Gulf Coast Cycle Fit

Hayden gives the look and then takes Dad to the pain cave

2010-07-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

Hayden has decided that he wants to start riding a road bike. I think he likes it.

I miss Gulf Coast Cycle Fit

2010-05-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

The family and I have been in Colorado Springs for seven months now. It totally feels like we are living "on vacation". In addition to working, we've been skiing, hiking, climbing, road cycling, mountain biking. It's what I've always dreamed about.

I'm in a bit of a cross roads. Gulf Coast Cycle Fit has ended in Mobile and I've always felt like there would be a time that I would start it back up in our new location. That's easier said than done. It's not like I can walk into any of the local bike shops and say "Hi, I'm David and I owned Gulf Coast Cycle Fit". Even if I was able to schedule an appointment with a client, our new house doesn't have any lab space for fitting or video work. So, I wait. I wait for God to open the door for the next step.

Gulf Coast Cycle Fit was always a ministry for me. It was a way for me to help folks accomplish goals in their lives. It also gave me a way to get to know clients and talk about things that are more important than cycling(If that's possible). I have to say that I miss it. As times goes by, I feel the knowledge seeping away. It's not a feeling that I enjoy.

So, what's going to happen next? I have to say that I don't know. I do know that I have enjoyed the opportunity to get in more riding time. I enjoy the feel of the road and trails under my wheels. One day, I'll get back to helping others enjoy the sport like I do.

So, here are the things that I pray about with regard to bike fitting and technique training.
Lord Jesus, you know how bike fitting and training blessed me and how much I enjoyed blessing others. Is it your purpose for me to leave it in the past or will it return? If it is going to return, who is the population and where will it exist. Is it going to be a career or a hobby? If it's something that I need to leave in the past, let me know so that I can move on to other area of service in your Kingdom.

With or without bike fitting and technique training, cycling is still the best sport on the planet.

Dynamic vs. Static Bike Fit

2010-02-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've written. It's like I have cob webs in the brain and in the typing fingers. So much has happened over the last 8 months. We moved to Colorado Springs and consequently, I had to close Gulf Coast Cycle Fit in Mobile. At this point, I'm unsure where the path leads here in the Springs. I don't know if a new era will begin or if cycle fit is over. At this point, I have a feeling that it is just dormant. If it re-emerges, we will somehow have to fit it into our lives differently. As much as I enjoyed it, it took up too much of our family time.

Here are my latest thoughts on bike fit. They are spurred on by a conversation I had last week with a 40 year old, very successful amateur triathlete. I say "successful" based on the number of placings he mentioned. (I had just finished tweaking a fit on a longstanding client at a local bike shop while I was back in Mobile.) At present, this guy is an injured athlete and it appears that his injuries are related to a recent change in bike fit. He's been fit twice on a high tech system that is relatively new on the market.

Here are the stats: 5'8", probably 140lbs, 32" inseam.
He has 20 years of riding experience on 170mm cranks and within the last 2 years, he changed to 175's based on the recommendations of the new fit system. In fact, the second fit was done because he was having pain and they confirmed that he was in the correct position albeit pain producing.

DOES ANYONE SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS??????? IS ANYTHING SCREAMING OUT TO YOU??

Now, dynamic vs static. Like two religions within a belief system...
Dynamic bike fit has come along with the advancement of technology, while static fit has been around a while. I like what the triathlete said, "I didn't want to go to someone who just used plumb bobs". My response, "But you were fit using new technology and now you are injured". It took him a while to wrap his hands around that one.

One the other hand, static bike fit has some serious limitations. I completely agree that a static system cannot account for the events that occur in a dynamic process. However, static has the means to set boundary based on tangible, reliable measurements where dynamic fails. This is successful because static can create a fit without the influence of counter productive movement patterns. It's GIGO(Garbage in, garbage out).

Now, before you think I'm all about static fit and we should go back to the stone age, stop and listen. I look at it this way, a musical score is just ink on paper(static). It's nothing special in the absence of musicians. Music is the dynamic reflection of the musical score. While something might look good on paper, it might sound horrible once played out loud. Conversely, musicians who play their instrument without a collaborative score are just noise makers. The two must work hand in glove. Such is my thought on bike fit.

This discussion is not about one vs the other. It's about a process of gaining knowledge. Just because we have progressed to calculus, that doesn't mean that we can throw away addition and subtraction. We have to be able to use both systems to solve problems.

In the end, I'm dealing with a broken heart. There's a successful athlete out there, now injured. Instead of helping this athlete, the new technology validated itself and the athlete walks away with continued pain. Please tell me that we have not forgotten who we are trying to help. Isn't the athlete the one we are trying to serve? Who is going to solve his problem? Please tell me that this athlete didn't write a check for this. Someone need to write him a check!

Gulf Coast Cycle Fit is officially closed!

2009-10-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

The sign on the door reads: "Gone hiking, gone skiing, gone to Colorado Springs!". My last scheduled clients are this weekend.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the house. I've learned so much from each of you. I hope I've made your cycling life better.

We will be back in Mobile two times per year for Eastern Shore Kids Market, www.easternshorekidsmarket.com.

Why in the world?

2009-07-08T22:31:00.000-07:00

Why in the world would you forsake things that are not changeable so that you can maintain something that can be changed?

As I was mentioning in the previous post. Old Fit tends to drive New Fit for those that are unaware. Maybe this occurs because it's convenient. Personally, I think this occurs because of a lack of knowledge.

If such a great percentage of people are positioned poorly on their bike, why do people perpetuate errors?

Bike fit has to meet the needs of things that cannot change. Muscle physiology and joint biomechanics will not change. Now, I'm not talking about changes in muscle fiber type. I'm talking about how muscles generate force and the patterns that this force is generated in. Expressly, the length/tension curve.

Unfortunately, most bike fitters tend to fit their clients to meet the needs of their existing motor patterns. This is a neurophysiologic phenomenon. It resides in the brain. The brain on the other hand has one tremendous capacity that joints and muscles lack. It has the ability to learn and change drastically.

So, doesn't it seem appropriate to fit clients to their bikes in the manner that correlates to the rather static principles of muscle physiology and joint biomechanics so that their benefits are expressed to the greatest capacity and the risk of injury is limited as much as possible.

So what if the client doesn't "feel right" initially. The brain has the capacity to be plastic. It will change under the right circumstances and take advantage of the new environment!

Old Fit/New Fit (Cont.)

2009-07-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the question when it comes to Old Fit determining New Fit.

Of these things which one has the opportunity for modification?

Length tension ratio aspect of muscle physiology
Joint biomechanics
Motor patterns (Hint: This one!)

Old Fit/New Fit

2009-07-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

I know... It's been a while.

This one has been churning for a while. I don't remember if I've written on this before or not, but, here it goes.

I had the opportunity to call a rather popular online bike shop a couple weeks ago. I called them because I rec'd a cold call from a local cyclist. He wanted me to fit him on a bike that he had purchased online. Immediately, red flags began to fly up everywhere. The prospective client was returning to the sport after being away due to injury. He had also gained approx 20lbs. over this period of time. He had purchased a bike that has a seat mast that required a custom cut. I was disturbed by the whole discussion for many reasons.

First, what in the hell is a online bike shop doing selling this type of frame to someone they don't even know. Someone who's body has changed significantly over the past six months and will likely change significantly over the next six months. Based on the math and the degree of adjustability, it would be quite possible that the bike could not be adjusted to meet the riders needs within six months if he was able to regain his prior fitness. Don't get me wrong. The bike is cool. The situation is/was a disaster.

To date, I haven't had the chance to work with the client in person. After thinking it through, I called him back and tried to explain why this purchase was wrong. The frame he purchased would be great for someone who has had a stable riding position for at least a year. He's not that guy. He was going to contact the online retailer and try to make an exchange. I don't know how it went(good or bad). If he was forced to purchase the frame, I'm sure someone would take his money and do the fit. I just couldn't do it.

While in the process of gathering information about the frame and fitting/cutting information, I contacted the retailer. I asked how they decided a rider should be positioned on the new bike. To my amazement, the guy responded by saying, "We just position riders like they were on their old bike". When I heard this, my head almost exploded!!!! What if the old position was wrong?

I can tell you that I have only had one(maybe two) clients that were positioned properly according to my protocol. For the rest, they are all over the place. Saddle height has been as much as 5 cm too low or 2 cm too high. Saddle Fore/Aft has been as much as 6cm too far forward or 5 cm too far back. This is a huge degree of potential error. The chances that a rider is positioned properly is very low. Riders are out of position in all directions and I didn't even mention foot position or handlebar/hood position.

I want to write more on this but it's getting late. Next time, I'll explain the why old position should not dictate new position.

Spending money helps focus fitness

2009-04-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you... but spending a little bit or sometimes a lot of money on bike stuff helps me regain fitness. In the past I used to say that everyone should get a new bike every year. There's something about a new ride that helps you get the juices flowing again. Well, after the kids started coming along, I had to start finding other reasons to get motivated. Then, I bought a Seven Axiom road bike. Now I don't have a reason to purchase a new bike. It rides just as nicely as it the day it arrived four years ago.

No, I didn't purchase a new bike. However, I did upgrade to the latest version of the iBike power meter. If you've read some of my early posts about the iBike, you will remember that there were good days and bad days. If you had the luxury of riding on silky smooth tarmac, things weren't too bad. But, if you had to ride on the roads in lower Alabama, you were out of luck. In the end, I knew when I could trust the numbers and when I couldn't. I had a training route that was fairly smooth and, provided that I was riding alone, I could do a good job of managing my power.

Enter the Generation III(my old model was a 1st gen that replaced a very early defective model). Over the past year, I had lost contact with the folks at Velocomp. Periodically, I would get the marketing emails that talked about new upgrades. Most of those went to the circular file. However, one day I decided to click the link from the email to the website. I started reading some of the new reviews. I went to the forum and began to read some other positive comments about the new product. As a late Christmas present to myself, I decided to upgrade. A week or so later, it arrived. The new sleek chassis looks cool and set up was pretty simple.

There is a calibration methodology that is a bit laborious but I recommend you follow it to the T if you want to get decent numbers. As soon as the calibration was complete, I headed out to one of the "bumpy" roads out in the county. This particular road would cause my old unit to show triple or quadruple wattage numbers compared to smooth roads. If you have worked with some of the power analysis software programs like Cyclingpeaks(or WKO+ or Trainingpeaks or what ever they are calling it today. By the way, what's up with all the name changes?) you know it causes a huge hassle and basically obliterates any trending data.

I digress... I headed out the the bumpy road and watched the power readings like a hawk. Here's the good news. THE NUMBERS WERE GOOD! What a wonderful experience. I was able to ride the entire bumpy road and match power to heart rate all the way. Good news for those individuals who don't want to spend $1500 on a power meter. The iBike is less than half that. If you want to go real cheap, you can get the iSport. It has the same guts but it's not down-loadable. At $199, it's not much more expensive than some of the nicer bike computers.

I haven't had the chance to ride in a group or ultrahigh speeds to see how it works in these situations. I'm hoping for good news here as well. I'll let you know how it goes.

The final straw...

2009-03-31T21:28:00.000-07:00

Who knows where this one is going...

In the last month, I changed jobs. Gone are the days of middle management. Gone are the days of spinning my wheels trying to satisfy the needs of the staff(poorly) and trying to answer to the call of administration(poorly). I can't say that I miss it. There are many things I do miss but those things have little to do with my past job description. I had the opportunity to enjoy some wonderful relationships with co-workers. The hospital has a lot of great people. I will miss them, but I don't see that I'm going to miss the job.

So, what's new. I'm back to direct patient care. Back to making a difference for little old men and little old women. It's a new environment for me. Now days, I drive from house to house to treat people in their homes. Not something that I would have aspired for early in my career. In the younger days, I was driven by the art and science of manual therapy. Manual therapists think of themselves as the creme de la creme...and for the most part, they are. I've studied under some of the most brilliant practitioners in the world. There was a time when I wanted to run in those circles. I wanted to be that therapist that others would call on. Now days, I just want peace. The peace of driving alone. The peace of arriving at a patient's house and being greeted by the dog in the yard. The peace of sharing a cup of coffee with patients who have seen the world change over the course 95-100 years. There's much to be learned if we take the time to listen. I'm looking forward to this new era.

So, what was the final straw? For the last several years, I've been looking for a change in career. Try as I might, I never found an opportunity that seemed to work. I have pages of prayers where I asked God to either give me peace or let me go. I never felt like I had liberty to go. So, I stayed and prayed. One day, I happened upon the cycling manufacturer's website. There it was: "Director of Bike Fitting" in the career section. I was in a bit of a crunch for time. I did a quick revamp of the resume' and answered a few questions based on my bike fitting experience. I never thought I would hear from them. I never thought I would have the qualifications to be considered with so many talented people in this emerging area of cycling science. This is one of those times when I was glad I was wrong. The company called me and we began talking about the position they had in mind. Let's just say that it was going to be a dream job. I made arrangements to fly up to meet with the staff and owner in mid December. It was an amazing trip. I met some of the most passionate(and blessed) people in the cycling industry.

At the end of the trip, I was basically offered the job. As I left the offices, I don't think my feet touched the ground until I got back home. We had plans to discuss compensation and all the other stuff that goes along with changing jobs. Unfortunately, the economy had other plans. Meetings to discuss the details were postponed from late December, to January, to February. When the call didn't come in February, I chose not to bring it up again.

When I was discussing the Director of Bike Fitting role with the owner. I was very up front about it. If I got the job, that would be great. If I didn't get the job, I still had the opportunity to work closely as coach and bike fitter. It is truly a win-win. I still believe it to be a win-win. I now have relationships with some of the most influential people in the bike industry. You won't find any better.

So, that's the straw. I was ready to leave the hospital. I had a fleeting opportunity to leave health care and go into the cycling industry full time and at present, it has slipped away. As you can imagine, my attachment to the hospital was gone. By early January, I was showing up to work in body only. My dedication to the organization was gone. I had to get out. Luckily, the door opened for me to take the new role back in patient care.

Where's the silver lining? Maybe I had been holding on to that middle management job too long. I needed something to come along and break my grip and force a change. I'm a firm believer that everyone needs to work in their area of passion. I have a passion to make positive changes in people's lives. The middle management role didn't fulfill this need. Regardless of the industry(health care or cycling), if I have the opportunity to make a difference, I get the intangible rewards!

Tomorrow is another day! I'll get to walk, and talk with people who are twice my age. I'll get to make their day go better. It will be a great day!

So what has he been doing?

2009-02-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

It seems that I've been running around like the proverbial "chicken with the head cut off". I've actually seen a chicken with it's head cut off. It's rather disturbing.

Let's see.
It all started on January 8th when we found out that our other business, Eastern Shore Kids Market, may be written out of existence by a new federal law. You can read about the CPSIA law on our Kids Market blog. In a rush to hold one final sale, we quickly got our ducks in a row and launched a sale that was held during the last week of January. While in the process of preparing for the sale, the CPSC issued a guidance statement for consignment sales. We were off the hook for required third party lead content certification. But, the ball was rolling and we had to press forward with the sale. As it turns out, we learned a lot. It wasn't our best sale, but new challenges require new thinking. It's times like this that cause you to get out of your box and consider new solutions. I would say that we came up with three new process ideas that we will implement in the future.

Then, I decided to leave my current "real job" and go back to patient care in the home health arena. I can give more details about this later.

Lastly, we just returned from our second annual ski trip to Snowshoe, West Virginia. It was an awesome trip. But trips like this are epic in nature. They take more than a week to prepare and at least a week to recover once you return. We did snow mobiling, tubing and skiing. Things of note: There were more major accidents on the slopes than last year. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon. By Sunday night, the resort looked like an ambulance parade. Maybe it was a full moon?

What to do now? I have two more weeks before starting the new job. It's a bit surreal. I've been here 15 years. Moving on to something new is bittersweet.

Most importantly, I need to get back on the bike for some serious training.

No time for writing

2009-02-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

Things have been crazy lately. It's time for re-prioritization. Need more riding and less static.

Myopia

2009-01-22T10:03:00.000-08:00

Myopia is a land very close to us in the cycling world. Myopians are around us. Their views are promoted in research, in magazines and on the web. Most of the time, I think Myopians are purely innocent individuals that are trying to help their fellow cyclists. Other times, I think they really believe that there is one aspect of cycling that reigns supreme over all other aspects. This can't be true.

The single faceted approach to cycling has served to create confusion for the general cycling community. "Well 'so in so' did 'this' or 'that' and now they are riding 15 mph faster than they were a year ago"! The single faceted approach promoted by Myopians it typically all about marketing.

