Rules of the road

It goes without saying that riding at night should be handled with care. First, think about the frame you intend to ride – night time riding is not the time for a pared down racing frame, as you’ll find it difficult to fit the lights you’re required to ride with by law.

Plan your route carefully. It goes without saying that you’ll need to ride with extra care, attention and vigilance. Hang back from overtaking lorries on the inside, and equip yourself with a cycling cap under your hi vis helmet, and clear shades – these are essential for shading your eyes from bright oncoming headlights (cap) and from rain, wind and potential debris (clear or yellow/rose tinted glasses).

Above all, don’t be put off cycling in the dark. It’s great exercise and the greenest form of transport. Just don’t forget that hi vis vest or other high visibility clothing, and more lights than a Christmas tree

How on trend are you?

Statistically, you are four times more likely to be knocked off your bike in the dark than during daylight hours. Of course, that’s not to say that you should abandon your hi vis during daylight hours because it can be vital in any situation, particularly bad weather and poor visibility, to be bright and be seen.

Fluorescent colours are the smart choice during daylight hours as the sun makes them really pop, but at night your high visibility clothing needs to be reflective too. A simple solution is to add reflective tape to a hi vis vest, but the more reflective clothing you can pile on the better – including your socks. If you’re carrying a bag, don’t forget to add reflective tape to that, too.

Look for the CE mark of either Standards EN471 or EN1150 to ensure your hi vis clothing complies with safety standards.

Light your way

Hi vis vests and high visibility clothing are only half the equation. The most important safety measure is your lighting. You’ll need at least one light that flashes, and it’s always sensible to look for pairs of lights for front and rear that use the same charging system.

By law you’re required to have a front and rear lamp, conforming to safety standards BS6102/3 (front) and BS3648, or BS6102/3 (rear) emitting at least four candela. You’ll also need a red rear reflector (safety standard BS6102/2) and four pedal reflectors, coloured amber and conforming to BSS BS6102/2.

Be bright, be seen and follow these guidelines. You may feel you’re lit up like a roman candle but you’ll be seen and you’ll stay safe.

But, if you’re serious about improving your cycling speed and performance, then you’ll need to complement your on-bike activities with some off-bike, strength training exercises and the following tips will help you do just that:

Work the Whole Body

Cyclists rely primarily on the lower body to power their bike and this makes it tempting to focus solely on working the glutes and legs with squats, dead lifts and lunges, but to really improve performance, it’s vital that the core and upper body are also trained for strength.

Balance any workout regimes to include exercises that build strength in the abs, pectorals, triceps and biceps with press-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. Do 4-6 reps of each, 2-3 times at 60 second intervals, 2-3 times per week.

Lift Weights

The aim of the game is to build strength, not bulk, and you can do that by using your own bodyweight for resistance or by using additional weights during squats, pull-ups and deadlifts.

To build refined muscle mass, complete no more than 2-3 sets of 3-5 reps, with breaks of 2 minutes between each, 2-3 times per week.

Act Fast

Cycling often requires quick bursts of power and acceleration and that’s controlled by fast-twitch muscle fibres. The best way to strengthen these fibres is by performing short sprints and fast lifts, squats and resistance exercises.

To begin with, use your own bodyweight as resistance and then increase the difficulty by adding dumbbells, kettle balls and resistance bands into your regime. Keep the reps short and your movements quick and fluid.

Mix It Up

Building and maintaining strength means making exercise part of your lifestyle in the long-term, and one of the biggest challenges to doing this can be sustaining the motivation to workout.

To make it easier, keep your strength training regime varied. Work out at home as well as the gym and mix it up with alternatives like swimming.

As a form of aerobic exercise, swimming can help keep your cardiovascular system healthy so it delivers oxygen to muscles during training or cycling, but if you use training aids that add resistance to arm and leg strokes, swimming can also develop lean muscle and overall physical strength.

Think Beyond Muscle

Building strength isn’t just about developing muscular control and response, it’s about developing flexible joints and bone density to give you full range of cycling movement and the ability to delay fatigue.

Yoga is a great way to complement strength training. It helps build and maintain lean, balanced and flexible muscles, ligaments and joints, and also develops calm and focussed thinking.

Unlike the exercises recommended above which should be completed no more than three times a week, yoga can and should be practiced daily. There are thousands of free yoga tutorials online suitable for beginners or those with experience.

Fuel Up

In order for your body to build strength, it needs the right kind of fuel and although it’s possible to get this from a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in proteins, wholegrains, fresh fruits and vegetables, you can top-up your daily intake with dietary supplements.

Creatine supplements and whey protein have both been shown to enhance resistance training performance by increasing muscle strength and lean mass, while electrolytes can be used to prevent cramp and fatigue and aid recovery after a workout or race.

To find out more about supplements and strength training regimes for cyclists, or get new equipment, clothing and accessories, contact the knowledgeable and friendly team at online cycling shop Formby Cycles.

