Bike to work - a fun and effective way to train

May is national bike month.  Across the country cities are promoting and celebrating Bike To Work Day and it just so happens to be one of my favorite community service projects.  As a fitness professional, Bike To Work Day is fun and positive experience.  Co-workers coordinate meet ups and help each other along.  There are pit stops that are run by volunteers and stashed with food and swag.  There's no better positive reinforcement than BTWD and I've never met someone who has biked to work that didn't have the most authentic smile of joy on their face.

Living over 20 miles from my work, I used to only bike to work maybe once every few months.  Coordinating car and kid pick up was quite the puzzle and then making sure I took my computer and clothes.  Over the last year, I have created many solutions to increase my commute to 2-3 times a month and sometimes weekly!  And I absolutely love it.

Top 5 Reasons Why I Hop on my bike:
1. Great way to start the day - I sometimes think, sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I listen to music.
2. Don't have to be in the car
3. Great for my training.  Because it is a commute, I don't feel the pressure to go fast or slow. I just cruise in.  Before I know it, I've done 20 miles and I am ready to go.  Charged up!
4. Car sharing.  Having a teenager that can drive is great.  She is quite helpful in helping her younger sister from school and getting them food.  She doesn't have a car yet so me biking in means she can use my car.  Win for me, win for her, and win for her sisters!
5. Fun!!!  I love riding my bike and whether i commute by trail or by road I feel free.  Riding with a friend just doubles the fun.

Happy Commuting!
Chi

Mountain Bike Training Workshop - January 13, 2017

Mountain Bike Training Workshop - 
Train hard to ride fast

Date: Friday, January 13, 2017 from 6-8 pm

Locaton: somewhere in north county, San Diego.

Cost per person: $25

SIGN UP HERE

you love to ride and you spend lots of time and money on your bike.  But how do you train yourself?  Mountain biking is a demanding sport including endurance, power, balance, agility, skills.  Not to mention the proper nutrition and hydration to sustain a 2, 4, 8 hour bike ride!  And there's more.. strength training, staying limber, injury prevention..

Includes:
1. Elements of a fitness as it relates to mountain biking.
2. Importance of a training program.
3. Why you should include recovery and rest into your training.
4. Strength training makes your faster
5. Take care of your body - stretching, yoga, body work.
6. What to eat before you ride, after you ride, and nutrition for your rides to keep you going strong
7  Healthy snacks and one beer ticket.

Sign up here .  Be sure to tell your buddies! 
Once you sign up, i will be in touch with more details.  Happy holidays! 

Train hard, train smart

chi

i'm back!!!! get on your bike and jam!!!

been a rough summer with whitney and personal shit going on..so sorry for lack of attention little blog... you hold my biggest dreams so plan to work in time and effort into you...

random writing ideas...female body weight concern, how to get faster on your bike...or just get faster..., importance of strength training, mental training, eating smarter..

so i'll go with one of my favorite subjects..how to get faster on your bike...

Snow Summit Bike Park..Summer 2015

10. lose 5 pounds

9. be hydrated and have the right nutrition with you..at least a bottle with electrolytes

8. add strength training to your weekly routine..period!!!   favorite leg exercises - walking lunges, 1-legged squats, jumping squats, box jumps, squat your own weight.. 3-4 sets..8-15 reps

7. ride with people faster than you

6. go to a pump track

5. take a mtn bike road trip...local mountains, next city up, across state, different state..different country!!  get out of your comfort zone and seek new adventures...

4. take appropirate rest days or rest week...  your body needs to recharge from all the stress...more stress isn't always better

5. keep your body working 100% with massage, trigger point, or foam rolling...

4. hill repeats!!! do them..don't whine..

3. eat smart ...eat before your ride to prepare..eat after to recover...