I had the opportunity to have a short exchange with a Myopian recently. I rec'd and email with a statement about cycling. Based on the email, I knew where this was going. So, I replied with an apparently "ignorant" or "base" question. However, it was meant to be bait. The question was asked to flush out the single faceted approach that was being promoted.

Aristotelian logic promotes that we have different types of answers to arguments, "either/or" or "both/and". In "either/or" questions, there is right and wrong. For example, if we ask, "are you pregnant?". The answer cannot be "yes" and "no". It's one or the other, it's yes or no. On the other hand, we have other types of arguments that can be answer with multiple answers that are correct. "Does a plane fly because of it's speed or the shape of the wings?". The answer here is "both". Without either one, the plane does not fly. However, don't let "both/and" argument deceive you. The answers cannot include "right" and "wrong" answers within one "both/and" argument. All answers have to be either "right" or "wrong".

Here the question I asked about his philosophy. "Does [your product or philosophy] have priority over everything else [in cycling]?" He wrote back, "Absolutely". This is the essence of the single faceted approach. He is approaching the cycling activity as something that only requires one answer and everything else is wrong. In this case, he is approaching the situation as an argument with a "either/or" solution when we need a "both/and" solution. This is ludicrous thinking at best. In my last entry, I tried to talk about the complexity of cycling. Single faceted solutions are a product of the box we have placed ourselves in. We have not studied human physiology, biomechanics and physics!

I'm in a bit of a conundrum at this point. Part of me wants to engage and share knowledge, the other part is wise enough to know that all hills are not worth dying on.

There are a couple things that come to mind. "if is sounds to good to be true, it probably is" and "complex biomechanical models require multifaceted solutions". If a Myopian approaches you with a solution to all your problems, be cautious.

To Continue....Objective Findings

2009-01-21T20:15:00.001-08:00

Defining research models for cycling is a difficult squirrel to catch. There are so many things going on within the cycling activity and so many variables that most research models fall short. Don't get me wrong, this is not the fault of the researcher. In the scientific approach, you have to constrain the or limit certain variables so that the finite piece of information you are evaluating can be captured with the least amount of extraneous interference. Well, in doing so, you create something that is not real. The more you constrain the activity, the less the activity resembles cycling.

My mentor in the sport defines the problem as this: "We have bodies in motion, in motion". ???

The human body is in motion, moving legs, arms and head. The bike is moving: wheels are turning, crank, chain and fork/handlebar. And...the entire complex is moving down the road. Combine all of this and it's an incredible amount of data to control. Add the fact that the rider is responding to other people on bikes(in a peleton) or cars(in traffic). There's no way to get your hands around the situation in one simple research project.

On the positive side, there is a tremendous amount of research about the human body that defines how we move, where we are strong, how we learn etc. There is also a great deal of information in the area of mechanics(physics). It seems to me that the cycling community expects research about cycling to somehow include a bike in the project. However, should we just discard years of research about how the human body operates? Does the body somehow do something magically different once we are on the bike? I think not. The body is bound by physiologic principles that have been defined. You can read about them in any high school or collegiate Exercise Physiology text.

Here's where a few people are using common sense. There are a few that are not blown around by every new breeze in the cycling research. We don't search for pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. We do things the "old fashion way(with new technology to help)". We apply the principles of human physiology to the sport of cycling. We consider all aspects of the sport and all possible experiences that the cyclist may encounter. We communicate this in a straight forward manner and we get results.

I'm sorry for the long winded nature of this entry. I'm on a roll.

Back to objective findings. Here's how it works. The pedal stroke can be defined based on muscle physiology. I can evaluate this in a matter of seconds to let you know where you are loosing power. After showing this to you in a video format, I can walk you through the negative impact of poor technique and show you the benefits of good technique. You will be able to feel the difference.

Lasting change is up to you. You have to take the information gathered during the session and incorporate it into you daily training plan. If you do, you will notice the difference.

More recalls - Mavic r-sys

2009-01-16T16:32:00.000-08:00

http://www.velonews.com/article/86435/mavic-announces-r-sys-recall

Giant Frame/Fork recall

2009-01-16T10:38:00.001-08:00

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=/tech/2009/news/01-15

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml09/09096.html

Bike fit based on what...

2009-01-15T07:12:00.001-08:00

It seems that bike fitting is the latest greatest thing in the bike industry. I see this trend from a slightly different perspective than most. As bike fitting is on the rise, I think the standard should be elevated.

Here's where I have my beef. Bike fit based on what? Here's the way the conversation goes with a cyclist. "I was fit on my bike. The guy who did it said I looked good." What? The bike fit is based on what someone thinks looks good?. There's an interesting phenomenon in neuroscience. In a nutshell, if the practitioner is able to get the client to do what they "think" is best(regardless of whether is right or not), it makes the practitioner feel good! There is actually a release of endorphins. Does this seem like a principle that best serves the client?

Here's my question. If the fit process is based on the subjective opinion of the fitter vs. laws of physics, principles of physiology and rules of biomechanics? I would say that we have a problem. Don't get me wrong, many fitters use tools that make the process look objective. However, they are willing to go against what the tools tell them if the client has complaints. That would be the subject of another post(you can't chase fit if the problem is based in lack of function).

I think I've said this before... Bike fit is a doorway to function. It is not the end all be all. Bike fit allows for effective force delivery and bike control. In addition, bike fit without technique training is akin to purchasing a set of keys(without the car to go with it). Keys are useless unless you can use them to access the car's power.

So, next time you consider a bike fit, ask some questions.
How do you determine if someone is in the right position?
What is this based on?
Is there any scientific evidence that one position is better than another?
Now that your bike is fit, what do you do next? If the fitter says, "go ride", you should request your money back. They don't understand what they are doing.

You are passionate when...

2009-01-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

...you have to set an alarm clock to remind you to stop.

...you have to be told to eat.

...vacations seem too long.

...you don't know the next time you get paid.

...bad days working are better than fishing on a sunny day.

...you think sleep is over-rated.

...you can't stop learning.

...you don't see "sick days" as a benefit.

...you realize life is too short to get everything done.

...you can't remember the last time you were bored.

...you realize this is the reason you were made.

...you think like an owner, not an employee.

Mountain bike fork recall

2009-01-08T07:06:00.001-08:00

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09082.html

I forgot one!

2009-01-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

After completing yesterday's entry, I realized that I forgot one of the most common situations that create eccentric muscle activity within the pedal stroke.

Eccentric quad activity on the upstroke. Typically, this occurs at higher cadences when riders are pedaling faster than their coordination will allow. It's my opinion that this is present yet unnoticed at slower cadences as well but it doesn't show up until the rider starts bouncing in the saddle.

Think about it. If a rider starts bouncing up and down at higher cadences, they are producing enough force to partially lift their body weight off saddle. That's a lot of force. No wonder the heart rate goes up when inefficient cyclists pedal at higher cadences(even if wattage remains constant). The source of this resistance is internal to the human machine.

Eccentrics....bad!

2009-01-04T18:03:00.000-08:00

In the last post, I defined the types of muscular contractions and stated that the pedal stroke is comprised of concentric contractions.

Here are some areas where eccentric contractions show up. These are caused as a result of rider being out of position or because the rider has a poor motor plan and therefore "doesn't know how to pedal".

The first situation occurs as the foot crosses top dead center and moves toward the forward position. If the heel is dropped below horizontal at the forward position, it indicates that the heel has moved faster than the pedal. To do this, the gastrocnemius has lengthened while contracting and dampened force. It has absorbed force that should have been delivered to the pedal.

The second situation occurs as the pedal is moving from the forward position to dead bottom center. For the rider that tends to mash to produce power will continue to utilized the quadriceps for too long during the down stroke. As the pedal begins to move through the down stroke, the rectus femoris remains "on" while the knee is flexing and the hip is extending. This lengthens the rectus femoris across two joints and adversely affects the center of gravity and the stability of the pelvis.

The third situation occurs when the pedal is leaving dead bottom center. If the axis of rotation is behind the bottom bracket at the point, the ankle is forced to go into eccentric plantar flexion so that the knee can be positioned for flexion as the upstroke begins. This situation is driven by position in many cases. It can also be technique driven if the rider pedals through the bottom of the stroke with the rather flat. This can cause the knee to extend too far and which places the axis of rotation behind the bottom bracket at dead bottom center.

Each of these problems causes a breakdown in the pedal stroke. Each causes the rider to dampen force or prevents their ability to ride a straight line.

Situations like these indicate why bike fitting and technique training must go hand in hand. If someone fits you to your bike, yet, they don't have an ability to assess how you are operating in that position, they are only offering a portion of service. The two must go hand in hand.

Mechanical Musings

2009-01-03T20:22:00.001-08:00

It's time to start some hard core thinking again. I'm collaborating with a another bike fitter/coach friend of mine. We are working to create a definition effective pedaling. These are the times that I wish I were Greek. As I understand it, the Greek language has the greatest ability articulate ideas. I guess you could say that it has the greatest granularity. However, at present, I'm stuck with English.

I don't think the definition has fully incubated but I can tell you one element is defined by the type of muscular contractions that are involved in bicycle pedaling. Before I do this, let me define the three different types of contractions.

Concentric: Lifting a cup of coffee. The act of lifting in this case requires that the biceps muscle shorten and bend the elbow. A muscle that contracts and shortens is performing a concentric contraction.

Isometric: Holding a cup of coffee. The act of holding the cup without lifting or lowering requires that the biceps hold the contraction but maintain one length. A muscle that contracts yet remains the same length is performing an isometric contraction.

Eccentric: Lowering the cup of coffee. The active of lowering the cup while controlling the descent requires that the biceps lengthen while it contracts to lower the cup slower than gravity would "pull" it. A muscle that contracts while lengthening is performing an eccentric contraction.
Eccentrics by their very nature dampen or absorb force much like a shock absorber.

The act of pedaling is concentric in nature. That means that muscles should be either "on" and shortening or "off". Concentric muscle contractions express force, they do not dampen.

Here's where it gets a bit confusing. Some might say that muscles are on while they are lengthening(eccentric) like the gastrocnemius or rectus femoris during the upstroke or the biceps femoris(long head) and semitendonosis on the upstroke. However, these are all two joint muscles and have the capacity to operate or effectively control motion at multiple joints. So, when examining the muscle, it's important to define the activity is that is occurring. For example, the gastronemius effectively flexes the knee on the upstroke but the anterior tibialis prevents it from plantar flexing the foot when the foot has just past dead bottom center of the stroke.

Now that we've covered these areas, to my point. An effective pedal stroke should be be devoid of eccentric muscle contraction. In fact, the presence eccentric muscle contraction serves to do two things. It absorbs force and it causes the riders center of gravity to change. Both of these effects are bad. Absorbing force is pretty straight forward however, changes in the center of gravity cause the bike to change direction. Continual changes in direction require continual redirection of the bike and poor bike control.

In fact, absorbing force and challenges to the center of gravity are on a sliding scale. The greater degree that a rider absorbs force in the lower extremities, the less, the center of gravity will be impacted and vice verse.

This is getting longer than I thought. Next time, I'll finish on some common positioning and or technique mistakes that cause a rider to perform eccentric muscle contractions during the pedal stroke.

"Let me tell you all the ways I CAN'T serve you"

2008-12-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

You probably can't see that my heads about to explode. The title of this blog summarizes some of the recent customer service experiences that I have had lately. As a customer, I still find it amazing that some businesses seem to think that the I(the customer) am the one who should be doing the serving. "I'm sorry sir, it is out of our control", "Yes sir, but our systems require that you do this or that or the other". Bla, bla, bla.

If you watch the news, you hear that our economy is in the crapper. In fact the media loves to tell us this bad news. It may be time for it to go to the crapper if businesses take the attitude that they are the ones being served. However, I know of two friends who had banner years in spite of the "bad economy" and their Christmas selling season broke records. They both do one thing. They serve the customer!!!!!!! with great service!!!!!!! because they know that the customer is the one paying!!!!!!! You won't hear the media talking about this because it doesn't make for good television.

Yes, this is a bit of a tirade and yes, I'm just a bit emotional. At this point, I'm not a danger to myself or others and that's a good thing.

It's my hope that every company with poor customer service and/or poor products go out of business during this economic downturn. When the economy slows down, it's a chance for the creme to rise to the top. Regardless of the economy, great customer service and quality are still worthy of consumption. It's times like these when I start to pick and choose where my dollars are being spent and I only want to spend them on goods and services that are going to give me the greatest value!

Recently, I've been studying the concept of Lean Production. It's all based on generating the highest value product or service for the least amount of cost and working to eliminate waste where ever possible. Now that I've read just a bit, I'm starting to see waste and limited value almost everywhere. It's a bit overwhelming. Every time I turn around, I'm involved in some sort of consumer situation where I'm wasting my time and getting little value. Yet, because there are few options, I am forced to "deal with it". I can tell you that the economy is going to put pressure on these situations and fewer people are going to deal with it and that means fewer dollars being spent.

Gulf Coast Cycle Fit is designed with one thing in mind: To provide the customer the highest quality service so that they receive the greatest possible value and satisfaction from their coaching or bike fitting experience. Sessions are conducted one on one with the goal of addressing specific issues so that customer walks away with solutions. If I ever identify a road block to serving a customer, it is removed even if it is at my expense. In the end, I sleep very well at night.

Unfortunately, now I have to return to the real world of serving the vendor and paying them too! Hopefully, I will get a peck on the cheek.

Time for the tweak

2008-12-29T14:53:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again. Time to get tweaked(bike fit that is.)

Things have slowed down a good bit. The holidays are in full swing. Some of you may have even been lucky enough to recieve bike related gifts. It's time to get things tuned.

If it's been over a year since your last bike fit, it's time to get re-checked for fit. Most riders have purchased something new for their bike within the last 12 months. New pedals, shoes, handlebars, shifters or saddles can all have an impact on fit. If you have changed any of these products, you need to get checked out before things start ramping up again.

Changes in body composition also have their impact on fit. If you have gained or lost more than 15 lbs. You need to have your fit checked as well. (Pardon my direct approach to this). Extra weight in the thighs and abdomen changes the way the cockpit is set up. If your thigh and abdomen are touching when you are in the drops, your handlebars need to come up, or you need to loose weight. Continuing to ride in this situation causes you to loose power because you are dampening force by moving your abdomen each time it the thigh comes over the top. Also, changes in weight impact how you sit on the saddle. The size and shape of your bottom drives where you sit. If you are sitting in a different place on the saddle, your power production has changed. This requires a new look at fit as well.

Other items mentioned at the top are important as well. If you purchased new shoes, the cleat position needs to be verified. New pedals present with the same issues. If you purchased a new bar or if you are using a different component group, handlebar placement and hood placement has to be reset based on the new design.

It's great to purchase new bike stuff, however, don't discount the fact that these items need to be set properly so that you get the most from your new gear and you avoid aggravation of new injuries.

More Knowledge and Wisdom....please

2008-12-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

I hope this is not to heavy for Christmas Eve.

We are definitely in the information age. There is more information available to us than ever before in human history. Here's an example. Last night, I was watching "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby. The movie was filmed in 1954. Just out of curiosity, I wanted to know Bing's age at the time the movie was filmed. I opened the laptop, launched Google, and typed in "Bing Crosby". There it was: Bing Crosby, born May 3r, 1903. You do the math.

Knowing Bing Crosby's age at the time he filmed is a great example of information. My Dad used to have a saying when he would have the answer to some obscure question. He would say, "That's just another tidbit from Field's vast repertoire of useless and inane knowledge". It's interesting that he characterized the type of knowledge as useless and inane. In other words, it's information that serves little purpose in decision making. It just takes up space somewhere in our memory and he only pulled out for entertainment purposes. He also knew the four letter word that starts with "T" and means mountain lake.

In today's world, we have taken the next step away from knowledge, wisdom and understanding. In the example above, Dad kept the information in his head. Don't get me wrong. There was a lot of stuff in that head. However, in today's generation, information is accessed, it isn't necessarily memorized or understood. I see this as a dangerous step but it's one that we are forced to take as the volume of information continues to expand at an exponential rate. It also seems that our culture has a growing appetite for information.

Knowledge on the other hand is a powerful tool used to make decisions. It changes lives and history. The source of knowledge is found in truth(now truth is a touchy subject, "What is truth? and that is way to heavy for Christmas Eve). The pursuit of knowledge should be a lifestyle. In many ways, it's going to become increasingly difficult to maintain this lifestyle as we march forward in this age. Going forward, much energy will be spent in the process of parsing information from knowledge well before learning can occur, and unfortunately long before wisdom can be gained.

That's the goal, knowledge and the pursuit of wisdom for effective decision making. Good luck! Don't stop pressing for more. I guarantee that your time here will be over long before your brain reaches full capacity.

