Catalyst Coaching

If you're having trouble falling asleep, do the 4-7-8 breathing technique: breathe in through your nose for 4sec, hold the breath for 7sec, and exhale out of your mouth for 8sec. Aim to do at least 4 cycles of this. #TuesdayTip

As racing gets going again, be sure to spend some time in the group finding your groove. Try taking the corners on the inside and then try the outside line. Remind yourself how the group moves throughout the course. These skills will help you get some strong results! #TuesdayTip

Races are getting back into full swing. Along with race-specific efforts, don't forget to keep performing technique drills (1 leg, high cadence, etc.) to keep the pedaling technique going strong #TuesdayTip

Rainy springtime rides can add a bit more fatigue and all the road grime can make it easier to pick up a bug. So have your fun in the rain but adjust your recovery plan accordingly (and don't forget to give your bike a quick clean too!) #TuesdayTip

Cycling is an endurance sport and requires great endurance. But cycling races are often decided by high intensity efforts/sprints so don’t forget to include these in your training as race day gets closer #TuesdayTip

Riding in the wind can be tough.  Get low on the bike and pedal a harder gear in crosswinds to help maintain balance/control. In headwinds, get that cadence back up to keep the legs from wearing out. #TuesdayTip

With outside riding time limited, doing things like cornering at speed might not feel comfortable. Find a good spot with no traffic that allows you to practice skills (like cornering) so you can put all that good fitness to use and get some great race results! #TuesdayTip

In winter it's easy to adopt a slow cadence when riding on the trainer or out in the cold. However, races involve fast spinning. Incorporate high cadence drills and do intervals at race cadences so you can ride comfortably on race day and finish strong! #TuesdayTip

Don't be afraid to change directions with your training. If you've been doing a similar routine, try mixing things up. Do some different workouts that are out of your comfort zone. This will tax the body in a new way and help you improve your overall fitness. #TuesdayTip

Be careful when using age-based predictions of max heart rate. Shown is the actual max HR of individuals. A 40 year old is predicted to have a max of ~180bpm yet the range is 158 to 205bpm. So, track your data and use that to structure your training! #TuesdayTip

Little arts and crafts you can do on your next trainer ride! youtu.be/j70rX3N12Ns

Looking to improve your training with some "low hanging fruit?" Try some low hanging fruit! Whether you're putting in long hours on the trainer or outside, it's important to remember to fuel your training so you finish your rides/intervals strong. #TuesdayTip

With the new year just around the corner, we start to think about New Year's resolutions (and 2021 goals). A good way to make (and keep) your resolutions/goals is to get specific and have definable outcomes. And don't forget to write down those resolutions/goals! #TuesdayTip

Sometimes riding the trainer is the easiest option in the winter but braving the elements to train outside has value too - getting some natural light can help with seasonal affective disorder (the winter blues) #TuesdayTip

A #TuesdayTip that's more for when you're off the bike, but still helpful for getting through these stressful times: Pass a pen back and forth to decrease stress - this shifts your focus and helps decrease negative stress.

To keep things interesting on your long endurance rides, include a bit of speed work every hour. Try 5 min of 20/40's every hour to improve your explosive power while not taking away from the goal of building a strong endurance foundation #TuesdayTip

You can plan all you want but sometimes things disrupt those plans. The most successful accept the disruptions and practice self-compassion by not feeling guilty about alterations to plans. Just roll with the punches and hop back on the bandwagon once you can. #TuesdayTip

If you want to improve your time trialing, you've got to ride the TT bike. This time of year we love slow cadence (50-60rpm) tempo efforts as they help to build strength, power, and comfort in the TT position. #TuesdayTip

If you're avoiding the gym and don't have a lot of free weights at home, incorporate some plyometrics into your training to help build power on the bike #TuesdayTip

The simple tennis ball is a great (cheap!) tool for getting out muscle knots. Keep one in the car so you can use it for knots in your back when you're on longer car trips - place the ball between your back and the car seat and lean against it to work out those knots #TuesdayTip