Indoor Cycling (AKA Spinning) and why you should be doing it!

Contributed by Andrew Blair

Certifications:  Schwinn Cycling Instructor, Can-Fit PTS, & TRX Suspension Training Instructor.

Indoor Cycling Instructor at: 

Lifetime Athletic (Tuesday 6:30pm)

Gears Bike Shop (Port Credit, Monday 6pm and 7:30pm)

& Clay Canada (Classes TBD)

First, let’s clear up an old myth about indoor cycling being like a cruel form of torture!  The truth is that indoor cycling is probably one of the most inclusive forms of group exercise, for all ages and fitness levels.  When you take part in an indoor cycling class you are in charge of your resistance knob and the instructor is only there as a form of motivation.  As a result, unlike other forms of group exercise, you can take it at your own pace, listen to your body and make adjustments to the routine based on your fitness level, without any of the other participants being any the wiser.  This is why indoor cycling is such a great form of group exercise; the playing field is level, as each participant takes away exactly what he or she puts into the class.

People always ask the question “how is indoor cycling going to benefit me?”  The answer to that is simple.  Indoor cycling helps to develop a strong cardiovascular system, improved aerobic base, with gains in muscular endurance and strength, as well as anaerobic capacity and threshold output.  But how exactly do participants achieve all these great benefits?  It’s simple, they just have to follow the instructors’ cues and use the resistance knob accordingly on the bike!

This is why; out of all the types of cardiovascular equipment, instructors are needed to guide these types of classes.  It has a lot to do with coaching your participants to strive to achieve their total health objectives.  Without the cues from an instructor to add more resistance, thereby producing a higher power output, participants could spin for an hour with little to no resistance and get minimal benefits for their efforts.  

As an indoor cycling instructor, for 10 years now, my job is pretty clear, motivate people to achieve their fitness goals and do so at their own pace and ability.  You can have a class with a wide range of ages and abilities.  The key to individual success is the resistance knob on the bike.  It allows all the participants to work at their own fitness levels, while heading towards the same goal; improved health.  

The challenge faced by instructors is to coach the participants to work within their individual fitness levels, while cuing them to increase their power output.  The real benefit of indoor cycling will only come when the participants begin to work at a higher output of power.  Power, in the end, is what translates directly to calories burned, with increases in all the benefits stated above. 

Indoor cycling is also a great option for people looking to cross train.  It is a non-impactful form of exercise where participants can get a hard session in with minimal wear and tear on the body.  Indoor cycling provides the athlete with an alternative method to achieve results, while producing greater average workout intensity, then if they continued to only do sport specific training.   They can produce more beneficial training gains by adding in this non-impactful exercise, while reducing the chance of any overuse injuries so commonly seen with people who don’t cross-train.

With everything stated above I hope it is obvious that indoor cycling is a great choice of cardiovascular exercise.  It is inclusive, FUN, addictive and has many benefits for its participants.  But I would have to say that the biggest plus of indoor cycling is that it creates a sense of community.  Everyone who participates in indoor cycling classes is working towards a common goal, improved health.  I challenge all of you regardless of your fitness level or ability, to try out an indoor cycling session.  It changed my life; maybe it can change yours too.  

Winterizing Your Ride

Contributed by: Jean Paul Tesolin, Operations Director at Via Ciclante

The Canadian climate can be difficult on bikes and on you, while riding. The answer is not to stuff your bike into your convenient dry storage but to be prepared. You probably vaguely remember the salesperson at your local shop suggesting that you will need to protect your investment and yourself by purchasing degreasers, lubricants, fenders and weather resistant clothing. Now is the time to be prepared for the change in seasons! The good news is that it’s cheap and easy to do it yourself.  