To be called "Wise beyond your years", this is a badge worth wearing.

Merry Christmas!

Bucket List

2008-12-19T18:19:00.000-08:00

I haven't had the chance to watch the movie but, as I understand it, two old guys make a list of things that they would like to do before they die. As a cyclist, I have my own bucket list. My list includes things like watching the Tour De France from a Director Sportiff car, having the opportunity to meet Eddy Merckx and riding my bike across the United States. My list also included another opportunity that I was able to check off this week. I had the chance to visit Seven Cycles and meet an incredible group of people that are sick about bikes. I was overwhelmed by their generosity and hospitality. So much for the impersonal Northeast. I felt like I had returned home after being away for years.

About three weeks ago, I contacted our local Seven retailer, Eastern Shore Cycles, to see if we could work out an arrangement where I could offer custom bikes as part of my list of services. Historically, I have been able to offer my clients stems, seat posts and other components through their preferred bike shop. I would contact the shop of their choice and place the order with the appropriate specs and the retailer would place the order for the client. It's a working relationship that facilitates customer service. In addition to components, I've helped several clients with bike selection when it was appropriate.

Now the circle closes a bit more so that clients can experience the best custom bike fit possible which includes the opportunity to be measured up for a custom frame by Seven Cycles. I've considered bringing in a custom bike line ever since Gulf Coast Cycle Fit started but it never made sense to bring another bike line into the Mobile, AL market. Seven is the perfect fit to fill this need within the scope of my services.

The tour of the Seven manufacturing facility was a great experience. I was able to see how they cut and prepare each tube for construction of the bike frame. After the tour, I spent time with each department so that I would understand how orders and sales are completed. Seven goes to great lengths to guarantee customer satisfaction.

Now that I'm back, what can my clients expect? You can expect that you will continue to receive the highest level of service possible with the comfort of knowing the most any solution is possible within the scope of Gulf Coast Cycle Fit. If you decide that you want a new bike, I think you should entertain the thought of "One Bike, Yours!" : a custom bike that is constructed to meet your needs as a cyclist.

There is another item on my bucket list that involves Seven Cycles. Sometime in the future, I'll let you know if I'm able to check it off as complete.

Yes, Virginia, there is a proper method to pedal.

2008-12-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

I rec'd an email from my brother this morning. He sent me a link to bike fit article in Velonews - PROJECT PRUITT. The article series is following a guy named Tom LeCarner. He's a Velonews contributor, and obviously a very nice guy with a serious bike habit(not that there's anything wrong with that.) Unfortunately, his bike habit is being hampered by nagging problems that you can read about in Velonews.

Here's my position. This guy is a mess before and after the fit. Before the fit, he's an obvious mess evidenced by the excessive aberrant movement. After the fit, he's a not so obvious mess because he's not bouncing around on the saddle. He stopped moving because the bike fitters used external aids to block and control motion. This changes the way the rider appears on video, however, it hasn't changed the way his brain wants to make the body move. The underlying motor pattern has not changed. As the body tries to move against these blocks, fewer aberrant motions appear yet, increased joint shear forces lurk. In addition, there are technical concerns that will continue to feed this cycle of overuse injuries.

There is a school of thought that says ankle position does not matter in cycling. In fact, there is research to back it up**. However, if you have ever read research about cycling, you know that good information is a difficult animal to capture. There are so many things going on that research models are difficult to create. Here's what I do know. Regardless of ankle position, effective force cannot be generated at the bottom of the stroke unless the axis of rotation of the knee is vertically oriented over the bottom bracket and pedal at dead bottom center. At this point in time, the hip is transitioning from extension to flexion. It cannot contribute to force production because it's arc of motion is perpendicular to the arc of the pedal. Also, the ankle has the same predicament**. Therefore, the only joint to contribute to force production is the knee and for it to contribute effectively, the arc of motion created by this joint must overlie the arc of motion created by the pedal. This only occurs when the axis of rotation of the knee is directly vertical over the bottom bracket and pedal.

After the fit, the rider has stopped bouncing. However, his knee is several cm behind the bottom bracket. As a result, other compensatory changes have to occur to allow the body to continue to move in the circular patter created by the pedals. Yes, the pedals move in a circle.

**If ankle position doesn't matter, how should the body modulate muscle length of the gastrocnemius and hamstring? If ankle position doesn't matter, why is there a specific ankle position and method used by the brain to start the pedal stroke at dead bottom center or top dead center when inertia is not present?

Value, Value, Value!

2008-12-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

I've been inspired over the few weeks to evaluate sources of value.

Two months ago, I took the opportunity to listen to Zig Ziglar. I don't if many of you have ever listened to his tapes on selling and goal setting. Regardless of what you think, Zig's teaching are very basic and applicable almost all the time. Even though I don't listen to Zig often, in fact, I haven't listen to one of his tapes since 1988. I can tell you that I have incorporated one key element as a foundation of life. Zig's quote(paraphrased), " The best way to get what you want is to help a lot of other people get what they want". This isn't about manipulation, it's about serving. In spite of failing at it compared to the highest standard, I continue to strive towards a servant lifestyle.

When I was listening to Zig recently, he was talking about communicating the value of a product vs. price. In his words, the impact of price is forgotten rather quickly but the value lasts for the life of the product or service. At this point, I'm still not inspired, I'm just curious.

Not to long afterwards, I had the opportunity to talk to Rob Vandermark of Seven Cycles. We started talking about the potential impact of a weak economy on bicycle sales. He gave me the same answer that I heard from Zig. Rob quickly said(paraphrase), "It's very important that we focus on the value that we are providing". Now, I can tell you that I start listening when I hear the same concept from multiple sources. However, even though I agreed with the concept, I didn't know how to evaluate, or respond to processes that did or did not enhance value.

I'm heading up to Watertown, MA next week. While I'm there, I'm going to get to see the processes that go on from the time a frame is ordered until it is shipped. As cool as this is, I can't wait to see how Seven has incorporated value analysis into every step of their system. This is critically important to me as owner of Gulf Coast Cycle Fit. I want to be able to critically assess every process or service that I provide so that it is sharpened to perfection and provides the highest value possible to each client. I need more hours in the day. When you are inspired, the negative concepts of work disappear.

Christmas list

2008-12-08T13:50:00.001-08:00

I typically subscribe to this: "Everyone should get a new bike every year" (**disclaimer so that I don't conflict with my previous post: Everyone should get a new bike every year because its always fun to get a new bike.**)

But, if you don't have a new bike in your future, Santa's money is best spent on a set of rollers. Bang for the buck, the cycleops rollers are great. When the weather outside is frightful this time of year, time on the rollers will make spring time riding a new found joy. Dollar for dollar, these are a great gift.

If you have more money to spend, there is a combination of things to consider for indoor training. Ergvideo has a library of videos that work in collaboration with the Computrainer. These are videos of various types of training rides, group rides or races. The videos are rather inexpensive at approx $45 a piece. The Computrainer will set you back about $1500. I have six videos and purchased each of them to focus on a specific aspect of cycling. Cycling indoors is a difficult proposition for those of us who live in the South. But, the Ergvideos make it a bit more interactive and enjoyable.

Economic times drive increase in bike fits!...or it should

2008-12-05T11:41:00.002-08:00

Part of this is tongue and cheek and part is true. Don't turn on the television, you may find that the world is coming completely unraveled. Bypass the TV and go straight to your bike and go out for a ride. The sun is still shining and a bad day cycling is still better than a good day sitting on the couch.

I've talked to several friend of mine who are in construction. At some point or another, the conversation always turns to business. Lately, it's been rather somber with most. Yet, there's one guy who is still busy. See, he's not in new construction, he into remodeling. I was unaware that remodeling dollars are spent when housing values are going down. Instead of upgrading by selling and moving, homeowners upgrade from the inside out. This extends the value of their investment.

Hence the title of the blog. Economic times should drive an increase in bike fits and training. In the vast majority of situations, I operate to extend and enhance the value of your investment. It's time to make those adjustments so that you are more comfortable, more stable and you can produce more power.

You see, there's a myth that purchasing something new can solve the problems you experienced in the past. The myth is false in good times and bad. Faster wheels... better group and aerodynamic this, that or the other. Yet, if you had cycling problems before, they are likely to continue unless something changes(with you). Now, don't get me wrong. I love purchasing new stuff. However, I don't purchase "stuff" as the first method to solve problems that have their origin in me. I buy new stuff because I think its fun and until old stuff becomes "vintage", its just old.

I'll give you a couple great examples poor reasons to purchase new stuff. "I need a new frame with a stiffer bottom bracket". I love this one because it makes great marketing. Every bottom bracket produced today is stiffer than the bottom bracket used by Eddy Merckx when he set the world hour record in Mexico City. Do I like to have a stiff bottom bracket? Yes, I like the fact that it does a better job of transferring my pedaling errors into chain tension on the wheel instead of frame flex. Here's the answer. Learn to pedal like Eddy and you will be fast on any bike.

Here's my second favorite. "I need to be more aero". Somehow, we have been fed a line of bull$#!) that we need to cheat the wind. I want to change that philosophy to "We need to conquer the wind and beat it into submission". Unless, you are able to ride at speeds high enough where wind resistance is an issue, the mechanical losses in efficiency by being in the aero position out weigh the aerodynamic advantage. The advantages of aero wheels, frame or helmets are just not there if you are riding at sustained speeds around 20mph or lower. Remember this, most of the research done on aero equipment is performed at 30mph. There is a vast exponential difference in the effect of wind resistance between 20 and 30 mph. Do I like aero wheels? Absolutely. They are very cool. Here's the answer. Learn how to pedal and train to develop sustainable power so that you can ride faster and truly benefit from the aero stuff. Don't cheat the wind. Beat the wind!

Get fit, learn how to pedal, train correctly. Then go out and purchase something because its fun and cool. Always remember, you purchase Band-Aids at the drug store, not your local bike shop.

Simple physiology

2008-12-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

"I want to ride faster." That seems like the most common goal of the performance oriented cyclists that I work with. I think this is a great goal. There are a host of reasons to ride a bike. Riding fast is just one of them. For me, riding fast is superseded by the sense of being free. There's some sort of connection between my last ride and the first time I ever rode a bike. It's something subconscious but it's there.

As a coach, I always want to help clients ride faster. There is a multifaceted approach that includes physiologic and biodynamic development. The intent of this post is to share a brief overview of physiology.

Here's the statement: If you intend to ride faster for durations longer than 60-90 minutes, you are forced to develop your aerobic energy systems. You really don't have many options here. We are all bound by the physiology that keeps us ticking.

Aerobic energy sources derive a large portion of their energy resources from fat. You have days to weeks worth of fat energy stored within your body. Optimizing the utilization of this energy source developing the proper infrastructure so that larger and larger amount of oxygen are available during the metabolic processes is the goal. Simply said, to ride faster and longer, you have to be able to produce enough ATP(energy) through aerobic metabolism to sustain your pace. If you can't provide the adequate ATP for the intensity you are riding, begins the shift toward anaerobic metabolism which has significant temporal limitations.

Anaerobic metabolism is fed by sugars. For the most part, these sugars are stored in the body as reserve fuel. There's only a limited amount of metabolic potential in stored sugars compared to fat. In fact, there's only about 60-90 minutes worth when you are heavily depending on it. Yes, the body can convert fat and protein to sugar but it can't do this at a rate which is fast enough to supply the required needs. With anaerobic metabolism, you are also limited by your ability to manage lactate or commonly referred to as lactic acid. Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism. It changes the pH in the cell and disrupts muscular contraction at higher concentrations. So, it should be noted that anaerobic metabolism allows for faster speeds because it gives us the ability to produce large amounts of ATP, however, there are temporal and biochemical limitations. Neither of these are seen with aerobic metabolism.

I have to move on to other things. More later.

Expanded offerings

2008-12-01T13:33:00.000-08:00

Here's some of that news on the horizon that I mentioned a couple weeks ago. Gulf Coast Cycle Fit is expanding is scope of service to include custom frame design as part of the solutions that are offered to clients. This will fill in a gap in service so that I can better meet the needs of Gulf Coast cyclists.

Over the last two years, I've seriously considered several options that would have allowed me to expand to this level of service. Until recently, all of these included capital outlay that wasn't available or a significant amount of risk that I wasn't willing to accept. In addition, it never seemed appropriate to bring in another bicycle line to the Mobile market. To solve all of these problems, I've worked out an arrangement with Eastern Shore Cycles where I can facilitate the purchase of custom bikes offered by Seven Cycles. Obviously, I'm comfortable with the product since I've ridden my Seven Axiom SG for close to 4 years.

This month, I'll be traveling to Watertown, MA for a tour of the Seven facilities and participate in sales and fit training. Yes, I would love to say that I will be returning with a new Seven 29er or cross bike but I don't see that in the near future. I hope to return with new information and solutions that are needed here on the Gulf Coast. I'll post new information as it comes in.

After analyzing the survey that I sent out to existing and past Gulf Coast Cycle Fit clients a couple weeks ago, I've identified several other service offerings that will benefit local riders and the local riding community. I'll have more information over the next couple weeks.

I met that guy

2008-11-27T18:45:00.001-08:00

Not exactly the guy you want to meet when riding in a group setting. Luckily, he didn't take me or anyone down during the ride.

I wish I had video of the guy you want to avoid. Beautiful bike, great kit yet, he couldn't ride a bike in a straight line for more than one turn of the pedals. This is dangerous to those of you who do ride in a straight line.

Here's what you can do next time you start off in a group ride. If you are riding with the same group everyday, you know who to watch out for. If its a new town and a new group, it's time to do a quick assessment. Its all about observation of other riders movement patterns during the ride. Try to make your assessment early. If someone demonstrates poor riding skills early in the ride, you can count on the fact that they will only get worse as the ride progresses.

Take time to observe the line that each cyclist is riding. Also, look for riders who are demonstrating excessive motion that doesn't seem to be part of pedaling the bike forward. All of this excessive movement challenges the center of gravity of the bike and moves the center of gravity outside of the base of support. The base of support for a bicycle is the sum of two patches of rubber on the road. If you drop a plumb bob down from the center of mass of the rider/bike, it has to fall between the two patches of rubber. If the center of mass falls to the side, one of two things will happen. The bike will fall over or the bike must change direction to place the center of mass between the tire patches again. If the rider is constantly chasing the center of mass, the bike is constantly changing direction. This is crazy dangerous.

Rule #1: Stay away from them!!!, give them at least one wheel length. Getting too close will cost you.

Rule #2: Don't worry about them being part of the competition. Cycling is a sport of efficiency and economy in addition to power and endurance. Because cycling is such a high repetition sport, it doesn't take much loss of efficiency on each pedal stroke to cost a rider in the end.

Unfortunately, the average cyclist enthusiast doesn't get the training they need to make valuable changes in technique. This guy could be a totally different cyclist in just a matter of a couple months. I mean, completely different in a good way!

Cool things on the horizon

2008-11-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

That's about all I can say. There is something really cool on the horizon. I'll be able to talk more about in about 3 weeks.

I really appreciate everyone that participated in the survey I sent out. It gave me several very good ideas about the needs of the Gulf Coast community of cyclists.

Bike fit gets positive press in NY Times

2008-11-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

Ouch, My Knee! Is There a Bike Fitter in the House?

If you get a chance, take a look at this article. I had the opportunity to meet Colin O'Brien in Boulder, CO when we attended the first Serotta Cycling Science Symposium. We had a lot in common because he and I use the same biomechanical fit model and we were trained by the same person. It's good to see that he's getting some good press. He's a great guy.

Gulf Coast Cycle Fit - Survey

2008-11-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

Gulf Coast Cycle Fit is all about increasing value. It's my goal that you leave a session thinking that you received an incredible value for the money and time spent. I want you to receive a return investment in the form of increased satisfaction and performance.

I just created a survey for my clients. It's an opportunity for them to voice their opinion about the direction that Gulf Coast Cycle Fit is going. Ultimately, I want to identify client needs so that I can provide a service that answers the call.

www.surveymonkey.com is a great tool to create surveys and gather information to enhance your business.

Phoenix

2008-11-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

You may be thinking of the city in AZ. However, I'm thinking of the bird that dies in it's own flames and then resurrects later.

I worked with a client last night who I will refer to as Phoenix. He is a old work that is going to become new again.

Here's my take on motor patterns. Your saying, "Whoa, your loosing me". Just stay with me.

Motor patterns are developed within the brain. Groups of nerves work together to create movement patterns after thousands of repetitions. The pattern becomes "hardwired" in the brain. Last night, I saw evidence that motor patterns that are archived and not used for years can be unarchived, cleaned up and re-used almost immediately.

