Kumar

Descending Tips -by Rob Crowe 2 times Olympian

2010-04-08T14:19:00.000+08:00

The thing with high speed skills at anything, the art is usually best ‘learned’ at lower speeds first, and then transferred to high-speed situations. However, while it’s a given that highly skilled riders can surely teach us cool maneuvers, their actions are not always functional or even observable at lower speeds (i.e. these tips work best when you’re going fast). That is, you may have to progress to somewhat upper-level descending speeds (over 50kph) to see some of the following tips REALLY working for you properly.

1. Get Low on the Bike

Getting aero is only part of the exercise of keeping a high-speed up on descents; it’s more about getting a low centre of gravity > the lower you can get, the better stabilised the rider-bike system is for getting better traction & control

2. Set Visual Gaze Far Ahead

You will GO to where you FOCUS your view-point; look much farther ahead than the wheel, rider or bend in the road immediately in front of you. It’s a common thing that first-time riders in the bigger packs will head straight into a crash scene they are witnessing from way off in the other side of the group!!
When descending, set your gaze on the point where you wish to end up – AFTER the bend. Peripheral vision can take care guiding you around gravel patches or other riders coming up into the cornering line. Believe me, you don’t want to learn how true this is when you’re going 80kph for the first time, so, pretty please – focus past the bend!

3. Lean the Bike, NOT Your Body

The traction of your tires on the road works best when the heaviest part of the rider-bike system is pressing vertically down upon the tire contact points with the roadway. Put more practically, it’s best if you lean the bike out from under you and you stay above the tire contact points with the road – for maximum control. For motorbikes, this does not apply (because the bike is the heavier object) as much as when applied for a bicyclist (where the rider is the heavier object).

4. Outside Leg Takes the Weight

Riders lose most momentum and time through the corners through lack of rigidity, like when flexing in a bike-frame washes off your precious power as you push it through the frame to the wheels. By keeping the outside leg straight and with most of the body-weight concentrated downwards through the outside pedal, not only do you get more rigidity during the cornering moment, but you can cut tighter lines & keep the bike on the shortest course through the corners more easily.

5. Don’t Sit On The Seat!

For various reasons, it’s a good habit to sit slightly off the seat > off to the side, off to the front, off to the back – whatever gets your weight centered over the wheels – but just in a way that essentially allows the bike to bounce around under your thighs if you hit bumps, cat-eyes or bitumen ripples, rather than bouncing you and your visuals around up above. This natural suspension technique might come & go as you descend different sections of road, but when its needed, it’s a critical safety & control factor to ensure you go more cleanly without having to brake through rougher surfaces.

6. Breathe Out Through the Apex

There is a concentration and muscular-contraction benefit as you exhale, so, while you apply yourself to the most important part of a fast descent (the apex of corners) and try to stay low, lean the bike, sit off to the side of the seat, change line, focus ahead, get ready to keep pedaling, push down on your outside leg and leave the brakes alone – you should also breathe out!

7. Keep the Motor Running

Keep pedaling as the descent progresses; the idea is to stay fluid with movement on the bike, use higher cadences to keep your HR from plummeting – good descending is an exercise as well as some respite; stay warm.

8. Smoothen Out Your Line

Draw a line on an aerial map of the descent course that has the shortest route & least bend in the line of your curves – THIS is the line to take on the road-lane that you have for the descent. Simple.

9. Maintain A Safety Cushion

Things happen much faster at high speed; it’s physics 101. If you go faster, then changes come up quicker on the road (potholes, car doors, slower riders), but your brain still has the same reaction time it had at lower speeds. The most critical thing to adjust as you get quicker, is how much time you allow for decision-making and adjustments to your position on the road. Look further ahead, brake sooner, sit further back from others, pass other objects with more of a berth. For this reason, it’s not worth the risk to have a look back at the gap you’ve got to others; but more time is wasted, more momentum is lost, and the time it takes for you to head-check back may be the same time you just had to avoid a new situation arriving…

10. Double-Braking Habits Work Best

Use more rear? Use more front? Stay off the brakes!?! None of these work too well when you really need to pull up properly. There are 2 brakes partly because there are 2 wheels, but also because you need to spread the pressure of controlling your mass at high speed over as much surface area as possible. It’s good to brake earlier into corners an less during the turn itself as the bike goes through leaning angles, but when it comes to actually washing off some speed because you’re going too fast, use all brake levers possible together!!

Important Note…

Ironically, after reading these TOP 10 RIDEWISER TIPS listed, perhaps the most important tip of all will not be found in any tips list on HOW TO DO IT, but is uncanny in the way it often remedies the skill barriers for many riders. That is, don’t think about these tips; feel them. Like surfing a wave, or catching your kite in a breeze, descending & cornering at high speed requires more ‘sensing’ and experiencing the actual situation than thinking it into perfection. Just go and try it, & you’ll ‘feel’ exactly what I mean.

My Dream Bike

2010-03-31T14:06:00.000+08:00

Group Dynamics in Cycling

2010-03-31T13:58:00.002+08:00

Group Dynamics In Cycling
by Tom “Tommy P” Pietkiewicz

I am a registered Organisational Psychologist and a sometimes competitive cyclist. When I am riding well I can almost keep up with CT on a training ride…almost. My work involves working with business leaders on various aspects of people in their companies. This includes: Leadership, Development, Effectiveness, Teamwork, Productivity, Recruitment, Succession, Takeovers / Mergers and so on. What is perhaps not immediately clear is how many parallels there are between organisations and cycling. If you can imagine a bunch of riders to be like an organisation made up of people with individual motivations, traits and skills but also common goals and a need to work together, we can start applying many learning’s from the business world.
I have compiled a number of facts and research topics on group dynamics and applied the findings to cycling. This may assist you in understanding group processes for your personal advantage of course.

1. Groups form naturally
Grouping is built into our nature. Studies have found that even the slightest set of common circumstances will begin the formation of a group. If you start riding with a group at a certain time, or from a certain place regularly the process will begin. You will start building your identity based on the group norms and will look for common ground with members. You will actually begin to favour people that you associate with your groups.

2. Joining Groups
Groups will build further identity by having some kind of initiation requirements. You might need to get over a hill at a certain rate or be able to roll turns at a certain pace to become a member. Some groups will have team clothing or other specific requirements. Groups want to test you but also expect you to value your membership. Don’t be a “floozy” and try to be a member of every group or you will not blend with any.

3. Conforming
Once in a group we start to search for group norms and apply our behaviour accordingly. This is a very powerful process and many people will often act against their own judgment in order to preserve group norms. Immediately we can think of the big bunch rides. Think of the various training rides that you do. Each have a certain ‘feel’ or ‘character’ that becomes established with newcomers simply playing along based on what they see. If anyone rides the Thursday night Tour de Burbs in Melbourne you will notice a number of traditions. Riding at a high pace through some sections, slow through others. Racing for certain climbs, regrouping. No one really reinforces these, they have developed and now persist even if membership changes over years. A good example to mention is some of the lawlessness that develops on bunch rides. People will run red lights if they think this is acceptable in the group. CT and others have made efforts to change these norms. If enough core and influential members change the group behaviour the rest will simply conform. Many respected riders now choose to avoid some of these rides but a better option is to attend and show leadership.

4. Don’t fit: get out.
Group norms are very powerful. If your group is about Euro style and you wear the wrong length/colour socks, don’t match jersey to knicks or don’t clean your bike, you will soon know about it. If your group is a bunch of hard-men, skipping a few turns and slacking off on training rides will soon result in you not being invited on rides. Alternatively, often attacking a group who is more about just enjoying the riding will have you riding all alone also.
Additionally every group has a member who does not quite fit in. The group will keep this person in but ridicule and point out the various issues. This person is called a Scapegoat and almost every group has one. They play an important role as the group unites and reinforces their values by picking on the Scapegoat. The Scapegoat also is likely to enjoy a level of notoriety. O2’s CJ is a good example. With his wrong kit or terrible socks. All criticisms are out the window, though, when he puts the group in the gutter on an epic suffer-fest.

5. Leadership
A leader plays a very important role in a group. It is impossible to simply just assume this role. Most leaders emerge slowly and subtly. Studies have shown that a successful leader is one that fitted the group so well that they have gained trust and acceptance and can then start suggesting new ideas, activities. I always think of Mario Cipollini who was the guardian and leader of the bunch and could set the tempo for a stage, organise a chase or just bring others into line. He most likely exhibited all the traits that many others aspired to and wanted to embody and probably saw as the reasons they become professional cyclists. He was stylish, successful and embodied the whole Euro-pro lifestyle. Think of who this is in your group, it is likely a person who does a lot to keep the group going. Sends emails, organises rides, suggests races you can all try etc. You can’t just enter a group and make a lot of noise. No one will follow.

6. Performance
Riding with others can make us more competitive. We want to beat our friends. We want to get to the top of a climb near the front of our group. At the same time, comfort in a group can make us more likely to “slack off”. A famous study found that in a tug of war, each person in a team of 8 put in only half as much effort as when on their own. Now we have all seen this on the bike. People not pulling turns, expecting others to chase. In fact, the bigger the group and tasks are additive rather than individual, the more likely members will “slack off” to a very large degree. When you are in a break of 4, for example, you are more likely to work your guts out. This is why many relatively small breaks can get away in amateur cycling. I guess the Pro guys would not be Pro for too long if they “slacked off”. No doubt this is why many Pro teams use power meters in races to have effort clearly visible and manageable.

7. Competition
Once groups form an identity we start thinking of “them-vs-us”. This can become quite extreme. This is easily observable on in any local club’s weekly World Criterium Championships. You will notice an explosion in the number of teams in matching outfits. These guys are not professionals but enjoy the increased competition and comradery that group dynamics can provide. Studies have found that group members not only display far more competiveness when part of a group but also begin to distrust and dislike the other groups. Even when you know individual members of other groups you are likely to form a slight (or strong) negative opinion of the group as a whole. I guess this makes racing a whole lot more fun.

Hydration

2010-02-12T01:45:00.000+08:00

Drinking enough fluid before, during and after both training and racing is essential. As little as 1.7% dehydration may impair energy levels, concentration and performance.

