When you’re just starting off, the best way to improve on the bike, is to ride the bike. As you get better and better though, what you do off the bike really starts to matter. In other words, preparing for and recovering from rides makes a world of difference. For this post, I’ll talk about some of the key things you can do.
Read MoreRunning and cycling, two sports with a lot of similarities, and even in triathlon – two sports that people train for concurrently. However, there are also big differences. On a simple level – and being FAR from an expert – I think when we look at running next to cycling, with regards to metabolics, oxygen demand, and HR response, we see super similar figures and demands. Where the sports start to diverge in demands is the mechanics. Without going down too much of a rabbit hole, on a bike the athlete is limited by oxygen uptake and transport largely, with the bike taking care of the mechanics. However, running, athletes can have super different economies (how fast they can go for their internal effort), based on the mechanics of the body (tendon stiffness, technique, etc). I’d say those differences are simplified in general, and that I am far from an authority to talk on this topic.
Read MoreJust like the fashion world, the science world has trends. What are the hot fashion trends right now? You’ll have to ask Nate… As for the latest craze in science, it’s gut bacteria.
First, a short review on bacteria. Bacteria are about a tenth of the size of human cells and are found everywhere in the world, including inside you and on your skin. In fact, you have more bacteria cells in and on you than you have human cells (estimates vary and go up to a ratio of 10:1 (1)).
Read More10 years ago I got my first power meter. There were two "real choices" I can think of - PowerTap and SRM. There were some "other choices" - Ergometer, iBike, and probably some others I'm missing. At that point training with power was certainly popular and established, but it wasn't what it is today. Today it often feels like power meters are on bikes like bar tape - I'm sure there's some people out there riding without bar tap, but it's not really done, and why? A lotta folks are training with a power meter. I was just at a team camp, and these kiddos are rocking 3-4 different bikes, between training bikes, racing bikes, TT bikes, and they've definitely all got power meters. Well, point being - power meters are popular as hell. The pros have them, and trickle down economics is a thing.
Read MoreTesting. You either love it or you hate it. Or maybe it’s a little of both. Your opinion probably changes depending on how well you did during the test. Either way, we all know it’s important. So, what kind of testing will help you improve your performance? Funny you should ask. I’ve got some thoughts on this topic…
Read MoreToday kicks off a new feature for us, here on Catalyst Content, “A Day in the Life”. We’ll use this feature to give folks an inside look into a day in some of our athletes lives, whether it be at a race, training day, or maybe just a day they’re kicking it at the café. Today, we are graced by the smooth stylings of Tyler Williams, reporting from Down Under (Australia). Tyler is about to kick off his season, on Sunday, at the Cadel Evans’ Great Ocean Road Race. It is a one-day World Tour race.
Read MoreStory time! It’s the best way to talk about the hot topic of fasted/low-carbohydrate training…
A prelude. Carbohydrate is needed to perform high-intensity efforts. However, the body only has so much carbohydrate stored which gets to be a problem because carbohydrates are also used during low-intensity efforts. As a result, an athlete can use up their carbohydrate stores before the end of a race when carbohydrates are needed the most (i.e. during a sprint stage). Conserving these carbohydrate stores could therefore theoretically improve performance.
Read MoreDickens, am I right? Well onto the interesting stuff...or rather, stuff, we'll let you decide if it's interesting.
File 1 - Marathon MTB Race at 2000m Elevation
Read MoreThe holidays can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different folks. For most, it’s a time to celebrate with family, friends, and coworkers. For a lucky few, it’s a time to get that Red Ryder BB Gun they’ve always wanted. And for some, the holidays represent a time in which it is frustratingly difficult to keep up with fitness goals.
Throughout the holidays, there is a plethora of food and drinks. This obviously leads to concerns about weight gain. The hot thing for blogs this time of year is to tell you how to “hack the holidays”. These blogs will tell you how to find the best low-calorie options at holiday parties. However, trying to eat healthy at a holiday party can cause mental stress and that’s exactly what you’re trying to get away from by attending a party. Plus, that low-cal “healthy” option is probably not worth it.
Read MoreBelieve it or not, this marks our fifth post on Catalyst Content. We hope everyone has been enjoying it, as we certainly enjoyed having a spot to do some writing and ranting. If folks have not been enjoying, well we’ve still been enjoying writing it, so we’re still happy. Folks will remember our kick off post was a feature with the charming Matti Rowe, taking a look at one of his favorite workouts. Well, the spotlight turns today to Stephen Bassett, as we ask him the same question.
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