On the other hand, clients that have never established an effective motor plan have nothing to draw on except the cognitive capacity of the brain(underestimation is not intended).

After completing the biomechanical setup, I asked Phoenix to perform a specific motor task while watching the spin scan. I didn't coach him or offer any other assistive techniques. What I saw was rather amazing. He was able to perform the exact request without any additional effort. He switched from one motor plan that he had been using recently to the archived motor plan within one second. His question, "Is this what you want me to do?". Answer: Yes.

Well done Phoenix, Well done.

So, what's the question?

2008-11-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

Last night, I did a presentation on Arthrokinematics and Motor Learning for Cyclists. The audience was mostly 1st year physical therapy students and a few of the local PT's from the community. What's almost as much fun as riding a bike?.....Talking about bikes and bike riding!!!!

Here's my take from the evening. Until you can formulate the question that needs an answer, how can you expect to be motivated to do research or even seek out research? A question must exist or at least a void of necessary knowledge.

I had the opportunity to speak with one of the students prior to the talk. Granted, she is head deep in the physical therapy curriculum. Classes most days from 8-5. I remember those days. It was intense and exhausting. It was talking to her about the amount of time that I spend a week either reading research on cycling or seeking research. She almost fell over.

Here's her context. She is spending about the same amount of time reading research but unfortunately, she doesn't have a good grasp of the question. She hasn't been in the field long enough to have specific questions or have the ability to identify the voids in the knowledge base. She has to read research so that she can establish a base of understanding and then move forward to asking questions. I'm not bashing her, she is just at a different place in the process.

What do you do when you get to the point where the existing research doesn't answer the questions your asking? I could sit and wait for someone to think of the same question or start the process of doing my own research. Easily said, not easily accomplished. That's where I am in the process. Early in my career, I was never interested in research and I never understood those who were. Now I know. They had a question and no one had the answer. Someone has to provide the answers.

What are you studying?

2008-11-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

Not to downplay so many things that are important about raising a family but one thing keeps coming to the surface. I have a goal that my kids will be "life long learners"!

In today's society where we memorize facts for a near term tests or quizzes only to forget the information when the paperwork is turned in, I'm trying to swim upstream. I'm trying to give my kids the confidence that they can learn anything they want, any time they want as fast as they want. What do you want to know more about? For me, the list is so long, I won't be able to complete it in this lifetime.

I come from a long line of learners. I'll never forget the time my parents purchased a set of World Book Encyclopedias. I thought they were for me. Negative. My Dad read the entire set for his own pleasure! He started with A and went all the way through the Maps! Dad purchased his first computer at the age of 60. I stopped by to see him one afternoon after the big purchase. He had devoured 3 books on Windows operating systems, computer hardware and networking. He wouldn't sleep when he was on a quest for knowledge. And since it was a life experience for him, he typically only slept 4-6 hours a night. At the age of 62 he built his first computer from scratch. After he entered the computer age, he discovered the Internet. Now, he was a student on steroids!

For me, it's the same. Access to information has never been so easy and cheap! The love of studying is a life long quest. You need to decide what is the greatest passion for you. Start studying. I've found that it takes about 3 years to develop a strong confidence in the subject. Once you reach this point, you continue as a student yet you also become a teacher. If you strive, you ultimately become the researcher where you contribute knowledge for the general good. What a valuable thing.

Start with this question. If you could the best in the world at one thing, what would it be? Find your passion and start studying.

Evidence of Success

2008-11-09T21:10:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago, I posted an entry about Speed Secrets http://gccyclefit.blogspot.com/2008/10/speed-secrets.html

Tonight, I was able to work with a client that has followed the plan for the last 18 months. I can't believe the results. They are truly amazing. She it a totally different rider who now is able to stay with the front group for portions of rides. When she started, she was the "no drop" rider that gets a personal escort around the course. The fact that she was able to accomplish in this amount of time shows that the program works. No quick fixes. Just fundamentals

Here are the results:
Pedaling efficiency 99.2%
Aerobic fitness improved 31 seconds over 5 miles at a set HR
Able to ride rollers, "no hands", "single leg", "standing", "Fast" and "Slow". Other tricks too.

These things can't be accomplished unless you commit to the program and have confidence that it will work.

Here's what I get out it. I get the opportunity to see the process of change! What an opportunity. Thanks.

For the price of a decent set of wheels, every rider could see these kinds of changes and make gains that outpace the latest hardware purchase. You can be a different(better) rider too.

The path to custom

2008-11-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

At present, Gulf Coast Cycle Fit operates in a post purchase model. Customers come to me with bikes that have been purchased from bike shops, friends or on eBay. Anything is possible. 99.9% of the time the bike shop route is the best. Our local bike shop owners/staff do a good job of putting clients on the right size frame. Conversely, if a bike is purchased from a friend or off the internet, the chances of having the right frame size is a much more difficult proposition.

It's my job to position the client in the most effective position so that they have the potential to deliver effective power. If the frame is the wrong size, it's my job to share the reality with the client in an honest and forthright manner. I've always said, "Whatever is not wonderful and lovely should be considered a learning experience". Purchasing another new frame would fall in that category.

If I were going to plan a custom bike experience from the beginning, this would be my plan.

First, all points of contact on the bike have to be considered. I would start with the saddle followed by handlebars and shifter selection(groupo)

Saddle: of all the issues that impact a cyclist, saddle discomfort has to be the worst. In a lab setting, I would go through the process of trying multiple saddle shapes. The client would choose the saddle provided the greatest comfort regardless of weight. Comfort, comfort, comfort rules.

Handlebar width/ Shifter shape: The client would have the opportunity to sit on a mock up bike with the chosen saddle. Handlebars will be swapped out so that they can get a feel for Campy vs. Shimano vs. SRAM. Each of the brands works well and each has strengths and weaknesses. Everything should be weighed out.

Shoe/pedal: This has less of an impact on comfort however, going through the process of selecting a quality shoe is critical. Foot numbness/hot spots are a common complaint, however it's more result of technique than fit. Pedals have to be selected based on objective information. Time/Look/Shimano/Speedplay. There are pros and cons for each. I have my preference but each should be considered for their relative strengths.

Once these item are selected, the full compliment is applied to the fit cycle(saddle, handlebar/shifters, pedals). Now the bike fit can begin based on limb lengths, relative flexibilities and overall morphology. The actual geometry can be determined at this point so that the frame meets the performance characteristics of the client.

Once the frame is built-up, all the components are installed. The bike is ready for client training.

Here's where the next phase begins. A custom bike should be a "custom riding experience". It would be the equivalent of going to driving school if you purchased a new Porsche. It's time for training. Now that the client has personally selected componentry installed on a custom designed frame, the client needs to learn how to get the most from the purchase.

Regular client training sessions should occur over a 4-6week period so that the customer can be trained to pedal the bike correctly based on benchmark data. This has nothing to do with fitness, it's all about technique.

In the end, the client has been transformed into a completely different rider. All processes have been focused on the ultimate goal of meeting the customers expectations of exceptional performance.

Thoughts on knee position at the bottom of the stoke

2008-11-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

To expound on my twitter.com comments about Lance. http://blip.tv/file/1431564

As the bottom of the pedal stroke, we have some interesting dynamics going on. Obviously, it is a weak aspect of the stroke compared to the down stroke. To produce here, force has to be applied as a effectively as possible.

Hip impact on force application at the bottom of the stroke:
This is the lowest point in hip action. The hip joint is transitioning from hip extension to hip flexion. If the hip actively flexes at the bottom of the stroke, it would produce a force that attempts to compress the crank. Since the crank cannot compress, this force has to be dampen by other joints and muscles or the activity will cause a shift in the rider center of gravity and therefore, a change in direction of the bike. If the hip actively attempts to extend at the bottom of the stroke, the effect would be stretching the crank. It would cause similar issues.

Ankle impact on force application at the bottom of the stroke:
Since the ankle is not a prime mover, it's positive impact has to do with translation of force and facilitation of proper position of the knee. If the ankle is actively flexing or extending at the bottom of the stroke, it causes similar effects as an active hip joint. But most notably, if the ankle is not positioned correctly, the knee cannot produce effective force from an effective position.

Knee impact on force application at the bottom of the stroke:
Here's the good news. Without the ability to utilize hip musculature or ankle muscular at the bottom of the stroke in a concentric manner, the knee becomes the solo prime mover. There are two key elements to being effective at this point in time: Knee angle and Knee position.
Knee angle is critically important if we are going to obey the rules of Length-Tension ratio
Knee position is critically important because the arc of motion of the knee must match the arc of the pedal as closely as possible. In this manner torque generated by knee flexion can move the pedal through the down stroke.

more on the effects of joints out of position in another post.

Only you can move your feet

2008-11-04T07:25:00.000-08:00

Well, the day is finally here. Election day! Good or bad, I'm glad it's here and I'm glad it's going to be over soon.

Here's my philosophy. Only I can move my feet. Regardless of the guys in Washington, I'm going to get out of bed in the morning and provide for my family. Washington has not and will not solve my problems. Only I have the power to change my direction.

Here's how you can survive any presidency(past, present or future). Seek to make a positive change in the lives of others. Live you life as a giver, not a taker. Identify your problems, break them apart and solve them step by step. Seek effective relationships as a means to conquer goals. Give the customer more value than they ever expected.

If you wait for someone to come along and solve your problems, you will be standing in the same place for a long time.

These factors work in all economies.

Establishing value in a service market

2008-11-03T13:42:00.001-08:00

I've long struggled over the concepts of service based businesses vs those that sell a product. Since my career began, I've been service oriented. While I'm wired this way, it often becomes difficult because I'm only one person with 24 hours. When faced with decisions about how to grow a business, expanding production becomes more limited due to a finite amount of time. (more on multiplying efforts later).

To combat this, I focus one enhancing the value of the services that I provide. This begs a huge question. How do you establish value of a service business? I guess each person in the service sector has to answer this question for themselves but here's my answer.

The value of my service is determined by the amount of knowledge that can be usefully understood and implemented by my client. The outcome should be revealed in a positive change in their ability to pedal and control the bike. Ultimately, this will result in faster speeds and enhanced satisfaction as a cyclist.

Being a physical therapist, it's always been my goal that I create independence on the part of the client. Being a cycling coach is no different. I expect that my clients take the information that I share with them and implement it. Once those skills are mastered, it's time for new challenges.

Mastery has to occur before you can move to the next step. Knowledge is the key.

Off Season Strengthening

2008-11-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

It's pretty much off-season in most parts of the cycling world. The morning chill tends to slow the flow of testosterone on the morning rides. It's time for a bit of a change of pace and this provides for opportunities in the areas of cross training and strengthening.

You have to know that I am a life long "hater" of weight lifting. I've never liked it. I don't suppose that I ever will. I've never found the whole weight lifting process to be that productive. Often times, it involves trips to the gym which takes time out an otherwise full schedule. If not, it involves purchasing products that take up an extreme amount of space in the house. And, let's face it, not many wives understand the appeal of gym equipment as a part of the decorating scheme.

Enter my solution. A couple years ago, I started researching body weight exercises. I came across Ross Enamait (www.rossboxing.com). This guy is amazing. Take a look at the videos when you get a chance. I purchased Never Gymless. The spiral bound book has hundreds of body weight exercises with strength progressions. In general, I like body weight exercises because I don't have to leave the house. However, it still didn't get my full attention.

As I continued the search, I came across kettle bells. Basically, a kettle bell is a cannonball with a handle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not into quick fixes. I just don't have much time and I need the most bang for the buck. In just a few minutes, you can get all the workout you need, want or can tolerate. Kettle bells come in different sizes/weights. The exercises are explosive and require complete body control. You have to use your entire body to perform them effectively. This may be the reason I like them the most. As an exercise begins to isolate specific muscles, it significantly looses its ability to enhance overall function. Ultimately, I'm driven to enhance function so I'm looking for exercises that require total body integration.

If you are interested in experiencing a kettle bell workout, go to Fitness Systems. Their Mobile, AL store is located across from Providence Hospital. Ask for Paul. He's a Kettle bell certified trainer. Oh, if you go, be prepared for a workout.

Kettle bells meet the following priorities:

Low price compared to other strengthening equipment
Small footprint(doesn't take up much space)
Total body workout
Complete workout takes just minutes

It doesn't get any better than that.

Simplest of Satisfactions

2008-10-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

There are few things in life that satisfy to the extent of riding a bike. The pleasure cannot be distilled to any purer or simplistic form. In a world where people seem to be loosing their head over the complex things in life, the cyclist simply takes the bike off the wall, checks the tires and rolls away. Immediately, the concerns of the day are blown away by the wind.

Ultimately, it's my interest that the cycling experience be enjoyed to the greatest extent possible. At Gulf Coast Cycle Fit, it's my job to clarify and deliver the most effective information to the rider so that they can advance in the sport as quickly as possible. Advancing can include enhanced performance but it also includes the concept of avoiding frustration.

No fads, no fashion statements, no gimmicks or quick fixes, just clear, concise information backed by as much research as possible.

What's keeping you from enjoying the bike to the maximum extent possible? Do you want to go faster, do you want to get there more comfortably? Let me know. There is a position that is best for each rider, there is a way to pedal. These are simple concepts and they maximize the simple pleasure of riding a bicycle.

Bike fit is a doorway, not a destination

2008-10-21T08:52:00.001-07:00

There's been a recent surge in the importance of bike fit over the last couple years. Serrota/SICI started their symposia on the science behind cycling, Specialized and Trek both have bike fitting initiatives that they are rolling out to their dealers. It's definitely an area of the bicycle industry that is getting a lot of attention. Don't get me wrong, I think it's worthy. Here's my position: Cyclist/Customers that are properly fit on their bike are generally happy customers. They ride more and therefore become more connected to the sport/hobby. As a result, they generate more revenue for the bike shops because they wear out tires, chains, brakes etc. They want better equipment and need upgraded components. It's a great win-win for everyone. In my opinion, the last thing a bike shop wants is a bike that sits against the wall in someone's garage.

With all the emphasis on bike fit, it appears that few people are concerned about the bigger picture. Professional bike fit sounds great. It's rather boutiquish in the same context as having your own massage therapist or personal trainer. Here's the charge to bike fitters. Bike fitting is a doorway to better performance. It creates an environment for enhanced potential. However, it is not the end of the journey. On the contrary, it's a mile marker along the journey. After bike fit comes training. Training has to occur with critical feedback that ultimately creates a finely tuned union between the cyclist and the machine. This is created through thousands and thousands of effective turns of the pedal.

Once the cyclist is committed to enhanced performance, and results are evident through objective repeatable measurements, the process accelerates very quickly. The longer and more diligently the cyclist focuses on technique, the better they will become at recognizing the capability of their own body. Ultimately, the cyclist requires less direct contact and only needs periodic re-checks.

The journey is long, riding is fun, enjoy it as long as possible. Maybe I'm one of those guys who never becomes satisfied. There is always something that can be improved.

Speed Secrets

2008-10-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

On the outset, we consider riding a bike as simplistic and rather juvenile when compared to other activities such as skeet shooting, pole vaulting or javelin throwing. I would venture that we have this perspective because "anyone can ride a bike". After all, we've ridden a bike since before we can remember, "It's just like riding a bike".

Here's a paraphrase from Moshe Feldenkrias who wrote "Awareness through movement". In his book, he contends that people move in patterns that are not productive. They keep muscles tense that are unnecessary. As a result, often times, they develop pain syndromes and/or loose functionality without even being aware of the cause of the problem. He goes on to say that unless there is some sort of mechanism to monitor proper motion, it will remain unchanged. If you ask me, these are pretty powerful statements when you begin to apply them to our sport.

If we apply these principles to cycling, basically, we will get on the bike and pedal it down the road. If the bike moves down the road, that is "good". If it falls over, this is "bad" and we would correct our movement pattern now because falling becomes the mechanism of determining success or lack of success. However, as a general population, we are easily satisfied. If the bike rolls down the road, that must be good. If I want it to roll down the road faster, we should do whatever we are doing either faster or harder. Wow! Seems simple. Unfortunately, we fail to ask the question. "Could we do it better?"

Back to Feldenkrias. If you are going to do some thing better, you need a mechanism to monitor your movement activity. You need benchmarks.

Purchasing speed only gives reward to a point. Let's face it, bikes are only going to get so light, bearings so smooth, wheels so aerodynamic etc, etc, etc. Then what? It's at this point, that you either run out of money or technology suggests that you purchase a motorized cycle if you want to go faster. Where do you invest at this point?

It's time you invest in you. It's time that you take a look a what you are doing so that you can do things better instead of harder or faster. Here's the reality. It's easier to try to purchase speed than to develop speed. Developing speed takes effort, suffering and discipline. It does not come easy. However if you do it and focus on you, the engine, you will be faster and the cost will be less in the long run.

