Enticement

Recovery is way more than just adding some chemical substances hoping they will assist! You have to ensure 1) you keep your muscles moving through ACTIVE REST - that increases blood flow and therefore nutrients & oxygen delivery to the cells that need to mend; 2)capitalize on the physical strain your body experienced in the previous activity and use that to grow your level of conditioning (this is a mind & body thing); and 3) nutritional planning (not diet planning) by ensuring your body has all the resources available for 1 and 2 mentioned above. Now the last one is the tricky one - only use supplements that are genuinely clinically proven (that means experimented on humans and the experiment is recorded in a reputable medical journal) and scientifically formulated (that means only extracts are used and ingredients are decontaminated before used)!

I can cover you with testimonials, however view the one of 6x karate world champion that participated as a celebrity ... Testimonial Pierre Nel.pdf

Read my topic: Off-the-shelve vs personalized training programs. You do not need to spend all that time on your bike per week if you do it right! One of my athletes achieved podium in the 2011 Epic with 12 hours a week - she said: Pierre’s coaching advice and guidance was instrumental in guiding my performance during the 2011 ABSA Cape Epic mountain bike race. His approach on training time optimisation through quality training sessions worked well and helped me gaining maximum from relatively little time spent on my mountain bike in preparation for this arduous event. Dr Christine Jansen van Rensburg 2nd Mixed Sub Vet Overall 1st Mixed Sub Vet South African Teams There are more testimonials if you want ...

As previously stated in various responses: ITBS caused by cycling is the result of over-use caused by 1) poor/non-perfect body-bike fit and 2) muscle conditioning. Both these contributors need to be addressed and takes time to sort, however when done smartly you do not need to loose training time. A skilled coach and biometric technician should get you on your bike and training within weeks.

Off-the-shelve training programmes are like using someone else’s old & used toothbrush to brush you teeth. It can work but chances are 100% you won’t reach all the spots! If you wish to improve your performance you MUST define 1) current level conditioning (id what needs specific focus for progress); 2) where you want to take your level of conditioning and when to achieve that; and 3) the project plan to achieve that. It’s like the difference between riding and training – if you really want to achieve your best performance do the training thing, riding then is like a square ball bearing - you can get it to turn but it tends to get stuck on the corners ... If you do it right, you can increase strength with 60% in only 3 weeks - now that is what personalized training implies, its about optimizing the time you spend training!

Excellent article! There is also a simple technique to optimise power transfer over the correct parts of the cycle which we have learned from karate - its described as the "ligament phase" and implies activation of ligaments and less muscle fibers at a certain phase.

It is quite a general/sweeping statement you make regarding "Unlike other bicycle fitment products ..." as the BG Fit System researched and scientifically compiled by the Boulder Centre for Sports Medicine under auspices of dr Andrew Pruitt is also founded on a dynamic fit. This has been researched and compiled over 30 years, including hundreds of professional riders and thousands of everyday riders, and the research is still on-going ...

Forgot to mention that one can train harder later in the day than in the mornings. I suggest you still use afternoon training for hard training sessions but that you use morning sessions as active rest - one actually recovers better when you have your blood "flushing" through your body without working hard. Do that until you are use to the morning rides and then you can carefully start to add some intensity. Watch out for over training ...

Eddy the purpose of eating before you ride in the morning is to switch certain metabolic processes on after they have been switched off as a result of your fasting during the night. Very little of what you consume will be processed and taken up in your body in time for the ride as they have to pass through your stomach first and then your liver, which takes some time. If you are not lactose intolerant try something like yogi sip as it contains the whole matrix of everything you need. Coffee and rusks also works but bear in mind that, according to research, guys eating a little before a training session in the morning can maintain their endurance efforts for longer than those that don't, and its not about what they eat ...

Helloise jou liggaam kan homself teoreties "verorber" totdat jy net 'n hopie minerale op die grond is, maar ek het vir jou goeie nuus: dit gebeur nie sommer nie! Al die liggaamsprosesse word deur die brein gereguleer wat antisipeer hoe lank jy met die huidige hulpbronne in jou liggaam gaan regkom en hy (die brein) wil nie eindig as 'n hopie minerale nie. Hy begin dus onmiddellik hekkies inbou wat jou verhoed om te veel te vinnig te doen. Wanneer jy dit regkry om verby hierdie hekkies te kom wat die brein inplekstel is een van die major hekkies wat die brein gebruik iets wat ons "over-training sindrome" noem. Dit word gekoppel aan fisiologiese prosesse - wanneer jou glikogeenstore so laag daal dat dit moeilik is om weer aan te vul. Die regstelling hiervan is 'n herstelproses wat met spesifieke oefeninge en voeding saamgaan. Dis egter makliker om te voorkom as om te herstel! L-glutamine is'n kritiese belangrike aminosuur vir herstel maar word optimaal opgeneem in die teenwoordigheid van ander kritiese nutriente. Dis ook belangrik vir die vervaardiging en afskeiding van groeihormoon. Jy kan gelukkig nie te veel inneem nie maar alle ekstras word uitgeskei. Neem ook kennis dat die placedo effek 'n werklikheid is wanneer jy sekere aanvullings gebruik. Die geheim is om 'n oefenprogram wat gepaardgaan met voedingsinnamebestuur te volg wat jou liggaam help om genoegsaam hersteltyd te he en sodoende jou vordering in die onderskeie komponente van "fiksheid" te optimiseer. Groete

Just take note that you basically get 2 type of intervals: the one aimed at producing lactate and the other at processing lactate. The types of intervals correlate with the energy systems in your body and the difference resides in the ratio between high intensity and rest. Doing intervals for the sake of intervals is good, but having them focused is better ...