2. work on 1-2 new techniques this month..turn smoother, jump cleaner, shift better

1. make sure your bike is working at 100%...brakes, gears, shifters, bracket, tires..etc

ride hard.

train hard, train smart

chi

knowing when to rest...and how to rest

sometimes it feels like my head just spins..so much in life that is totally out of my control and then so many things that i want to do and i get excited for.  between the two i get squashed into an ADD firework show.

the few times that i actually stop thinking is when i'm riding.  everything is totally quiet.  sometimes i hear my own thoughts but they are not screaming out at me or coming 2-3 at a time.  they are like soft whispers of happy thoughts.

but what happens when the body is tired and you can't ride (run, swim)?  take a rest day..rest week.

over the last six months i've been sick twice...and each time i was sick were chest/lung related where the thought of doing a ride was out of the question.  (and i'm still sick as i'm writing this with a gurgle cough, swollen lymph nodes, and general malaise).  i think back at what lead to each of those illnesses and noticed that i was putting in serious time and energy without adequate rest.  not just a day rest, but a mental and physical rest week.  a week to pull back and let my body properly recover.   just have fun and do whatever i wanted and play.   what a concept.  i know this basic principal as a trainer, but as an athlete i'm a stubborn bull unable to give up my training, my riding.  my riding gives my brain a chance to breath and let the stress go.  unfortunately, by letting one stress go, i take on another that is wearing my body down.

the body is an amazing work of art.  it works constantly to find equilibrium - you train hard and the body adapts to the stress, you stop exercising and the body adapts.  my body isn't just dealing with my stress of my 9-5 job and mountain biking but the stress of raising 3 girls, taking care of finances and a home, and not to mention the challenges of a teenager.  oh yes, and having a relationship.  my body is under so much stress that i don't know how to relax if i'm not riding.  a friend mentioned to me today (impeccable timing), he said 'resting isn't just sitting and relaxing, it's relaxing in here' and he points to his head.

i took a day off today.  i was suppose to be on my weekly wednesday night ride with class A riders but instead i listened to my body and rested.  i'm still working on resting...in my mind.

peace out..
chi

Pre-workout meal - Mac on your macronutrients!

I wake up at 6 am to eat a piece of toast with almond butter with some coffee before heading to my 7am Ashtanga yoga class.  I eat an egg and avocado burrito as I drive to meet my friends for a long mountain bike ride about 2-hours away.  I chomp on a banana as I prepare for a fitness class.  What to eat before a workout is like asking what do you pack before a vacation...you have to consider where you're going, how long, is it cold/hot etc?    

The benefits of having a pre-exercise meal are tried and true - it feeds the brain and fuels the muscles delaying fatigue and improving performance.   It well known that protein and carbohydrates (1:3 ratio) are important for post-exercise recovery but evidence suggests a protein & carbohydrate snack before your workout improves amino acid uptake in the muscles and can improve performance.  

"Protein intake can influence gains in muscle size, facilitate muscle damage repair, and enhance muscle conditioning for both resistance and endurance training".  

Craig, Binh, and I taking a short break during a long ride.

WHAT TO EAT BEFORE YOUR NEXT WORK
Here's a rough template that you will need to tailor to your own gastrointestinal temperament. 

• start 1-2 hours before your workout
• carbohydrate-based 
• low fat; moderate protein (approx. 10-20 grams depending on your weight and protein needs)
• extra fluids with electrolytes
• Protein bars and shakes are a good alternative if you don't have a lot of time but want to be consistent.   

** don't have a lot of time before your workout?  Have a small amount of complex carbohydrate like banana, potato (not potato chips!), fruit cup, apple sauce.  
** expect to have a long run or ride? add some natural fat to your meal (e.g. avocado, nuts)

FAVORITE PRE-EXERCISE MEALS:

1. greek yogurt with fresh fruit (berries, bananas)
2. egg burrito with avo for 4+ hour bike rides
3. snack on almonds with dried fruit about an hour before a class
4. oatmeal packets are a life saver...easy to make, easy to digest, sustained energy
5. toast with almond butter with slices of bananas.  frozen waffles work too.
6. peach cup 
7. coffee!!!  but be sure to go use the bathroom before your run..just saying.
8. coconut water

Time to go shopping and stock up on your favorite foods!