Dehydration can lead to:

Impaired concentration and co-ordination
Increased perception of effort
Increased body temperature and heart rate
Impaired performance
Nausea, vomiting and other stomach upsets
Severe dehydration may result in collapse, heat stress and hospitalisation.

General Hydration Guidelines

Priority 1 Adequate fluid volume

Start drinking first thing in the morning and consistently throughout they day.
Always carry drink bottle, off and on the bike.
Individual fluid requirements will vary, based on estimated losses.
Urine colour is an excellent indicator of hydration levels. Urine that is clear or very pale yellow indicates a good level of hydration (note that vitamin/mineral supplements often cause urine to be bright yellow in colour).

Priority 2 Adequate carbohydrate and electrolytes

Water should generally be the main fluid consumed throughout the day.
Other fluids also contribute to daily intake eg. sports drink, milk, juice, cordial.
Sports drinks are particularly important for prolonged exercise (> 1 hour) and for exercise in the heat where fluid losses are high. Sports drinks are formulated to maximise fluid absorption and provide a source of carbohydrate and electrolytes.
Sports drink is important before, during and after training/races to provide fuel and electrolytes.
Athletes identified as salty sweaters will also require higher intake of fluids containing sodium.
Milk and milk-based drinks can be an excellent recovery fluid, providing carbohydrate, sodium and protein.

Priority 3 Appropriate timing of intake

Fluid intake spaced throughout the day
Increased intake during and after training/competition

Tips for Staying Hydrated

Pre-Training/Competition

If you turn up dehydrated on the start line then you are giving the rest of the field a head start from the beginning. Drink plenty of fluid the night before, and in the hours leading up to a training session or competition.
Have a drink with all meals and snacks and keep a bottle with you for all the times in between. HOWEVER, be careful not to over consume excessive amounts of plain water, as there is a small risk of over-hydrating.
Drink 400-600ml 10-20 mins before your event.

During Training/Competition

Begin drinking early and continue to drink small amounts regularly.
Develop a plan for drinking based on your estimated individual sweat losses (determined by measuring fluid losses and intake during exercise). In general, aim to consume 80% of estimated losses during exercise.
It is better to adopt a pattern of drinking small volumes regularly, rather than trying to tolerate large volumes at once. A rough guide is to aim for 600-1000ml of water or sports drink per hour of exercise, although the volume will vary between individuals and climates.
For road races where there are significant hill sections, many cyclists try to reduce any extra weight on the bike and this often results in a choice to carry less fluid. In these situations, a specific hydration plan should be developed to ensure the balance is achieved between optimal weight and adequate hydration for performance.

After Training/Competition

It is essential to replace the fluid that you have lost. Aim to drink 150% of the measured fluid loss in the next few hours following exercise to account for ongoing sweat and urine losses. For example, if you lost 1000mL, you will need to drink 1500mL to fully re-hydrate.
When fluid losses are high and/or rapid re-hydration is needed, sodium replacement may be required. Sodium helps you to re-hydrate by promoting fluid absorption and aiding in fluid retention. Sports drinks and oral re-hydration solutions (eg. Gastrolyte) can help to replace sodium after exercise.
It can be useful to try some salty carbohydrate snacks for glycogen recovery rather than all sweet options. For example: vegemite sandwiches/rolls, soups, noodle stir-fries with soy sauce, rice crackers or pretzels. Don't over-do it though, speak to a VIS Sports Dietitian to determine optimal sodium intake for you.

* Every athlete is different - understand your individual fluid and nutrition needs and the steps required to achieve optimal hydration and performance. A Sports Dietitian can help you work out the best nutrition and hydration strategies for your specific individual needs.

Quick Tips

2010-02-12T01:14:00.000+08:00

After riding through debris use your bidon to rub your wheels clean instead of using your hands. This will save wear on your gloves and avoid getting slivers getting caught in your fingers.

If you don’t have a tyre lever to fix a puncture try using the quick release part of the skewer.

Instead of trying to wipe your sunglasses clean from sweat with your jersey, just pour water over them and give them a shake. You won’t risk scratching them and they’ll dry without spots or smears.

When riding beside someone and you need to look backwards put your arm on the shoulder of rider next to you. This will give you a sense of reference to keep riding straight ahead.

Tip for cleaning jockey wheels: Let the chain pull a wipe into the derailleur and when gets stuck there it’ll clean as you turn the chain. Then just push the derailleur until it is straight and pull the wipe out.

Open your energy bars before you start your ride or race. This way you won’t need to fiddle with them while you’re riding and it’ll make you eat more frequently.

Use babywipes to clean your bike, shoes, chain….nearly everything. I don’t know what they put in these but there’s no better thing on earth to keep your gear clean.

Carbo Loading

2010-01-07T09:59:00.002+08:00

'Carbohydrate loading' is probably one of the most misunderstood terms in sports nutrition. People commonly think anyone involved in sport needs to 'carb up' and the way to do this is to eat 'flat out' in the days leading up to an event. Read on to get the facts on carbohydrate loading.

What is carbohydrate loading?

Carbohydrate loading is a strategy involving changes to training and nutrition that can maximise muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) stores prior to endurance competition.

The technique was originally developed in the late 1960's and typically involved a 3-4 day 'depletion phase' involving 3-4 days of hard training plus a low carbohydrate diet. This depletion phase was thought to be necessary to stimulate the enzyme glycogen synthase. This was then followed immediately by a 3-4 day 'loading phase' involving rest combined with a high carbohydrate diet. The combination of the two phases was shown to boost muscle carbohydrate stores beyond their usual resting levels.

Ongoing research has allowed the method to be refined so that modern day carbohydrate loading is now more manageable for athletes. The depletion phase was demonstrated to be no longer necessary, which is a bonus for athletes as this phase was very difficult. Australian marathon runner, Steve Moneghetti has described the depletion phase as making him feel like "death warmed up". Today, 1-4 days of exercise taper while following a high carbohydrate diet (7-12g/kg body weight) is sufficient to elevate muscle glycogen levels.

Does carbohydrate loading improve performance?

Muscle glycogen levels are normally in the range of 100-120 mmol/kg ww (wet weight). Carbohydrate loading enables muscle glycogen levels to be increased to around 150-200 mmol/kg ww. This extra supply of carbohydrate has been demonstrated to improve endurance exercise by allowing athletes to exercise at their optimal pace for a longer time. It is estimated that carbohydrate loading can improve performance over a set distance by 2-3%.

Who should carbohydrate load?

Anyone exercising continuously at a moderate to high intensity for 90 minutes or longer is likely to benefit from carbohydrate loading. Typically, sports such as cycling, marathon running, longer distance triathlon, cross-country skiing and endurance swimming benefit from carbohydrate loading. Shorter-term exercise is unlikely to benefit as the body's usual carbohydrate stores are adequate. Carbohydrate loading is generally not practical to achieve in team sports where games are played every 3-4 days. Although it might be argued that players in football and AFL have heavy demands on their muscle fuel stores, it may not be possible to achieve a full carbohydrate loading protocol within the weekly schedule of training and games.

What does a high carbohydrate diet look like?

The following diet is suitable for a 70kg athlete aiming to carbohydrate load:

Breakfast	3 cups of low-fibre breakfast cereal with 11/2 cups of reduced fat milk 1 medium banana 250ml orange juice
Snack	toasted muffin with honey 500ml sports drink
Lunch	2 sandwiches (4 slices of bread) with filling as desired 200g tub of low-fat fruit yoghurt 375ml can of soft drink
Snack	banana smoothie made with low-fat milk, banana and honey cereal bar
Dinner	1 cup of pasta sauce with 2 cups of cooked pasta 3 slices of garlic bread 2 glasses of cordial
Late Snack	toasted muffin and jam 500ml sports drink

This sample plan provides ~ 14,800 kJ, 630 g carbohydrate, 125 g protein and 60 g fat.

Are there any special considerations for females?

Most studies of glycogen storage have been conducted on male athletes. However, some studies suggest that females may be less responsive to carbohydrate loading, especially during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. This appears to be, at least partly, because they have difficulty consuming the larger amounts of carbohydrate required for a complete CHO load. Further research needs to be conducted specifically on females.

What are the common mistakes made when carbohydrate loading?

Research indicates that many athletes who attempt to carbohydrate load, fail to achieve their goal. Common mistakes include:

Carbohydrate loading requires an exercise taper. Athletes can find it difficult to back off training for 1-4 days before competition. Failing to rest will compromise carbohydrate loading.
Many athletes fail to eat enough carbohydrate. It seems athletes don't have a good understanding of the amount of food required to carbohydrate load. Working with a sports dietitian or using a carbohydrate counter can be useful.
In order to consume the necessary amount of carbohydrate, it is necessary to cut back on fibre and make use of compact sources of carbohydrate such as sugar, cordial, soft drink, sports drink, jam, honey, jelly and tinned fruit. Athletes who include too many high fibre foods in their carbohydrate loading menu may suffer stomach upset or find the food too bulky to consume.
Carbohydrate loading will most likely cause body mass to increase by approximately 2kg. This extra weight is due to extra muscle glycogen and water. For some athletes, a fear of weight gain may prevent them from carbohydrate loading adequately.
Athletes commonly use carbohydrate loading as an excuse to eat everything and anything in sight. Consuming too many high fat foods will make it difficult to consume sufficient carbohydrate. It may also result in gain of body fat. It is important to stick to high-carbohydrate, low-fat foods while carbohydrate loading.

This article is taken from AIS.

Malakoff Interstate ride 2009/10

2010-01-07T08:03:00.011+08:00

Nizam from Taiping

Sham and Anuar

During Lunch

Salman

Wahid Scenario TV3

Pathmanathan the great Indian Sprinter

Anuar and Hamid in action.

Eating Before Exercise

2009-12-24T07:43:00.000+08:00

Many athletes put a lot of emphasis on the pre-event meal believing it is the key element to performance. It is important to remember that food eaten throughout the training week and food and fluid consumed during the event is just as important. Consuming food and fluid before exercise should be seen as an opportunity to fine-tune carbohydrate and fluid levels and to ensure you feel comfortable and confident.

When should I eat?

