Don't ride here!

It's that flip-flopping time of year. Trails are freezing at night, thawing in the day. If you can get out early when frozen. It's the most fun. If the trails are wet, avoid them. If only a section is wet, walk it. If you make ruts and they freeze for the winter, you're gonna pay when the trail is frozen and you should be railing but get tossed because you couldn't control the urge to ride in the mud!

Going to the Canary Islands in Feburary! Come along!

Takeaim Cycling and BiciFitness are leading another training camp in Spain this year! This time we will be in the Canary Islands where the weather's perfection is only trumped by the spectacular roads on this volcanic island.

We will be leading two camps. Feb 11-18 and the 18-25th. Both camps will be all about climbing and decending. Unlike other cycling camp destination islands like Maljorca, Tenerife is an unknown gem with a more relaxed atmosphere. We will help refine your riding skills and give your season a serious kick start. That being said, don't sit on the couch until the day you fly. If you are going to enjoy this trip you need to be prepared. That's good motivation to stay fit through the cold winter months!

Our prices are a bargain compared to many camps out there. Check out the site at www.bicifitness.com!

"It doesn't matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop" confucius

      I was working with a rider today, going over some of the fundamentals of technique. We practiced going as slow as possible without falling over. Even at a crawl the motion is still moving forward. If you want to increase your balancea and improve your technical skills practice riding as slow as you can!

keep a foot out of the clips so you can put a foot down quickly if you are new to clip in pedals. 

Expanding the domain of TakeAim

 Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know that I'm now the guest blogger for the mountain bike division of the website Find the Best. You'll find general commentary and advice there for cyclist of all genres.
Enjoy!
Harlan

Stretch it

      
        Why stretch?

1. It reduces injuries by allowing the body to react to adverse situations through a greater range of motion.
2. Increases body awareness.
3. "Reduces soreness by lengthening muscle fibers, increasing blood circulation and removing waste products." Brad Walker
4. Improves posture, co-ordination, circulation.
5. After a good stretch, energy levels increase and stress reduces.

      One of my favorite benefits is a little less than obvious, but is in-line with the philosophy of TakeAim Cycling. Better biking through efficient riding. Brad Walker really opened my eyes when I first read his book "The Anatomy of Stretching". He explains that stretching will reduce fatigue because for every working muscle there is an antagonist muscle. If that antagonist or opposite muscle is more flexible the working muscle does not have to work as hard to do it's job. Therefore your body becomes more efficient simply by stretching.
      How does that translate to the bike? You get faster without having to buy a new piece of expensive equipment. We spend a lot of money on making our bikes efficient, but ignore the simple things that are at hand.


Stretching guidelines

1. You can injure yourself stretching! 
2. Stretching is not a contest. Your range of flexibilty is not mine. The goal is not for everyone to touch the ground. The GOAL is to achieve the benefits of stretching.
3. Turn off the TV. I've seen recommendations for stretching for 10 minutes in front of the TV. I say that stretching is a time to listen to your body. If you are distracted you are more likely to stretch improperly and can injure yourself with a strain. 
4. Don't bounce the stretch.
5. Hold it for 20-30 seconds.
6. Breath!!! Don't hold it in. Everyone has a tendency to hold in the breath. It takes awareness to remind yourself to breath. Breathing helps us relax and increases blood flow to those oxygen starved muscles.
7. Before exercise. It's strange to warmup for ten minutes then stop to stretch and return to workout. Still it's a good idea. I tend to find that most of my cycling workouts involve a 20-30 minute warmup period so I don't always stretch. If I'm at a race, I definitely stretch before the start.
8. After Exercise: Spend at least 15 minutes doing simple stretches that target the areas you worked the most and feel the most. It's not unusual to spend up to an hour gettting a good stretch in. I highly recommend getting a longer stretch in from time to time. It's like a free massage.
9. Don't stretch an unhealthy muscle. There is a difference between a sore muscle and torn one.

