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Tech review - April, 2005On test: Cyclo-core - Off-season conditioning DVD
For something a bit different for cyclists in their off season and even throughout the season, Domistique Media have released a series of DVD's and CD's that help you build your core stability. Kristy Scrymgeour took one home to try out.For most cyclists, the off season is not only a time to rest and recover but also a time to go back to basics, do the long miles and improve on weaknesses. Many use it as a time to get into the gym to gain strength and more and more athletes are now realising the benefits of working on their core stability. Having a strong core not only helps prevent injury, it is also necessary for being able to correct positioning and help you put power into the pedals more efficiently. Gone are the days of lying on the ground and simply doing a hundred sit-ups every morning and ending up with a nice six-pack. Now athletes are working on all the muscles that make up the core using a variety of techniques. The question is, how do you motivate yourself to do these exercises? Some people are good at motivating themselves or do it as part of a gym routine, however some people find it difficult without someform of direction. Recently Graeme Street of Domistique Media has come up with a do-it-at-home DVD called Cyclo-core that demonstrates how to work on your core stability in the comfort of your own home without having to think about it yourself. In my opinion, this DVD is perfect not only for the off-season, but also for maintenance during the season. Core work is one of those activities that doesn't really put too much stress on your body if you build up to it slowly and can be essential for recovery and injury prevention. Due to the fact that you only need to take a short time out of your day to do it, it can be combined with you daily stretching routine. Street, who has a five year degree in excercise physiology and many years experience as a personal trainer and nutrition advisor, is also an avid cyclist, which led to his idea to put the DVD's together. "By and large I saw a void in the market place," he told Cyclingnews. "Many of my customers came to me with injuries and I saw the need for more core consistency in cyclists." Street believes that for cyclists who can think outside the box, core training is the major secret weapon. "I'm hoping that the movement towards more core consistency in cyclists of all levels, will change cycling." The Cyclo-core DVD consists of short, 20 minute workouts which can be done without much fuss and can easily fit it into your busy schedule. The workouts are intense, especially if you are a beginner at core work, but 20 minutes is a good place to start. For more consistent users who want more of a challenge, Street has supplied an option for longer and harder workouts by simply adding the individual workouts together. During the workouts, Graeme demonstrates the correct way to do the excercise so that you can simply follow along. Most of the workout requires nothing but yourself and perhaps a mat, but there are also times when Swiss Ball/Balance Ball is used, which is an excellent tool for any cyclist to have anyway. As well as Cyclo-core, Domistique Media have also released a companion DVD called Cyclo-Zen which incorporates more of a yoga feel to it and can be used as a good alternative to Cyclo-core to mix things up in your routine; and also a CD that talks about nutrition that you can listen to whilst you drive, cook, stretch etc. To learn more about both of Graeme's Core Training and Yoga Programs and to learn more about how to incorporate core training into your cycling program visit http://cyclo-zen.com/combo. Price: US$59.95. |
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