TRIA Orthopaedic Center Your Cycling Blog

By Greg Rhodes, a PhD student in the Human and Sport Performance Lab of the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota. Greg’s research focus is on the sport performance of endurance athletes. http://www.cehd.umn.edu/kin/research/HSPL/

Many of us view the photos and read the stories about the European and domestic professional cycling teams undergoing physiology testing during their pre-season training camps. Physiology testing is an important tool to optimize training and consequently improve performance; however, it is not something that should only be reserved for professional athletes. As everyday athletes we are faced with significant time restraints on our training because we must keep our day jobs. Therefore any time-spent training must yield maximal performance benefits.

Physiology testing can be done in the lab or in the field. Both styles of testing play an important role in helping athletes and coaches develop training programs as well as monitor the progression of fitness throughout the season. When designing a test, it needs to include at least two variables to assess performance. These variables can include any of the following: pace, heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), cadence, power, lactate, or oxygen utilization (VO₂ and metabolic efficiency). Ideally the test variables include at least one that can be regularly monitored by the athlete during training, usually heart rate, power (wattage) or pace. Using multiple variables in combination provides athletes with the data they need to monitor their fitness.

When conducting a test, it is essential that it is repeatable. This requires that the testing environment (a big advantage of lab based testing), protocols, and variables of the test be exactly the same. Repeating physiology testing at regular intervals throughout the season is the only way to assess whether time spent training is paying off.

Two common tests used by cyclists to develop and assess training programs are discussed below:

VO_2max (Aerobic Capacity):

Aerobic capacity (VO_2max) is one of the most common measurements in exercise physiology and sport performance. VO_2max is an important measurement because it represents the upper limit of aerobic exercise tolerance. The data gathered during a VO_2max assessment can be used to assess an athlete’s baseline fitness at the beginning of a training season as well as reassessing their aerobic efficiency at distinct training intensities at other important periods during the training year. It is important for athletes to have their aerobic capacity assessed at regular intervals and minimally once a year to establish a baseline for the upcoming season’s training.

For the most complete assessment of an athlete aerobic capacity, a VO_2max test needs to be conducted by a trained exercise physiologist using a gas analysis system that allows the physiologist to analyze the athlete’s respiratory O₂ and CO₂ exchange volumes. Many universities have exercise testing laboratories that offer this level of testing service to athletes, as do some private exercise studios.

Blood Lactate Testing:

Despite the fact that VO_2max is the most commonly cited physiological value, many argue that blood lactate levels are more useful for athletes and coaches. Only previously sedentary individuals will see a significant increase in VO_2max with the onset of training, excluding the use of VO_2max to identify fitness changes in the already trained athlete. However, changes in blood lactate levels will reflect changes in fitness in all individuals. Specifically, blood lactate can be used to identify the intensity level at which the blood lactate concentration increases at an exponential rate. This intensity level is referred to as the lactate threshold.

Because all athletes are different, the use of standardized formulas to determine an athlete’s training zones will invariably fail to achieve optimal results. The utility of knowing an athlete’s blood lactate levels is that they can be correlated to work rate intensities (heart rate, power, or pace) to construct personalized training zones that are specific to the individual. In addition, blood lactate testing should be repeated regularly (approximately every 6-8 weeks) so that appropriate adjustments can be made to a training program and zones because athletes respond to training methods differently.

Disclosure:

Many of the test protocols require the athlete to perform to a level of voluntary maximum effort. This means they will be pushed to the highest effort level that they can muster. For this reason it is highly recommended that every athlete check with their primary care physician regarding any health concerns before participating in athletic performance testing.

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Spring Training – What to do NOW

Spring has finally arrived, which means it’s time to GET OUT AND RIDE! The key to early season riding is to get as much time in the saddle as possible without getting overly fatigued, which can lead to illness and injury.

Whether you’ve done much training over the winter or not, whether you’re an experienced cyclist or not, I suggest your structure your training week around these 3 key workouts:

1. Ride hills at least one day per week. This is a very efficient workout in that it not only builds leg strength, but fighting gravity as you push yourself up the hill will increase your breathing rate at the same time. So you’ll get a double benefit of strength and cardio at the same time.

2. Ride longer “intervals” at least one day per week. These intervals can be anywhere from 8-20 minutes long, and should be at a level which forces you to breathe hard. You should be at the edge of your comfort level and should feel like you’re going to have to struggle to keep up the effort. You should also be forced to really focus to maintain your effort, where riding just a little harder will push you over the edge and you’ll “blow up,” or backing off even a little will put you back into an easy, conversational level. So this is a hard, determined effort. These long intervals can be either structured or unstructured.

