What if there weren’t any other options? This famous character has a very important lesson we can tell our students: listen to the man! This article also gives you some tips on knowing whether or not you might be pushing your students beyond their limits (hint: you probably aren’t)!Read more…
Have you used mantras to inspire your students up epic climbs? Do you know how they work? Here are the reasons behind why mantras help focus athletes on the task at hand, as well as 85 different mantras you can use in your coaching, and tips on how to personalize them and to inspire your students to create their own.Read more…
The majority of people who do not like to stand claim they feel awkward out of the saddle and it drives their heart rate through the roof. Many believe they don’t have the strength to stand. It is not an issue of strength but technique. Read more…
I started experimenting more with breathing technique after adding yoga to my training about ten years ago. We all know breathing is important, but I was unaware of the hidden benefits of developing breathing technique until I experienced it firsthand on the bike.Read more…
This strategy for strength dips in the world of biomechanics—one of my favorite topics! We can sometimes spend hours working on our pedal stroke seated, but neglect full muscle usage when standing. When proper pedal stroke technique is not emphasized out of the saddle, riders usually resort to simply mashing down on the pedals. This only activates the quadriceps and reduces efficiency, endurance, and power. So let’s throw some hip in there.Read more…
Before I contribute a few of my favorite climbing strategies, I want to share my perspective on climbing. Because I’m mostly a sprinter, one might wonder what climbing strategies I have to offer. Well, if anyone has strategies for climbing, it would be a person who knows suffering is always involved.Read more…
This climbing strategy helped me get over climbs of two or more hours in the Alps and New Zealand. I’ve found a way to use it in my classes and really get students to zone inward when their road tilts upward for long periods. It’s not quite what you think!Read more…
Climbing big mountains is a rite of passage for cyclists. Getting you and your bicycle up that hill in defiance of gravity is one of the most difficult aspects of riding a bicycle, but it is also one of the great attractions to cycling. Overcoming the mountain challenges you—it bares your soul; it asks you to perform beyond what you thought was even possible. Over the next few weeks, Tom and I will be giving you our favorite strategies—both physical and mental—to get you and your students over that hump. We’ll be drawing from our own experience climbing long, hard mountains.Read more…
Many thoughtful instructors spend a great amount of time developing wonderful playlists combining strong physiological sequencing with impactful music. Yet many of these same instructors ad lib the beginning and end of class without much prior thought. Here are some specific things you can do to strengthen the impact of your intros and outros, while creating an atmosphere of trust and community.Read more…
Use positive reinforcement to highlight students’ skills, positive efforts, and improvements to increasing the frequency of specific behaviors.Read more…