Three tips for the budding cyclist
>> Small disclaimer I thought I should apply to this post : I am in no way an expert or professional. This is my extremely humble opinion. An observation more than a lesson :: Mands
The Argus is around the corner folks. As the Ironman keeps reminding me, there is no escaping your training for the big day. Cross-training won't cut it. I have tried - and the professional tells me that a 40 minute run won't do when it's time in the saddle that will get you up Chappies in time, and yards in the legs that will get you into Seapoint feeling fresh.
So, with all of this in mind, I have been making an effort to hop on my bike as much as possible. I did a fair amount of MTB riding at home (My folks live on the most amazing nature reserve with plenty of dirt and even more hilly-tracks), and have started to get into a few longer rides, when time permits, to work towards the time that I want to get for this year's Argus.
I have a certain formula when I ride. I'm not one who likes to listen to my iPod unless I'm on a monotonous spinning bike with nothing but the sweaty, fat guy next to me to keep me interested. I like to use the 40 minutes / hour / 90 minutes / 2 hours... (you see where I'm going) to train my brain as much as my quad and calf muscles. Bicycling Magazine recently posed the question on Twitter about why we (cyclists) love to ride our bikes. My answer was simply because it's both a physical and a mental challenge for me that keeps me fit in both respective areas.
Each person is different, of course, so take my advice from where it comes. And, if you are new to my style of writing and this blog, then let me reinforce that all my words are on a 'Use it. Don't use it' kind of basis - totally my opinion. Also, in no way should this post reflect the expertise of the Ironman - he will probably want to crawl into a ball at some of my observations or hypotheses. The aim of this is to share some of my tips that I have learned in case there's a beginner out there that can learn from what I have picked up. Right. Onwards.
During my ride this morning (perfect conditions, by the way- if you weren't on your bike for anything other than a severely legitimate reason then you should be ashamed), I kept reinforcing the things that I would love to pass on to a new cyclist who feels daunted by the cogs, chain and drop-down handle bars...
1 :: Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence.
Keeping your cadence high is a sure-fire way to get that illusive rhythm which will help to blast away the miles. Very simply, Cadence is the speed at which you turn the cranks, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).The bigger the gear, and the higher your cadence, the more ground you will cover and (potentially) the faster you will move. It's not all about going fast, though. For me, cadence is about getting into a mental groove where you can focus on other parts of your ride - like your form, preparation for the hills ahead and taking in the right nutrition in time. Personally, I like to ride at a higher cadence than some people. I like my legs ticking over fast - my brain works better that way. It also really helps when there are undulating bits in a ride- you seem to crest the hill much smoother if you can maintain your rhythm the whole way.
That said, when I say 'high' cadence I don't mean spinning your legs so fast that your butt bounces out of the saddle and knocks your phone out of your back pocket. It's really just high enough to keep an easy rhythm in your legs and head. My aim is always to peddle with smooth strokes (imagine an oval, the centre of which is at your ankle) and a still body from the hip upwards. Any faster and your upper-body will bounce around. Any slower and your shoulders will heave and twist - taking up unnecessary energy. Pick a gear that gets you moving forward swiftly but doesn't make your legs burn. Not Race-horse running The Met. Not Cart-horse pulling the Queen. But Mountain-pony skipping up a stony track. That's the sweet spot right there.
Cadence = rhythm = mental focus. For me anyway.
2 :: Learn to use your gears effectively.
In order to ride at your optimal cadence, there's one thing (or many if you look at it that way) that you'll need to get the hang of: Your gears. It's all very well getting your legs strong by sticking in the middle chain-ring and gritting your teeth while you chug up a hill. The result of this will also be a pretty drastic bonk (a legitimately savoury cycling term for finishing all your energy way too early). My trick is to keep my cadence consistent (see point one) wherever possible. If my legs spin at a medium cadence on a flat road, I keep that cadence going uphill by using my gears effectively. If you're a new cyclist and the gears are daunting, please, please, please seek some help from someone who has been cycling for longer. Hell, call me. I'm always happy to help! The fastest way to progress in cycling is to get good at all the 'house-keeping' type things (gears, clipping in and out of your cleats, being able to drink while riding etc) so you can focus on the bits that are really going to get you up in the top third of the bunch- like your form, being able to descend properly and the art of Active Recover (see point three), amongst many other things. Not only are the range of gears useful in keeping your cadence steady, they can be the difference between a really tough ride and a really great one. Small undulations in the road, when ridden in one (hard) gear, can be painful and tiring. A few simple clicks up and down the cogs to find the most comfortable spot for your legs to work in will build your enjoyment - and ultimately, love- for cycling.
