Delayed Reactions

Lately as I've been taking more and more people out for lessons I've been getting responses about how what we went over is kicking in a couple days later.
I got this message after having a session with a local bike shop employee.

"I want to thank you so much for the training session. It really wasn't a good day for personal log-related bravery - which is a huge and frustrating obstacle for me right now - BUT!!!! I went to Fair Hill yesterday and all your tips and tricks about handling and cornering really really came into play and I felt like everything in that realm suddenly made so much more sense! That was a great day on a bike! I feel like I am walking on air."


I'm the one who is walking on air after hearing things like that.  Her experience, highlights the fact that sometimes it may not feel like you are getting something that someone is trying to explain but chances are high that it will make sense later. 


I don't mind if there is a delayed reaction to what I teach. When your body is used to doing one thing, asking it to change patterns might seem hard to do. If it feels right when you get it then keep trying. This is where practice comes in! Always go out soon after a lesson and practice what we went over! You're fun meter will thank you later!

I guess it's getting real official.. Business cards, a company kit, and Wilderness First Aid Training!
Expect to see some major site changes and actual updates soon!

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!