Food consumed before exercise is only useful once it has been digested and absorbed. This means you need to time your food intake so that the fuel becomes available during the exercise period. The time required for digestion depends on the type and quantity of food consumed. Generally, foods higher in fat, protein and fibre tend to take longer to digest than other foods, and may increase the risk of stomach discomfort during exercise. Large quantities of foods take longer to digest than smaller quantities. Generally, food is better tolerated during lower intensity activities, or sports where the body is supported (e.g. cycling) than sports such as running where the gut is jostled about during exercise. A general guide is to have a meal about 3-4 hours before exercise or a lighter snack about 1-2 hours before exercise. You need to experiment to find the timing, amount and make up that best suits your individual needs.

What should I eat?

Food eaten before exercise should provide carbohydrate. It should also be low in fat and moderate in fibre to make digestion easier and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort. For most exercise sessions, the emphasis on carbohydrate and fluid for the pre-event meal. However, it is also useful to continue to consider other nutritional goals when choosing a pre-exercise meal. This may mean including foods that include protein, vitamins and minerals.

The following foods are suitable to eat 3-4 hours before exercise:

crumpets with jam or honey + flavoured milk
baked potato + cottage cheese filling + glass of milk
baked beans on toast
breakfast cereal with milk
bread roll with cheese/meat filling + banana
fruit salad with fruit-flavoured yoghurt
pasta or rice with a sauce based on low-fat ingredients (e.g. tomato, vegetables, lean meat)

The following snacks are suitable to eat 1-2 hours before exercise:

liquid meal supplement
milk shake or fruit smoothie
sports bars (check labels for carbohydrate and protein content)
breakfast cereal with milk
cereal bars
fruit-flavoured yoghurt
fruit

The following foods are suitable to eat if there is less than 1 hour before exercise*:

sports drink
carbohydrate gel
cordial
sports bars
jelly lollies

* A small number of people experience an extreme reaction following the intake of carbohydrate in the hour prior to exercise. This topic is covered later in this fact sheet.

Are foods with a low glycaemic index better?

Carbohydrate-containing foods have different effects on blood glucose levels. Foods with a low glycaemic index (GI) cause a slower, sustained release of glucose to the blood, whereas foods with a high GI cause a rapid, short-lived rise in blood glucose. It has been suggested that low GI foods could be useful in the pre-event meal as they would result in a slower and more sustained release of glucose during exercise maintaining blood glucose levels for a longer period. However, research has been unable to demonstrate that consuming low GI foods prior to exercise has universal benefits on exercise performance. In addition, consuming carbohydrate (e.g. sports drink) during exercise provides an alternative way to maintain fuel levels throughout the activity and a study has shown that this practice overrides the effects of different types of carbohydrate in the pre-event meal. If you are involved in an endurance event in which it is difficult to take in extra carbohydrate during the session, you may wish to trial low GI foods before exercise. However, keep in mind that many low GI options (lentils, porridge, multigrain bread) may not be suitable as they are more likely to cause stomach discomfort.

What if I exercise early in the morning?

It is not always practical to eat a meal 3-4 hours before exercise. If you train early in the morning you should opt for a light snack about an hour before exercise. For example, some fruit or a cereal bar on the way to training along with some fluid such as a glass of milk or juice. Make up for your smaller carbohydrate intake prior to exercise by consuming carbohydrate during the event or training session.

What if I am too nervous to eat?

You will perform better when you are well-fuelled and well hydrated, and the pre-event meal may play an important role in achieving these goals. Athletes need to experiment to find a routine that works, and foods that are safe and familiar. Liquid meal supplements such as PowerBar Protein Plus powder provide an alternative for anyone who has difficulty tolerating solid foods pre-exercise. You may also find that foods such as cereal bars and sports bars can be eaten if you nibble them slowly over the hours leading up to your competition.

Should I avoid carbohydrate 1 hour before exercise?

Most athletes are able to consume carbohydrate in the hour before exercise without affecting performance, and in some cases it can even improve the outcome of the session. However, a small percentage of athletes experience a drop in blood glucose levels and symptoms such as fatigue, shakiness and dizziness after consuming carbohydrate immediately before exercise. This reaction is a response to the increase in carbohydrate use that occurs after carbohydrate intake, associated with a rise in the levels of the hormone, insulin. When the start of exercise coincides with extra carbohydrate use, it is usual to see a small dip in blood glucose levels. In most people, this is a temporary event which is quickly corrected by the body without any side-effects. However, in a few individuals, the drop in blood glucose is greater, or the individual is sensitive to the change, suffering a pronounced fatigue. If you are affected in this way consider the following advice:

Experiment to find the best timing for your pre-exercise meal. Try allowing a longer period between eating and exercising.
If you need to eat close to exercise, opt for a snack that provides at least 70 g of carbohydrate. There is some evidence to suggest that small amounts of carbohydrate (<50>
Include some low glycaemic index foods (yoghurt, multigrain bread, pasta, oranges) in the pre-exercise meal. These result in a slower release of glucose throughout exercise and a smaller insulin response compared to higher glycaemic index foods.
Include some high-intensity activity in your warm-up. This helps to stimulate glucose release from the liver and prevents blood glucose levels from dropping too low.
Consume carbohydrate during the event.

Should I avoid eating before exercise if I am trying to lose weight?

Exercising in a fasted state (8 hours since the last meal) results in a greater proportion of fat being used as the exercise fuel compared to doing the same workload after a carbohydrate-containing meal or snack. However, it is possible that you may be able to exercise harder and for a longer period if you consume carbohydrate before exercise. Overall, this will result in greater energy use and a better contribution to the negative energy balance that is needed to cause fat loss. To make a decision about eating before your workout, it is useful to consider the goals of the session. If your primary goal is to improve performance, have something to eat before exercise. If your primary goal is weight loss, and you will do the same amount of exercise regardless of whether you eat or not, save your meal until after the session.

Cramps and Stitches

2009-12-24T07:37:00.000+08:00

Just about everyone who has ventured onto the exercise arena has experienced either a cramp or a stitch at some time. These complaints can range from mildly uncomfortable to severely debilitating and are a great source of frustration to everyone from recreational exercisers to serious athletes. Unfortunately, scientists know very little about the two conditions and how to avoid them. Consequently, there is a lot of folklore surrounding the topic, making it difficult to know exactly how to deal with these problems.

What is cramp?

Cramps occurring during exercise are referred to as Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC), to distinguish them from those that may occur at rest or as a symptom of an underlying medical condition. EAMC’s are best described as a sudden, tight and intense pain that most commonly occurs in the in the muscle groups directly involved in the exercise task e.g. gastrocnemius (calf) while running. They can range from a slight twinge to an excruciating pain, and may last for a few seconds or several minutes. An EAMC can be a one-off or occur several times before the muscle relaxes and the pain goes away.

What causes cramp?

EAMC’s occur when a muscle involuntary and forcibly contracts and does not relax. While this seems to be due to an abnormal stimulation of the muscle, the exact mechanism is unknown. Cramp is more likely to occur in tired muscles and ones that are already in a shortened position. Therefore poor fitness or exercising at high workloads can increase the likelihood that they will occur, while poor stretching habits may also contribute.
While dehydration has for a long time been associated as a possible cause of EAMC, a number of recent studies of marathon runners and ultra-endurance athletes have shown no difference in the hydration status of those experiencing EAMC and those that have not.
Sodium is involved in initiating nerve signals that make muscles contract. While some athletes will incur large losses of sodium during exercise secondary to a high concentration of sodium in their sweat and/or high sweat losses, the evidence that this can lead to cramp is still inconclusive. Cramp has been attributed to the depletion of potassium and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. However, this idea does not have strong support as very little potassium, calcium and magnesium is lost during exercise.
The use of creatine has been linked to cramps, based on anecdotal reports from athletes, and the hypothesis that a creatine-loaded muscle cell may become so "full" with the storage of creatine and fluid, that the integrity of the membrane is disrupted. Although this theory is interesting, studies that have followed the cramping and injury outcomes of groups of athletes have not found any difference in the prevalence of problems occurring in creatine users and non-users.

How can I avoid cramp?

• Allow adequate recovery and rest for muscles after hard training sessions.
• Increase strength and fitness. Stronger, fitter muscles are more resilient to fatigue and therefore cramp.
• Be cautious when changing speed or intensity especially during the later stages of exercise. Fatigued muscles take longer to adapt to increased workloads.
• Wear comfortable, unrestrictive clothing and footwear.
While there remains little strong evidence that dehydration is associated with EAMC, it’s still important that athletes practice good hydration practices both before and during exercise to optimise training and competition performance. See both the “How much do athletes sweat?” and “Fluid – Who needs it?“ fact sheets for more information.

How should cramp be treated?

Resting and stretching helps to decrease the muscle contraction and allow the muscle to relax. Massaging the area may also assist, while applying ice can stop the spasm and help to relieve the pain.

What is a stitch?

In the scientific literature stitches are referred to Exercise-related Transient Abdominal Pain and are described as localised pain usually felt on the side, just below the ribs, which sometimes accompanied by a stabbing sensation in the shoulder joint. The pain can range from sharp or stabbing to mild cramping, aching or pulling. Sometimes people can exercise through the pain, though usually the sufferer is forced to slow down or cease exercise. Stitches usually disappear within a few minutes after ceasing exercise however some people experience some residual soreness for a few days, especially after severe pain. While the stitch seems to be more prevalent in activities that involve vigorous upright, repetitive movement of the torso e.g. running and horse riding, it can occur in any type of sporting activity.

What causes stitches?

Scientists are unsure of the exact cause of stitches. For some time, they were thought to be caused by a reduction in blood supply to the diaphragm, a large muscle involved in breathing. It was suggested that during exercise, blood was shunted away from the diaphragm and redirected to exercising muscles. This theory has now lost favour with scientists as both the diaphragm and the limb muscles need to work harder during exercise, so it is unlikely that an inadequate blood flow is directed to the diaphragm. Another popular theory is that stitch is caused by organs pulling on the ligaments that connect the gut to the diaphragm. Jolting during exercise may cause these organs to pull on the ligaments and create stress on the diaphragm, though this theory does not explain the incidence of stitches in athletes involved in sports not involving a significant jolting action e.g. swimming.
A more recent idea is that stitch is caused by irritation of the parietal peritoneum. Two layers of membrane (peritoneum) line the inside wall of the abdominal cavity. One layer covers the abdominal organs, while the other layer (parietal peritoneum) attaches to the abdominal wall. The two layers are separated by lubricating fluid, which allows the two surfaces to move against each other without pain. It is thought that the stitch occurs when there is friction between the abdominal contents and the parietal peritoneum. This friction may be caused by a distended (full) stomach or a reduction in the lubricating fluid. The parietal peritoneum is also attached to the phrenic nerve, which refers pain to the shoulder tip region, which may explain the shoulder pain that has been described by some athletes.

