Training Stretching after your ride helps maintain your flexibility and potentially reduce the chances of injury. Here are 5 key exercises that you can make a part of your routine by Global Cycling Network
Training Knowing how to deal with contact or the occasional elbow is an essential skill for road racing. Check out this film from the guys at the Global Cycling Network.
Over the next few months I plan to cover a number of aspects of financial planning, to build what will hopefully be a useful financial fitness plan. In much the same way as when you go to the gym or ride your bike and start a physical fitness plan, you will not see results immediately, but over the course of weeks and months, by sticking to your goals and plan the benefits will start to show, and build as time progresses. And your financial health is very similar – a lot of people become disillusioned when they do not see immediate results, or suffer a setback, but the key is to stick with the plan and carry on building for the future.
To start with I will cover managing your money and some of the key things to be aware of and the best way to manage your finances.
Unless you are very fortunate, most people will have to use debt during their lives, and debt itself is not a bad thing, as long as it is used and managed correctly. It can easily get out of hand if it is not carefully monitored. For large purchases such as property a loan is often used, and referred to as a mortgage. The interest rate is generally relatively low for this form of borrowing, as the term is generally long and the debt is secured by an asset, so the lender is confident it will make money over the long term and it has control over the property if you should stop paying back the money.
Where many people can quickly get themselves in difficulty is with unsecured debt, such as credit cards and personal loans. These forms of debt have a higher interest rate applied to it because the lender has nothing to hold as collateral, and the loan is often over a shorter period of time. Using a credit card as an example, you can spend each month, and pay a portion off, but the interest will be charged on the whole amount, and interest rate charged by credit cards can be up to 40% per annum, but is likely to be shown as 2% per month, so you may not realise the true cost of the borrowing, and then over time the debt builds up to a point that it is difficult to repay.
It can be helpful to look at a couple of terms that you often see quoted after interest rate numbers. The first is the flat interest rate – this is an interest rate calculated on the basis of the stated initial principal amount of the loan irrespective of the term of the loan. The second term is the Annual Percentage Rate or APR which is the annual rate that is charged for borrowing, and expressed as a single percentage number that represents the actual yearly cost of funds over the term of a loan. This includes any fees or additional costs associated with the transaction. The APR is generally a higher number and is a much more accurate measure of the cost of any loan.
This is a brief summary of the debt situation, and next time I plan to look at wills and other protection solutions. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me at jthomas@acuma.ae or on 0508543983.
James
Uncategorized Uncategorized Effective communication and consideration will help keep you safe while out riding on open roads.
Uncategorized via Global Cycling Network
Uncategorized Uncategorized Ride Clothing/Kit
An early start makes forgetting something extremely likely so double checking this list and putting everything together the night before is always the best plan.
If you’re staying over before your ride, it’s even more important to work methodically through this list and, if you’re flying, consider carrying your shoes, pedals and helmet in your hand luggage. That way, if your bike should go missing, you’ll at least be able to use a hire bike. Here is more advice on flying with your bike.
Cycling Shoes
If you are travelling in trainers, it is incredibly easy to forget your cycling shoes. Check wear on cleats and bolt tightness before packing.
Helmet
If you are flying to your event, you should consider carrying your helmet in your hand luggage. A helmet is mandatory at Cycle Safe Dubai and Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge events.
Socks/overshoes
For a cool early morning start lightweight lycra overshoes can make a big difference so throw a pair in your kit bag just in case.
Shorts/tights/3/4’s
Keep your options open and pack a variety of lengths and warmths. Make sure though that you have ridden in them before, event day is not the time to experiment with new kit. Also, don’t forget your chamois cream.
Jerseys
Again, give yourself options so that you can tailor your kit to the conditions on the start line.
Glasses
Don’t forget your sunglasses, especially if they are prescription, and make sure you have dark, clear and light enhancing lenses.
Ride Essentials
Here are the essential tools, spares and kit you should always carry when riding.
Bottles and nutrition
If you are using energy or electrolyte powder in your bottles, measure it out into them and also measure out re-fills into zip lock bags if you are not planning on using the energy drink provided at the feed stations. Pack all of the bars, gels and treats you are intending to carry on the ride including a couple of spares in case the feed stations run low.
Gadgets and gizmos
As well as remembering your GPS, bike computer or heart rate monitor, don’t forget to charge them or put new batteries in, this applies to electronic groupsets too. Check you have uploaded the ride route onto your GPS if that is an option and that you have got the right cables to top up their charge the night before.