1. Understand nutrition

Cyclists are an elite bunch, but there are many who underestimate the importance of good nutrition. You need to eat small, frequent meals with plenty of non-refined carbohydrates throughout the day to help build up glycogen ahead of training. If you need a quick energy boost, a burst of refined energy such as an energy bar or gel can help give you some much-needed power. If you’re riding for longer than two hours, eat every hour to keep you fuelled.

2. Implement strength training

While you need to be careful not to be carrying too much weight, a good weight room program can help you increase speed and power in a way unrivalled by other methods of training. Implementing squats, lunges and deadlifts into your routine can help give you legs like Sir Chris Hoy and increase your pedalling power.

3. Train intervals

Interval style training is the ultimate way to increase your speed and emulate sprints come race day. Repeatedly climbing a hill, slowly cycling down and heading back up again builds up a unique kind of endurance and ability. If you’d like to perform intervals on a longer route, pedal normally for five minutes, then power to top speed for two, back to normal for five and repeat.

4. Improve your posture

A simple trick that is easy to implement, improving your cycling posture is vital for a better, faster ride. Wind resistance drags your speed down and stops you achieving your max potential. Reduce resistance by lowering your body position. Lower your body closer to the bars and tuck your elbows in to increase an aerodynamic form.

5. Hydrate!

One of the most overlooked aspects of cycling is hydration. Cardiovascular activity reduces your blood volume and makes your heart work harder. To combat this, you need to take in plenty of fluids throughout the day. When you’re riding, energy drinks are a good way to get some carbohydrates and liquid. Aim to drink a bottle every hour when pedalling hard.

I wanted to share with you today a great little info-graphic I found from Halfords. It’s called ‘Year Round Essentials For Cycling‘ and it’s perfect for anyone looking to get into cycling.

All the best with your training for 2016!

Although an investigation is still underway into the player safety and neck protection, it is not only cricket officials alone who seriously reconsidering the safety of all those involved in the sport, with sales of cricket helmets soaring in Australia, with some stores reporting a 70% increase since the tragedy occurred.  This fatality has been somewhat of a reality check and has affected both amateurs and professionals alike, many of whom are upping their game immensely in terms of protective gear and looking after their own safety, even in sports you may not have considered to be a danger. Whether you’re crazy about cricket or serious about swimming, here are just a few ways in which to ensure you’re as safe as you can be when partaking in your favourite hobby.

Cricket

Despite already having a large amount of protection in place already, understandably the cricket world have stepped up and increased the way in which they keep their players safe. More now than ever it is essential that you kit up correctly and ensure you’re sufficiently protected whether you’re simply training or taking part in a match. It’s evident that something as simple as a stray ball can cause unimaginable damage, and so from helmets to pads to gloves, stocking up on high quality cricket protection from a company such as Talent Cricket is the best way in which to prevent further tragedies.

Running

Jogging is becoming increasingly popular with the young and old alike, allowing you to truly unwind and clear your mind after even the most stressful of days. Unfortunately, due to current time of year both the mornings and evenings are fairly dark, yet these are the times of day we are often restricted to such activities, and many of us choose to run on poorly lit roads and roadsides. Dressing appropriately is a huge part of safety when jogging, and wearing high-vis clothing will ensure any approaching motorists can see you clearly and in sufficient time to slow down safely is a must.

Cycling

Whether you’re cycling indoors on a track or outside on a road, a good quality helmet should be your number one priority when you set off on two wheels. Similarly to those who jog, if you’re choosing to use the main roads for your cycling ventures, then high-vis clothing as well as sufficient lighting and reflectors are highly recommended – especially when doing so at night.

Thanks for reading,

Stay fit and healthy with cycling

To start with, cycling builds muscle tone and strength. Contrally to the normal perceptions of many, cycling is essentially not really a fitness activity as such but the exercise helps in strength building in a holistic way since the activity involves nearly each and every part of your body. In addition, cycling helps a lot in increasing muscle function as you can exercise easily with less straining. Cycling regularly helps to strengthen your leg muscles and works wonders in enhancing the mobility of your knee joints and hip. Cycling builds stamina and it is greatly effective in this especially due to the fact that it is something that most people really enjoy.

Health experts will also tell you that cycling helps a lot in improving cardiovascular fitness. This is mainly due to the fact that cycling helps a lot in making your heart bead steadily and boosts your cardio vascular fitness in a remarkable way. Since cycling makes use of a large group of muscles in the legs, it is able to raise the heart rate to greatly benefit from fitness and stamina. In addition to this, cycling also eats up calories and it is a perfect way to shed out those unwanted pounds and boosts your metabolism in a major way. And most importantly, cycling reduces stress as well and depression while remarkably improving yourself esteem and well being. Cycling gives you a chance of getting in touch with nature and feeling the breath of earth.