How can I avoid stitch?

Eating too closely to exercise or consuming inappropriate foods seems to increase the chances of athletes experiencing a stitch during exercise. High-fat and fibre foods are more likely to cause problems. The likelihood of stitch occurring may be reduced by allowing 2-4 hours before exercising after a large meal and choosing high-carbohydrate, low-fat and moderate to low protein options in the pre-exercise meal.
Immediately before and during exercise, athletes should avoid consuming highly concentrated fluids such as soft drink, cordial and fruit juice, as they seem to increase the risk of stitches occurring during exercise. These type of drinks empty more slowly from the stomach than both water and sports drink, thereby leaving the stomach more distended for longer. It is also preferable for athletes to consume small amounts of fluid regularly during exercise, as this is better tolerated than large volumes of fluids being consumed at one time.

How should stitch be treated?

Sometimes the stitch eases if you slow down and drop your intensity for a period. However, the most common way to alleviate stitch is to bend forward while pushing on the affected area and breathing deeply. Sometimes this can be done while exercising but usually the pain eases more quickly when exercise is ceased. Another option is to lie down while elevating your hips.

Does stitch indicate a more serious problem?

The stitch is rarely a sign of more serious problems. However, any pain that is persistent and does not ease when exercise ceases should be investigated by a doctor.

PEDAL POWER "Massage Gives Cyclists the Competitive Edge"

2009-12-23T15:43:00.001+08:00

Cycling results in a unique set of aches and pains due to the aerodynamic position used to be more efficient, trying to cheat physics whenever possible; this is what you think about when you're the motor: "I am in good condition, but early season and challenging rides like this can be a wakeup call for the muscles used in cycling."

Classic symptoms of an early-season ride, combined with the weight of the helmet, made for a tired, stiff neck. Triceps are sore, too. Held in a tuck position, tender triceps and wrists absorb the road chatter and vibrations through the bike. Then, there is the lower back. Last on the list are the glutes and legs, the pistons that transfer the power to the bicycle.

Holding his wrists and hands in a stationary position, the cyclist keeps his fingers flexed and wrists extended; therefore, the extensors and flexors of the arms, wrists and hands are common points of stress on the cyclist's body.

INJURY ZONES

Holding his wrists and hands in a stationary position, the cyclist keeps his fingers flexed and wrists extended. While maintaining a forward-bent position, his lower back and arm muscles work to support his upper body, remaining in a constant isometric (characterized by equality of measure) state. Due to this unique linear positioning of a forward motion with the body in tight alignment, specific areas of a cyclist's body are prone to injury.

The extensors and flexors of the arms, wrists and hands are particular problem areas. Ischemia, a temporary blood deficiency, can affect the finger flexors as well as the wrist extensors. Moving down the body, the hip and knee area, including the hamstrings, quadriceps, abductors and gluteals, often experience tightness. The ankles and calves are susceptible to muscle pulls, strains and tears.

Finally, constant strain being placed on the lower back by the cyclist's forward-bent position can result in injuries to the trunk flexors, lumbars and sciatic nerves. And because cycling relies so heavily on a forward plane of motion, the muscle groups not involved in this movement can easily become tightended and shortened, leading to other problems that massage can address.

The neck can really take a beating having to hold up the head for hours at a time on the bike.

Equipment-induced injuries are also prevalent among the cycling population. Even just sitting in the bike saddle for extensive periods of time can cause ischial bursitis, or inflammation of the bursa where the ischeum meets the sacrum.

Furthermore, a saddle position that is too high can result in strains to the Achilles tendon, calves, quads and glutes, while one too far forward can produce anterior knee pain.

Stretching plays an important role in keeping the cyclist's muscles healthy.

If the wear and tear of sitting on a bicycle were not enough, any cyclist could tell you the toll his body takes when he falls off.

7 COMMON BICYCLING INJURIES

1- Numbness in the hands and fingers: Among experienced cyclists who already know that they should change their hand positions frequently, numbness is most likely a manifestation of thoracic-outlet syndrome, cause by the rounded-shoulder posture used by many cyclists.

2- Piriformis syndrome: The proper adjustment of the bicycle is critical to prevent this problem, which severely limits range of motion and stability during cycling.

3- Patellar tendinitis: This is an overuse syndrome occurring above and below the patella, and frequently involves inflammation or a tear to the quadriceps.

4- Cramping: Cramps can occur in may muscle below the waist, but are preventable with PNF stretching, proper hydration and close monitoring of calcium level. Treated with ice, compression and myofacial release.

5- Shin splints: This is an inflammatory overuse condition affecting the anterior tibialis for as mush as its entire length. Results most often from incorrect biomechanics during cycling. Responds well to pre- and post-workout stretching. During the acute state icing is recommended. Corrective work includes transverse fiber friction where the therapist applies moderate tension and pressure along the body of the muscle during an active movement from full contraction to full extension.

6- Knee injuries: cycling is supposed to be knee friendly, but only if the bike is set up properly. For example, if the seat is too far forward or too far back, the direction of force is not directly over the ball of the foot. This can result in anterior and posterior knee pain. Likewise if the pedals and cleats are not properly aligned, knee injuries are likely to occur. Another common cause of knee pain is riding in too low a gear. Even though the pedaling action involves a closed kinetic chain (hence no impact), a gear that is too difficult can place too much stress on the knee joint.

7- Collarbone injury: It takes about 14 pounds of pressure to break this bone, and it takes about 4 weeks to heal. Scar tissue need to be broken up by using deep transverse friction.

Competitve cyclists, as well as weekend warriors, benefit from the many positive effects of regular massage therapy. Massage keeps these athletes relaxed, pain-free, limber - and on the road.

3 PHASES OF MASSAGE

As with most sports-massage routines, massage for cyclists can be broken down into three distinct phases: Maintenance, Pre-race and Post-race

A- MAINTENANCE: Maintenance massage helps keep the cyclist tuned up and prepared for his next race or hard workout. By helping to maintain proper fiber, tendon and ligament function, massage further speeds post-ride recovery. Done regularly, it allows the athlete to rest more comfortably as well as train sooner with less pain and fatigue, which leads to greater flexibility, increased strength and fewer injuries.

B- PRE-RACE: Invigorating warm-up improves circulation and helps break up adhesions. As a goal during a pre-race massage is to warm the muscles, heated compresses and cross-fiber friction, tapotement, percussion, vigorous effleurage and petrissage, or jostling can do the trick, as well as superficial, vigorous, rapid strokes in order to stimulate the muscles.

C- POST-RACE: Post-race work generally returns muscles to a relaxed state after competition in a relatively short time. It also allows the cyclist to return to his next ride fresh and strong: By flushing muscles of waste products produced during the ride and stimulating fresh blood flow to the muscles, it helps prevent a delayed onset of soreness, undue fatigue and even insomnia.

In contrast to invigorating pre-race strokes, slower and deeper long strokes, stretching and trigger-point work are applied.

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

While a recreational-level cyclist might do fine with one massage session a month, the more serious cyclist probably has greater need.

For a pro and sport level, a deep-tissue massage two day before the race, after the event, and once a week beyond that for maintenance. Deep tissue work should be done before a day off or before the day of an easy spinning.

BEYOND MASSAGE

Sports-massage therapists also advise incorporating stretching, including both static and PNF, into any work on competitive cyclists. Though by alternating resistance stretching with passive stretching, PNF provides an even deep stretch than static.

Damage Control

2009-12-10T07:42:00.000+08:00

How do you handle those bad days? Here’s what I keep in mind and try to do:

1. FORCE yourself to eat and drink. One probable reason for the poor form on the day is because you aren’t properly fueled. It’s amazing what a can of Coke can do in the short term.

2. Don’t be too proud to sit in and do as little work as possible. Save your energy for getting you home. Let your riding partners know what’s going on and that you’ll be sitting in. They just may have mercy on you.

3. If you’re feeling horrible then listen to your body and don’t fight it. It’s just one bad day. Accept it and keep a positive attitude. This will make the ride easier on you and your riding mates.

4. There can be a massive difference between how you feel when you’re heart rate is at 165bpm vs 160bpm (for example). Ask your mates to slow it up a bit until you’re more comfortable and hopefully you’ll find a pace that will get you home while everyone else still has a good ride.

5. Save your legs, not your gears! Spin, spin, spin. Spinning does a lot less damage to the muscles than big gear riding. Also, every chance you get, stop pedaling, duck down into the slipstream and go for the free ride. Conserve every ounce of energy you have.

6. Break the ride into 30min pieces and don’t think about the rest. Set yourself small goals to reach. The daunting task of dragging yourself 3 more hours can be overwhelming if you’re feeling really bad.

Remember: A bad day’s riding beats a good day’s work…..

Using Magnesium to Peak Your Performance

2009-12-10T07:36:00.000+08:00

A key nutrient that we often overlook is magnesium. It is the agonist and antagonist to the much publicised calcium and both are needed for active muscle contractions and relaxations.The mineral magnesium is something of a ‘Cinderella’ nutrient. Most sportsmen and women know that it’s required for health, but few really appreciate its importance for sport performance.

Current studies show that we do not ingest enough magnesium in our diest and we have declined to less than a half of those recorded at the end of the 19th century and are still falling.

A study of male athletes supplemented with 390mg of magnesium per day for 25 days, which resulted in an increased peak oxygen uptake and total work output during work capacity tests

A sub-maximal work study, which showed that magnesium supplementation reduced heart rate, ventilation rate, oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production for a given workload
A study on physically active students, which showed that supplementing with 8mg of magnesium per kilo of body weight per day produced significant increases in endurance performance and decreased oxygen consumption during sub-maximal exercise.

A magnesium shortfall also appears to reduce the efficiency of muscle relaxation, which accounts for an important fraction of total energy needs during exercise.
Very recent research has indicated that magnesium supplementation could enhance performance in a hitherto unrecognised way – by reducing the accumulation of fatiguing lactic acid during intense exercise.

