Resources based on evidence and experience to help you go faster on the bike
I pride myself on being able to get the work done, even on the days I don’t feel great, but today was one where the engine light came on halfway through the first set of intervals. I tried a few get out of jail techniques to make it through the rest of the session, but… Continue reading Session failure
This Tier List is based on an Umbrella review from Li et al. (2024) titled: Effectiveness of Recovery Strategies After Training and Competition in Endurance Athletes: An Umbrella Review. It encompasses 63 studies and over 1100 athletes. It’s important to note that despite the ratings provided here, the authors of the study themselves concluded that: “There is no particular recovery strategy that can be advised to enhance recovery between training sessions or competitions in endurance athletes.” That being said, if you feel any of these interventions have worked for you, and they’re not costing you too much or taking up too much of your time, then knock yourself out.
Head to the link below to watch the series where I discuss training and racing with professionals at the top level of the sport. This series is designed to provide a real insight into how the best athletes are training. No BS; no gimmicks, fads or sexy trends; just the real deal. http://www.youtube.com/@Cyrus_Monk
This review compares the effects of various types of active cool-downs with passive cool-downs on sports performance, injuries, long-term adaptive responses, and psychophysiological markers of post-exercise recovery.
Overdoing it, burning the candle at both ends, cooking the goose. Athletes are notoriously bad for knowing when to back off and take a break, but why is it that going just a little too hard on the training track can lead to illness that can destroy an athlete’s whole season? It’s no secret that… Continue reading Overtraining and the Immune System. How Much is Too Much?
Saunas have been a hot health topic for decades now, with a bucket load of claimed benefits ranging from improving skin, sleep and general relaxation. Research on athletes shows that the adaptations from sweating are even sweeter for endurance performance than expected. The most significant impact of saunas for athletes is the increased… Continue reading Finnish Saunas to Finish First. Could passive heat acclimation build the freeway to form?
Recent science tells us the supposed benefits of ice post-exercise are not all they’re cracked up to be, and that the short-term shrinkage isn’t giving any long-term gains. Image Credit: Tomas Tomas via Flickr Sprinters, climbers and café racers are all looking for the best way to recover before their next training session, competition… Continue reading Ice, Ice, Maybe… But probably not. The science has gone cold on ice baths for recovery.
TRAIN LIKE A MONK 