When I was just starting out, I thought it was a sign of weakness to either change gears too often or go uphill in granny-gear- or both. From a girl's perspective, I can guarantee that anyone cycling past you won't have the time, or the inclination, to look down at your cogs and analyse what gear you are in. If you're a girl and they're a guy, they will most likely be looking at your butt and legs from behind, and then take another look while straining their heads to turn around from the front to look at your boobs. Sorry Guys but its true. By learning to use your gears effectively, and by keeping a steady cadence going up the hills, you'll build magic calf muscles and a superb bum- giving the rude men something they can really drink in!
3 :: Practice the art of 'Active Recovery'
If you like to do puzzles, you'll be delighted to find out that point 3 is the final piece that fits in nicely between cadence and using your gears effectively. The way I use the term 'Active Recovery' will probably make the Ironman slap his palm against is forehead and shake his head in embarrassment. But, it makes sense to me and it might make sense to you when you're struggling up a hill as well. So here goes...
My type of active recovery is being able to recover, get my heart-rate down and conserve some energy while moving forward and without stopping or getting off my bike. Quite simply, being able to recover while still moving or being active. (Other meanings can be found here). (In my first few years of cycling, I judged a hill by how many times I needed to stop and rest on it. After I learned how to keep riding and get by breath back at the same time, I no longer view hills (or a ride) in this way. Judgement purely comes from how tired my legs are the next day).
I first learned how to do this when doing hill-sprint training with The Ironman. I am a bad climber (cycling-wise) and much prefer belting along the flats. I was (and still am) trying to train myself to be better at keeping up some speed going uphill- the trick to a better Argus time! I would do 3 - 7 minutes of high-intensity climbing (typically up Chapman's Peak or Suikerbossie) with my HR in the 80-90% zone and then back right off and recover for however long it took for my HR to come down to 'conversation' rate (the rate at which you can cycle and have a conversation comfortably without panting). At first I pushed it so hard that I felt like I was dying, and had to get off my bike to drink (very inactive recovery!). Gradually I learned how to switch gears in order to climb at a higher cadence and higher intensity for those 3-7 minutes and then get into a bigger chain-ring in order to slow my cadence right down (slower than walking speed, runners would pass me going up-hill) so to bring my HR down and use different sets of muscles to give the climbing ones a break. Eventually, I would increase the amount of time spent climbing fast and decrease the time spent doddling along (my fitness and muscles got stronger).
I didn't know I was learning this skill until one day I cottoned on to what I was able to do. In my little cycling world it made a massive difference. It gave me confidence in my abilities and took that fear of getting tired before the end of a long ride away - I was able to focus on the important stuff, knowing that I could rest and re-coup while still going forward. The key really is just having that confidence that you're not going to peg if your heart feels like it is about to burst, and that you can recover and feel good while still climbing a mountain. The use of a heart-rate monitor is obviously key, both in terms of watching how your HR performs and using those time-intervals to measure your ride with. Before you have time to reach down for your bottle, you'll be 'cresting the wave' at the top and the tarmac will be singing under your tires all the way down the hill. And hopefully into a coffee-shop.
There you go. Those are my (first) three tips for the budding cyclist. I love cycling and would like to get really good one day (I'm nowhere near that at this stage, still playing in the 'weekend warrior' territory). I hope that my humble insights into some little tricks that have helped me love cycling will help some newbies who might feel daunted, or on the verge of trading in their bike for scrap metal (I hear that not even your water-meter is safe from that these days!), feel like they can don their Lycra one more time and fall in love with the quiet hum of those skinny tires gliding over tarmac and the beautiful scenery we have to soak in while in the saddle.