Here's the great thing. Once you start riding faster, you are less concerned with the latest and greatest gadget. You become concerned with things that have the highest value.

Riding a bike fast is not a secret.
Purchase a quality bike that fits you(something between $800 and $10,000)
Get fit properly on the bike
Learn how to pedal the bike
Train effectively
Eat good food on and off the bike
Get good sleep
Love what you do
Tell others about it

Wow! That looks easy.

Back to training

2008-10-14T13:23:00.001-07:00

Covert though it may appear, training is progressing as planned. Ever since starting Gulf Coast Cycle Fit, my personal training has suffered. Starting over the course of the summer, I started my base aerobic miles in the evenings from 9:00pm to 12:00pm. This has been the foundation of the training plan. So, unlike most casual athletes, the training plan is quite varied. Since I ride alone most of the time, I don't have the tendency to ride harder than the plan.

Here's the basic plan:
8-10 hours a week of aerobic Zone 2-3 training
1 hour of interval training-interval durations vary but the total workout is about an hour
20-30 minutes of sprint training.

Apart from the chance of getting hit by a car in Mobile, AL, the greatest risk is getting hit by a deer.

If you want to ride faster than you are riding right now, you must do something different. Most cyclist spend their time riding in groups. The group drives the pace. Consequently, most cyclists spend too much time training in a tempo zone. They don't get enough aerobic training or interval training.

I know cycling is a social affair too. However, don't let a group determine your training plan. You need to drive your training plan if you plan to ride faster.

Movement indicates form

2008-08-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you watched the marathon event on the Olympics this year or not. In some ways, I'm surprised that a network would show a marathon from start to finish. On the other hand, it provided me with an interesting opportunity. Studying movement is one of my greatest interests. Watching the way someone moves, indicates to me the effectiveness of the athlete. During the ladies marathon, I would watch various runners as they started to develop changes in their form. Maybe it was the way the swing their arms or the amount of rotation in their trunk. Other runners would begin to develop changed in their stride. I characterized these movements as "noisy". Conversely, I would observe the runners that were "quiet". These runners were smooth and fluid. There movement pattern was balanced so that it delivered the maximum effort in the direction they were running and other "non-productive" movements were minimized or absent.

As the marathon progressed and fatigue set in, runners would develop noisy running patterns. Then, on the next camera shot, they would begin to fade away. It was like an ever steepening slope of destruction. Poor movement patterns accelerate fatigue and causing more noise which causes more fatigue and so on and so on.... Then, "pop", the parties over.

The same thing occurs in cycling. Movement is an indication of form. On the road, this movement is noted in the line of the bike as well as side to side and rotation movements of the legs. All of these movements affect the center of gravity of the rider. As the center of gravity changes, the direction of the bike changes. With the bike on a trainer, the rider moves much more with poor form. Since the bike is essentially locked to the ground, it can't move underneath and all unresolved forces present themselves in the rider. It reminds me of the scene from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". "All the Noise, noise, noise, noise, noise!"

In a perfect world or a perfect pedal stroke, all the force would be delivered to the cranks. Other forces would be balanced so that the rider is stable in the saddle.

Next time you are on the road, take note of the noisy riders. Here's my recommendation. Stay away from them because they cause wrecks. Most of the time, they self destruct because they are producing a lot of non-productive force.

Next time you are on the trainer, if you are not able to ride quietly, you have technique issues that need help. Making these changes towards effectiveness with make you faster.

Please leave the mud on your shoes and pedal better

2008-08-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Most everyone has heard that you need to "scrape the mud off your shoes" while pedaling. Often, clients come to me and voice this phase as a description of what they are trying to do at the bottom of the stroke. However, this image provides for critical errors in technique that cost the cyclist and create a loss of power.

Let's consider the image. If I attempt to scrape the mud off my shoe, I immediately think of a standing activity where I force my heel down and pull back with my hip or gluteal muscles. My knee is straight or almost straight. Now, compare that image to the position and muscle activity when the pro cyclist is at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Their knee is flexed and their toe is pointed down. From a muscle activity perspective, the gluteal muscles are shutting off because the hip is translating from extension to flexion the gastroc muscles are active with the hamstrings because they are secondary knee flexors. It's a completely different movement compared to scraping mud off your shoes.

Engaging the pedal at the bottom of the stroke is of utmost importance. Let's try a different image: "Actively bend your knee through the bottom of the stroke". Practice this while on a trainer. Place your foot at the bottom of the stroke. Hold the right/rear brake. Try to start pedaling with the heel down vs. heel up. Heel up engages the hamstring muscle to the greatest extent. Pulling back with the heel down engages the glutes which is completely out of phase at this portion of the pedal stroke.

Those cyclists with their saddle too high are actually at risk for injury if they try to drop the heel. It will cause the knee to extend too much which puts the knee in danger. Ultimately, the body will not let this happen and you will move back and forth on the saddle as a consequence. Way uncomfortable! and you can't ride a straight line.

Cyclists with their saddle too low will have the greatest tendency to drop the heel because the body is trying to find an efficient place to move. However, with the saddle low and heel dropped, you will loose power because you can't engage knee flexors effectively.

Placing the athlete in the athletic start position is a goal of a good bike fit. The athletic start position is the short stop waiting for the batter to hit the ball or a linebacker waiting for the snap. It's the position of greatest muscle capacity. From here, the cyclist can learn to move in a manner that provides the greatest power.

Time to get back to writing

2008-08-18T15:18:00.001-07:00

All I can say... It's been a wild Summer. Now, the kids are back in school and it was like Summer never happened.

Here's where the interesting work is being done when I'm working with clients. I've started doing before and after video analysis. This gives a good perspective to the changes that are occurring with the bike fit. Also, I can give each client some additional information about how their technique based on the video assessment.

All in all, the initial video work just offers a peak at the value that Dartfish offers. The best way to take advantage of the service is to use it as an adjunct to technique training. Technique sessions are a combination of performance, analysis, review and teaching/training. Then, the cycle starts all over again.

Banner day for research supporting cycling technique

2008-06-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

The Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology is publishing amazing articles in the area of cycling. Just to help, Electromyography is the study of electrical patterns associated with muscle activity. Kinesiology is the study of movement.

Up until recently, many cycling research models had limitations when applying the information into a real world context. This doesn't mean that the research was or is bad. It just means that the study of the cycling movement is difficult to encapsulate and therefore, much of the research is limited to finite details that have to be pieced together with several pieces of other research to form a provable concept.

This new research seems to have broken a bit of the mold. The first article discusses patterns of muscle recruitment in novice and highly trained cyclists. <click here>. The final sentence in the abstract is the most important statement. Basically, it states that cycling is a skill sport and technique has to be developed to become successful. While this concept is generally accepted in other sports like swimming, golf, tennis, it's generally absent in the cycling community. Most cyclists thing that they just need to ride faster, longer, harder. This article says that cyclists need to ride smarter.

The second article says that trunk position affect technique. <click here>This project compared elite cyclists, elite triathletes and novice cyclists. Basically, it shows that elite triathletes ride with the same technique problems seen in novice cyclists. Once again, this supports the need to develop technique in general, but specifically, it states that novice triathletes never have a chance to develop good technique. The are at a disadvantage because they are new to the sport and their cycling position puts them at a disadvantage when trying to produce good power.

It's time we move away from any positioning model that takes away from the production of power at the pedals. If we disregard principles that are based physiology, physics and biomechanics in favor of aerodynamics, we are doing a disservice to the triathlete.

Skill set can be improved by triathletes

2008-06-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

The Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology recently published a paper comparing Cyclist and Triathlete pedaling economy. Click Here

Regardless of the cycling sport, it should be noted that cycling economy is a factor that leads to success. If you are producing power ineffectively or you aren't able to turn muscles on and off rapidly, you are scrubbing speed.

New sport to consider

2008-05-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

I've never fly fished in my life. Last week, I spent a few days in the Rockies just west of Colorado Springs. Take a look at the pics. Our guide, Landon Mayer is the equivalent of Lance Armstrong for Fly Fishers. (http://www.landonmayer.com/) If you are ever in the Colorado Springs area, look him up. It's the trip of a life time.

Thanks Landon!

You throw like a girl!

2008-04-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Don't let the title offend you. Especially if you are a guy who throws like a girl!

We've all seen it. Someone throws something to you and the entire motion used to accomplish the task looks awkward and ineffective. In addition, the object being throw falls short or goes off in some direction other than towards you.

What's going on? The motion required to perform the task of throwing is composed of elements. 1) The motion has to be possible for the body to perform. The body has to be able to move through the ranges of motion without impediment or resistance. And 2) The motion requires that the brain has a coordinated plan to contract and relax muscles in a manner and order that accomplishes the task.

Let me digress: My employer just purchased and implemented a robotic product delivery system. Items can be placed in the robot and the robot can be "told" to deliver the product to departments throughout the organization. The robot has a finite set of delivery plans in it's computer. Our brain is similar yet it's not limit to the point of failure. If for example, our robot was asked to deliver something outside the hospital, it would fail. The robot doesn't have a delivery plan for locations outside the building. If we are trying to accomplish a task that is not in the database, the brain gives the best plan available based on the data at hand and past experiences. Unfortunately, it is typically a motor plan that is poorly coordinated. Hence, "You through like a girl", comes to mind.

Why is this important to cyclists? Motor plans apply to all physical activities. Cycling effectiveness relies on the ability to accomplish a highly repetitive activity in an effective manner for long durations. Cyclists can only evaluate their ability to perform a motor plan to a certain degree. We perceive ourselves differently because we are on the inside of the body. We need to see ourselves from the outside.

Dartfish video technology allows rapid video capture, analysis and playback. It gives riders the ability to see themselves from the outside so they can make changes on the inside!

Mastering the skill set

2008-03-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

The family and I just returned from Snowshoe, WV. We went skiing for the week. As much as I would love to fly everyone to Aspen, the eastern United States falls more in my budget.

I haven't skied in 12 or 13 years. And, to reduced the chance of early week injuries, I decided to take ski lessons with everyone else in the family. Our instructor started teaching ski lessons 24 years ago. That in itself is amazing. You could tell that she had developed her ability to communicate the important aspects of the skiing skill set. It's all about technique! As she spoke, I could identify with her as a coach because I was listening to how she was communicating as much as I was listening to the actual information that she was trying to get across. I mentioned that I was a cycling coach and I really appreciated how she used words and imagery in a way that the students could understand. It became very easy to apply the skills that makes skiing successful and fun.

Interestingly enough, one of the students in the group had just started skiing the previous day. He had decided to tighten up a set of boots, click into some skis and take off. Let's just say that he had a bad day and had wisely decided that the expensive lessons might be worth the price after all. However, in an attempt to preserve his life on the first day, he had already developed habits that negatively impacted his ability to be successful. Instead of focusing on a new set of skills, he was having to unlearn bad habits associated with fear before he could learn new ones with confidence.

Regardless of the sport, there is a skill set that has to be considered before success can be achieved. As much as I leave room for new techniques that advance a sport, physics and the laws of gravity continue to prevail. They cannot be discounted...and cycling is no different than any other sport. To get the most out of a cycling experience, there are certain skills that must mastered. The principle skill for cycling is the application of force to the pedals. This act impacts speed, direction, comfort, endurance and safety.

What is the best method to gain effectiveness force producing pedaler?
1) Correct bike size - this determines if an effective position can be achieved
2) Correct bike fit - this sets the best position and offers the potential for effective power delivery
3) Technique training - this trains the rider to coordinate muscle activity in a manner that best matches the way the machine moves. (Pedals only move in a circle!)
4) Mastery of combined skills - develops that ability to be effective under a variety of situations that require cognitive thought in addition to the act of cycling. A good example is "negotiating traffic".
5) Development of fitness - enhancing the metabolic systems that allow you to go further and faster
6) Training for performance - this is a combination of all skills within a competitive experience.

Don't be the guy I met on the slopes. Take time to learn good, effective habits that foster success.

Mountain Bike Fit

2008-02-18T20:43:00.000-08:00

There's not a lot of information about being fit proper on your mountain bike. I have to say that 99% of my clients come in for their TT or road fit. Most of the articles are written for the narrow tire guys(and ladies of course).

Here are some general rules about MTB fit compared to TT or road

Crank length should be the same for all bikes. See my previous post
The saddle position should position the rider so that they go through the same movement pattern on each bike( as close as possible). This doesn't mean that the saddle will be the same height compared to the bottombracket. Actually, it will be a bit lower on the MTB compared to the road or TT because the pedals are further apart.
Handlebar height is set so that the shoulders are in a 90 degree position
Handlebar width is based on shoulder width

Recently, I purchased a 26" MTB rear wheel with a slick tire. Now, I have the ability to set the bike up on the computrainer without any worries. I look forward to helping the MTB riders achieve their riding goals in the same fashion as the road and TT riders.

Pedaling effectiveness is just as important on a mountain bike as it is on the road. Don't waste your effort with poor technique.

Crank length from the cyclist perspective

2008-01-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

I always find cycling analysis interesting. It doesn't matter if it's equipment, training, bike fit or anything else. It's most important to review the information and determine the perspective of the author. Take the information and dissect it so that you can gain a better understanding of the information on the surface but also consider it at a deeper level.

Every article or opinion has some sort of context. Often times, it focuses on a vary narrow aspect of the sport. You need to determine if the information is applicable to your riding style or interest. Also, you need to assess if the information has an equipment focus or rider focus. For example, the latest greatest aero frame may have the greatest technology. It may be bulletproof and invisible! But, if you can't fit on it, it's useless to you.

I just wanted to get this across before I start this entry. I'll let you know my perspective. This article is written with a focus on the athlete. It is not written from a perspective of a specific aspect of cycling. With this in mind, I think everything should be written with the athlete as the primary focus. Without a functional, effective athlete, a bicycle only leans against a wall.

It's my goal to turn bicycle riders into cyclists. Happy cyclists! For the athlete, crank length needs to be the same, regardless of the type of cycling that is occurring. Every bike you own should have the same crank length. Determining the right length is a factor of fit first and then passion. For example, if you are a track cyclist, your crank will be shorter due to the nature of the event. It will probably be shorter than your road crank if you didn't ride on the track. This crank length should be translated to your road, TT and MTB.

Why? As a cyclist, pedaling is about establishing a finely tuned series of muscle contractions that turn the cranks in a circle. The size of that circle is dependent on the length of the crank arm. If you have the same crank length of every bike, your brain is able to finely tune the movement pattern associated with one size circle. If you have multiple crank lengths, your brain needs to establish multiple movement patterns. If you are talented and have an excellent sense of movement, this will have a limited but real impact on you. If you have a limited ability to understand where your joints are in space and the speed/direction they are moving, having multiple cranks lengths can be a source of injury. Think about it from the brain's perspective.

Taken in perspective to event. I could quite possibly have three different crank lengths. Additionally, there's probably an "event based" piece of research to support each length. I could have 170's on my track bike. I'm 5'10". My track cranks might be shorter. (I'm not a track cyclist). My road bike could be 172.5's based on calculations or manufacturer suggestion. If I go MTB or Tri, I could be looking at 175's. From the brain's perspective, this is the equivalent of putting an efficient motor pattern in a blender.

Give your brain a chance to become great at one size circle. Purchase the same crank length for each of your bikes.

Does bike fit change?

2008-01-17T15:24:00.000-08:00

Absolutely. Your fit on the bike is going to change for one of the following reasons. Your equipment has changed or you have changed.

Pedals, shoes and saddles all have a significant impact on fit. The pedal/shoe combination impacts how close your foot is to the pedal spindle. The saddle impacts the distance to the bottom bracket based on the thickness and shape. Saddles also impact your fore and aft position related to the bottom bracket based on where you sit on it for maximum comfort. Cranks change everything from the pedals to the saddle. Changes in frames impact seat angle, head tube length and head tube angle. Changing the handlebars impacts reach to the hoods and the depth of your reach to the drops. Handlebar rotation and hood position impact wrist position. Basically, you can change tires, tubes, chains, brakes, derailleurs and cables without impacting fit. Everything else causes a change.

What about you. Here's the list. Increased or decreased weight; increased or decreased flexibility; Injury or degenerative changes. If you put on a few pounds over the holidays, you will note that you can't get into the drops as easily. An adjustment should be made so that you can continually utilize all the handlebar positions. Injuries also impact fit based on your tolerance to assume various positions.

Ultimately, you want to monitor fit so that pedaling efficiency remains relatively unchanged. Just a few millimeters here or there can put you in a position of reduced efficiency. Any time something changs that impacts you ability to drive the pedals, you need to get your bike fit checked out.

