling in the Cold Rain

Question: It's hard to accumulate base miles here in wintertime Scotland. The days are short and wet. If I can do three rides a week (one for four hours and two for two), what's the best use of this on-bike time? – Craig D. Coach Fred Replies: If you're training for fitness and local events, three rides totaling about eight hours is plenty of base for this time of year. For … [Read more...] about Winter Cycling: How to Structure Rides with Limited Time?

By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Since heart attacks are usually caused by plaques breaking off from the inner linings of arteries leading to the heart, doctors use a test called Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CAC) to predict which people have the largest plaques and therefore are at high risk for suffering heart attacks that cause one out of four deaths in North America. The CAC test … [Read more...] about High Calcium Artery Score Doesn’t Always Mean High Risk for a Heart Attack

Start Slow, Finish Slower Why do many experienced roadies begin their rides pedaling so easily? And regardless of how hard they eventually end up riding, spend the last 10 minutes spinning so slowly that little kids could keep up? They've learned the importance of a good warmup and cool down, two cycling basics that some riders ignore. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Warming Up and Cooling Down on a Bicycle Ride

By Arnie Baker, M.D. What if I told you there was a simple method of bicycle training that would improve almost all aspects of fitness? A method that would help strength, spin, leg speed, anaerobic power, focus, and breathing? A method so powerful that in training hundreds of athletes, I have never met one who did not benefit and see improvement within a few training … [Read more...] about Isolated Leg Training: Single Leg Pedaling Drills

by Scott Martin I made a huge tactical error on last Sunday’s group ride. I’m not talking about missing the break, getting boxed in during the sprint or blowing my nose on the beefy guy known as Steroid Sid. No, my big mistake was believing my buddy when he called that morning and said, “We’re going to take it easy today.” … [Read more...] about Lost in Translation