Love and Gratitude (for cycling)
xx
The Argus is around the corner folks. As the Ironman keeps reminding me, there is no escaping your training for the big day. Cross-training won't cut it. I have tried - and the professional tells me that a 40 minute run won't do when it's time in the saddle that will get you up Chappies in time, and yards in the legs that will get you into Seapoint feeling fresh.
So, with all of this in mind, I have been making an effort to hop on my bike as much as possible. I did a fair amount of MTB riding at home (My folks live on the most amazing nature reserve with plenty of dirt and even more hilly-tracks), and have started to get into a few longer rides, when time permits, to work towards the time that I want to get for this year's Argus.
I have a certain formula when I ride. I'm not one who likes to listen to my iPod unless I'm on a monotonous spinning bike with nothing but the sweaty, fat guy next to me to keep me interested. I like to use the 40 minutes / hour / 90 minutes / 2 hours... (you see where I'm going) to train my brain as much as my quad and calf muscles. Bicycling Magazine recently posed the question on Twitter about why we (cyclists) love to ride our bikes. My answer was simply because it's both a physical and a mental challenge for me that keeps me fit in both respective areas.
Each person is different, of course, so take my advice from where it comes. And, if you are new to my style of writing and this blog, then let me reinforce that all my words are on a 'Use it. Don't use it' kind of basis - totally my opinion. Also, in no way should this post reflect the expertise of the Ironman - he will probably want to crawl into a ball at some of my observations or hypotheses. The aim of this is to share some of my tips that I have learned in case there's a beginner out there that can learn from what I have picked up. Right. Onwards.
During my ride this morning (perfect conditions, by the way- if you weren't on your bike for anything other than a severely legitimate reason then you should be ashamed), I kept reinforcing the things that I would love to pass on to a new cyclist who feels daunted by the cogs, chain and drop-down handle bars...
1 :: Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence, Cadence.
Keeping your cadence high is a sure-fire way to get that illusive rhythm which will help to blast away the miles. Very simply, Cadence is the speed at which you turn the cranks, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).The bigger the gear, and the higher your cadence, the more ground you will cover and (potentially) the faster you will move. It's not all about going fast, though. For me, cadence is about getting into a mental groove where you can focus on other parts of your ride - like your form, preparation for the hills ahead and taking in the right nutrition in time. Personally, I like to ride at a higher cadence than some people. I like my legs ticking over fast - my brain works better that way. It also really helps when there are undulating bits in a ride- you seem to crest the hill much smoother if you can maintain your rhythm the whole way.
That said, when I say 'high' cadence I don't mean spinning your legs so fast that your butt bounces out of the saddle and knocks your phone out of your back pocket. It's really just high enough to keep an easy rhythm in your legs and head. My aim is always to peddle with smooth strokes (imagine an oval, the centre of which is at your ankle) and a still body from the hip upwards. Any faster and your upper-body will bounce around. Any slower and your shoulders will heave and twist - taking up unnecessary energy. Pick a gear that gets you moving forward swiftly but doesn't make your legs burn. Not Race-horse running The Met. Not Cart-horse pulling the Queen. But Mountain-pony skipping up a stony track. That's the sweet spot right there.
Cadence = rhythm = mental focus. For me anyway.
2 :: Learn to use your gears effectively.
In order to ride at your optimal cadence, there's one thing (or many if you look at it that way) that you'll need to get the hang of: Your gears. It's all very well getting your legs strong by sticking in the middle chain-ring and gritting your teeth while you chug up a hill. The result of this will also be a pretty drastic bonk (a legitimately savoury cycling term for finishing all your energy way too early). My trick is to keep my cadence consistent (see point one) wherever possible. If my legs spin at a medium cadence on a flat road, I keep that cadence going uphill by using my gears effectively. If you're a new cyclist and the gears are daunting, please, please, please seek some help from someone who has been cycling for longer. Hell, call me. I'm always happy to help! The fastest way to progress in cycling is to get good at all the 'house-keeping' type things (gears, clipping in and out of your cleats, being able to drink while riding etc) so you can focus on the bits that are really going to get you up in the top third of the bunch- like your form, being able to descend properly and the art of Active Recover (see point three), amongst many other things. Not only are the range of gears useful in keeping your cadence steady, they can be the difference between a really tough ride and a really great one. Small undulations in the road, when ridden in one (hard) gear, can be painful and tiring. A few simple clicks up and down the cogs to find the most comfortable spot for your legs to work in will build your enjoyment - and ultimately, love- for cycling.