Mind excavation

2008-01-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

The statement, "It's just like riding a bike" comes to mind. Cycling is such an automatic task that, once learned, doesn't require much additional training if you haven't ridden in a long time. You just jump back on the bike and start riding. However, what if the task was originally learned poorly or with an ineffective motor plan, now we have to do some mind excavation.

It's my job to take a task that is seemly very simple and automatic, bring to a conscious level of awareness, re-train it so that it's more efficient and then process it to the point that it is automatic again.

The process of making cycling a cognitive or conscious activity is actually very simple. I use software such as Computrainer Spinscan, video analysis (Dartfish) and rollers. This equipment quickly makes riding a bike a conscious experience.

The process of re-training is not always as easy. This is dependent on the riders ability to assimilate the information and make changes in the way they move. Each rider is unique in the type of information they need to make effective changes. Sources of stimulation include visual, auditory, vestibular and tactile(or seeing, hearing, balancing and touch)

Returning improved motor patterns to automatic requires repetition, repetition, repetition of the correct pattern.

Finally I can test how automatic a motor patter is by making cognitive challenges or ask questions that require the brain to process information. If the newly learned motor task is automatic, the brain is able to process information. If the motor task is not completely automatic, one of two things happens, the motor activity looses quality while the brain processes the information or, the brain is not able to process the information correctly. This occurs because the rider is using conscious thought to process the motor task.

Starting out right

2008-01-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

I have the wonderful opportunity of training my wife and oldest daughter. What a great experience because neither has ridding significantly other than putzing around the neighborhood.

They are like blank slates. We are starting out with our focus on good fit followed by good mechanics. My daughter immediately took to the computrainer spin scan module. I'm always amazed by kids ability to interpret video data and assimilate it into function. I didn't have to explain anything about the spinscan graph. I just told her to make the line as flat as possible.

She started pedaling and experimenting with the way she pedaled the bike. You could see her brain working as the video display changed, she would make small corrections to reach the goal that I gave her. Pretty soon, her spinscan was 80. If you don't know anything about spinscan, that's a pretty good score.

My wife is focusing her efforts on learning the rollers. We are working on specific drills that make her pedal correctly.

Ultimately, it's all about creating movement and assessing if the movement is beneficial or not. Your brain creates a "database" and learns to move in better and more effective ways.

Dartfish proves valuable immediately

2008-01-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was working with one of my longstanding clients. She has made incredible gains over the course of training but there's always been a few little technique issues that continue to be a problem.

We took a few segments of video and began to dissect her pedal stroke. Within a minute, I saw a problem. Dartfish allows the user to look at video frame by frame. It also has the capability to analyze angles.

We identified the problem and then we began to correct it immediately. Within a few minutes, her technique was better. Followup Dartfish video clips proved that she was changing her technique and it was making a positive change.

Permanent changes takes thousands of repetitions. It will take several rides before this problem is totally corrected. However, within the lab setting, we were able to identify the problem, teach correct technique and she was able to perceive what good technique is suppose to feel like. Amazing stuff.

Dartfish is a reality

2008-01-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

Dartfish is a premier video management software suite. It has the ability to import, analyze and compare video. Go to www.dartfish.com to take a look.

With Dartfish, I have the ability to stop or slow video and use that information to educate and train riders to improve technique.

Video will be incorporated into almost every session. For bike fit, I will take before and after clips. Primarily it will be used to teach pedaling technique. Sometimes, it's difficult for a rider to understand how their body is moving on the bike. Video capture makes it very clear.

I look forward to serving each of you with this technology.

Bike handling dynamics

2007-12-27T12:26:00.000-08:00

In the past, I've written about bike handling dynamics and the things that you can do to improve this for yourself. Last night, a friend and I were talking about bike frame design. Specifically, we were talking about bike stability and the impact of fork rake and head tube angle. Much of this is new stuff to me as I continue to learn about frame design.

He pointed me to a web link that gives a great illustration of bike stability. When I say bike stability, I talking about a rolling bike without a human riding on top of it. The physics associated with a bike causes it to roll straight as long as the bike has momentum. It will maintain this straight line until the forward momentum is reduced and all the forces acting on the bike go away. Then, the bike falls down. You can see this as an experimenter rolls a bike across a parking lot..

Just to show how stable a bike is(without a rider), an experimenter rolls the bike forward a second time. This time, he runs along side and hits the saddle from the side. In fact, he hits the saddle rather forcefully. This causes the bike to immediately change direction but it quickly regains stability and continue once again in a straight line. Click Here

Here's the application. If the bike(without a human) rolls straight, what causes it to ride erratically once we get on it. "And the answer is.....the rider".

The rider brings a set of forces that are created during the process of pedaling the bike. These forces cause the bike to "change direction". However, to our benefit, the inherent stability of the bike keeps us from killing ourselves. Now, you can understand why a bike and rider are unable to ride a straight line. The rider is creating forces that move the bike all over the place. These forces require correction so that the rider is able reduce the danger to other riders in close proximity.

There is a remedy. Reducing these forces that cause the bike to move outside it's line can be learned. Your bike can roll straight with you pedaling it. Once, again, rollers are the key.

Where is GCCF going in 2008?

2007-12-26T09:08:00.000-08:00

Based on the things I have rattling around in my head, this looks like it's going to be a exciting year for Gulf Coast Cycle Fit.

Here are some of the things that I have on my personal and professional agenda.

Power Training Certification: I attended the USA Cycling Power Training Course in Atlanta back in November. USA Cycling offers a Power Training Certification Test. I plan to complete this by the end of January. I don't know if it's really necessary but it will allow me to determine if I meet the testing standard that has been created by USA Cycling. Currently, I'm training almost completely by power. With the exception of riding the rollers, all of my rides are evaluated based on power vs. heart rate. It's my hope that riders will continue to move towards power based training. Look for information about local seminars about Power Based training. Once you see the benefits of this format, you will want to move in this direction.

Virtual Bike Fitting and Frame Design: This has moved from concept to reality but it's still very new. Gulf Coast Cycle Fit has purchased BikeCAD Pro software. From this platform I should be able to do several things:

Bike Frame design based on biomechanic and physiologic principles and measurements taken from you. This can be used to have a custom bike built for you or you can use it to determine which mass market bike would best suit your body.
Help riders determine which size TT bike they would ride based on their road fit or MTB fit. This would be a detailed process of evaluating your current fit and then translating that information to other frame geometries.
In the end, it's my goal to make sure that my clients are riding the bike that best suites them

This next goal is something that is very close to reality. This concept is the most exiting for me because it ties several things together for riders: fit, training, power based training, pre and post training evaluation and many other concepts all in one package. If I comes off as I hope, it will be a great asset to the entire cycling community. I'm lacking a few pieces of information at this point. Mostly, it's related to market research regarding riders in the Mobile, AL and surrounding areas . If you would like to help me by answering a few questions about this concept, please email me at david@gccyclefit.com. Please title your email "Focus Group" so I can quickly get with you.

Lastly, I hope to incorporate video analysis to the list of services. Pedaling occurs so fast that it is hard to truly evaluate foot and lower extremity position and their impact on force production. Video analysis allows me to slow or stop the process and guide you towards better function as a cyclist. Currently, I use data output as a determination of quality force production. This technology will allow direct assessment of the factors forces that contribute to force production. More granularity for me, better service for you.

I hope you come along for the ride in 2008. It's going to be exciting.

Power meters

2007-12-24T12:39:00.000-08:00

Here's an article written by Frank Overton 2 years ago. It may be 2 years old but it still applies to today's training.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/default.asp?pg=fullstory&id=3660

When you don't have time to train

2007-12-17T06:12:00.000-08:00

Where's the time? I was talking with a cyclist yesterday. I asked him how many hours he has to train. He responded, "4 or 5 hours". My reply, "Man, that must be tough. I know you would like to ride more.". He says, "Oh, no...I have 4-5 hours/day. "

This is the reason why I think every cyclist should have a family, job(s) and a mortgage. It would even the playing field.

Where am I finding the time to train....Saturdays, I'm riding 4-5 hours. Typically, it's a long endurance ride somewhere around 65-80 miles. The other training sessions are at night. When I say "night", I really mean it. Last night, I started on the computrainer at 11:15pm. I didn't finish until 1:03am. That's about as late as I've ever ridden. Most of the time, I start around 10:00pm and end around midnight. That leaves 6 hours for sleep.

I'm hoping to ride on the road with the Carpe group on Fridays.

iBike Wireless

2007-12-12T07:39:00.000-08:00

I rec'd my test iBike wireless kit yesterday. It includes two wireless transmitters(one for cadence and one for speed), heart rate strap and mounting hardware. The setup was particular but it wasn't complex. You have to follow the directions in precise order.

The wireless mount is contained within the stem mount for the head unit. This sets up for a very clean look. By mounting the iBike directly over the stem, it makes the most of the VRK device that I detailed in a previous post.

Total set up time is less than 30 minutes if you follow the directions. If you try to do it with out completely reading the directions first, it will take longer. I know this from experience.

In one of the last posts, I reported that I had installed the VRK. At that time, my iBike was still mounted on an extension forward of the handlebar. With this configuration, the VRK was still unable to dampen the vibration created by riding on Ben Hamilton Rd. However, on the other 95% of road surfaces, it was very reliable.

Now that the iBike is installed to take maximum advantage of the vibration dampening capability of the VRK, I can't wait to ride Ben Hamilton again.

On a positive note, the iBike software(loaded on your computer) has some "black box" post ride analysis capability. The software is able to mathematically correct for data errors created by excess vibration. I don't know how it does this but, it seems to work pretty well. I'm not a big fan of post ride data correction. But, at this price point, it's something that I'm willing to deal with. The new wireless mount has heart rate monitoring capability. If I get on a road surface that is causing data problems, I can monitor HR until the road surface changes.

I've had the opportunity to talk to John Hamann on several occasions. I'm continually amazed at his fortitude as he continues to cross hurdle after hurdle with the goal of creating a remarkably affordable power monitoring device. This is a nasty market to work in. Cyclists want things that are light, durable, accurate and reliable. They want them to work in all weather conditions and they want them a cheap as possible.

I'll let you know how the next Ben Hamilton ride works out.

Robin and Dr. Phil

2007-12-07T07:28:00.001-08:00

This is way off topic. It doesn't have anything to do with bikes, power meters, bike fit, coaching or anything that may remotely resembling these topics. You have been warned, however, I hope it makes you think.

Regardless of what you think about daytime television or the people that watch it, I hope I can bring something to the surface that has lasting value and weight. While I love cycling, there are many things that are much more important to me. Values, principles, integrity...these are the structure upon which you can build any application in life.

Deny it if you want. But, I know that most of you have watched at least one episode of Dr. Phil. Regardless of what you think about his program, there is something of value that you should take away from his show.

Notice this.
Every woman in the audience loves Dr. Phil's wife Robin.

They love and envy her because of the relationship that she has with him. Take notice, this guy is a complete reversal of american culture. He's bald, he's not particulary fit and he's not attractive. Why would a woman be of her beauty be attracted to this man and why would other women be envious of her relationship with him? Here's my question to you. Are other women envious of your wife because she has you? What would make you worth that?

Here are the answers. You have to decide now if you have what it takes to reach this level.

Dr. Phil is a man who knows what he believes. He has public standards that he is not ashamed of sharing. He believes what he teaches and lives it. He has priorities that put his relationship with his wife at the very top of all human relationships. And lastly, he does all of this without selling out. How do I know this is true? Because there is no amount of acting that could train Robin to look at him the way she does if it were any other way. Indeed, every other woman on the planet would see right through her and call her a fraud.

While you probably slander him while in a group of your friends, secretly, you wish that you could be a man that stands for something. Something that is lasting and full of integrity. You can. That potential is within each of us. There is so much more to be said but hopefully this blog has made you think.

ibike update - VRK

2007-12-03T14:20:00.001-08:00

I rec'd and installed the Vibration Reduction Kit(VRK) from iBike. It an interesting device that goes inside of your stem. From there, it dampens road vibration within a frequency range that negatively affects the iBike accelerometer. Total install time is 5 minutes.

I had it in place for my ride on Saturday. Based on my expercience with this power meter, I can tell you that it did a great job of isolating those specific frequencies from the iBike power meter. My power numbers were much more stable throughout the ride.

You can hear the device working. There are washers that move freely on a metal rod. When the road vibration is great enough, these washers make a chime sound. That was my indication that the road vibration was enough to interfere with accurate power calculations.

I still need to ride down Ben Hamilton road. There's something about Ben Hamilton that causes the iBike to show power reading that are 2-3 times actual. I'll let you know my results.

How to know your training tolerance

2007-12-03T14:09:00.001-08:00

More on power...

So what are the questions that you want answered? Why purchase a power meter? Once again, if you don't change your thinking about training, a power meter isn't going to be that great of a benefit other than being a source of information for a genital measuring contest.

Here are the questions that I want answered by my power meter.
How much power can I sustain for a long period of time? This would give me an indication of my aerobic power.
What is my maximum power output? This helps me with my ability to sprint.
What is my 3-5 minute power? Efforts in this range rely heavily on the lactate energy system.
How long do I need to recover after a specific exercise session?
What does my data look like when trended over days/weeks/months/years?
Am I getting faster?
If I want to race at X level, what kind of w/kg would I have to produce?
How much weight do I have to loose to be able to do that?
How much taper do I need to peak for X event? When do I start?
If I only have X hours to train, what is my intensity for duration exchange?
If I only have X number of hours to trains, can I acheive the goal I have set for my self?
Within my power band, where am I weak/strong?
What types of races should I select to emphasis my strengths?

These are just a few. Power meters and associated software can answer all of these questions.

Having a coach doesn't mean it's a full time deal

2007-11-29T18:26:00.000-08:00

This is a concept that I want to share with USA Cycling. Much of the USA Cycling coaching information is related to coaching and training bike racers. I see it much differently. I like the Golf Pro model.

Every golf course across the country has a Golf Pro. He's the guy that teaches the local golfers how to get more out of their game. Golfers have simple goals. They want to lower their score or specifically, they want to improve their putts, drives or chip shots. For some people, this means that they meet with the Golf Pro every week on a regimented plan. For others, it means that they only make appointments when they feel the need. Most of all, it's about helping the golfer accomplish his goal. Most Golf Pro's don't coach PGA or LPGA golfers. They coach the hobby athlete.

Cycling has become a huge industry over the last 10 years. Of all the bikes that were purchased, very few were for pro cyclists. Bikes were purchased by people who love the sport. Every cyclist I've met wants to get more out it. The golfer wants to lower his score. The cyclist wants to ride faster.

Do you need a full time cycling coach to help you accomplish your goals, most likely not. Like the golfer, you probably need someone to take a look at what you are doing. You need someone to make some observations and offer some corrective actions and recommendations. That might mean you need one or two training sessions on an infrequent basis. For others, they want something regular and regimented. For them, full time coaching is best.

What are your goals? Are you accomplishing them and how do you know?

iBike update

2007-11-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

I talked to the CEO of iBike yesterday. The company is doing it's best to fix all the short comings that have been identified over the couple years. I sent my original unit back and they found that it had some problems. Since receiving the new unit, I still see issues with vibration and drafting.

To account for the vibration issue, I will be testing the new VRK (Vibration Reduction Kit). For me, this is a huge issue. Currently, power readings from rough roads can be as high as 2-3x actual. That destroy's all post ride analysis. I'm hoping that the VRK dampens the and improves accuracy.

iBike software has also improved. They have included some post ride filtering software that analyzes the ride file and makes corrections. This may be good, but I would prefer to have correct power numbers from the beginning.

Power Training

2007-11-27T15:25:00.001-08:00

All I want for Christmas is a POWER METER. That should be the song you are singing.

The USA Cycling Power Training Course was great. There is so much information that you can learn about your riding/training and racing with one of these devices.

The course covered all of the basics regarding terminology. As you can imagine with any new technology or implementation, you have a new set of terms and acronyms. Things like Functional Threshold Power, Normalized Power, Intensity Factor etc.

Currently, here's the problem that I see with this new technology.
If you don't have a reasonably structured training plan, the power meter is going to simply give you more information about your schizophrenia. It will help you change and become more structured. But, if that isn't your goal, save your money and enjoy riding.

However, if you want the most precise method of measuring your performance and improvement. And...if you will use the information to change your training habits, it is worth the investment.

In addition, if you are committed to making changes in your training, you will have to make some other concessions as well. Group riding is not conducive to "training". It's a great social environment but you can't focus on your training goals closely enough. I don't recommend abandoning the local group rides but, it has to be limited and you need to be disciplined enough to stay within your overall training plan in spite of what the group may decide to do.