The researchers concluded that ‘magnesium supplement may positively affect performance of sportsmen by decreasing their lactate levels’.

All of this sounds really important and the studies that I have summarised below from a great article on magnesium lends credence to it’s importance in overall physical, mental and emotional well-being.

What is magnesium and why does it matter?

Pure magnesium is the second most abundant mineral in cells after potassium, but the 2oz or so found in the typical human body is present not as metal but as magnesium ions (positively charged magnesium atoms found either in solution or complexed with other tissues such as bone). Roughly one-quarter of this magnesium is found in muscle tissue and three-fifths in bone; but less than 1% of it is found in blood serum, although blood magnesium is used as the commonest indicator of magnesium status. This blood serum magnesium can further be subdivided into free ionic, complex-bound and protein-bound portions, but it’s the ionic portion that’s considered most important in measuring magnesium status, because it is physiologically active.

The researchers concluded that not only did supplemental magnesium help suppress lactate production, but that it also somehow increased glucose availability and metabolism in the brain during exercise. This is important because scientists now believe that the brain and central nervous system play a large role in determining the degree of muscular fatigue we feel; higher brain glucose availability could in theory translate into lower levels of perceived fatigue.

JMFR 2009

2009-12-08T21:46:00.003+08:00

PENANG CHIEF MINISTER RIDE

2009-11-28T16:57:00.004+08:00

MKH Rider who did most of the hard work.

Riders from Kampar.

Noreffendy Rosli former Malaysian rider

Sitiawan Gang - far left is Mr Hing the oldest rider from our group.

Nathan-the great Kampar rider.

Rosni-also one of the great Kampar riders.

POWERMAN 2009

2009-11-28T16:52:00.004+08:00

Thanks for Mr Tey for the photos.

Will be trying hard to improve my timing for next, as this year i manage to lower my time nearly 20 minutes from last years time.

DEHYDRATED? NO SWEAT

2009-11-23T07:33:00.003+08:00

A new study suggest that the fitter you are, the less hydration matters.

It is well known that dehydration detrimentally affects exercise performance and increases the thermoregulatory strain during exercise-at least in exercise science labaratory. But in the real world, athletes routinely experience moderate level of dehydration in training and c ompetition without any apparent loss of performance. Could it be dehydration affects exercise performance less in trained than in untrained individuals?
Researchers from the university of otago in New Zealand recently addressed this question in an intriguing study.
Six trained and untrained subjects each completed two exercises trials on separate occasions. In both trials they rode stationary bike for 40 min at 70% vo2 peak and then completed as much work as possible (i.e covered as much virtual distance as possible) in 40 min. But they performed one trial in a dehydrated state and the other in a fully hydrated state. Interestringly , heart rate was significantly higher and drifted upward more in untrained subjects during the first, moderate-intensity portion of the dehydrates
trial as compared to the hydrated trials, wheres there was no difference between this portion two trials in trained subjects. Performance in the maxsimum performance portion of the trials was negatively affected by dehydration for both groups, but the effects was twice as great for untrained subjects as for trained subjects.
Based on these results, the authors of this study, which was published Oct 6 edition of the British journal Acta Physiologica concluded, "Mild hypohydration exacerbated cardiovascular and thermoregulatory strain and tended to impair endurance performance, but aerobic fitness attenuated the physiological effects.''

Deepavalli Training - Cameron Highlands

2009-10-21T18:11:00.006+08:00

Refueling with pasta and strawberry fruits.

Nathan

Anuar

TAWAU CHALLENGE 09

2009-10-12T10:07:00.004+08:00

Tawau Airport

With Medical Team

Riggers working hard to prepare the parachute for the next jump.

Dr Ahmad Tarmizi, Mejar Anuar and Mejar Andrian Smith - one of the oldest jumpers.

Military parachute look like.

SINGAPORE 2007 (NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM)

2009-10-05T12:08:00.003+08:00

Treatment time.

Leisure time.

Tan Cheng Hoe-current national team assistant coach.

Fauzi, Tan, RajaGopal-current national coach.

JAKARTA (WIRA MALINDO 2007)

2009-10-05T11:39:00.004+08:00

Physio for Senior team.

Coach Azhar now retired from Armed Forces.

Mejar Z Secretary for Armed Forces Team.

Aerial view of densely populated Jakarta.

Fun time - Anba dancing to the tune of Dangdut song.

Veteran players.

KEM KUBOTA TAWAU

2009-10-04T15:23:00.004+08:00

Current staying place - semi D house

New Quarters

Dr.Ahmad Tarmizi was forced to jog with me at 5.30 mng

Old Quarters

TAWAU CHALLENGE 09

2009-10-04T15:04:00.005+08:00

Navy Team

SEMPORNA

2009-10-04T13:58:00.009+08:00

Highway at Semporna

Semporna

Kampung Sri Aman

Dragon In Semporna

KD Sri Semporna ( Aerial View-taken from posters)

Kem Azumi - Bot Tempur Op Pasir

Kem Sri Wangsa-Kem Ops Pasir

Stadium KD Sri Semporna

Quarters

Kolam Renang

Ssjn Norsham and Kpl Rentap

TAWAU - 1/10/09

2009-10-04T13:40:00.005+08:00

Inside C-130

Sjn Ramlee-Police Jumpers

Thunderbirds the american flying team.

C-130 which flew us to Tawau

My Secret Training - Teluk Rubiah

2009-10-04T13:29:00.006+08:00

This is the hill that i'm doing my secret training. Almost 1 km of moderate climbing which is a stiffer in the end.

Hamid Malakoff.

KAYUHAN POCAAH LOOMANG (27/09/09)

2009-09-28T07:52:00.006+08:00

Its time again to ride after one week of energizing the body with all the raya goodies such as lemang, ketupat, nasi himpit, the redangs (chicken and beef) and many more other stuff. It was a fast ride all the way led by two Armed forces cyclist, one with an road bike and the other with an mtb.
As you can see in photo's all the stuff which was taken during the long raya weekend has been transformed as energy to fuel up the body for this ride. It was almost 90km and to my suprise i must pick our Albert as the rider of the day, he was so powerful and was in the first group until the end. Keep it Albert and i wonder what kind of lemang he took.

RAYA BREAK ACTIVITY

2009-09-23T10:23:00.007+08:00

Sharveena and Raveena (During raya holidays at Lumut)

Yong's new Kuota KOM with dura groupset.

Yong

22/09/09 - 60km ride with Yong in a very hot afternoon

TNB JANAMANJUNG

In front of TNB Janamanjung.

21/09/09 - Hill climbing sessions at Teluk rubiah and Janamanjung 40 km.

Me and my new bike, kuota kebel very stiff compared to my proton cvs.

Lawrance upcoming navy triathlete.

20/09/09 - Ran 10km

19/09/09 - With Lawrence did 60km ride. (Taman monyet-Senangin-damai laut jetty and back)

PROTEIN - A FUEL

2009-08-26T09:06:00.002+08:00

The major rule of protein for athletes is to repair and build muscle mass. It can also be used as an fuel,although the contribution to energy production is generally small, contributing between 5% and 10% of total energy needs. As you know energy is obtained from the breakdown of dietary and tissue protein to amino acids, which are then converted to glucose. The contribution of protein to total energy increases with the duration of exercises and with depletion of carbohydrate stores. The protein requirements of the endurance athlete,therefore, are considerably higher than those for the sedentary individual. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of protein for a sedentary person is 0.8g/kg per day, meanwhile for a endurance athlete are approximately 1.2-1.7g/kg per day, with the higher levels required by athletes undertaking strenuous training. A 60kg endurance athlete in heavy training would, therefore require about 96 gram of protein a day. The combination of appropriate resistance training and adequate protein intake is essential to achieve muscle hypertrophy. It is important that the athlete also has an adequate carbohydrate and overall energy intake. Athletes on low energy diets, those with multiple daily training sessions and those on very high carbo diets may also be risk of inadequate protein.

CENTURY RIDE 2009 (19.07.2009)

2009-07-22T12:47:00.004+08:00

For this years century ride my aim is to complete the course in below 6 hours but i did it in 5 hours and 6 min. A few of my fellow riders were well ahead of me and most of them did below than 5 hours. Congragulations to Raimi for finishing 9th in the open category and to Saiful for finishing 9th in the junior veteran category. The only thing that made me angry was the timing in my certificate which was printed 5 hour and 12 minutes but the actual time that i did was below that. I confirm this by looking at the timer at the finish line which was provided by the organiser. I would like to suggest to the organiser to improve their timing techniques like using timing chip which will accurately record the time at the finishing line. Overall it was really a well organised event and credit must be given to Kelab roadrunners Ipoh. I hope to improve my timing for next year and the coming Powerman. cheers

SPORTS MASSAGE

2009-06-24T13:50:00.002+08:00

Massage Therapy is known to be one of the earliest forms of physical therapy. Today, Massage Therapists are behind the scenes at National and International competitions. Everyone can benefit from Massage Therapy whether they are a world class athlete, an occasional athlete, or a weekend warrior. Sport Massage is a field within Massage Therapy that focuses specifically on enhancing training, preventing injuries, and assisting the healing process when an injury does occur.

All athletes want to improve performance and have a competitive edge. This can be accomplished by incorporating a training schedule that will enhance skill, strength, stamina, suppleness, and speed. Factors such as sport, competition level,
and possibly position on a team will also affect the training schedule. No matter which sport, the aim is almost always to increase the level of training and thereby subject the body to gradual and controlled overuse. This is where massage is
beneficial because it will enable the athlete to train harder and do more during each session. The athlete will also require less rest between training sessions and events. While working with an athlete over time, a skilled Massage Therapist will be
able to evaluate muscle tone. This will help the athlete maintain a healthier physical state by detecting variations in soft tissue.

Receiving regular Massage Therapy treatments may help athletes prevent overuse injuries. It is this overuse that can create problems in soft tissue. If these injuries are ignored and become chronic they will not only affect how quickly the athlete may improve but may also affect the athlete’s performance. Eventually the athlete may be susceptible to developing more serious conditions. For example, a rugby player who has a minor overuse injury may not be able to compete at their usual
level of ability. As a result, this athlete might be unknowingly compensating for that injury and suffer another injury while not being fully prepared for varied field conditions or an unexpected tackle.