When I was just starting out, I thought it was a sign of weakness to either change gears too often or go uphill in granny-gear- or both. From a girl's perspective, I can guarantee that anyone cycling past you won't have the time, or the inclination, to look down at your cogs and analyse what gear you are in. If you're a girl and they're a guy, they will most likely be looking at your butt and legs from behind, and then take another look while straining their heads to turn around from the front to look at your boobs. Sorry Guys but its true. By learning to use your gears effectively, and by keeping a steady cadence going up the hills, you'll build magic calf muscles and a superb bum- giving the rude men something they can really drink in!
3 :: Practice the art of 'Active Recovery'
If you like to do puzzles, you'll be delighted to find out that point 3 is the final piece that fits in nicely between cadence and using your gears effectively. The way I use the term 'Active Recovery' will probably make the Ironman slap his palm against is forehead and shake his head in embarrassment. But, it makes sense to me and it might make sense to you when you're struggling up a hill as well. So here goes...
My type of active recovery is being able to recover, get my heart-rate down and conserve some energy while moving forward and without stopping or getting off my bike. Quite simply, being able to recover while still moving or being active. (Other meanings can be found here). (In my first few years of cycling, I judged a hill by how many times I needed to stop and rest on it. After I learned how to keep riding and get by breath back at the same time, I no longer view hills (or a ride) in this way. Judgement purely comes from how tired my legs are the next day).
I first learned how to do this when doing hill-sprint training with The Ironman. I am a bad climber (cycling-wise) and much prefer belting along the flats. I was (and still am) trying to train myself to be better at keeping up some speed going uphill- the trick to a better Argus time! I would do 3 - 7 minutes of high-intensity climbing (typically up Chapman's Peak or Suikerbossie) with my HR in the 80-90% zone and then back right off and recover for however long it took for my HR to come down to 'conversation' rate (the rate at which you can cycle and have a conversation comfortably without panting). At first I pushed it so hard that I felt like I was dying, and had to get off my bike to drink (very inactive recovery!). Gradually I learned how to switch gears in order to climb at a higher cadence and higher intensity for those 3-7 minutes and then get into a bigger chain-ring in order to slow my cadence right down (slower than walking speed, runners would pass me going up-hill) so to bring my HR down and use different sets of muscles to give the climbing ones a break. Eventually, I would increase the amount of time spent climbing fast and decrease the time spent doddling along (my fitness and muscles got stronger).
I didn't know I was learning this skill until one day I cottoned on to what I was able to do. In my little cycling world it made a massive difference. It gave me confidence in my abilities and took that fear of getting tired before the end of a long ride away - I was able to focus on the important stuff, knowing that I could rest and re-coup while still going forward. The key really is just having that confidence that you're not going to peg if your heart feels like it is about to burst, and that you can recover and feel good while still climbing a mountain. The use of a heart-rate monitor is obviously key, both in terms of watching how your HR performs and using those time-intervals to measure your ride with. Before you have time to reach down for your bottle, you'll be 'cresting the wave' at the top and the tarmac will be singing under your tires all the way down the hill. And hopefully into a coffee-shop.
There you go. Those are my (first) three tips for the budding cyclist. I love cycling and would like to get really good one day (I'm nowhere near that at this stage, still playing in the 'weekend warrior' territory). I hope that my humble insights into some little tricks that have helped me love cycling will help some newbies who might feel daunted, or on the verge of trading in their bike for scrap metal (I hear that not even your water-meter is safe from that these days!), feel like they can don their Lycra one more time and fall in love with the quiet hum of those skinny tires gliding over tarmac and the beautiful scenery we have to soak in while in the saddle.
Love and Gratitude (for cycling)
xx
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