Train hard, train smart
Chi


REFERENCE:
Nutrition and Exercise with Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D. C.S.S.D, sports dietitian and William Evens
Strategic Protein Intake for Enhanced Athleteic Performance, Lindsey Ormond

Summer Time!!!

It's Summer!  For most of my childhood, summer was my favorite time of the year...playing outside with friends and family till dark, endless hours in the pool, camping in Sequoia or local camping spot, and sleeping in your undies with the windows wide open and the night breeze barely cooling you down.  Today I celebrated the Summer Solstice on a mountain bike ride during lunch with just a water bottle and a t-shirt (no kit, no strava, no timer) and with the Blue Angels flying overhead.    Sweet ride - made me feel like a kid.

My family camping in the local mountains.  I'm the girl on the far left in the green jacket.  

Now that us kids are older, it seems that we have found new ways to enjoy the summer with extreme rides, runs, and adventures.  Right now, there are two rides crossing the states - The first is the ultimate road ride: Race Across America starting from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD approximately 3,000 miles.  The second, Tour Divide, the ultimate mountain bike race from Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.  There is also a foot race that starts this weekend, the Black Hills 100, a ultra trail run in South Dakota.

If these events seem a little too much for your taste buds, there are some other fun summer advetnures you can sink your teeth into.

• Tough Mudder - these races are 10-12 miles in length and specialize in obstacles made from the British Special Forces.  The races are held not just in the US but all over the world.  There is a race in So. Cal in July.
• Rim Nordic Mountain Bike Race Series - is underway and offers cross country, downhill, and Super D races all summer long.  The course is beautiful and terrain challenging.  
• Trail running has a long list of races this summer from 5Ks to ultra runs.  Here's an extensive list of trail runs this summer.  

Between now and September,  I will be in the mountains in Southern California training 20 hikers to do Mt. Whitney in one-day.  I will sprinkle a mountain bike ride on the weekdays or sneak in a weekend ride after a training hike.  A new way to enjoy summer in a non-extreme way is riding to the beach with a packed lunch and a cold beverage - I'm outside and enjoying some tranquility.

Get the cooler ready and have some summer fun!

Chi

Be Nimble, Be Quick - 5 Tips to Improve Your Speed

Taken by Dan McCormick

Race season is around the corner...my nutrition is getting a make over, I am increasing the intensity of longer rides, and watching my sleep hours (need to cut back on my beer intake too).  Plain and simple - I love racing and I love training for my races.   I get excited, nervous, pumped, motivated, and overjoyed!!!  Boooyaaaa!!!  I race because it is fun, pushes my limits, and makes me faster!


Racing is not the only way to get faster.  Many of my clients, runners and bikers, are looking to PR their next race.  They want to push their mental and physical limits and see what boundaries they can break.  Below are some insights into revamping YOUR training to be a better and faster rider or runner.




1. Lose your Muffin Top or Keg Belly
trim down and watch your sugar and alcohol intake.  In a week or two you will start to feel a big difference.  Dropping 5 pounds make you faster and your power is not lost in extra weight.  People spend hundreds of dollars getting their bike lighter when they can lose that weight in their waistline.


2. Strength Train
this is my favorite topic because it is simple and yet so many people think since they use their legs they don't have to train their legs.  That is exactly why you do have to train your legs.  Runners and bikers want to stay light and lean so using your own body weight is perfect.  think simple - pushups, pullups, lunges, squats.  Add core exercises such as plank, twists, and crunches.  Finally, round up your routine by challenging your balance - strengthen your ankles, hips, and shoulders.  If you are starting your race season or that half marathon is around the corner, wait for a break in your training schedule to add these exercises.  


3. Gear up!
Take a look at what you are riding or running in.  If you haven't replaced your running shoes in 6 months or your bike has seen better days, consider investing in new gear.  As an endurance athlete,  you spend hours and hours training and your bike/shoes should be able to handle this wear; keep your gear working at its best so you can keep moving at your best.  Take care of your gear - keep it clean and dry.  New tires can help your turns, better socks can make your feet feel comfy for hours, look into new nifty breaks...don't settle with what you got with your initial purchase.