Sport Massage has 3 separate aspects that share the same goal of enhancing performance.

1. Pre-Event Massage

Pre-event massage is generally administered 20-30 minutes prior to a competition. Massage can also be beneficial several hours to 1 to 2 days prior to an event and aid the athlete in sustaining peak condition while not interfering with their training and preparation.

Benefits:

- Assists the athlete in preparing for competition or training if used with a proper warm-up

- Improves circulation which can maximize the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the body

- Calms nervous tension

- Decreases muscle spasms (decreasing pain)

- Breaks up adhesions (increases range of motion)

- Prepares the athlete for optimal performance while reducing the chances for injuries

- Promotes strength, speed, power, and endurance

- Decreases pre-competition anxiety (psychological benefit)

Precautions:

- Do not soothe – massage is very brief with fast stimulating techniques

- Not intended to replace the need for a comprehensive warm-up

-Not intended to be used as a therapeutic treatment to treat injuries

2. Post-Event Massage

Post-event massage is generally administered 30 minutes to 6 hours following a competition. Massage can also be beneficial
up to 2 days after an event or heavy training and is intended to further the body’s recovery process.

Benefits:

- Enhances and accelerates recovery (adequate recovery is also a major factor in avoiding over-training syndrome)

- Decreases muscle pain, tension, stiffness, spasm, fatigue and soreness
- Reduces DOMS (delayed on-set muscle soreness)

- Increases circulation and accelerates removal of waste products

- Creates a prolonged state of reduced muscular tension

- Psychological benefits (promotes relaxation)

Precautions:

- Techniques should be deeper and longer than pre-event massage

- Flushing massage with generous free movement and light sustained passive stretches are intended to prolong warm down

- Do not start to integrate more therapeutic work until after 2 days

3. Preventive/Training Massage

Preventive/Training Massage is administered 2 or more days before or after an event. Massage allows the athlete to train harder and more consistently by focusing on the prevention of developing chronic injuries and aid in the healing process of
current ones.

Benefits:

- Adds consistency to training

- Decreases strain and discomfort of training

- Helps eliminate trigger points and areas of stress

- Relieves tender areas before they become injured

- Decreases the chances of injury (could help lengthen the athlete’s career)

- Restores lost mobility

- Promotes proper scar tissue formation which prevents scar tissue from adhering muscular fibres together

- Helps heal chronic injuries if they do occur

Contraindications:

As with any form of therapy there are a number of circumstances that Sport Massage could be detrimental rather than beneficial. Some contraindications for massage include but are limited to the following:

- High body temperature

- Acute traumas such as open wounds, recent bruising, contusions, and burns

- Acutely inflamed veins or arteries (varicose veins, phlebitis, or thrombosis)

- Cancer

- Melanoma

- Haemophilia

- Infectious skin diseases such as bacterial infection, lymphagitis, fungal infections, viral infection, or herpes

- If the athlete has reacted adversely to massage treatments in the past

- Pain that is worse at night

- Tingling in both feet or all 4 extremities

- Bladder or bowel function problems

- Anaesthesia or parathesia in groin or genitals

- Signs of hyper or hypothermia

- Do not massage directly over skin rashes, deep bruises, bone breaks, tumours or cysts

Sport Massage can assist the athlete in all phases of competition reducing soreness during the training process, giving a head start before competition and speeding recovery after the event. Soreness and injury experienced by both elite and occasional athletes make Sport Massage beneficial to everyone.

For my fellow cyclist if you all wanna have a good sports massage, please make an appointment with me.

Quick Post-Century Recovery Techniques

2009-06-02T20:43:00.002+08:00

There are a number of ways to reduce post-exercise soreness and accelerate the recovery process, such as recovery rides, massage, stretching, nutrition, and appropriate use of pain relievers. Let’s take a quick look at each:

Recovery rides can take place on the days following a century ride. These rides should be done at a low intensity with very light resistance. Cadence should be slightly lower than normal (usually around 75-85 rpms), and duration should be anywhere from 30 to 120 minutes. It is best to do these rides on flat terrain, or you can even do them on an indoor trainer or spin bike in a gym. If you encounter hills, gear down or slow your cadence to keep the pedal pressure light. The key for recovery rides is to allow the muscle to become warm and loose, without building fatigue. This will stimulate blood flow, help in muscle repair, and decrease the perception of muscle soreness.

Massage has been demonstrated to be effective in improving well-being after a long, hard ride. While research in this area is inconclusive, subjects consistently report decreased levels of fatigue when treated with massage following exercise. Possible explanations include improved sleep patterns, heightened endorphin and serotonin levels, and decreased levels of stress hormones following treatment. While the positive impact of massage may be more psychological than physical, if it makes you feel better, then take advantage of it. You can also perform self massage on reachable parts of your body, such as your legs, to aid in relaxation.

Stretching can help to relax muscles and decrease post-exercise soreness. Post-exercise stretching should be light for the first 24-48 hours following a century. Research indicates that stretching with excessive force after an intense workout is likely to add to muscle damage and delay the recovery process, so be gentle.Stretching to increase flexibility should be done at the end of a recovery ride or a moderate intensity workout, when the muscles are warm but not overly fatigued.

Nutrition following a century ride can dramatically affect recovery. Even the best pre-exercise and during-exercise sports nutrition plans will result in a dramatic net decrease in carbohydrate stores. The amount and timeliness of carbohydrate intake following exercise should be well planned in order to maximize metabolic and musculoskeletal recovery. You should plan on eating about .75 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight within 15-30 minutes following exercise. For example, a 165-pound individual should plan to ingest around 124 grams of carbohydrates immediately following exercise. Continue to ingest this amount every two hours for four to six hours after exercise.

The meal in that first half-hour is crucial due to the increased glycogen absorption rates immediately following exercise. In addition, some research has demonstrated increased absorption rates and improved muscle recovery when adding a modest amount of protein to a carbohydrate-rich post-exercise meal. A carbohydrate recovery drink like High5 Protein Recovery or PowerBar Recovery provides a lot of carbohydrate and enough protein to give you the accelerated carbohydrate replenishment. Having a couple of bottles of recovery drink pre-made for after a ride will assure that you get the necessary nutrition and all the benefits of a quick recovery. In addition, by drinking, rather than eating, your calories, you’ll also assist in the re-hydration process.

Pain Relievers can help make your recovery time more comfortable, which means you feel better moving around. This is important because walking, short rides, and other forms of light exercise all hasten the recovery process. There are many pain relievers out there, and you should consult your physician about which one is right for you. NOTE: Roadcycling.com and its owners do not endorse or recommend the use of pain relievers.

Recovery is an integral part of every training plan; in fact, some would argue that your level of fitness lies more in your ability to recover than it does in your ability to exercise. A good recovery plan will not only make the post-century experience more tolerable, but it will help you get back on the bike sooner to start training for your next big event.

STRETCHING

2009-05-29T21:20:00.003+08:00

Is stretching prior to sports or games prevents injury.

Recent studies done has proof that, stretching prior to sports does not prevent injury but increases injury. Stretching lengthens the muscles and this if done before exercises can cause injuries where the body is not ready (muscles need to contract during exercises). Do warm up at a slower pace according to sports or games you are involved. Stretching after exercises lengthens the muscles which has been contracting during the activity and this helps in cooling down and delayed onset of muscle soreness.

Ulna Nerve Dysfunction

2009-05-25T13:34:00.002+08:00

Definition
Ulnar nerve dysfunction is a problem with the nerve that travels from the wrist to the shoulder, which leads to movement or sensation problems in the wrist and hand.

Alternative Names
Neuropathy - ulnar nerve; Ulnar nerve palsy
Causes
Ulnar nerve dysfunction is a common form of peripheral neuropathy. It occurs when there is damage to the ulnar nerve, which travels down the arm. The ulnar nerve is near the surface of the body where it crosses the elbow, so long-term pressure on the elbow may cause damage.

The damage involves the destruction of the nerve covering (myelin sheath) or part of the nerve (axon). This damage slows or prevents nerve signaling.
A problem with one single nerve group (such as the ulnar nerve) is called mononeuropathy. The usual causes are:
• Direct injury
• Long-term pressure on the nerve
• Pressure on the nerve caused by swelling or injury of nearby body structures
Entrapment involves pressure on the nerve where it passes through a narrow structure.
The ulnar nerve is commonly injured at the elbow because of elbow fracture or dislocation. Prolonged pressure on the base of the palm may also damage part of the ulnar nerve. Temporary pain and tingling of this nerve is common if the elbow is hit, producing the experience of hitting the "funny bone" at the elbow.
In some cases, no cause can be found.
Symptoms
• Abnormal sensations in the 4th or 5th fingers, usually on the palm side
• Numbness, decreased sensation
• Pain
• Tingling, burning sensation
• Weakness of the hand

Pain or numbness may awaken you from sleep. Activities such as tennis or golf make the condition worse.
Exams and Tests
An exam of the hand and wrist can reveal ulnar nerve dysfunction. Signs may include:
• "Claw-like" deformity (in severe cases)
• Difficulty moving the fingers
• Wasting of the hand muscles (in severe cases)
• Weakness of wrist and hand bending

A detailed history may be needed to determine the cause of the neuropathy.
Tests may include:
• Blood tests
• Imaging scans
• Nerve conduction tests
• Recording of the electrical activity in muscles (EMG)
• X-rays

Treatment
The goal of treatment is to allow you to use the hand and arm as much as possible. The cause should be identified and treated. Sometimes, no treatment is required and you will get better on your own.
Treatments may include:
• A supportive splint or elbow pad to help prevent further injury
• Corticosteroids injected into the area to reduce swelling and pressure on the nerve
• Surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve, if the symptoms get worse, movement is difficult, or there is proof that part of the nerve is wasting away. Surgical decompression may be recommended if the symptoms are from entrapment of the nerve.
• Over-the-counter analgesics or prescription pain medications to control pain (neuralgia)
• Other medications, including gabapentin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, or tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline or duloxitine, to reduce stabbing pains.
• Physical therapy exercises to help maintain muscle strength
• Occupational counseling, occupational therapy, job changes, or retraining
Outlook (Prognosis)

If the cause of the dysfunction can be found and successfully treated, you may make a full recovery.
Disability can vary from none to partial or complete loss of movement or sensation. Nerve pain may be uncomfortable and last a long time. If pain is severe and continuing, see a pain specialist to be sure you have access to all pain treatment options.
Possible Complications
• Deformity of the hand
• Partial or complete loss of sensation in the hand or fingers
• Partial or complete loss of wrist or hand movement
• Recurrent or unnoticed injury to the hand

When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if:
• You have symptoms of ulnar nerve dysfunction
• You have been injured and you experience persistent tingling, numbness, or pain down your forearm and the 4th and 5th fingers.
Early diagnosis and treatment increase the chance of controlling the symptoms.
Prevention
Prevention varies depending on the cause. Avoid prolonged pressure on the elbow or palm. Casts, splints, and other appliances should always be examined for proper fit.
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Preventing Overtraining - When Less Is More

2009-05-25T13:30:00.000+08:00

When decreasing your training improves performance

Overtraining syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who are training for competition or a specific event and train beyond the body's ability to recover. Athletes often exercise longer and harder so they can improve. But without adequate rest and recovery, these training regimens can backfire, and actually decrease performance.
Conditioning requires a balance between overload and recovery. Too much overload and/or too little recovery may result in both physical and psychology symptoms of overtraining syndrome.