Pre-Ride Kit
Extra bottle and snacks
You will want an extra 750 ml bottle of energy drink to sip on during the hours before the sportive rolls off. Also, if you have got a fairly long drive to the start, you will want something to eat approximately 2 hours before you are due to start.
Track Pump
The quickest and most accurate way to double check tyre pressure before you roll off and a guaranteed way of attracting a few riding buddies!
Tools/Torque Wrench
Your bike should be in tip top condition but, if you feel better and more confident following a final bolt check or have had to disassemble it for travelling, it is better to use proper tools rather than a multi-tool.
Tape Measure
Again, if you have had to disassemble your bike, note down any key measurements, such as saddle height, beforehand and take a tape measure with you so you can put it back together accurately.
Lube
A couple of drops will re-assure you that your chain is running smoothly.
Old Towel/Sheet
Either for the back of your car or for your hotel room floor.
Post Ride Kit
Recovery drink
If you’ve ridden hard, you probably won’t feel like eating but it’s essential to take on the carbohydrates, proteins and electrolytes that’ll kick start your recovery process within 15-20 minutes of finishing your ride. Have the powder ready to in a mixer bottle so all you have to do is add water, shake and gulp.
Shower kit / Wet Wipes
If there are showers at the event, make sure you pack some shower gel. If not, pack some wet wipes to give yourself a refreshing wipe down.
Towel
Even if there aren’t showers, a towel is invaluable for wiping down, drying off and changing under.
Clean clothes
Although it can be tempting to just jump in the car after a hard ride or to collapse into the nearest bar, putting clean clothes on is essential for both comfort and hygiene. Don’t be tempted to drive home or sit around in your cycling shorts as that’s a guaranteed recipe for infections and saddle sores.
Wooly hat or cap
Even on the hottest of days, you can start to get cold quickly after riding. Your wooly hat should be the first item of kit you reach for post ride.
Fresh water
Even if you have hydrated well during the ride, it is likely you will still be slightly dehydrated and, especially if it is hot, you should start replacing lost fluids as quickly as possible.
Rag and water dispersant
Once you have sorted yourself out, give your bike a wipe down. If it’s been wet, spray some water dispersant on the chain, run it through the rag and re-lube. You won’t feel like doing it once you get home, it only take a minute and will mean you won’t have to deal with a rusty chain.
Via British Cycling
Uncategorized It’s no secret that cycling is an incredibly potent method of exercise, and it’s actually considered one of the most effective forms of cardio on the planet. Training your body to perform to its fullest potential is something that most competitive cyclists strive for, and just a few extra seconds of energy can spell the difference between a confident win, and losing out as your heart rate struggles to keep up with your pace!
If you ask any experienced cyclist about maintaining energy, they’ll say that it’s all about pacing yourself. The human body is capable of extraordinary things, and with particular exercise techniques, it’s entirely possible to improve the way that your heart, lungs and blood pressure work. In standard terms, these techniques are referred to as cardio, but what you might not know is that other forms of exercise can be even more effective.
If you haven’t come across ‘tension exercises’ before, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised to read about their potential. Your arms and legs play a huge role in your balance, and although your thighs will often undergo extreme pressure before tiring, there is a technique that can help to promote their endurance and keep you pedalling for much longer.
If you flex your biceps, you’ll notice that the muscle stands out far more prominently. The same could be said for your thighs. As we flex, our muscles are triggered in to action, and it’s this action that stimulates growth. It’s less about lifting heavy weights with your legs, and more about training them to cope with high amounts of pressure for extended periods of time (endurance). Here’s a great exercise that you can try from home:
If performed correctly, your legs will ache almost immediately after exercising, and undertaking this routine just once per day for a week can provide endurance results. The same could be said of your arm muscles, and promoting their endurance will assist with a greater level of control and strength when riding your bicycle.
It may not be possible to strap a dumbbell to your lungs and build their muscle mass, but it is entirely plausible to encourage them to function at an enhanced rate. If you cycle, then your lungs may already be benefiting, but there’s nothing to say that you couldn’t further train your lungs. The best way to do this is to force the capacity of your lungs to expand over time.
Typical cardio exercises are recommended (running, swimming and cycling), but it’s been proven that deep-breathing techniques can further assist when it comes to expanding the volume of your lungs. So what sort of deep breathing techniques can you try at home? Well there’s always yoga, and this technique helps to expand your lungs, promote muscle growth, and improve your blood flow. There’s also Tai Chi which assists with physical balance, as well as general deep breathing exercises that involve holding your breath for just under a second, before exhaling.
Improved lung capacity results in a greater supply of oxygen. The more freely oxygen can flow around your body, the better your blood pressure will be – and this means an improved performance as far as physical activities go.
