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9 proven ways to improve your cycling performance

9 proven ways to improve your cycling performance

Cycling is a great way to stay in shape and save on gas money. But often, people are unsure of how to get the most out of their time spent cycling, or they don’t know what kind of bike they should be riding. This blog post will offer some training tips for beginners that want to improve their performance quickly.

Do you want to know how to improve your cycling performance? Whether it be for a race or just for fun, many different things can help. Unfortunately, there is no right way to do this because everyone’s body is different and responds differently. But after saying that, there are some tried-and-true ways of improving your cycling that both professionals and recreational cyclists alike have tested!

      1.  Get a bike that fits your body and riding style:

9 proven ways to improve your cycling performance

Buying a bike is expensive, so you want to make sure that it fits your body as well as your riding style. When choosing a bike, one of the most important things is making sure that the seat is at the right height for you. You can measure this by putting one heel on the ground and measuring from there to an imaginary point on the top tube (the horizontal beam that connects the seat to the handlebars). This point is typically around 14-15 inches for a road bike and 18-19″ for a mountain bike.

      2.  Warm up before you ride:

It will help prepare your muscles for the workout ahead. Depending on how long you are planning to ride and your training intensity, you can vary in length from about 15 minutes for a leisurely ride up to about 1 hour for a more intense session or race. In time, you will want to focus on warming up to prevent any injuries and prepare your body for the workload ahead of it. Before jumping into anything, make sure you start with a slow 5-10 minute warm-up to get lubed up, then start increasing your pace gradually. Again, introductions are critical, and if you don’t warm-up, you will more than likely pull something in your back, legs, arms, or neck. A general rule is to go about 10 minutes before you start riding, but as mentioned, everyone’s body is different, so that it may take longer for some people.

      3.   Keep yourself hydrated:

Drink at least 8 ounces of water before you ride, and drink plenty of fluids during the ride (at least 16 ounces per hour). In addition, drink a sports drink half an hour before your ride for extra carbohydrates. your cells require energy, and they break down fat and carb molecules for the purpose; the body needs water to help break down these stored molecules and hence burn fat.

     4.  Focus on the diet:

9 proven ways to improve your cycling performance

Eat a healthy diet to give yourself more energy while cycling. Think about what you eat before and during a ride. There’s nothing wrong with indulging every once in a while, but if you’re trying to lose weight, think about how many extra calories you’ll be burning before you decide to go for that second slice of pizza. That applies to any exercise, not just cycling. If you are trying to lose weight, you have to be on a calorie deficit diet. That is to say; you must burn more calories than you consume.

     5.  Cycling accessories:

9 proven ways to improve your cycling performanceWear padded shorts to prevent saddle sores from chafing on your inner thighs while pedaling. Always wear a helmet for your head and some gloves. Cycling accessories such as water bottles are often brought along fluids that you can drink while on the go. If you want extra storage space, consider purchasing panniers or saddlebags, which are bag(s) mounted either under the seat or over your rear wheel. You can design your custom cycling jerseys and accessories for your cycling workout’s more revived spirit and motivation.

   6.  Maintain your training schedule, keep changing your routine:

Make sure you have a workout routine. Also, You need to change up what you are doing every day, or else you will not see any improvements. The more variety in your workout, the better because it gives you a break from constantly doing the same exercise every day and gives some rest for the muscles that have been worked out recently. Our body needs rest, but do not go off of our routine for more than three days in a row. Your body will begin to forget the habit of exercising.

   7.  Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and rest:

9 proven ways to improve your cycling performance

Allow your body to rest so that your muscles repair the tissues and are ready for the next day’s wear and tear. Your body gets accustomed to what you are doing every day if you do the same thing every day, but that will not allow your body to react positively. Instead, break up your workout with days where you take a break and ride for fun without any pressure. It will enable your muscles to regroup and recover with no worry. Take a day off every week if you can because taking days off in between is much better than not riding at all for weeks on end.

    8.   Change up the terrain:

Switch your view and scenery on which you train, including hills, flats, and descents. Cycling on hills works different muscle groups than cycling on the flat surface and can make rides more enjoyable. The key is to vary the mountains to train yourself to have consistent power regardless of going uphill or downhill.

     9.   Fighting the adaptation:

Not many things are more effective than bicycling for fitness and getting in shape. It is a full-body workout that can be done at any time of the year, even when the weather sucks! But after cycling for a while, you may find that it takes more effort to keep up with your friends and family, or you may lose the motivation to do it every day. It is often caused by a plateau effect, or when your body adapts to the current activity and stops adapting. The only way is to challenge yourself daily.

Conclusion:

You can improve your performance with hard work, persistence, and determination. You must improve yourself every day and keep yourself motivated to become the best version of yourself. Happy cycling!

 

South Florida Caribbean News

The SFLCN.com Team provides news and information for the Caribbean-American community in South Florida and beyond.

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