4. Nutrition is Key

Taken by Dan McCormick

Be ready for your ride/run hours before you need to.  Consider your intensity, duration, and the natural elements (heat, humidity, dry, cold) and adjust your calories and nutrients accordingly. Hydrate not just hours before your race/run/ride, but start days before.  Practice with what you put in your body and see how you feel; maybe you have trouble carrying the bottle or gu.    I learned during my long (4+ hour) rides, that electrolyte pills were more effective than Nuuns, although I love the way Nuuns taste and feel in my body.  It just wasn't cutting it for my needs.

5.  Challenge Yourself
Ride with better riders.  Ride in new places.  Sign up for a race for the fun of it.  Taking mountain bike road trips with friends is one of the funnest ways to get your groove on and test your speed and bike skills.  Riding with faster people makes you pace yourself harder and see how fast your legs can go.  My new challenge is the Strava App that lets me compare segments of my favorite rides with other riders.    It is a simple tool; just hit start and it does the rest.   The addiction factor is high on this tool so be forewarned.


Jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack jumped on his mountain bike.


Train hard, train smart
Chi

Will Race For Beer

Racing has a unique way of defining you as an athlete and as a person. I wasn't always sucha strong competitor but after completing my first mountain bike racing season as Expert, I look back at how much racing has molded me into the athlete and person I want to become. It is an arena to become a better rider – nimble and light on the descents, strong and steady on the climbs, and smart on the nutrition. I won’t race forever: one day I will fill my calendar with my own picks & favorite trails rather than US Cup # (enter a number); but while the fire is burning and the passion is there, I will race and race hard.

Be careful with overtraining!
I was getting faster with every ride; so I rode more, hoping to get faster. Only to find that I was sick and my energy was severely dampened. Manage your energy and stop while you’re ahead. You know you’re overtraining when you ride and your legs hurt after your warm-up. They should feel fresh and your breathing smooth.

Ditch the camelback!
The camelback was like my blankie and it had everything I thought I needed. But when it came to racing, it's about being lite. What I REALLY needed on a 15-25 mile ride was a tube, CO2, a gu and a bottle of water. The only other time I used my camelback was during Downieville when I needed both hands on the bars during the descents. Although, there were a few moments I could have drank from a bottle…note taken for next year.

Stay focused!
There were obstacles that could have slowed me down or made me think I couldn’t ride hard. There are obstacles IN LIFE that make you question your ideas, your abilities, and your values. Believe in yourself. Staying focused on the task (call it a race, a goal, your life) is challenging because distractions and doubt can steal your vision. Nuture your goals and recommit your focus -- this focus is powerful. Whether it is a break up, worse day of my period, and an upset stomach (all on the same day), you still have to race. What are you going to do about it? What does it take to break you? Excuses give you an easy out; but challenges can make you find a stronger side that is waiting to be exposed. Once the race starts and you got your groove, fatigue seeps into your muscles and your head and start a downward spiral. Keep your focus! Breathe… when you can hone your focus, you transport to a kind of surreal, dream-like feeling. When I race, I tell myself “Winners don’t whine” or “soon you’ll be sitting with a cold beer and won’t feel any of the pain” . When all else fails, PEDAL, PEDAL, PEDAL!

What’s a kit?!
Team leader, Derek Harmon, brought me a kit the day before the first race at Sagebrush. I’m thinking “what the heck is a kit?”. Soon I realized that your racing outfit is your kit - dah! I was reluctant to wear the tight shorts (XS? REALLY?!) but after racing in ‘my kit’ I realized that they do the job of keeping clothing out of your way. I acquired a new Lazer helmet that is feather-weight and super cool glasses that have changeable lenses.

