Author Archives: Mark

About Mark

Mad PE teacher - enough said

Core development & stretching

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The legend of Yoga that is Lexie Williamson asked today’s coaches corner question. What core exercises should cyclist do to improve their core & what stretches.

Cycling can over time put stress on our lower backs due to the lack of strength and or fatigue towards the end of a long ride. Sitting in the saddle up hills also strains the lumber region as we look to use out legs to cycle up the hill. As a result the hamstrings pull on the pelvis and over time this gets tired. Having a strong core will reduce the aches and pains we get and help improve efficiency in the bike.

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How often to test & what test to do

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Susie posed today’s Coaches Corner question about Testing. She wanted to know How often we should test and What tests we should do.

Testing periodically is key to monitoring progress and checking whether the previous weeks / months training is working. If you have positive test data, then you can imply that the training is working. If the data is however not what you expected, it could come down to breaks in the training phase due to illness, injury or missed session or could indicate the the structure of the sessions are no appropriate.

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Training zones & terminology

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Today’s corner is all about Training Zones and the terminology associated with them.

The body has two clear energy systems, aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen). Anaerobic is divided into two. PC (Phosphate Creatine) which is about dynamic power / speed for 2-10sec. The second is LA (Lactic Acid) which is about sustained power / speed for 10 – 60sec. You’ve heard of lactic acid as its the bi product produced by the body due to the lack of oxygen in the body for the working muscles.

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What wetsuit?

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Mike Tumilty posed the latest Coaches Corner – What wetsuit and is there a difference between a budget £100 & a top end wetsuit?

Well, with the season fast approaching and the lakes soon to open up. It could be time to dust off that wetsuit. However, if you have had that suit for years & years or it’s got more holes than a string vest, it could be time to open up ya wallet.

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Group riding

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Today’s coaches corner is looking at Group Riding.

When riding in a group, there are a number of things you should know, do and avoid in order to ensure that the group is safe, productive & effective. Here’s a basic guide.

Single line or two-a-breast?
A certain times you can look to adopt either riding position in a group. Knowing when & why will aid for a safer and more enjoyable ride.

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The long turbo session

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With the weather being up or down. There are times when you don’t want to ride outside due to the rain, cold or even restricted by time. If you chose to opt out of that weekly long ride you will be pausing your progress and the stronger the base developed during the winter months then the higher you will be able to push your threshold come the season.

Here are a couple of simple ways to break down that long turbo session:

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Safe Riding

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Today’s Coaches Corner is a key one – Riding Safely.

We love riding our bikes, but at times, it can be dangerous out there. This can be due to the weather, fading light, road conditions, such as pot holes, oil and of course cars. Minimising those risks will make for a more pleasant and relaxing ride.

Here are a few tips and pieces of advice that may well help.

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Pound for pound time savers

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Mike Essex aka Mr Essex asked the latest coaches corner question. What are the best ways to save time in relation to money

Firstly I am sure you will be able to find somewhere on the vast Internet a number of website that will give you precise time savings per item of kit and provide how much they generally cost per second of time saved. BUT 9/10 these are conducted in wind tunnels and with someone who smash the bike…

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What are the different types of power metres?

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Ian Saunders posed today question as he wanted to know What are the different types of power metres?

The use of power as a training tool 10 years ago was reserved for the elite or those with pots of cash. As already reported in coaches corner No5 about What are Watts? Watts are now considered to be the premier training tool for anyone who wishes to monitor their progress or wishes to improve to the next level.

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