Any training programme, especially something with a serious goal like yours, should be customised according to your 1)current level of conditioning 2)aimed at achieving your defined goals and 3)the amount of time you can spend improving your level of conditioning - that is what we call 3rd space planning. It is therefore imperative to do a biometric and cardio assessment to establish a starting point and to build your programme around that rather than "copy-and-paste" from other programmes.

Initially I contemplated ignoring your question, however the "proof of the pudding is in the eating" ... I have around 50 multi-sport athletes that range from pro athletes, Springboks, mountain bike category winners in the Epic, duathletes, adventure racers, athletes preparing for the 2016 Olympics, a few that aim to achieve personal bests and also a few that focus on maintaining their active lifestyles. I have a substantial number of testimonials and to date I can claim that ALL my athletes have achieved their goals or are in the process of doing that ... My background in Sport Science and further studies in Industrial Psychology serves me well and as I am a competitive participant myself, my academic background is supported by practical experience accumulated over 30 years (not 1 year 30x :-)). Omdat sportprestasie, al is dit slegs daarop gefokus om persoonlike doelwitte te bereik, veel meer as net fisieke kondissionering behels is dit krities vir enige atleet om te verstaan waar die vlak van prestasie wat hy wil bereik in die groter prentjie van sy lewe inpas. Dis die sogenaamde "mind coaching".

You seem to be a very profound sport scientist that base your advice on your extensive personal experience - wish I can get to know you ...

Jammer indien ek verkeerdelik van die veronderstelling was dat die argument binne die definisie van begrip deur almal geakkommodeer sou word. By implikasie, alhoewel die woord "fiksheid" wel bestaan verwys dit, aldus die jongste navorsing, na die vermoe om die brein aan stimuli bloot te stel sodat jy die regulerende eienskap an die brein kan beinvloed. "Cognative" is 'n typo en moet lees "cognitive".

Die brein dien as antisiperende reguleerder - hy bereken voortdurend of die hulpbronne beskikbaar vir beweging genoegsaam is om jou deur die aktiwiteit te sien. Indien hy van mening is dat jy gaan swaar trek begin hy om hekkies in te bou om jou te inhibeer. Al kan jy fisies die aktiwiteit voltooi begin jou brein om die beginsel van kognitiewe dissonansie in te span om jou te verhoed. Daar is baie navorsing daaroor gedoen, bv die hitte-staking van die liggaam tydens warm omstandighede terwyl die liggaam se temperatuur inderwaarheid steeds 100% is ...

Die brein dien as antisiperende reguleerder - hy bereken voortdurend of die hulpbronne beskikbaar vir beweging genoegsaam is om jou deur die aktiwiteit te sien. Indien hy van mening is dat jy gaan swaar trek begin hy om hekkies in te bou om jou te inhibeer. Al kan jy fisies die aktiwiteit voltooi begin jou brein om die beginsel van kognitiewe dissonansie in te span om jou te verhoed. Daar is baie navorsing daaroor gedoen, bv die hitte-staking van die liggaam tydens warm omstandighede terwyl die liggaam se temperatuur inderwaarheid steeds 100% is ...

Ha bloody ha!! Nope, I'm merely a professional coach that cannot tolerate the warped advice some "professionals" give ...

The Epic requires a substantial investment viewed from every perspective! Make sure you get it right and in so doing optimize your investment! To the guys that have completed the Epic successfully, well done, but that does not mean that what worked for you will work for the next guy as there are too many variables that need to align to ensure success. Get professional guidance on your conditioning and nutrition and make sure you do the right thing right - manage the variables you can properly!

Be cautious about getting "off the shelve" training programmes! Your training programme should be compiled around your current level of conditioning and your goal and should not be a 1-size-fits-all! Furthermore your bike's set-up plays a vital role in your ability to transfer energy and should be fine tuned to your body! We therefore do a biometric and cardio assessment and use that information for a professional body-bike fit as well as for compiling your personalised training programme. In addition, we view skill as a function of conditioning which should also be addressed - the same with goal setting and mind coaching ...

The answer to your question is relative to what you want to achieve - the term fitness does really not exist! It actually refers to your ability to convert cognative dissonance into cognative association as your brain is the ultimate regulator that anticipates the variables your body should negotiate in an activity. If your goal is to do a Tour de France you will definitely condition your body and brain differently from when you want to do the Cape Argus. In order to ensure proper conditioning one should define the variables pertaining to your goal and condition yourself regarding that - bearing in mind that these variables each has its own tempo for development. ie strength can be improved with 60% within 3 weeks when done properly, etc. But that is what differentiate coaches from one another ...

Epic, you're a great bunch of guys, I have many friends riding with you! Your comment just seemed oportunistic at that time!

Read between the lines - I guess only you will know the truth! However, unfair going public on a forum like this if it could be resolved otherwise, or are you trying to gain critical mass?

Hi Domestique, I thing serious cyclists want to deal with a proper shop, not a kiosk

Hallo Astroboy, I think I was in the shop when you lost it with one of the mechanics at FPC Irene. I was so embarrassed with your behavior that I did not even act according to my 1st impulse and confront you about the manner in which you addressed someone. My logic tells me that your first reaction should have been to take the matter to the workshop manager and if that does not yield results, talk to the shop manager. During all my dealings with any of the FPC stores over the past 3 years they have never tried to do me in - to the contrary: their advice has also been professional and worthy to follow. They are human beings and make mistakes, but so do you. So next time when you behave like that again, don't expect any positive service from them ...