The power of protein, electrolytes, and water!
How, when, and what you feed yourself 24/7 is essential to training and racing. The closer you pay attention to your hydration, protein, and veggies, the more power you get. I added a shake in the morning that has 20 grams of protein and shit-load of fruit, added some lean steak on my salad, ate more fish, took omega-3 oils, added super green powder to my drinks/smoothies. Alcohol intake subsided and was substituted for water. Stopped my Wednesday night ice cream treats and substituted plain greek yogurt with fresh fruit. Started using Hammer’s Recoverlite after my hard rides. On average, I drank 4 liters of water a day. I ate and drank to ride and then I ate and drank to recover.

Train hard, train smart!
Every workout, no matter how good or bad I might have felt, was like a deposit into the ‘race hard fund’. But on those rides where I was committed to the training, I made huge gains. I started to tailor my workouts depending on the race coming up – short and fast, long hills, technical descents. I added more pushups and pull-ups for Downieville and long hill repeats for Big Bear race. Ahhh…and then there’s yoga like a dear, loyal friend. My yoga practice has improved my upper body and core strength with arm balancing poses. Yoga is about non-attachment and not worrying about how good you look, it’s about your breath and how you feel and being absolutely present. My mind would wander and I would bring it back to the present. This training, helped me keep my focus during my riding….one breath at a time.

Next year...
more strength training – core for balance and strength, stronger legs for the climbs, stronger upper body for the descents. Adding road biking to the training schedule in the off-season. My own floor pump – hand pump and CO2s aren’t cutting it. Finally, arm and leg warmers would be nice.

I must give proper credit to – Derek of Bear Valley Bikes who helped me ditch the camelback, reassured me before major races, helped me with the fancy helmet and gear, and with race day logistics. My riding buddies (Craig & Binh - pictured left) for showing me the lines and keeping it real. My buddies (Orange & Gimpy) at work for kicking my ass. Super K for reinforcing all that I read about mental training and how key it is to having a successful race. My family who made sure I came home safe after every race.

Every time I get on my bike, it is a treat. I get a unique opportunity to encounter the world around me in a language I understand. It cures my concerns, shows me solutions, retraces the beautiful gifts I have in life, and makes me feel so grateful. At the end of the day, a race is a race; take the good and the bad and learn. Have fun along the way.

Now...how about that cold beer?

Chi

Let's get dirty! Simple checklist for cleaning your bike

Though I regard my bike fondly (I nickname it my 'boyfriend'), taking care of my bike is a whole different matter. I used to treat my bike like my yoga mat, use it and then roll it away until the next time. My idea of bike maintenance was lubing the chain and doing a quick tire pressure check before each ride.

When I upgraded my hard tail to my current Epic; and although I had big aspriations of caring for my bike, little changed. It took some rough ridicule by my favorite riding buddies for me to really change my ways. I was stepping up my racing and I needed to get serious about my gear.

Having a clean bike goes deeper than the way it looks - a clean bike functions better and the parts will last longer. Rust and dirt are a drive train's worst enemy. And though I understand this, making it a habit was more difficult than I thought. I asked some more experienced riders how they cleaned their bike. The Goal: to create a simple checklist that I would abide by that would be quick, easy, and thorough. Being a girl, having kids, and having a busy life were no longer acceptable excuses - and if I had a simple list, I knew I was more likely to take care of my bike.

Checklist for a clean bike - to be done immediately upon returning from a ride no matter what time of the day or how I tired I am.

1. PRE-WASH -(especially after a wet, muddy ride)

- squirt down your bike with a hose at high pressure.
- some people swear not to do this and some say it works well. I think it works well especially when it is taken thru mud.

2. WASH, RINSE, DRY - get a bucket with soap/water and brush and scrub your entire bike; even clean the chain and derailleur. Rinse with water & dry off with a rag. Be sure to dry the entire bike including the shocks. I like to use a rag and with my nail, get any gunk from the bottom of the shock. One bike expert, Scott from Santa Cruz bikes, recommended Dawn because that is what they used for the penguins during the oil spill.