3. One ride of the week should be a long ride at a fairly easy aerobic, endurance level. This long ride should be at a “conversational” effort level. In other words, you’re able to carry on a conversation with others if you’re riding with a group or with friends.

Each of these rides is important to helping you shake off any sluggishness you may have picked up over the winter and will quickly allow you to gain your cycling fitness. In addition, having 3 key rides on your schedule each week gives you structure to your riding plan.

If you ride more than 3 times per week, other rides can be either easy “recovery” rides or aerobic, endurance rides similar to #3, but shorter. Be conservative and do less rather than more as your body acclimates to time in the saddle.

As you feel yourself getting stronger, your first priority should be to increase the length of your long rides. Following this, then slowly increase the number of hills you ride, the number of long intervals and the length.

Be safe, keep healthy and injury free, but mainly, have fun as you ride. Enjoy this beautiful time of year, and GET OUT AND RIDE!

Bob McEnaney has over 33 years experience coaching performance athletes of all ages, genders and ability levels. He has trained and competed in triathlon, cycling, and running races of all distances. His personal experience is backed by years of formal training which has aided in formulating effective performance training plans used by hundreds of athletes across the country.

Visit Bob’s website at Total Cycling Performance.

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We here at the TRIA Orthopaedic/Nature Valley Grand Prix blog like a lot of things. Two of them are constants: good weather and a nice bike ride. Every day, we’re getting more and more sunlight, leaving us with more time after work each day to hop on our bike and ride until the street lights come on. It’s this time of year that brings out the kid in us, as we traverse on roads we know and try out the roads less taken. Bob McEnaney, a certified USCF and USAT coach, and owner of Total Cycling Performance, has these tips to prepare your steed for the roads ahead:

Funny things seem to happen to our bikes from the time we put them away in the fall until we bring them back out in the spring. What we remember as a finely tuned and fully operational bike is all of a sudden filled with funny noises, poor shifting and in serious need of maintenance.

Assuming you don’t have any major issues with your bike (especially safety-related) these few simple tasks should be enough to get you out on the road. BUT, your bike should still be overhauled, or at least tuned up, prior to embarking on any major rides or events. Good luck, and GET OUT AND RIDE!

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Bob McEnaney has over 33 years experience coaching performance athletes of all ages, genders and ability levels. He has trained and competed in triathlon, cycling, and running races of all distances. His personal experience is backed by years of formal training which has aided in formulating effective performance training plans used by hundreds of athletes across the country.

Bob is a certified coach through both USA Triathlon and USA Cycling. He also is a member of Joe Friel’s exclusive “Ultrafit” Association of Coaches. Additionally, he is a Certified Personal Trainer and holds a Sports Fitness Specialist advanced certification through NASM. This combination of long-time coaching experience and personal race experience puts Bob in a unique position to create time efficient and effective cycling training plans to help athletes train properly.

McEnaney will be contributing to the NVGP blog for additional tips that will help riders of all ages and abilities get to that next level. His insight can be found at Total Cycling Performance. Here’s his first contribution:

I nearly got hit by a semi this morning; one of those big sand/gravel trucks.

I was riding toward a roundabout, something I do on most rides. It’s a harmless roundabout, with great visibility all around. The truck was coming from my right hand side, and I’m quite sure he saw me. But even so, I put my hands on my brakes, just in case.

I arrived at the roundabout before the truck, so technically I had the right of way. There are two lanes in this roundabout and I was in the outside lane because I was going to go straight through.

I was very close to the truck’s entrance into the roundabout and I could see that he wasn’t slowing down so I started to brake. The truck was in the right hand lane and blew right through the roundabout and cut into the left lane as he was going around.

I was forced to slam my brakes on. The semi was so long that even as I skidded its rear tires were right in front of me. Fortunately I was able to stay upright and avoid skidding toward the wheels. I know who would have come out on top of that one.

The lesson of the day is to be aware. Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of your situation and who’s around. And anticipate that the driver won’t see you or won’t care about you.

And while avoiding traffic is a topic that’s discussed often, the same rules apply to group rides. Riders are often side by side at high speeds, wheels overlapping and riders changing position. Awareness in a group situation is every bit as important as traffic awareness.

Anticipate that the riders next to you aren’t aware of you, or that they don’t possess good bike handling skills, and that they aren’t able to hold a line.

A crash is a crash, whether it involves a vehicle or another bike. Ride defensively, communicate, anticipate and be aware. Enjoy your riding, but ride safely.

GET OUT AND RIDE!

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