We all know that bikes don’t like water, or snow or salty slush, so the answer is to protect against corrosion through long lasting wet lubricants. But this doesn’t mean that lathering up your bike with oil will protect your bike. You will need to prepare your bike by cleaning it with degreasers before lubricating. The synthetic properties in the oil need bond to a clean metal surface, for the lubricant to work properly. Clean your drivetrain with a biodegradable citrus degreaser removing caked on summer road dust, then, generously apply the oil directly to the top of the chain. Lubricating the barrels of the chain will ensure the chain will roll problem free.  Don’t worry about the mess, place some old newspaper or cardboard under the bike to catch the excess. If you have applied too much then rag off the rest. 

OK now that you have the chain covered, you can’t stop there. Along with the your chain oil, I encourage you to purchase a lighter teflon oil, preferably in a drip style container. You need to lubricate the other components on your bike. Take a look and the pivot points on your derailleur, the junction points between the black cable housing and the inner cable, the shifters on the handlebars and the brake assembly. These moving points are critical to protection and performance. Stream oil onto these parts and your bike will eat it up and love you for it.  A warning: don’t lubricate disc brakes, the pads are absorbent and will ruin the brake performance.

Now that you have protected your bike from the elements, it’s time to protect you. My first suggestion to get a set of full fenders. This will protect you from getting soaked from the wet roads. Second, purchase wind and water resistant clothing. You will need pants, a jacket, shoe covers and gloves. You can find this kind of clothing in various styles and fit, so don’t be afraid to shop it to find what’s right for you.

Winters are not impossible to ride in but being prepared will make all the difference.  If after all this you decide to not act on my suggestions, I won’t be offended, but you will be looking at high maintenance costs in the spring or I dare say it a replacement new bike, simply because corrosion will have ruined your bike. That’s fine, I know just the place to get a new one.  Enjoy your fall/winter riding experience, be safe and have fun. 

On Cycling The Great Divide

Contributed by: Ryan Correy

In 2009 I learned of an underground race known as the 'Tour Divide'. It’s a 4,418 km solo mountain bike epic from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. My interest peaked a year or two later after watching a documentary on the event called 'Ride the Divide'. Check out the trailer at www.ridethedividemovie.com. But be warned, this film is very much the romanticized version of what to expect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The race surges over relentless mountain passes (nearly 200,000 feet of elevation gain), totally exposed to the elements, 24-hours a day. Riders haul all of their own food, spare parts, clothing, and camping gear. As for the rules, they’re simple – stay on track, respect the intended solo nature of the event (no outside support), and the first person to the border at Mexico wins. There is no entry fee and no prize purse. It is a true adventure in every sense of the word.

And I should know…

My cycling story began at age 13 when I cycled across Canada with my father. Since then, I have become the youngest Canadian to complete the Race Across America, have cycled 25,000 km from Alaska to Argentina, represented the national team, ridden a stationary bike for nearly seven days straight, and more.

I saw the Tour Divide as a way to get back to nature. There was also an added draw of having to fend for myself, to be nature’s guest. It had been awhile since I had not depended on a support crew, was spurred on by watchful eyes, or drove towards something other than a shiny medal. This time it was personal.

On June 8^th I lined up at the YWCA start line in Banff with approximately 100 riders kitted out with custom ragtag bikes, and varying eccentric/ loner personalities. Other than a few handshakes and a group photo, this would be the last time that I would ever see any of them. From the word “GO!” I was determined to do well…so says my video blog entry. But like anyone, of course I wanted to win. 

Within the first 20 miles a rock slashed the sidewall of my front tire and I limped to stay within the top ten. Day two and three saw us hike-a-biking over 27 miles of snowy mountain passes through Montana. It would be a relief to walk a little if I wasn’t always soaked. At the bottom of a decent, I remember trying to light a fire to calm my shivering but couldn’t coordinate the effort with my fingers. The only option was to get back on my bike and speed up the next pass.

Concerns for grizzly bears and snow were soon replaced by fatigue and nagging injuries. For me, it was Achilles pain and blood blisters on both of my big toes. Word down the line was that one rider had rocketed off a cliff and busted up his bike, another was in hospital for fluid accumulating in his lungs. Others appeared to be dropping out because of mythical injuries, probably more related to exhaustion, mixed with intimidation for what lay ahead. But none of us were out there to judge.

