How to ride faster and stronger?!

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal Philippines   |  February 13, 2015



It is Friday the 13th but I biked to Tanay and on the way back I biked through the Cardona bypass.  I had to struggle but that is the way to be prepared for Baguio ride.

So the question is how I a senior can get fit and strong to join the very young kapadyaks (Halimaws if you may) at the their blinding rides.

So I always remember the admonition of Joel  -   keep close to the leaders and ride harder. Do Hard Interval Training.


Dr. Arnie Baker


I read Arnie Baker MD in his book Smart Cycling and here are his advice, which I try to stick to:

1. Equipment:

    1.  Lighten your bike especially the power train:  wheels, tubes, chain, chain ring, cogs, pedals, shoes.   If you can lower the weight of your bike from 23 lbs to below 20 then you can see changes in the way you bike

   2. Clean your bike  - remove grime in the pedal, cogs, derailleur, brakes, changer.  It could get very dirty;

   3. Oil lubricate your moving parts; STI, cables, cogs, pulleys, axle, bearings, BB. A noisy unlubricated bike can cost you minutes or a being dropped

Beyond these, everything else depends on the engine -  YOU.




2.  Diet and nutrition

    Eat well.  It is not vitamins and supplements that give you power.  But food.

   Among food, carbohydrates provide you energy - whether aerobic or anaerobic.

   You can store up to 2,000 calories in your muscle which is good for 2 to 3 hours of hard work and pedalling. But a hard ride, sprint can require 5,000 calories in one hour.  Eat carbo before during and after a ride.

   Hydrate always, sip water every 30 minutes.  Drink before you feel thirsty  When you are thirsty, you are dehydrated all ready

3.  Sleep well.  Rest and recover during recovery days.  Bike at  least 3x a week. Sleep at least 8 hours a day.

4.  Strengthen core muscles:    abdomen, back, glutes, thighs via:

crunches
pull ups
leg curls
push ups.

5.  Vary training routine in terms of duration, intensity, and type.

    Duration -  short but intense, long but relaxed

   Intensity -   hard, sprint, hill climb, time trial, anaerobic
   You should sprint at least once a week;  you should insert      anaerobic training 15 to 30 seconds a 5x at least, during  ride/training

   Type:      rest and recovery, climbs, flats, race, time trial, group rides  (drafting, changing positions in the peloton)

   Ride or stationary trainer

6.  Training:

    Race to train, train to race

   You work on strength - by riding heavy gears

   Speed - practicing spring, HIT all out

   Leg speed -  practice spinning

   Stationary bike trainer:

   1.  Warm up - do ladders of 80 to 90 rpm, 100 and up to 10 rpm.  And try  to hold this for a minute or two

   2.  Sprints  -  15 to 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest;  20 reps



   3.  HIT -    15 seconds of all out hard effort at least 5 reps

   4.  ILT -  left and right,light and  hardest gears for 4-5 minutes.  Can you do 5 minutes,  change focus:   6 to 12 o clock, or 1 to 5 o clock?

   5.  Hard and light gears?

   6. Standing up.  Practice biking at hard gears for 5 to 10 minutes:

     Sitting

     On the drops

     At the hood

     Standing at the drops

    Sitting at the drops


Download racing tactis


Be sure when your ride, you are decisive and apply these.  Drop those who have been beating you before.  Drop others before they do.  Dont be timid, and avoid the wait for your mental attitude.   Always be ahead and beat others.  If you want to ride faster and stronger

But do it safely

My recommendation:

I think you can be stronger by concentrating on these things:

1.  Strengthening core muscles

2.  Hard interval training (reaching anaerobic threshhold)

3.  Sprinting

4.  Riding using the drops