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FITNESS:
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 Source: bicyclepaper.com |
It's January. It's dark, cold and snowy, and you're thinking about riding your bike, right? Welcome to the off-season! What exactly is the off-season, anyway? Simply, it's the period of time during which cyclists are not actively racing and are scaling back the intensity and duration of their rides. When it starts and ends will vary slightly, depending on what kind of bicycle riding you do. For road racers, it generally starts in October and ends in March.
During the off-season, training tends to be not so cycling-specific, and athletes diversify their activities by participating in other sports. We are the fortunate athletes who live in the Northeast, and weather is probably the single most important factor in determining off-season activities. For that reason, it's important to keep a flexible schedule that incorporates both indoor and outdoor training outlets.
For the cyclist, indoor training may include spinning classes, riding at home on a trainer, or weight lifting. Several local health clubs and a few bike shops offer spinning classes, usually consisting of 45 minute to one hour, high intensity aerobic workouts on stationary bikes. Of course, you don't need to go to a health club to ride indoors. Setting up your bike on an indoor trainer will provide the same opportunity for a great workout in the comfort of your home. Set up a small fan in front of the bike to keep cool, don't forget a water bottle to replenish your fluids, and have a towel within reach. To keep boredom at bay, invite a friend over to ride together, pop a video into the VCR, or wear a heart rate monitor while working through a structured workout. Videos, cycling magazines, training books and, of course, the Web offer a wide variety of indoor training workouts.
Riding indoors helps you focus on improving aerobic capacity, and weight training benefits cyclist's by increasing their overall power and strength. Squats, leg extensions, leg curls and calf raises are just a few cycling-specific exercises that reap strong benefits. If you don't have a place to work out at home, consider local gyms or colleges. Some gyms offer winter-only memberships. And while you're there, why not go for a few laps in the pool? Swimming is great aerobic exercise and a good way to maintain flexibility. Can't swim? Use a kickboard to hold you up and kick behind it.
For a cyclist, outdoor training in the winter can be a mix of riding, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, running and, well, whatever else you can think of. Winter riding, whether it is on the roads or on the trails, requires not only more clothing but also a keen awareness of safety issues. Talk to experienced cyclists for tips and advice.
Skiing is the perfect winter complement to cycling. Cross-country skiing is a highly aerobic activity that works many of the same muscle groups as cycling. Alpine skiing works the quadriceps and improves your balance, which translates into better bike handling skills. Or, if skiing isn't your thing, strap a pair of snowshoes on and go for hike!
Running is also a great way to keep your cardiovascular fitness high. Unlike cycling and skiing, however, it's a weight bearing activity, so be sure to wear quality running shoes, and don't do too much too soon. A quick tip: ten minutes of gentle stretching after your runs will help keep your tired muscles healthy and shorten recovery time.
To be sure, the winter season offers many enjoyable exercise choices to help bicyclists prepare for the spring g season. The real goal of off-season riding is to maintain an overall level of fitness, while offering a physical and mental break from the rigors of training and racing. The transition to spring riding and racing is easier when you enter it with a based level of fitness and with hearty enthusiasm!
Andy Ruiz has raced bicycles at the national and regional level for 16
years. He lives in Schenectady and is the purchasing agent for Albany
County ARC. For more information on this topic, contact Andy via email
andyruiz@excite.com or phone 518-381-3505.
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