** some riders prefer to skip steps 1 & 2 and instead opt to use Simple Green and wipe their bike down. **

3. LUBE - Adventure racer and endurance rider, Paul Romero, uses Prolink for its cleaning and lubing properties. Squirt it slowly over the chain as you roll the pedals until the dirt starts to come away from the chain. Then give a small squirt to all the joints and give them a little movement. Wipe the excess lube.

That's it! Total process takes about 5 minutes and the bike looks & rides smooth.

For those of you who have your own variation of bike cleaning, please share your suggestions/favorite tools.

My yoga mat still gets rolled up in my car ready for my next session and my bike is nice and clean waiting for the next ride.

Train hard, train smart
Chi

Jedi Powers - the yoga link

I love mountain biking - particularly flowing with speed and grace. I ride down hills with a finger hovering over my back brake and let my body move me thru turns, manueuvering over rolling stones, and passing between narrow trees. My focus is steady and i let my body have a bit of a dance - I am totally present and thinking of nothing except what is in front of me. This focused energy and strength is pulled from a secret jedi-like power.

Training can be like spinning plates - you have to manage each one diligently without forgetting about the others. You manage strength training, cardiovascular endurance, and nutrition. For me one plate spins above others: yoga. It keeps my body strong and my head open.

why yoga?

whether you ride, rock climb, snowboard, surf, run, or hike, yoga is an excellent compliment.

• keeps you limber - tight muscles can pull your joints out of whack leaving you with some lower back issues, knee pain, hip tightness (list goes on...)
• strengthens your core - better/faster climber; improve your turns; balance
• strengthens your upper body and hips
• Ujjayi breath - we all breath but tight muscles in your upper back can inhibit your body's ability to take a real deep breath. The potential of your breath (specifically ujjayi breathing) deserves a post all its own. This is the corner stone to the jedi powers!
• learn to control your mind - focusing your thoughts and emotions takes concentration and practice. stay calm and focused.
• connects your mind and body - they have a very intimate conversation behind your back, learn the language and listen.
• recovery - after a race, intense workout, or an injury. Riding buddy, Craig, ate shit over the summer on his bike - shoulder, rib, and hip were bruised and battered. He was grateful for all the stretching he was doing prior to the crash and attributes the stretching to his speedy recovery.

where to start?

• STRETCH LONGER - do your favorite stretches and hold for a minute. Notice how you breathe and try to slow your breath down and take a deeper inhale. Exhale thru your nose. If you don't have a favorite stretch start with hamstrings, gluts, hip flexors, and lats.
• TAKE A CLASS -look into taking a class near your work or home. it can be pricey but don't let that scare you. A $15-$20 per class can leave feeling brand new. If you have a bad experience, give it a break and then try a different teacher or style.
• GET A MAT - having your own yoga mat may be a stretch (no pun intended) but if you have been wanting to start yoga or are already practicing, owning your own mat is like running shoes to a runner.

I practice as often as I can with Tim Miller at the Ashtanga Yoga Center in Carlsbad. People fly from all over the world to study with Tim and I drive five minutes to get to his studio - what a gift! There are no frills - no music, no cheering, no pride, no ego - just you and your mat. You move from pose to pose guided with your breath - the flow is like that on a bike...exhale turn left, inhale turn right, exhale roll down a rocky section. Your mind bounces from thought to thought but you keep it steady with your breath.

Train hard, train smart, and breathe

Chi

The power of music...an indoor cycle workout

Since I can remember, music was always playing in my home. My Latin upbringing, enriched my life with the sounds of cumbia, merengue, and authentic Latin rhythms. I didn't get the dancing skills of my sisters -- my eldest sis with her flamenco footwork and salsa hips while my middle sister rocked the nightclubs. My love for music is more subtle; nonetheless, it connects to my soul, truly uplifts my spirits, and moves my body. To this day, I wash dishes to cumbia, fold laundry with Bob Marley, and write this blog groovin to Thievery (give me some reggaeton and it's party time!).