When practised daily, each of these techniques can help to promote an increased rate of functionality, and in terms of cycling, which means an extra few minutes of performance – which can make or break a race result! Before a race, or even preceding a bit of local cycling – it’s always a good idea to prepare your body.
Performing a few simple stretches will help to elongate your muscles, and loosen them ready for the activities ahead. You can also try inhaling deeply 10 times, to encourage your lungs to stretch to their full capacity, and there’s nothing to say that you can’t continue this breathing while you cycle to keep your heart rate steady.
Article via ilovebicycling.com
Uncategorized Riding a bike requires a lot of energy particularly if you are riding for a longer period of time and/or at high intensity. Your body can do this because it converts the basic building blocks of food, carbohydrates, fat, and protein, into energy that your body can utilize. You need to give your body these energy sources at the right time to digest and convert them to energy so you can cruise comfortably down the road or trail. Any food, more or less, is going to have some sort of energy, or calories in it but not all calories are the same. Eating the right foods at the right times will give you the energy you need to complete a short or long ride with the speed you desire.
In any endurance sport you are going to burn a lot of energy to complete your activity. In cycling a lot of this energy comes in the form of carbohydrates as well as fat. In general at lower intensities of exercise, closer to that of walking, your body is going to burn more fat than carbohydrates. As you ride harder and harder your body switches over to mainly using carbohydrates for energy as they can be converted to energy more quickly. The point at which this occurs depends on you personally and how you have been training as this point can change over time.
Having both carbohydrates and fat in any pre-ride meal is essential along with having a percentage of protein. In general, the focus should be around having slow burning carbohydrates such as oatmeal, whole grain pasta, or rice. Fat and protein can then be added to these basics to form a complete meal prior to your ride.
Oatmeal is a great, easy pre-ride meal particularly for breakfast. It is slower burning so it can provide sustained energy. Add nuts or nut butters, seeds like flax seed, and fruit, to get a good ratio of carbs to fat to protein along with a tasty, easy to make breakfast.
Rice is largely the new “best” source of carbohydrates as gluten-free foods become more and more of a norm. Rice is easy on your stomach and converts quickly to energy, if white rice, and a bit longer if brown. Combining rice with protein options such as eggs or chicken, is a good way to include some protein in your meal. With rice, it tends to be more of a dinner option that is often served with vegetables. For a pre-ride meal, skip the vegetables as they don’t provide very much energy and can be more difficult to digest. Save them for dinner where their nutrient density can best be utilized. To get enough fat, throw in some olive oil or butter. Butter is often looked down upon but it can be a good fat option that is also tasty.
Pasta is the tried and true tradition of cycling. When people talk of “carbo-loading” or what cyclists eat, pasta is often the first thing that comes to mind. It is for good reason as pasta is packed with carbohydrates and has a bit of protein. Whole grain pasta is a great lower GI (Glycemic Index) food that provides more sustained energy over time. Like rice, adding a protein option will give a good, well rounded meal including protein and fat as well.
A newer trend that cyclist’s flock towards are grains such as quinoa, farro, spelt, wheat berries, and chia seeds to name a few. These grains and seeds pack a punch of higher nutrient density as well as more protein along with the added benefit of differing taste from that of conventional pasta and rice. These can be made any number of ways and due to their higher protein content, a side of protein such as chicken or eggs can be optional.
Eating the right foods before a ride will help your energy levels but to maximize performance as well as comfort on the bike, timing is important. Cycling is less harsh on your stomach in that you could eat a meal and go ride right after, unlike that of running where the jostling of your stomach would make you uncomfortable pretty quick. However, you still don’t want to eat a large meal right before riding. Right around three hours ahead of time is ideal as it gives your body enough time to digest while not yet being hungry for your next meal.
The timing of when you eat prior to a ride can be extra tricky with a morning ride because there simply isn’t enough time to eat far in advance. It is a good idea to eat something to keep you fuelled but it needs to be on the lighter side. A small bowl of oats with berries and an egg is a great balanced option. Keep it mainly carbohydrate based also, such as a bagel or toast with nut butter and a side of fruit. With less fuel before your ride, you’ll have to make sure you bring something to eat during the ride to keep you fuelled properly. Granola bars are a good easy, to-go option.
Eating the right foods at the right time will help your cycling in that you will be able to ride longer and faster while also feeling full of energy. There is no one food or one solution to fuelling properly for cycling. Everyone is different and everyone has different tastes so using the above guidelines along with a bit of trial and error will give you the best foods for you to eat prior to riding.
Article via ilovebicycling.com
