Spring back to cycling
Spring is an exciting season for cyclists. The weather warms up and it's time to get back to the road, building up strength and endurance. Many of us are so eager to get back to cycling outdoors that we can make a few blunders in our spring training. Learn about some of the most common mistakes and train well this spring.
#1 Too Hard, Too Soon
Don't let that excitement cause you to hit things too hard at the start. If you increase your training volume too significantly you're apt to end up burnt out and with a nasty case of tendonitis. You want to slowly increase your intensity, increasing your training volume by about 10 to 15% each week. If you've been riding 8 hours a week, up it to 10 - not 20.
#2 Abandoning Cross Training
During the winter months you worked hard to develop that core stability. Now is not the time to abandon those efforts! It's wise to keep up the cross training at least two days a week. This way you will be able to maintain that strength you worked hard for during the previous months. If you are looking to conserve energy for riding, simply reduce your volume and up your load a little bit. Doing this will maintain strength without leading to muscle fatigue.
#3 Too many calories
While you may be burning more on rides, this is not the time to skyrocket your caloric intake. Stick to lean meat once a day and up the amount of veggies in your diet. Save those simple carbs for directly before a ride, or during training.
#4 Fear of the group
Many cyclists are afraid to join group rides. They say they're sitting them out until they can get themselves into better shape. The problem is, there's no better way to get in shape than to join in some group fun. The group is a great competitive motivator - you'll find yourself putting in a greater effort than you would solo.
#5 Forgetting to stretch
Even if you're slowly building volume and intensity, you are likely to end up with some new aches and pains. Stretching will be your best friend during spring training. Foam rollers can be incredibly useful for rolling out sore glutes, hamstrings, quads and backs. In addition, doing one or two 20-30 minute yoga classes each week can work wonders on your recovery.
Info found on active.com
