|
Caffeine...some people can't operate without their first cup of coffee in the morning, and others hit it all day long. Some folks can fall right asleep after a full cup of high test (side note: studies have shown that this may not be quality sleep) and others are wired out of their mind.
Caffeine has long been a supplement used by athletes of all disciplines, and certainly not excluded are the endurance athletes. I've been reading quite a few articles recently that shed some new light on how caffeine interacts with our bodies. This is a great article on Training Peaks by Carrie McCusker out of Portland, Maine. Check it out and weigh the ups and downs yourself! ***Make sure you always consult with a medical professional about your own sensitivity or intolerance to caffeine.*** Caffeine: How it Works For and Against Your Performance And a second article at Precision Hydration by Sports Scientist Abby Coleman: Why do athletes use caffeine? Now, it's time to go get that afternoon cup o' jo...or not? Cheers, Coach B.L.
0 Comments
 Over the past 7-8 years, more and more athletes that I work use a smart trainer for their indoor cycling, and some of the new athletes that sign on to work with me only have experience with a smart trainer and ERG mode on for indoor workouts.
So is this a good thing or bad thing or is it neutral? Like most things, this is not a binary decision of “good” or “bad”, but a continuum. My initial thought was that there’s more bad than good, but I wanted to find out more.
 I wrote a post a couple of months ago (Free Speed!) about reconnecting with Dr. Matt Miller, a longtime friend and fellow mountain bike racer.
From his site, www.mtbphd.com : “Dr Matt Miller is a sports scientist and entrepreneur focused on MTB rider performance. He was the first to publish findings on using FTP to predict MTB race performance and pioneered braking analysis on the trails. Matt is the Inventor and Founder of BrakeAce, the world's first brake sensor and analysis app. BrakeAce was successfully funded on Kickstarter in August 2021. He has coached gravity and endurance MTB racers 1-on-1, including riders earning multiple USA National Championships and top-10 overall finishes in the Enduro World Series. He continues to consult for major brands in the industry and publish educational science content for mountain bikers.”  When I see how often some folks struggle to find the will to ride their bikes, I realize I’ve been blessed with what seems to be relatively high motivation to ride. I love riding bikes. I really enjoy riding and training, and racing is just the best. I’m usually pumped for solo rides of many, many hours, and rides with friends and family is so amazing I feel like it’s a gift when I’m out there. I can even get fired up to ride my trainer or rollers. And if not fired up, I don’t dread it, at least.
|
Categories
All
Coach B.L.Coach B.L. is the head coach at BJL Coaching and an avid racer and cycling enthusiast himself. Archives
August 2024
|
RSS Feed