Fitness questions and answers for December 27, 2007

Form & Fitness Q & A

Carrie Cheadle, MA (www.carriecheadle.com) is a Sports Psychology consultant who has dedicated her career to helping athletes of all ages and abilities perform to their potential. Carrie specialises in working with cyclists, in disciplines ranging from track racing to mountain biking. She holds a bachelors degree in Psychology from Sonoma State University as well as a masters degree in Sport Psychology from John F. Kennedy University.

Jon Heidemann (www.peaktopeaktraining.com) is a USAC Elite Certified cycling coach with a BA in Health Sciences from the University of Wyoming. The 2001 Masters National Road Champion has competed at the Elite level nationally and internationally for over 14 years. As co-owner of Peak to Peak Training Systems, Jon has helped athletes of all ages earn over 84 podium medals at National & World Championship events during the past 8 years.

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Kelby Bethards, MD received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University (1994) before obtaining an M.D. from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 2000. Has been a racing cyclist 'on and off' for 20 years, and when time allows, he races Cat 3 and 35+. He is a team physician for two local Ft Collins, CO, teams, and currently works Family Practice in multiple settings: rural, urgent care, inpatient and the like.

Fiona Lockhart (www.trainright.com) is a USA Cycling Expert Coach, and holds certifications from USA Weightlifting (Sports Performance Coach), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach), and the National Academy for Sports Nutrition (Primary Sports Nutritionist). She is the Sports Science Editor for Carmichael Training Systems, and has been working in the strength and conditioning and endurance sports fields for over 10 years; she's also a competitive mountain biker.

David Fleckenstein, MPT (www.physiopt.com) is a physical therapist practicing in Boise, ID. His clients have included World and U.S. champions, Olympic athletes and numerous professional athletes. He received his B.S. in Biology/Genetics from Penn State and his Master's degree in Physical Therapy from Emory University. He specializes in manual medicine treatment and specific retraining of spine and joint stabilization musculature. He is a former Cat I road racer and Expert mountain biker.

Pamela Hinton has a bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology and a doctoral degree in Nutritional Sciences, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She did postdoctoral training at Cornell University and is now an assistant professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia where she studies the effects of iron deficiency on adaptations to endurance training and the consequences of exercise-associated changes in menstrual function on bone health.

Steve Owens (www.coloradopremiertraining.com) is a USA Cycling certified coach, exercise physiologist and owner of Colorado Premier Training. Steve has worked with both the United States Olympic Committee and Guatemalan Olympic Committee as an Exercise Physiologist. He holds a B.S. in Exercise & Sports Science and currently works with multiple national champions, professionals and World Cup level cyclists.

Richard Stern (www.cyclecoach.com) is Head Coach of Richard Stern Training, a Level 3 Coach with the Association of British Cycling Coaches, a Sports Scientist, and a writer. He has been professionally coaching cyclists and triathletes since 1998 at all levels from professional to recreational. He is a leading expert in coaching with power output and all power meters. Richard has been a competitive cyclist for 20 years

Andy Bloomer (www.cyclecoach.com) is an Associate Coach and sport scientist with Richard Stern Training. He is a member of the Association of British Cycling Coaches (ABCC) and a member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). In his role as Exercise Physiologist at Staffordshire University Sports Performance Centre, he has conducted physiological testing and offered training and coaching advice to athletes from all sports for the past 4 years. Andy has been a competitive cyclist for many years.

Michael Smartt (www.wholeathlete.com) is an Associate Coach with Whole Athlete™. He holds a Masters degree in exercise physiology, is a USA Cycling Level I (Elite) Coach and is certified by the NSCA (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist). Michael has more than 10 years competitive experience, primarily on the road, but also in cross and mountain biking. He is currently focused on coaching road cyclists from Jr. to elite levels, but also advises triathletes and Paralympians. Michael is a strong advocate of training with power and has over 5 years experience with the use and analysis of power meters. Michael also spent the 2007 season as the Team Coach for the Value Act Capital Women's Cycling Team.

I am a 41 year-old, 185cm, 74kg male, who took up riding two-and-a-half years ago, for the first time in 13 years. I soon settled into a routine of training 100 to 200km per week in varied terrain. I started road racing with the local Vet's nine months ago. Although still racing in division 4, I regularly train with riders from higher divisions. This gives me an opportunity to test myself against higher ranking riders and force myself out of the div 4 comfort zone.

I am perplexed about the following: On long hills in our training rides, I often tussle with division 1 and 2 riders. I'll pick one and try to stay with him for as long as possible on the ascent. What I don't understand is that when riding side by side at the same speed as these guys up long hills, most are breathing at a faster rate than myself, yet I am usually the first one to weaken when the hill gets steeper or the pace suddenly picks up.

The only explanation I can think of to explain this paradox is this: Most of my training until recently has been at a deliberately high cadence, with very little in the way of strength training. Could it be that this has given me relatively high aerobic fitness, thus explaining the lower rate of breathing compared with my rivals, but a lack of muscle strength and muscle endurance required to press the flesh when the going gets really tough? Or is there some other issue?

Let's assume that we are talking only about constant speed, Zone 2 workouts, for say, two hours. I am assuming some of the pertinent variables may include wind resistance (greater outdoors), and momentum (less indoors), but I'm sure there are others. And let's also assume that there is no 'boredom' factor for indoor training that affects one's perceptions of a ride (in one version of a perfect world for indoor training).

Riders almost universally report that maintaining a given power indoors is more difficult than maintaining the same power outdoors. This is due primarily to the lack of efficient cooling indoors, even with a small fan. The air doesn't feel hot, but without passing air, one dissipates heat as one would on a much hotter day. This leads to a higher heart rate and higher perceived exertion for the same power output. There may also be issues relating to never shifting position, but those can be overcome by... shifting position.

There are two important aspects to sprinting: pushing hard on the pedals at high cadence and tactics. If anything, tactics are more important at the cat 4/5 and collegiate C or D level. I say this from personal experience because I was never fastest in head-to-head sprint practice with my buddies, but several times won races or at least podium spots by combinations of good positioning and timing.

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