Importance of selecting the correct clothes and footwear for cycling

Wearing cycling specific clothing and footwear makes your ride comfortable, whether you are cycling on the road, commuting to/from work or hitting the trail. Bike styled wear can really help a lot in making you perform much better and also ride longer as well. Checkout Fat Birds for a wide range of bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes & cycling clothing. Cycling also reduces your level of fatigue and improves your stamina while making you engage in the activity for a prolonged time period. If you are using clipless pedals, opt for shoes, which work well with your cleats and then match your cycling style. It is even much better that you seek lightweight shoes with a durable sole to offer you ample tread for gripping the trail when needed. When cycling in a rainy or wet day, consider using shoe covers or toe covers as well.

Thanks for reading,

Happy New Year! Over the Christmas period I’ve had my feet up. I’ll tell you all shortly about how my latest charity challenge went, it was eventful to say the least! I’ve also been thinking about doing my very first triathlon. Here are my thoughts:

When it comes to preparing yourself to take part in a triathlon, there is a need to ensure that you are fully focused and motivated. Over the course of the training for a triathlon, many people find that their focus falls solely on this activity. This means that many people will have a triathlon on the brain for much of their build-up to the race.

This means making some sacrifices and it means you may need to explain your training to others. If you have a wife, partner or close family, you need to try and balance the need to train with the need to see and look after them. This is definitely an area where triathlons need to have a complete focus in their life, so it helps to make sure that your friends and loved ones are on board as quickly and as comprehensively as possible.

One of the best ways that you can become fully focused on what a triathlon entails is to look at the equipment on offer and ensure that you have the right gear. There is a lot of clothing and equipment to choose from but there are some items that are more important than others. For instance, you definitely need to have access to a bike to take part in a triathlon. However, while there are many different styles of bikes to choose from, you want to choose a bike that is ideally suited to the terrain and nature of the event.

The right bike can make all the difference

This is where choosing from the range of time trial bikes may be of greater benefit to you. These bikes are slightly different from standard bikes in that they have handlebars or aerobars which reduce drafting. When it comes to time trials, cyclists are not allowed to draft, which places a greater level of importance on lowering the amount of aerodynamic drag of the rider and the bike. This style of bike can give you a much needed boost when it comes to taking part in the cycling event of a triathlon. There is not too much of a market for time trial bikes and triathlon bikes on their own but the popularity of both of these events ensures that the market which combines both of these elements will of be interest to many people.

When it comes to making the most of cycling, you also need to ensure that your diet is fully committed to the cause. A triathlete needs to take in the proper fuel to ensure that they are fit and ready for purpose in the build-up to the race. Training and taking part in a triathlon requires a great deal of training, which means that there is a need to be focused and to have enough fuel to get you through increased levels of work and commitment. This is where there is a huge need to tailor your diet and to ensure that your life is focused on getting the best training and performance levels.

Thanks for reading,

I don’t feel like I’ve been around very much lately. We’re in the final throws of a house extension and my kids are growing up fast. Don’t worry though, I’m back and I’ve been training hard. Still running, still lifting weights and still enjoying it. I thought I’d write a little bit about the health benefits of cycling.

When you’re looking for ways to keep fit, you can often feel overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the right exercise regime for you. For a lot of people, the answer is cycling. It’s easy to get into, it improves your health and it’s cheap. Here are just four of the health benefits:

1. Improved Stamina

Make cycling a regular part of your week and you’ll begin to notice improved levels of stamina. If you’re cycling to work every day, you’ll start to notice that you’re getting there quicker week by week.  You may also notice that the gears you normally use are becoming too easy for you. Ratchet the up the difficulty and continue to challenge yourself. When you’re out on a bike ride at the weekend, you may be surprised at how far you can go!

An excellent way to track your progress is to record your rides using cycling apps available for your smartphone. The Strava cycling app will give you a detailed breakdown of each ride and help you track your progress.

2. Easy Way To Exercise

Jogging may seem like the cheapest and easiest way to get started, but it might not be as beneficial as you’d think. Your joints can take a battering when you first get started and that can be enough to put people off it for good. Cycling on the other hand, is a great alternative.

The majority of your weight is supported by the saddle of your bike. This means that if you are carrying a bit of extra weight, your skeleton won’t take a beating as you start to exercise.

Cycling is also a relatively cost effective way to exercise. Leisure Lakes Bikes have a wide variety of bikes to suit any budget. Just make sure you have the necessary safety gear before you hit the roads. We’d recommend that you pick up one of these Fox helmets to keep you safe, just in case any accidents occur.

3. Burns Calories

With winter on the way, what better way to start shifting those unwanted pounds than by hopping on your bike? If you maintain a 10 mph pace, it’s possible to burn 215 – 500 calories on every 30 minute bike ride. Every little helps, and it won’t take you long to get to this level if you cycle regularly.

4. Improves Heart Health

Medical News Today reported that cycling could reduce your risk of heart disease by 50 per cent if you cycle just 20 miles every week. The British Medical Association carried out the research using 10,000 civil servants and found that those who cycled were half as likely to suffer from heart disease. Mark that down as one more reason to get pedalling!

Thanks for reading and I promise to start blogging more.