Putting music together for a spin class is a skill and an art -- it goes beyond finding good sounds and the right beat...it's about the experience. When I ride my mountain bike, though it is purely fun and exciting, it is intense and i'm 100% commited to my ride. My legs are burning, my heart is beating out of my chest, and my mind is focused -- the same elements that I try to achieve in each of my spinning classes. But getting to that space in a room can be a bit challenging ... in comes the power of music.


A Little Christmas Gift
Giving out a workout with music is like giving away a valuable and hard earned treasure (a lot of love and effort goes into synchronizing these workouts and choosing the music). But in the spirit of giving and knowing that my dear mountain biking friend, Craig, is freezing his ass in Idyllwild - Merry Christmas! Whether your ride got rained out (or snowed out), you are traveling and forced to go the the hotel gym, or you never tried an indoor cycling workout - here is a solid ride. With time, these workouts increase your cardiovascular endurance, lactic threshold, and increase your power output. Bottom line - makes you a strong and faster rider.



Let's do it!

• wear your heart rate monitor (if you don't own one, try to get one)
• grab some water and be sure you had a decent meal about 2-3 hours before.
• download your music on your iPod and set it the order you want.
• print out the workout below and tape it to your bike.
• there are built in breaks throughout -- stay with the workout!

1. flats/hills split (18 min) - ride flat 2 min/seated hill for 2 min (repeat) ; ride flat 1 min/climbing hill 1 min (repeat 2 more times); ride flat 30 sec/seated hill 30 sec (repeat 3 more times) HEART RATE: 80-85% BY MIN 10//Starting Over by The Crystal Method, Higher Ground by Red Hot Chill Peppers, Le Reveur (Thievery Corp Remix) by Cirque Du Soleil, Breathe Me by Sia, Drown in the Now by The Crystal Method


2. flat road - endurance (10 min) - one of my favorite trainings because it is about finding a rhythm with your breath and legs. Find a speed that you feels right for you with a mild resistance. every 2 minutes - increase your resistance like you were in a larger gear for 15-45 sec, then resume back to normal resistance; repeat 3 more times. HEART RATE IS 78-80% AT BASE LEVEL AND WILL GET UP TO 82% SO YOU ARE SLIGHTLY OUT OF BREATH. Amerimacka by Thievery Corp, Surround Me With your Love by 3-11 Porter


3. hill strength (15 min) - this part of the ride is sassy. you are a bit tired and legs will feel fatigued. Start by adding a lot of resistance and slowing the cadence to 50-60 RPMS so that you are climbing a mild-version of a gnarly hill - stay seated. Every minute, increase your resistance but keep the same cadence. Do this three times - every minute a little steeper. HEART RATE IS 80% HERE (no more, no less). After four minutes, jump out of saddle and increase your speed by 10-20 RPMS for 30 seconds; then go back to seated climb and resume your 60 RPMS for 2 minutes. Repeat 3 more times. HR AT THE JUMP WILL BE 85-87%. Penitentiary by Citizen Cope, The Time by Black Eyed Peas, Woohoo by Christina Aguilera


4. Chill out (5 min) - you are almost done. Settle back into a steady cadence on a flat road as if you are riding toward the ocean with some headwind. Relax between your shoulder blades, close your eyes and focus on your breath. Stay here as long as you want and enjoy :) One Too Many Mornings by The Chemical Brothers, Time Alone by Josh Martinez

Ride as if you were free!

Chi

Get faster on your bike - strength train

It is fun to talk about gear, packs, and more gear. To be honest, I'm a sucker for packs -- I have a pack for every occassion and every sport. But if all you have is pretty gear, you are going to look pretty silly on the trail, ocean, mountain or whereever you may be found. You need to know what you are doing and in the right physical condition to show your stuff and have fun doing it.

When I refer to training, I am presuming you have a specific goal/sport in mind, specific timeline, and there is a progression to your training -- know where you are and where you want to be. For those already incorporating strength training to improve performance (nice job) - remember to do it twice a week to see best gains with 3 days of recovery in between*. The training schedule below represents a sample strength training schedule I am currently doing twice a week. It allows me to be a stronger racer and keep up with The Boys.