The difficulty of the ride often extended into the night. Rain and wind would pelt my bivi sack. And when it didn’t, there was always the challenge of trying to calm my body down from the altitude – elevated heart rate and a persistent cough being the main symptoms. A few times I felt inclined to bring my Spot GPS tracker into the sack with me, my finger on the SOS button just in case. A few others have already had to use it, I told myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The course doesn’t let up much through the flat sections. The route crosses a 189-mile area known as the ‘The Great Basin’ in Wyoming where there are no services. I survived off of a couple of gas station burritos and the hope that I would stumble across a water source. The lack of water becomes an increasing challenge through Colorado too. Riders have to be resourceful. One humbling moment saw me digging into a muddy field filled with cows. I dug until I could filter some murky water through a handkerchief. The possible nightmare of Giardia loomed heavy the next few days. But it was not to be, for me. 

After 21 days, the mountain climbs cease and all that is left are 130°F temperatures and a desert dash to the border My tires were worn thin by this point, puncturing often from cacti needles scattered along the road. Thankfully, signs soon started appearing for the border. I’m almost there.

The tiny outpost appears like a mirage. Secretive black military helicopters and fighter jets circle high above, no doubt cautious of my approach.  I walk across a painted line on the road and shake the customs agent hand in Mexico. He speaks something to me in Spanish, though I have no idea what. I signal to him that I am turning around and going back. He is understandably confused.

On the other side, a U.S. border agent asks if I would like my picture taken. “Sure,” I tell him. Gazing around at the small cluster of buildings, I reaffirm that there is nothing here. I’m going to have to hitchhike back – over 100 miles to the next town. Whatever, the hard part is over.

I have never felt so proud.

 

Destination Races and Adventures Offer Unique Experience

Contributed by: Brenda Phillips of Race for a Reason

As co-owner of a travel company specializing in physical fitness adventures of a lifetime at faraway destinations, I know firsthand about partnering dream vacations with fitness goals and aspirations!  More and more, new travel destinations are being introduced that are geared towards healthy active lifestyles and offering events and destinations that appeal to singles, couples and families alike.

Now I’ve completed full and half marathons myself, both locally and at national and international events, and as much as any finish line is amazing (and I don’t ever sell short the power of that!), doing so somewhere exotic and away from home and outside of what is familiar to you, is even more exciting and empowering!  Try to imagine finishing 100 yards from the turquoise Caribbean waters where you can jump right in and soothe your tired muscles!  Picture your final mile coming off the side of a goat path extending from the Great Wall of China, looking behind you and in awe of where you just ran!  Or dream, if you dare, of high fiving with a team of fellow Canadians as you descend a mountain together in Patagonia, or cycling your last 10k of 300 in Spain and arriving to meet up with your teammates.  It’s all there, these out-of-the-box adventures…waiting for you to stretch your imagination and just experience.

Not only will you live and breathe all that the destination has to offer…doing an event this way, with a team of like-minded individuals and soon to be lifetime friends, is an additional reward that you mightn’t achieve at an event at home.  You and your new found friends will train together, likely travel en route together, and spend the time on site getting to know each other’s stories, why they came, what motivated them and likewise, you will share your passion (and your fears).  Stories will be told of past experiences and you will grow and learn from those words as you work towards a fitter you.  You will spend your days with people just like you, people committed to becoming or keeping fit, people who understand the importance of physical activity in every day and people with a love of travel as well! 

Don’t sell yourself short, take the leap.  Do it for your reason, whatever it may be, but do it because you can!  Do it yourself or with your family.  Spread your wings and fly, listen, learn.  Combining your love of fitness with a dream vacation is a perfect pairing.  My experiences have led me to this reality and I spent a lifetime to get here.  I am sharing that knowledge with you so you don’t have to wait, you can just take my word and run with it, pardon the pun!  Give it a try, begin creating memories.  You will discover how rewarding it can be. 

What are you waiting for?