Back to power meters. I guess you need to check you budget before you decide to start shopping. I'll write more about the pro's and con's of each device... or you can search the web. There are plenty of comparisons out there.

It's been a while again

2007-11-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

Thanks for being patient while I've been busy with other things. Life's been rather busy and something had to go.

There are so many things that I'm learning in the area of bike fit, training and biomechanics. Just when I think I'm getting a handle on everything, the science and the information gets deeper and more intricate.

Here's the latest info as part of my continued desire to train and study. I'm heading to Atlanta next weekend for USA Cycling Power Training course. This is going to be great because it focuses on using power meters for training. I'll give you more information once I get back.

Time out

2007-07-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by the Gulf Coast Cycle Fit blog. I hope you have enjoyed reading some of the things that I have written. Life has become rather busy over the last couple months and I haven't had the time to write as often as I would like. I'm going to take a break for a while. Once things settle down, I'll start writing again.

Now that you are here. Take time to scroll through some of the entries. If you have questions about anything, please contact me. I'll be glad to exchange ideas.

David

Thrill of the evening!

2007-07-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

Last night I watched as my daughter learned to ride rollers. She started out fearful of certain death like most riders but in just a few minutes, she was riding independently. There aren't many things in life that bring me more joy than to see someone accomplish something that they thought was impossible.

Decreasing internal resistance to motion

2007-07-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

Just like your car, greater amounts of power can be applied to the wheels if that power is not used to overcome internal resistance in the "engine". Resistances in our human body engine have to do with joint and muscle flexibility and coordination of motion(discussed in the previous entry).

Joint and muscle resistances have to do with your general flexibility. If you cannot easily move through the ranges of motion that are expected in your sport, you will never excel to the level of performance of other without that resistance.

Manual soft tissue and joint mobilization techniques applied by a trained professional can free up mobility so that you can move freely. Joint capsules which are the connective tissues surrounding a joint become tight with lack of use or injury. Specific techniques are applied to stretch the capsule. Soft tissue restrictions also impair mobility. Adhesions can form between muscles that impair movement. These can be addressed by using specific massage techniques to resolve the problems. Once complete, the muscles are joints are ready for progressive physical development to enhance performance.

Too Busy

2007-06-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Not enough time to think. I'll be back, I promise.

Motor patterns

2007-05-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

It's only been 19 days since the last blog entry. Actually, I thought it had been longer. Thanks to Gus for spurring me to start writing again.

I've been batting several things around in my head. However, little seems to be solidifying into cogent thoughts. Most of my thoughts have to do with improving muscle memory patterns and decreasing internal resistance to movement.

Muscle memory patterns have to do with improved firing of motor neurons(nerves to muscles). When you start practicing a new movement, the coordination of these nerves is rather disjointed, so to speak. It's not smooth. As you practice, the brain actually optimizes it firing pattern and synchronization so that the movements occur more effectively.

You optimize the motor pattern that you practice. That is good and bad. If you practice bad movement patterns, you become more efficient at movement ineffectively. And, likewise, when you practice effective movements, these become optimized as well. The proof of what to practice comes in the testing. Unless you are tested to determine the effectiveness of your movement, you will always resort to moving in a pattern that feels most comfortable. And, it's comfortable because it's the way you have always moved.

You can't use average speed as an indicator of optimized movement. Average speed will increase even though you continue to move badly. You just have to move badly, harder and faster.

It's takes commitment to make a change because, things are going to get worse before they get better. It's like learning to walk all over again. You will have to fight the urge to return to old patterns. You will feel like you are slower than you have been in the past. It will be true. You will be slower as your weak muscles learn to do their part. It takes time to convert. Once you establish the new patterns for movement, you will get faster.

(Since this blog is getting rather long, I'll talk more about internal resistance to motion on another day.)

Levi was technically superior on Brasstown Bald

2007-05-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since the last post. Things have been crazy and I'm not getting enough miles.

On to things that are more interesting...
I had the opportunity to watch the VS coverage of the Tour de Georgia. Specifically, I watched the mountain stage to Brasstown Bald. One observation was glaringly obvious. Compared to the other riders, Levi finished the stage like he was on a Sunday cruise. Everyone else looked like they were coming apart.

What was the difference? Technique, technique, technique. It's not like Levi is that much more powerful than everyone else. Ok, let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's more powerful, but it still doesn't matter. He was still able to harness his power and translate it to the wheel better than every other rider.

Go to the VS website and watch it. Hopefully the video is still there. He was perfectly quiet on the bike. All the other guys were flailing all over the bike and road.

There are ways to tap into technique. Once your technique it mastered, you can apply power to the wheel.

Things continue to change.

2007-04-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

I think it's important that you continue to assess where you are with your goals and priorities. It's so easy to get off track with all the things that try to take your time.

I'm doing the same thing with Gulf Coast Cycle Fit. I continually look back and check where I've come from and make corrections so that I move towards the goals that I have set.

It's my goal to help riders become more proficient as cyclists. I seek to achieve this through bike fitting, pedaling analysis and coaching.

I've had the opportunity to work with many of our local cyclists by offering bike fitting services. However, some things are missing. It's my goal to help riders become more proficient cyclists and I think I'm missing the mark. Most riders don't understand the need for technique training. The bike fit process is just the initial step. It's equivalent to being sized with the right size golf clubs but not being shown how to swing. Great, now what do you do with the tools you have? I'm beginning to see that providing fit services without training services is a bit of a disservice to the rider. I want the rider to achieve more.

Going forward, I'm going to integrate the fitting services into a larger package. The package price will go up because we will spend more time together. The cost per hour will not change. Going forward, Bike fitting services will be increased from a 2 hour session to 4 hours. This will include bike fitting services, pedaling analysis, efficiency testing and technique training.

Don't get me wrong. This is not a full time coaching relationship. This is only about fitting and training to enhance function and performance by improving technique.

I want each cyclist to get better. Everyone has the potential to get more out of their riding experience.

Better Technique, Better Climbing

2007-04-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

I've officially finished 3 weeks of training. Things seem to be coming along fairly well. This week will be a bit of a rest before I make the next push in intensity.

I've made an interesting observation over the last 3 weeks. I'm climbing better than I anticipated for this period in my training. Once again, it goes back to technique.

Historically, I've had to stand to climb well. This year, I've noticed that I'm climbing longer while seated. Up until last year, I had to stand because I couldn't produce a lot of force while seated. This year, I'm able to apply balanced force around the pedal stroke and maintain cadence and power.

I can analyze this from several perspectives:
1) Better technique troughout the ride saves muscles for intense periods like climbs and therefore, I have better technique on the climb.
2) Better climbing in seated position is a result of improved balance of forces and improved delivery of effective pedaling force therefore there is less fatigue and better performance.
3) I'm still about 10lbs. heavier than I would like to be and therefore standing takes too much energy.

Here's what I can tell you. I feel like I'm able to apply even force all the way around the pedal stroke while climbing. I don't have to mash on the down stroke to keep the pedals moving. I don't have a lot of excess movement that wastes energy. I can pace myself better. I feel like I have more power to bridge gaps after the climb is over.

Ultimately, technique is the key. Regardless of your fitness level, you can make more of the watts you produce by applying them correctly.

We've forgotten our roots

2007-04-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

Some will read this and scoff, others will laugh at my lack of experience. Regardless, it's been a new revelation to me. Hopefully, a few will read and consider.

I've only been riding for 10 years. During this time, it's been a persuit of speed. The focus of this effort has been in the area of "lighter this" or "aero that". I also have to admit that I have become a rider in the technology era. Many of the old ways have been disposed of because they are not cutting edge. Some things needed to go but others work just fine.

Specifically, I'm talking about wheelsets today. I have zipps, velomax and topolino. Each has promised speed. Many high tech wheel manufacturers claim that their wheels are just as durable as anything thing that is on the market. However, the marketing campaignes have not talked about the ongoing cost of ownership. These types of wheels and other high end wheels are very expensive to maintain. Currently, I have a cracked 404 rim($$$) , velomax damaged rim ($$$) and topolino that needs new bearings ($$$?).

Don't get me wrong. I really like each of these wheelsets. Each is fast in it's own right. I'll have them repaired and I will ride them again.

In a search for durability I had to go old school. 32 straight guage spokes, triple cross, Mavic box rims with eyelets and ultegra hubs. Are the "heavy" compared to a set of 1400 g topolinos? Yes. But, for the price, I could probably purchase 3 or 4 sets for the cost of one set of high end wheels. Better yet, I can have them repaired easily vs replacement or rebuild. They grin at rough pavement and patch and keep on going. Other wheels crack and limp home. Riding these wheels gives you confidence that you can ride through most any situation without breaking something. Confidence breeds safety for yourself and others.

(One note of consideration: I haven't ridden Kysriums. I've heard that they are durable and easily maintained. But, look at the price.)

Here's the best thing about these wheels. They are the most comfortable wheelset I've ridden in 10 years. If you are looking for a great set of wheels, go old school for just a small amount of cash and get a great ride. You are going to have to shed some ego. Box rims don't look sexy like a set of deep dish carbon rims. Don't loose your focus.

On High Cadence work

2007-04-06T13:09:00.002-07:00

Lance had a high cadence. So what.

Why is training at a higher cadence important to the local recreational cyclist?

If we were talking about fixed gear racing, cadence becomes very important. If you only have one gear, the only means to increase wheel speed it to increase cadence. Some people ride fixed gear bikes just for the effect that it has on improving the smoothness of your cadence at higher RPM's. Basically, it exposes you to higher cadences and therefore, you get better. Those of us with a zillion gear combinations can become very lazy and therefore only become efficient within a very narrow ranges of RPM's. It's a double edged sword.

In the past, I have written about the internal resistance to motion. That is motion that is retarded by resistances within the human structure. In this case, it would be related to resistance due to muscular inefficiency.

At a certain point, the untrained person begins to have impaired ability to turn muscles on and off. This becomes more dramatic at higher frequencies. Research shows that this impairment becomes more pronounced at about 90 RPM (A light should be going off in your head).

This impairment begins long before we start bouncing in the saddle. It's only after the impairment force becomes greater than our body weight that we begin to bounce. If we are talking about inefficiencies that are great enough to physically lift us, they are definitely great enough to reduce the amount of power that goes to the wheel long before we start to bounce.

The body has to be trained to turn muscles on and off quickly. Otherwise, there's no impetus to improve effectiveness.

Regardless whether you pedal 150 rpm in a race or not. Training your muscles to turn on and off at higher frequencies will improve your effectiveness at lower cadences(ie. 90-95rpm).

Research Supports Efficiency and Economy

2007-04-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to get some of the details. However, in December 2002, Dr Alejandro Lucia et. al. published an article in the ACSM research journal that showed elite cyclists to have an inverse relationship between efficiency/economy and VO2 max.

To qualify for the test, you had to be an elite cyclist with some serious credentials. I'm talking wins or podium finishes in world class events.

The research showed that elite cyclists with lower VO2 max(relatively) showed greater efficiency and economy. That means that in spite of their limited(relatively) oxygen carrying capacity, they were still able to compete as world class athletes. These guys have pushed their Vo2 max to the limit and they utilized their skills to carry them the rest of the way.

What does that mean for the average Joe's like you and me?

It means that training for efficiency and economy go a long way towards improving performance. If you can reduce the amount of wasted effort and learn to do a set amount of work with less effort, you will become more competitive. At our level, VO2 max can still be improved as well. It just shows that we have tremendous potential.

It's nice to know that the research supports the concepts that I've been writing about. You need to challenge your ability to ride effectively. If you continue to ride on the road without providing yourself with additional feed back, you will continue to ride like you always have.

Here goes the roller boy sermon again...
Riding on the rollers is no different than riding on the road. It's different because you are limiting yourself to 18" of riding width. It's more intimidating when you know you have imposed limitations. You will also adjust so that you perform better.

Good riding.

Let the training begin

2007-03-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and it's feels like it's time to ride. I think I finally caught the bug...the training bug that is.

Once again, life with school age children is proving itself to be complex. But, I've settled into a training schedule that appears to be productive on paper.

Monday evening - Computrainer
Tuesday evening - Computrainer
Wednesday evening - Computrainer
Thursday - off
Friday - Morning road ride
Saturday - Long road ride
Sunday - Skills work or trail ride with the kids

Productive training is all about priorities and making the most of the time that you have available. I don't imagine that I would use the computrainer as often if I had more time to ride on the road. But, time is not my luxury. On the positive side, computrainer training is very specific and it can be designed to be the perfect workout from a physiology perspective.

It should be noted that I make a distinct separation between training and rides/races. I'm in total control of my training. If I were doing my training on the road, I would do it solo or with one other person with similar objectives. It's hard to do a training ride with a large group because the group may decide to do something that is contrary to your training objectives.

It appears that this more of a deconstructive entry. That said, before you decide on your training objectives, you need a plan. The plan is established based on your goals and your strengths and weaknesses.

Neuromuscular problems require neuromuscular correction

2007-03-20T15:13:00.000-07:00

Neuromuscular problems require neuromuscular correction.

This type of adage comes from my clinical days as a manual physical therapist. My mentor would say "Syndromes that arise from mechanical dysfunction require mechanical correction". Specifically, if a joint is stuck and not moving correctly, there's no amount of medicine that is going to change the mechanical dysfunction of the joint. The joint would require a mechanical solution in the form of a mobilization to restore proper mobility.

The same is true in cycling. The biomechanics of a proper bike fit improve the potential of the neuromuscular system. That's why I typically see a 7-10 point improvement in a clients spinscan after being fit properly. However, if a client presents with a inefficiency of neuromuscular origin, there's no amount of tweaking bike fit that is going to solve the problem. Proper bike fit becomes a the foundation for the solution because it establishes the proper environment for neuromuscular control.

What is the solution? Training in proper techniques. Depending on the client, this may be simple or very difficult. It all depends on the patients ability to control their body in space. This is their proprioceptive and kinesthetic sense. Where is their body in space, how fast is it moving, in what direction, with what intensity? The body has millions of tiny sensors that report information back to the brain so that movement plans can be created. Michael Jordan had fantastic sense for where he was in space at all times.

As I said earlier, the approach is dependent on the client. I prefer to bombard the body with visual, auditory and tactile information that helps the brain begin to create the correct movement pattern that would be most efficient when pedaling a bike. Someone with good position sense, can listen to instructions and make the appropriate change. Others require much more sensory input and time.

Our brain has a fantastic ability to change. It's called plasticity. Under normal conditions, it never stops optimizing as long as it is continually bombarded with corrective sensory information. That make this coaching thing a blast.

USA Cycling Level 2 Coach

2007-03-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

It's official. I was notified that I passed the Level 2 Coaches exam earlier this week.

Alabama USA Cycling Coaches

Camping at the 'bouge

2007-03-14T08:02:00.002-07:00

It's been a while since we've been camping as a family. Our camper has become more of a yard ornament than a recreational vehicle. I had considered purchasing an old Chevy Chevelle so I could park it in the back yard next to the camper. Obviously, I would have to remove the wheels and put it on blocks and I would open the hood so that weeds could grow up through the engine compartment. In spite of searching for that certain "county - junk yard of the month" look, we decided to hook up the camper and use it.

For convenience, we decided to camp at Chickasabouge Park. We haven't camped there but we were impressed. The bathrooms were clean and the park was well maintained(with the exception of the 20 year old BFGoodrich T/A Radial with raised white letters on the side). Obviously, it came off the Chevelle mentioned earlier.

To the point...
The campsites are right near one of the trail heads. The kids loved being able to ride up and down the hills and across the bridges. For me, it's been about 7 years since I've been on these trails. It brought back a lot of memories. Pretty soon, I was back in a groove.

We think of Chickasabouge from a convenience perspective regarding the trails. However, don't miss out on some local camping too. We plan to go back soon.

Saddles and their impact on bike fit

2007-03-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

It's interesting to observe how individuals sit on their respective saddles. We would have to assume that each rider is sitting on their saddle where it is most comfortable. While there are those times when we forsake comfort for other priorities such as aerodynamics, it should be noted that during the vast majority of our time, we want to be comfortable.

Over the course of the couple years that I've been working with cyclists directly, I've made some interesting observations. Some riders naturally select a position towards the front, others towards the back. I've had clients(of the same general shape and size) that end up with the nose of their saddle 3.5cm behind the bottom bracket and others that end up 8cm behind. This has to be driven in part by saddle design, rider anatomy, flexibility and pedaling technique.

Because of this observation, I think it's important to note that changing saddles could have a significant impact on rider position. Changing saddles changes everything. Several things have to be thought out completely.

Maybe you are not considering a new saddle specifically but you are getting a new bike(that comes with a different saddle). Your fit and potential the size frame you ride could be determined by how you sit on the saddle. At the very minimum, seat post design(setback vs. center mount) and stem length are significantly impacted.