Contact me if you are interested in learning more. We can develop a routine for you that will improve your cycling performance and comfort. Either way, don't ignore the importance of regular stretching!

Your arms will fail before your legs.

         Sure you might have the best training regime out there to get your legs and heart ready to survive 9+ hours on a bike. But, how much thought have you given to your core and arms. I took a strong rider out the other day on a 5 hour ride through the trails of Jim Thorpe. It wasn't race pace, but by the last hour of the ride he was wondering about his ability to hold himself up on the bike.
          What most people don't realize, is that in order to get yourself through a hundred miles on the mountain bike, your upper bits are as important as your lower bits. Really you should look at it as a symbiotic relationship. A strong core, shoulders and arms allows you to transfer power more efficiently to the pedals. It's like a race car the has to have a stiff chassis to harness every ounce of power from the engine and transfer all of those horses to the wheels. No one wants a flexy bike, so why would you want a flexy body.
          Do yourself a favor and start a core and upper body workout program today. It will payoff more than you can know,.. till you know, then you'll be telling others all about it to! There is no need for a gym membership. Get a couple of 10 or 15 pound weights, a pilates ball and 15-30 minutes a day. Crunches, back extensions, lunges, tricep curls, abdominable crunches, push-ups, planks, dead lifts, wrist curls...
If it works your abs, lowerback, shoulders triceps, forearms it's a good thing.
Start now, because you can't suddenly build this kind of strength two weeks before a race!

"When you're on the starting line of your first century, it's not wise to sit there and think, 'I've got to ride one hundred miles.' I remember my first one, and my thought was to get to the first rest stop. I made each succeeding rest stop my goal. When they're about twenty-five miles apart, you don't get imtimidated by what seems an impossible distance. All you need to do is ride twenty-five miles four times." -Seana Hogan

Tips for riding in the snow/sand/mud!

Just because there is snow on the ground doesn't mean you can't get out and ride. Of course there are circumstances where it's just about impossible. But, if you have a snow that is light and fluffy, not to thick and maybe a little tracked out then you can get an excellent power workout.
Benfits of riding in snowy conditions:
1. Improved handling skills.
2. Greater awareness of power transfer and gear choices.
3. An awesome workout in a short distance.

Here is what you can do to help improve your ride in the snow.

1. Shift your weight rearwards to add traction to the rear wheel. Stay balanced but push the rear of your butt another inch or two towards the back of the saddle. Don't hang off the back of the saddle, it's just a minor shift backwards. Keep your heels dropped like you're pedalling a paddle boat.
2. Don't stop peddling. The best force is a steady effort. Resist the temptation to go to an overly easy gear or a gear that bogs you down. Of course you can coast downhills, but any other time you should be turning over the pedals. If you find yourself spinning the rear wheel while riding, I recommend clicking to a gear or two harder to ensure you are constantly transferring power. If you can't get started from a stand still try a slightly easier gear. Like a car trying to get unstuck, start in second. Be aware of your rear wheel's contact with the ground.
3. Don't oversteer. Try to ride a straight line as much as possible. It's okay to go off line. Slowly redirect the bike with gentle steering. 
4. Let the bike go where it wants. You can't fight the directional path the snow or sand wants to take you. So read above, then patiently pedal back to where you want to go. 
5. Keep elbows and knees bent. Use them as balasts. If the bike swings one way use these appendages to compensate. Be dynamic. Next time you are out, see what it is like to stiffen the elbows and keep the knees tight to your top tube.You'll quickly see how important it is to have loose limbs.
6. When climbing, keep your butt on or just above the saddle. If you stand up and lean forward you are taking traction away from the rear wheel.
7. In corners, stay centered on the bike. The front wheel will push out if you remain in the straight line position of staying slightly back on the saddle. 
8. Look ahead to where you want to go. It's okay to scan the ground in front of you, but make sure you are picking your lines early. 
9. Breath and stay relaxed. You can't fight the snow. It's all about bike Judo! Transfer the energy to your advantage.

If you have anyother tricks that work for you, post a comment!