Strength Training Workout

goal: mountain biking - faster hill climbing; increase power output
current power output at threshold: 161 watts (tested during VO2max test in August 2010)

This would also be a great training program for a snowboarder or skiier.

timeline: six months (race seasons resumes in March 2011)

intensity: 3-5 sets for 6-8 reps (heavy weights)

• squats (20 lbs DBs)
• 1-leg squat (using TRX)
• Jump squats -10-15 reps (currently using just body weight; will add more resistence in 4-6 weeks)
• Forward lunges (15 lbs)
• Roll outs- 15 reps (using TRX) - this core exercise is an intense stabilizer and forces your abs to contract from your pelvis (mula bandha) to your upper ribs. Any weakness in your core will show up here. I feel the benefits of this exercise when i'm riding my mountain bike down a steep, technical descent and my upper body needs to be steady.
• Twisted pikes on SB - 5 on each side - fun to do and great proprioception. teaches your obliques to engage under stress.
• Pushups with MB roll - 10-12 reps. core and upper body in one!

New to strength training? start of with lighter weight, more rep, 2-3 sets. (ego has no place here)

* The general guideline is to rest muscles 48 hours, but in a recent paper published by ACSM (see pgs 10-11), those who rested 3-4 days saw larger gains than those who only rested 48 hours.

Enjoy the beautiful Fall weather! clear skies and moist dirt ((((inhale!!! ahhhh))))

Chi

Looking at taking pictures/videos to better demonstrate these exercises. Hopefully you'll see them posted soon.

Enjoy your hard work

We can be hard on ourselves with intense training and strict diets not allowing ourselves to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Everyone once and and while, you need to sit back and say "good job".

Recently I was on a ride alone, enjoy a quick ride at mission trails - a spot i know well from the high school days. My music was set just right with an energetic vibe. My muscles were sore from a tough hike the day before, but I had recovered quickly and I was looking forward to this time alone. With a bit of sassy attitude, i hit all the tough descents with easy - dropping my ass wwwaaaayyyy back and keeping my core strong. The climbs were a bit tough and my foot came down twice. note to self - more lunges with heavier resistance. All in all...it felt good that my training was kicking in and i was improving. I even let go of my crutch - my 'bad' eye. into the ride, the contact was folding itself in my eye -- i quickly stopped and took it out. i rode without any eye correction and it was fine.

i rode most of the ride with this one tune in my head and it set the mood just right - Time Along by Josh Martinez.

enjoy your hard work!

Proprioception - sharper turns, improve your tricks

Proprioception is a fancy way of knowing where your body is in time and space. I am amazed that our bodies have this super power to be able know (without looking) where each part of the body is relative to itself and to the earth. I recently finished a book about Marla Streb, a pro female racer and my new idol, who after winning a gold medal in the X-games in downhill mountain biking, continued to improve her performance with strength training and specifically proprioception. Racing downhill at 40 mph and then hitting a jump, her body's proprioception has to be completely on - to say the least.

A few simple ways to start improving your own proprioception.

level A - get started

stand tall on your feet (separated hip distance and be sure your feet are parallel) and lift one leg up in front of you/then switch. Now try the same exercise with your eyes closed. do you see how your ankle moves this way and that?!!! isn't that cool?!!! try again and engage your core. practice a few times and your balance will improve.

level B - warmed up

one-legged squats are a fun way to improve your balance while improving your strength. this exercise requires a lot of body awareness not just in your legs, but your hips and core. use a chair to get the right alignment - place it about two feet behind you. then place your hands on your waist so you can feel your core. lift your leg (as in level A) and then sit onto the chair. Repeat 10 times but just hover over the chair.

caution: don't do if you have knee problems. this can put too much pressure on the knee joint.

Add these tips to your current training program. Do bicep curls with one leg, add weights to your 1-leg squats, or do the 1-legged squats on a Bosu.