Here are the considerations:
1) Padding thickness - If there is a significant amount of padding, you have to consider how much the padding is going to compress. Arbitrary comparison of saddle height between models could leave the rider 1cm lower than a saddle with less padding.
2) Rail height - saddles have different distance between the rails and the actual riding position on the saddle and different distances between the rails and the top. If you just slap a new saddle on the existing seat post, your eventual saddle height will be different
3) Rail angle - some saddle manufacturers angle the rails so that moving the saddle fore and aft doesn't impact saddle height. It's a novel concept but it can't compensate for the variations in seat tube angle. Depending on where you mount the saddle, it might be higher or lower than the previous saddle based on the angle of the rails.
4) Saddle shape - All saddle manufactures are trying to design comfortable performance saddles. Changing saddle shapes may force you to sit more forward or backward to find the most comfortable position. All of this is in comparison to the nose of the saddle. This has a significant impact on the saddle fore/aft position.
5) Sweet spot - Some saddles have one finite sweet spot while others seem to be veritable sofas. Fizik Saddles make a model in each of these categories. The Aliante has one defined sweet spot. If you move forward, you know it. On the other end of the spectrum you have the Arione. You can move a couple centimeters forward or back and you wouldn't be any more or less comfortable. However, your pedaling mechanics could be significantly impacted.

Here are the rules:
Take the time to find a saddle that really works for you. Pardon the pun, it should be an "intimate relationship!" Comfort is king. Not fashion and definitely not weight. If you find a saddle that is comfortable and stylish and weighs less, great.

Once you find that saddle that works for you, continue to use it until you can't find them anymore(perhaps you should purchase two). If you get a new bike and it comes with an OEM saddle that doesn't work for you, pitch it in the nearest trash can or Ebay. Don't let a saddle determine your opinion of the bike as a whole. If the saddle sucks, you may think that of the entire bike when it may not be true.

If you change saddles, get your fit tuned again. Changing saddles should not be allowed to change your mechanics!

Expensive saddles aren't always best(for you). Top end saddles are designed for 135lb. European males. Not 170lb. to 200lb. office monkeys(myself noted) who like to get out and do a little riding for fun and self abuse.

It's time for a little soapbox

2007-03-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

Here's the topic of the week.

Coaching.

This coaching thing continues to be a blast. I am so grateful for those of you who have trusted me to help you along your journey. The pleasure is all mine and there aren't many things that I enjoy more than seeing someone perform better because of some information or technique that I imparted. Teaching has long been my greatest satisfaction.

Here's the soapbox: (I don't even know if you call it a soapbox. It's just an opinion and an opportunity to have a rather one sided discussion.)
How many sports or recreational activities thrive from remote coaching? If I were going to take up golf, swimming, running or anything else for that matter, I would probably consider a few sessions with a coach who specializes in that event. Especially, swimming. It's a huge skill sport. Consider golf. Who would want to be coached online by some guy in Oregon and trade lessons by email. In my estimation, the higher the degree of skill, the greater the need for direct coaching.

Cycling is a skill sport. Especially with regard to motor patterns that produce appropriate force to the pedals. These are skills that can be developed once they are properly identified. That's what I have enjoyed the most when I work with my clients.

Unfortunately, cycling has been identified(by it's participants) as a sport of fitness only. Thus we have had the development of hundreds of online "coaches" that use software to produce workout program for riders. Don't get me wrong, the software does a very good job of helping with program design. I use it as a check and balance. However, online coaching cannot tap into the information that can be gained by direct interaction with the athlete. An online coach cannot assess how a cyclist performs an activity from a technical perspective. If two athletes may complete the same prescribed interval set, does that mean that they are equals? Absolutely not.

Before anyone goes postal: Let me acknowledge that the vast majority of online coaches are excellent in their art. It's my opinion that online coaches misuse of their time and talent and it under serves that client.

Now, let's address self coaching. I'm all for it. It is prevalent in all sports and it should be in cycling too. Every rider should be reading about their sport so that they can enhance their personal knowledge. So, I don't have the beef with self coaching.

What's the point?
I am so glad that I started learning about coaching from someone that had already distilled cycling coaching to the finer things before I came along. He had already been down the road and determined what he thought was the most premiere method of applying his talent. Direct one on one experiences where he can share information without distraction. He decided that seeing a rider in person was the only way to gain the most information about their riding styles/habits. I'm glad that I've chosen the same path.

I think online coaches miss out on those critical times when athletes "get it". It's the difference between seeing your child walk for the first time and hearing about it on the phone or email. In this case, the parent misses out significantly more that the child.

Overall, I want to get the most out of being a coach that I can get. That means that I want to be there in person. The relationship is just as important to me as it is to you.

Once again, thanks to all of those individuals who I have worked with over the past couple years. It's a blast for me to work with you.

I love that new bike feel

2007-03-01T13:32:00.001-08:00

If you ride a significant number of miles per year, stuff gets worn out. You don't even realize it. It's kind of like your kids growing up. (They are getting bigger but you don't notice the changes).

You remember that new bike feel. It was solid. It didn't sound like a rattle trap every time you ride down a bumpy road. I like to pick my bike up a few inches and drop it. Just to make sure that it sounds solid.

Well, you need to treat yourself to that new bike feel. Don't worry, it won't cost that much.
Here's the formula:
New cables and housings
New chain
New brake pads
New cleats for your shoes
And for God's sake, change the grip tape on your handle bars. (Take a sniff!)

You won't believe the change this makes. The local shop can do all of this and check the headset and other critical components.

If you have a little extra cash. Get ride of the "may pops" and pick up some new rubber.

Last but not least, take these things into consideration.
Handlebar manufacturers recommend changing your handle bar every two years.
That goes for helmets as well.

You will love the new bike feel without the cost.

Training for mediocrity

2007-02-27T15:13:00.000-08:00

Before you take offense, please read a bit further.

If you ride for enjoyment or other social aspects of cycling, this entry doesn't apply to you. However, if you have a desire to ride faster than you have in the past, this is for you.

Have you taken the time to examine how you ride and train? If you train the way you always have, essentially, you get dropped by the same people every year. If you expect a different outcome, you have to do something different with your training.

That said, let's look at a couple training concepts:
1) LSD training. (Long slow distance) : Contrary to popular opinion, riding slow and long does not make you fast. It does make you aerobically fit!. But it doesn't make you fast.
2) Hammer all the time training: While you will probably ride faster than the LSD guy, you will not achieve your maximum potential because you can only stress your system to a certain degree. Ultimately, you will only achieve high medium potential. Will you drop people? Yes. Will you win some races? Yes. Will you be the best you can be? No.

Training is about stress. If your training doesn't cause stress, your body will not accommodate. A good training program is about stressing the right systems. There are specific metabolic energy systems that react when load is placed on them. Just like weight training, if you challenge the muscles with a heavier load, you will get stronger. Also, there are technique stresses such as hill climbs, bridging efforts, break away efforts. These technical activities rely on energy systems but they also have certain physical and mental skills associated with them.

I continue to be pumped about working with clients. The information that I gathered this weekend at the USA Cycling Coaching program filled in the gaps for me. Having the physiologic background for performance enhancement is key. Now, I plan to integrate these programs for each client so that they get the benefit of profitable training.

Great Coaching Course

2007-02-25T19:04:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to get home from Colorado Springs. The USA Cycling coaching course was great. There was a great deal of information that I'll be integrating into my coaching program. Most importantly, there was very little overlap with the information that I currently use for training.

Topics included training program design, sport physiology, athlete relations, nutrition and hydration.

Program design was my weakness. I would say that over half of the course content related to the foundation and application of training programs. The services that I offer through Gulf Coast Cycle Fit are becoming multifaceted to meet the needs of all cyclists in the area. It will be fun to put this information to work with my coaching clients.

Now it's just a matter of completing the 125 question test so that I can be certified as a Level 2 coach. It's been a long time since I took tests. Whew!

What a cool facility

2007-02-24T19:26:00.000-08:00

This is the end of day 2 at the United Stated Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. It's an amazing facility. Imagine going back to college and instead of going to class all day, all you had to do was work out, rest and eat. The food is great and it's endless. Just to the west is Pike's Peak.

I'm here for the USA Cycling Level 2 coaching certification course. Overall, I've been very impressed. I'm looking forward to integrating both training and administrative processes in place within the scope of Gulf Coast Cycle Fit. The information will best serve the athletes that I coach.

Classes have included: Athlete Interview, Athlete Monitoring, Hydration and Nutrition, Tactics, Periodization and Sport Physiology. Each class has offered key pieces of information that I will integrate into my program.

On the other hand, emphasis on skills and biomechanics is significantly lacking. I've had the opportunity to talk to several of the other coaches here for the course. For the most part, the concepts that I teach are completely foreign to them. Once again, thanks to my mentor for pointing me in the right direction. Now, I can fill in missing elements with the information that I'm learning here.

Typically, 7-10 percentage points

2007-02-16T09:09:00.000-08:00

In a continual persuit of objective improvement, I've been doing pre- and post-fit SpinScan tests. Most clients are seeing an immediate 7-10 percent improvement in their pedaling effectiveness just by being fit correctly. It's amazing to see the change.

I've begun to use it with handlebar placement as well. It helps to determine handlebar height. If I see a significant drop in Spinscan when a rider goes from the hoods to the drops, it's an indication of a fit problem. Most of the time, it's related to the acuity of the hip angle.

Objective evidence of improvement is what Gulf Coast Cycle Fit is about.

New thougthts on Triathlon setup

2007-01-28T22:24:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I've spent considerable amount of time mulling over the triathlon setup for cycling. I continue to be function driven. Triathletes are required to follow the same laws of physics as any other cyclist yet, it seems that they do this with some animosity. Here's my point.

Is forward faster...? I guess it all depends on how you interpret the question. If I took an athlete(without previous cycling experience) from a running background and placed him/her on a bike. We would have to assume that they would be faster in the advanced position compared to the traditional neutral road position. Most likely, this would be due to the fact that they would be using muscles groups that they use prodominately in running. (i.e.: they would be faster by running on the bike vs. pedaling the bike). However, there are several other considerations to be made. Would their running position on the bike be their fastest position once they were given a change to become effective as a cyclist? Now this is an entirely different question. It gets into the area of sport specialization, skill and muscle memory. Secondly, if we consider position in a purely aerodynamic sense, forward would be faster. But, even Kim Blair, PhD from MIT states that riders can't necessarily assume the fastest aerodynamic position. Why not? Becuase riders have to pay attention to all laws of physics, not just those related to fluid aerodynamics.

Have you ever considered that the average time of for the biking leg in IM Hawaii hasn't significantly changed. In fact, it's tipped downward a bit. There's also some indication that running times have decreased a bit as well. This is over a course of the history of IM. During this time, we have had a huge influx of technology which are designed specifically to increase our speed. During the same course of time, TdF overall times and TT times have increased.

I think it's impotant to deconstruct the forward position. How did it evolve? Here are my postulations. Greg Lemond was the first to introduce aerobars. As I understand it, they were developed by Profile. I could be wrong. They were placed on a typical road bike frame and the forearm pads were placed over the top of the handlebar. With this setup, a typical rider will be in too much shoulder flexion with their arms on the pads. In this position, the shoulders will fatigue rapidly. If you are a fan of core stabilization, you should be aware of an exercise called the Plank. Do this little exercise. Get into a typical plank position and now, move your elbows forward 4-6 inches. See how long you can maintain the position compared to elbows under your shoulders. Good, how did it go? With the elbows forward, you have to rely on muscular isometrics for stabilization vs. joint approximation and ligamentous support. This puts tremendous stress on the body and the muscles fatigue rapidly.

On the bike, it's the same thing. If your shoulders are being stabilized by muscular means, you will adjust your position so that it is less stressful. Otherwise, you will violate rule one of cycling. Rule 1: The rider must be able to control the bike. So, the rider will adjust their position on the saddle so they are able to maintain the least stressful shoulder position.

Based on typical geomety setup, this causes the rider to move forward to the tip of the saddle so that the elbows are basically in line with the shoulder. Let's take note that resting the perineum ( otherwise known as the "taint") on the tip of a saddle is less stressful than shoulder fatigue. It should also be stated that the rider/runner would unload themselves by appling more peak forces on the downstroke so they would take the pressure off the saddle. This is a significant loss of power and tends to cause the rider to change direction due to a change in center of gravity. Changing direction causes the rider to ride a longer distance between point A and B.

Now we come to the second component in the evolution of the advanced position. The "forward seat post". To the best of my recollection, these were also manufactured by Profile. This moved the saddle under the rider. Mind you, the rider moved forward as a result of "pathodynamics". This was quickly followed by the advanced frame design with steaper seat tubes. And there you have an entire industry that has been created around this phenomenon.

Why aren't triathletes getting faster?

I know this is getting long. I'm having a hard time keeping everything straight as well.

Am I opposed to the advanced set-up? No. Not as long as the rider can do everything that is expected of them as cyclists and do these things in the forward position. It's my contention that most riders who are in the forward position can't. I like what Christopher Kautz of PKRacing said. "Giving a new rider a bike with a forward setup is like giving a 15 year-old a formula one race car". From a steering and control perspective, the formula one car is too responsive for a new driver. For sure, they would loose control. For the new bike rider, the advanced position is the same thing. Now, once a rider develops the skills of a cyclist, they can trasfer these skills over to a bike that is more responsive and potentially more aerodynamic.

Shoulder position is the key. Weight distribution is critical especially if you are going to be forward with more weight on your upper body.

If you continually move forward to the front of your saddle, you have a problem. Your problem can be corrected.

Here's the end statement. There's one bit of research that is in the works that seems to support forward position. There have been a couple studies but I don't think the jury has reached a verdict. It's about the whole issue of forward position decreasing hip angle and this allows for better "post-cycling run events". I'm still waiting for all of the information to come in. It's hard to do these types of studies because there are so many variables to control.

As an anecdote: Jeff Lockwood of Chandler, AZ has been working with cyclists for 15-20 years. Many of his clients are triathletes. In fact, he married one. He demands that his clients work on becoming effective cyclists 1st. Most of his triathletes are set up in a biomechanical neutral position. His clients have shown increased TT and Cycling split times over the course of this time. In addition, his triatlete clients have shown inproved run times as well. What gives?

Velonews article - Symposium Summary

2007-01-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Mike Busbin for telling me about this article. Leonard Zinn's article is here . Enjoy.

Serotta Symposium Day 2

2007-01-25T21:36:00.000-08:00

If one day of PhD level research presentations wasn't enough, here we go again for day two.

Dan Heil, PhD did a review of literature that related to optimal cycling position. Dan reviewed some of his own research as well as other works. Here's the pearl for the weekend. Dan did a study of shoulder position and it's effect on HR, VO2 max and Ventilation. His research confirmed for me that riders search for a shoulder position that requires the least amount of isometric contraction to provide stabilization. This is why riders move forward to the nose of their saddles. Riders don't move forward to gain a pedaling advantage. Basically the results showed heart rate increases of 20-40 bpm simply due to overloading the shoulder musculature. Who can afford that?

Rick Neptune reviewed his research on computer models that predict work load and joint load with cycling effort. I'm hoping to participate in a project with him in the future. I'm interested in forces that cause frontal plan moments. These forces cause the rider to adjust his/her riding path to keep the bike upright. Rick has four kids. He rides a tripple. He's the pilot, his wife it the stoker, the oldest daughter is in the third position. Next oldest is in a child seat on the back. The younder two ride in a trailer behind the bike. Now that's living.

Christopher Kautz gave the most reasonable presentation on triathlon position that I've ever heard. For once, here's a guy who's not screaming "FORWARD, FORWARD, LOWER, LOWER, STEAPER, STEAPER, STEAPER!". His premise was very simple. As a cyclist, we have to be able to maintain balance, stability, power, biomechanical efficiency, comfort and digestion/breathing. For the triathlete, we add aerodynamics. Notice, we add to the existing requirements. We don't throw them out the window. He reported that most triathletes probably belong in a fairly conservative position so that they can get the most out of the bike. I was very impressed. I'm committed to help triathletes become better cyclists.

Andy Pruitt discussed the medical aspects of bicycle fit. He reviewed specific overuse injuries associated with poor fit or poor technique. I liked one of his initial statements. "It's our job to help the bike look like the rider(paraphrase)". It doesn't do any good to make the rider look like the bike. Just because the bike looks fast with the handlebars 6" below the saddle, it doesn't mean that Joe rider is going to be able to tolerate it.

I'm still trying to digest all of the information. It was a huge honor to be able to attend this sympsium. I really came away with a more detailed understanding of bicycle fit and the physics of cycling performance.