Common warning signs of overtraining include:

• Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
• Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
• Pain in muscles and joints
• Sudden drop in performance
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
• Decrease in training capacity / intensity
• Moodiness and irritability
• Depression
• Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
• Decreased appetite
• Increased incidence of injuries.
• A compulsive need to exercise

It's hard to predict overtraining since everyone's body is different. It is important, however, to vary training through the year and schedule in significant rest time.

Treating Overtraining Syndrome

If you suspect you are overtraining, the first thing to do is reduce or stop your exercise and allow a few days of rest. Drink plenty of fluids, and alter your diet if necessary. Crosstraining can help you discover if you are overworking certain muscles and also help you determine if you are just mentally fatigued. A sports massage can help you recharge overused muscles.

Measuring Overtraining

There are several ways you can objectively measure some signs of overtraining. One is by documenting your heart rates over time. Track your aerobic heart rate at a specific exercise intensities and speed throughout your training and write it down. If your pace starts to slow, your resting heart rate increases and you experience other symptoms, you may heading into overtraining syndrome.
You can also track your resting heart rate each morning. Any marked increase from the norm may indicated that you aren't fully recovered.
Another way to test recover to use something called the orthostatic heart rate test, developed by Heikki Rusko while working with cross country skiers. To obtain this measurement:
1. Lay down and rest comfortably for 10 minutes the same time each day (morning is best).
2. At the end of 10 minutes, record your heart rate in beats per minute.
3. Then stand up
4. After 15 seconds, take a second heart rate in beats per minute.
5. After 90 seconds, take a third heart rate in beats per minute.
6. After 120 seconds, take a fourth heart rate in beats per minute.

Well rested athletes will show a consistent heart rate between measurements, but Rusko found a marked increase (10 beats/minutes or more) in the 120 second-post-standing measurement of athletes on the verge of overtraining. Such a change may indicate that you have not recovered from a previous workout, are fatigued, or otherwise stressed and it may be helpful to reduce training or rest another day before performing another workout.

A training log that includes a note about how your feel each day can help you notice downward trends and decreased enthusiasm. It's important to listen to your body signals and rest when you feel tired.
You can also ask those around you if they think you are exercising too much.
While there are many proposed ways to objectively test for overtraining, the most accurate and sensitive measurements are psychological signs and symptoms and changes in an athlete's mental state. Decreased positive feelings for sports and increased negative feelings, such as depression, anger, fatigue, and irritability often appear after a few days of intensive overtraining. Studies have found increased ratings of perceived exertion during exercise after only three days of overload.
Research on overtraining syndrome shows rest is the primary treatment plan. Some new evidence indicating that low levels of exercise (active recovery) during the rest period will speed recovery. Moderate exercise has also been shown to increase immunity. Total recovery can take several weeks and includes proper nutrition and stress reduction.

The subjective assessments, and mental state of an athlete is clearly the most reliable indicator of overtraining. Unfortunately, most athletes ignore these signs or wait too long before doing something. An important component of exercise is to objectively measure your training and modify it before damage is done.

Muscle Pain and Soreness After Exercise - What Is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

2009-05-25T13:21:00.000+08:00

What Causes Muscle Pain and Muscle Soreness After Exercise - What is DOMS?

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) describes a phenomenon of muscle pain, muscle soreness or muscle stiffness that is felt 12-48 hours after exercise, particularly at the beginning of a new an exercise program, after a change in sports activities, or after a dramatic increase in the duration or intensity of exercise.
This muscle pain is a normal response to unusual exertion and is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build hypertrophy).

This sort of muscle pain is not quite the same as the muscle pain or fatigue you experience during exercise. This delayed pain is also very different than the acute, sudden pain of and injury such as muscle strains and sprains, which is marked by an abrupt, specific and sudden pain that occurs during activity and often causes swelling or bruising.
The delayed soreness of DOMS is generally at its worst within the first 2 days following the activity and subsides over the next few days.
Delayed onset muscle soreness is quite common and quite annoying, particularly for those beginning an exercise program or adding new activities. A beginning exerciser who bikes 10 miles, followed by push-ups and sit-ups is likely to experience muscle pain and soreness in the next day or two.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - Causes

Delayed onset muscle soreness is thought to be a result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. Any movement you aren't used to can lead to DOMS, but eccentric muscle contractions (movements that cause muscle to forcefully contract while it lengthens) seem to cause the most soreness.
Examples of eccentric muscle contractions include going down stairs, running downhill, lowering weights and the downward motion of squats and push-ups. In addition to small muscle tears there can be associated swelling in a muscle which may contribute to soreness.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - Treatment

There is no one simple way to treat delayed onset muscle soreness. In fact, there has been an ongoing debate about both the cause and treatment of DOMS. In the past, gentle stretching was one of the recommended ways to reduce exercise related muscle soreness, but a study by Australian researchers published in 2007 found that stretching is not effective in avoiding muscle soreness.
So does anything work to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness? Nothing is proven effective, but some people have found the following advice helpful, but it's best for an individual to try a few things to see what works for them. Ultimately, best advice for treating DOMS is to prevent it in the first place.

Here are some tips for dealing with soreness after exercise:

• Wait. Soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment.
• Try an Ice Bath or Contrast Water Bath. Although no clear evidence proves they are effective, many pro athletes use them and claim they work to reduce soreness.
• Use active recovery techniques. This strategy does have some support in the research. Perform some easy low-impact aerobic exercise to increase blood flow. This may help diminish muscle soreness.
• Use the RICE method of treating injuries.
• Although research doesn't find gentle stretching reduces soreness, some people find it simply feels good.
• Gently massage the affected muscles. Some research has found that massage was effective in alleviating DOMS by approximately 30% and reducing swelling, but it had no effects on muscle function.
• Try using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (aspirin or ibuprofen) to reduce the soreness temporarily, though they won't actually speed healing.
• There is some evidence that performing Yoga may reduce DOMS.
• Avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain.
• Allow the soreness to subside thoroughly before performing any vigorous exercise.
• Don't forget to warm up completely before your next exercise session. There is some research that supports that a warm-up performed immediately prior to unaccustomed eccentric exercise produces small reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness (but cool-down performed after exercise does not).
• ** If your pain persists longer than about 7 days or increases despite these measures, consult your physician.
• Learn something from the experience! Use prevention first.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - Prevention
While DOMS is common and annoying, it is not a necessary part of exercise. There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid and shorten the duration of DOMS:
• Warm up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward.
• Cool Down with gentle stretching after exercise.
• Follow the Ten Percent Rule. When beginning a new activity start gradually and build up your time and intensity no more than ten percent per week.
• Know the 10 Tips for Safe Workouts.
• Follow the Spring Training Fitness Tips.
• Hire a Personal Trainer if you aren't sure how to start a workout program that is safe and effective.
• Start a new weight lifting routine with light weights and high reps (10-12) and gradually increase the amount you lift over several weeks.
• Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise you do.
• Avoid making sudden major changes in the amount of time that you exercise.

Does Bicycling Cause Erectile Dysfunction and Impotence in Men?

2009-05-25T13:16:00.000+08:00

The answer to this question has received a lot of media attention over the past several years and has also been the topic of heated debate. The answer seems to be that prolonged cycling on a poorly fitting bicycle saddle may be associated with erectile dysfunction (ED), more commonly in older men. But the risk depends upon many factors including the hours of cycling per week, the weight of the cyclist, the skill of the cyclist and the bicycle fit.

What is Impotence and Erectile Dysfunction?

According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases, "Erectile dysfunction, sometimes called 'impotence,' is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. The word 'impotence' may also be used to describe other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse and reproduction, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. Using the term erectile dysfunction makes it clear that those other problems are not involved."

What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?

There are many causes of erectile dysfunction and impotence. The physical causes include damage to nerves, arteries, muscles, and tissues responsible for an erection. However, 70% of ED is caused by diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, and neurologic disease.
The most common lifestyle-related causes of erectile dysfunction are:
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Inactivity

Cycling and Erectile Dysfunction

So how can bicycling lead erectile dysfunction? Prolonged pressure on the tissues of the perineum (the area of the groin between the penis and anus) can damage blood vessels and nerves responsible for an erection, and spending excessive amounts of time in the same position on the saddle may cause temporary erectile dysfunction. This damage may become permanent if the tissues are continually damaged and not allowed to recover.
Many factors increase the risk of developing erectile dysfunction in cyclists. Some of these include the weight of the cyclist (heavier riders put more pressure on the perineum), the saddle design (some saddles increase pressure on the perineum), and even the cycling intensity. Studies have found that racing cyclists offset much of the weight on the saddle by keeping so much of their body weight on the pedals. This, in turn, reduces the pressure on the perineum.

Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction in Cyclists

The good news is that nearly every cyclist who experiences erectile dysfunction or impotence will have symptoms before the problem becomes serious. Reduced blood flow to the perineum causes pain, numbness or tingling in the perineum long before men develop ED. If you don't have problems with pain, numbness or tingling, stop worrying and enjoy your ride. If you do have pain, address the problem before it gets worse.
Preventing Erectile Dysfunction
If you do feel groin discomfort, pain or numbness when you bike take the following actions:
• If you are on a long ride, take a break, stand up on the pedals, stretch and "adjust yourself" until normal sensation returns.
• During rides, change your position frequently by shifting forward and backward and standing.
• Consider adjusting your bike seat to reduce pressure points.
• Use a seat with a cutout to reduce pressure on the perineum.
• Avoid seats with a lot of padding. Although it sounds comfortable, you'll actually sink deeper into the saddle and feel more pressure and numbness.
• Keep the seat level or angled slightly downward; never tilt the saddle upward.
• Raise your handlebars slightly so you are a bit more upright.
• Change positions often during your rides.
• Wear good cycling shorts with a comfortable pad.
• Adjust your saddle height so that your knee is just slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal cycle.
• See: Proper Bike Fit Can Prevent Pain and Injury

Bicycle Saddle Choice

Bicycle saddle design has changed dramatically over the years and there are many options. Saddles now offer a cutout down the middle to relieve pressure on the perineum and reduce pressure on the soft tissues. Some research supports this theory and many cyclists find that the cutouts are more comfortable than traditional saddles. Newer saddles, such as the Selle SMP, offer a large cutout and downward facing nose. One study found this design superior in allowing penile blood flow compared with standard saddle shapes.
Another study on saddle shape and penile blood flow found that narrow saddles result in less blood flow than a wider saddle. Computer analysis of pressures showed that a wide saddle allowed more weight to be distributed to the sit bones (ischial tuberosity) and put less pressure less on the perineum than narrow saddles.
So if you don't have symptoms, don't worry about impotence and enjoy cycling!

Rest and Recovery

2009-05-21T00:07:00.002+08:00

Become a better runner even after you've pulled off your trainers with these quick and easy recovery tips.

In order to run at your best, your body needs time to recover between training sessions. Your hard work might end when you pull off your trainers, but your body keeps working afterwards, repairing and rebuilding muscle and gradually adapting to a regular (or increasing) training load.

Long runs, hard sessions and races also leave your immune system dramatically lowered, so knowing what to eat, drink and do immediately after exercise is vital for staying fit and healthy too.

Keep Moving

Immediately after a hard run or race, slow down to a walk rather than stopping abruptly. By keeping your legs moving - and pumping new blood to your muscles - you'll help your legs flush out waste products. Grab an extra layer of clothing too as your core temperature will drop after a run. The colder you are, the harder it is for blood to get to your muscles.

Take A Dip

Both ice baths and a relaxing hot tub can have recovery benefits. A quick cold dip immediately after your run will improve your circulation and help reduce inflammation. Save the hot bath for later, when the heat will help ease any lingering soreness.

Stretch Out

Whether you're a stretching fan or foe, you might find a gentle session beneficial after easier runs. Ease into stretches slowly - otherwise, you run the risk of damaging muscles already taxed by a tough workout. A light sports massage and/or wearing compression clothing (brands like Skins, 2XU and Under Armour) can also boost blood flow and help expel lactic acid.
Consider following a hard session with an easy recovery run or some cross-training the next day too. Non-strenuous exercise will encourage the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles.

Drink Up

Replacing fluid lost through training is key to effective hydration. Aim to drink 500ml of water or diluted juice as soon as you get back from a run. For more precise hydration, try a sweat test. Weigh yourself immediately before and after your run - the difference will tell you how much fluid you have lost during that session. For every kilogram of weight loss, you'll need to drink approximately one litre of fluid.

Food For Thought

Eating for recovery is a long-term strategy, stretching from the first hour after a training session right through your rest days.
The first hour after a workout is the most crucial - your body replenishes glycogen at three times its normal rate immediately after exercise. This rate slows with every minute you waste. Try to eat a mix of carbohydrates and protein. Recovery drinks and energy bars are quick and easy options; alternatively, snacks like eggs on toast, fruit smoothies and tuna sandwiches all contain roughly four times as much carbohydrate as protein (the recommended ratio).
Don't neglect your nutrition for the rest of the day either. It can take up to two days to fully replace the glycogen you use during exercise. Maintaining a high-carbohydrate diet, even on non-running days, will help build your energy stores for future running.

Sleep On It

You might not need the daily naps of an elite competitor, but getting enough quality sleep should still be a priority. During deep sleep, your body releases human growth hormone (HGH) which helps build and repair muscle, and encourages the body to use more fat as fuel. Without the right amount of HGH, your recovery will be hindered and you'll take longer to increase your aerobic fitness. Disrupted sleep can also interfere with your metabolism.

Listen To Your Body

How many rest days you need will vary from one runner to the next. What's most important is being alert to any aches, pains or fatigue. A good rule of thumb is to take one easy day for each mile of a race or hard training session. Another useful measure is to check your pulse as soon as you get up. If it's 20 per cent higher than normal, take a break.
Finally…
Recovery shouldn't be complicated - it should be second nature. Take time now to incorporate these simple steps into your daily routine and trust us, your body will thank you in the long-term!

REGULAR VS BIB CYCLING SHORTS

2009-05-20T23:55:00.003+08:00

Regular Cycling Shorts

Why you might like regular shorts:
• Relatively inexpensive. Regular shorts are typically cheaper than comparable bibs.
• Easily removed for going to the bathroom. Whether it’s alongside the road or in a Port-a-John, slipping out of regular shorts is just like normal.
• Can be cooler on warm days. Since there is no fabric on your upper body, regular shorts are good for a lightweight outfit.
Why you might dislike regular shorts:
• The waistband is tight. Having a tight waistband on the shorts can cut into your stomach and become quite uncomfortable (especially in a hunched-over riding position.)
• They slide around. Regular shorts usually slide around, so the chamois could shift and cause chafing, or just become uncomfortable and require some shifting to get everything back in place.
• “Plumber’s Crack.” There’s nothing holding these shorts up, leading to this well-known situation…

Bib Cycling Shorts

Why you might like bib shorts:
• Very, very comfortable. Bib shorts are so much more comfortable than regular shorts I can’t even describe it! As long as you get the right size, the fit is amazing.
• Everything stays in place. Bib shorts stay in place, which makes life easy and comfortable. No chamois movement or chafing, and no mid-ride adjustments.
• No “plumber’s crack.” Since the bibs can’t sag down, there are no worries about this. (Your riding buddies will thank you.)
Why you might dislike bib shorts:
• Expensive. Most bib shorts range in price from RM250-400.
• Sizing issues. Since the right pair of bibs needs to match your height and waist measurements, it’s more difficult to find the perfect size. Plus, size charts vary greatly between manufacturers.
• Straps can cut into shoulders. Even if the bibs are the right size, some of them have thin, rough straps that can cut or scrape your skin.
• Restricting. Some people seem to feel restricted by wearing bib shorts. That can be an issue, especially if you’re already wearing a sports bra. (The bibs can also restrict you from going to the bathroom quickly and easily.)

Final Verdict on Cycling Shorts Is…

While there are pros and cons to each style, bibs have an answer to all the supposed cons of bib shorts:
First off, the immense comfort from bibs outweighs any potential sizing issues. Just go to a shop and try on the bibs before purchasing to make sure you get the right size.
Good bibs will have soft, wide straps that don’t cut into your shoulders or feel restricting. They will also have a low cut front so that trailside pee breaks don’t take any longer than usual (for guys at least.)
And the top part (back and straps) is usually a wicking material that can keep you cooler than if you didn’t have it against your skin.
Or just wear a base layer beneath the bibs!

Injury-proof your body: Feet and Ankles

2009-05-20T23:37:00.004+08:00

Making sure your feet and ankles stay healthy, strong and stable not only prevents injuries but also keeps your legs, hips and core running smoothly.

You might be able to run through a tight hamstring or a sore quad, but an injured foot or ankle usually puts the brakes on a session - and can ruin your entire training season. Our feet and ankles, after all, are the foundation of our sport. When they are working well, they allow us to love every step, so it's a priority for all runners to keep them healthy.

Feet and ankles are built tough, capable of sustaining two or three times our bodyweight. But when they are abused (overworked, overtrained) or neglected (understretched, understrengthened), they'll complain. And the result could be one of the two most chronic, hard-to-heal injuries a runner can face - namely, plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. To avoid the dreaded 'itises' it helps to first have an appreciation for the role your feet and ankles play in your running.
There's a reason we spend hundreds of ringgit a year encasing our feet in high-tech, cushioned, supportive materials - a suboptimal running gait can result in stresses and injuries to the whole lower body. "During locomotion the foot is required to shock-absorb on impact, and then become a rigid lever for propulsion. Problems with this process will necessitate compensation in other joints further up the body."
The foot is active in both the landing and push-off phases of the running cycle, so it's involved in absorbing the shock of impact (upon landing), then controlling the forces generated by running (during push-off). If your foot is too stiff to bear the impact, a tibial stress fracture could result. And if your foot is too unstable to land in a controlled manner, you could develop runner's knee.

The most common foot complaint of runners is plantar fasciitis, an injury that tends to strike those who overtrain, neglect to stretch their calf muscles or overdo hill sessions and speedwork. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that stretches from the toes to the heel. "If the plantar fascia is overstretched in a foot which overpronates so that the arch is flat at push-off, it pulls away from its insertion point in the heel, causing pain.

That tearing, which usually occurs at the point where the fascia attaches to the heel, results in inflammation. Because the fascia has a poor blood supply, it can be a slow-healing, chronic condition. In these cases, the injury can result in a heel spur, a tiny, soft calcium deposit that forms from the bone trying to heal itself. While the spur itself isn't painful, it can further irritate the fascia.

You might be able to run through a tight hamstring or a sore quad, but an injured foot or ankle usually puts the brakes on a session - and can ruin your entire training season. Our feet and ankles, after all, are the foundation of our sport. When they are working well, they allow us to love every step, so it's a priority for all runners to keep them healthy.
Feet and ankles are built tough, capable of sustaining two or three times our bodyweight. But when they are abused (overworked, overtrained) or neglected (understretched, understrengthened), they'll complain. And the result could be one of the two most chronic, hard-to-heal injuries a runner can face - namely, plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. To avoid the dreaded 'itises' it helps to first have an appreciation for the role your feet and ankles play in your running.
There's a reason we spend hundreds of ringgit a year encasing our feet in high-tech, cushioned, supportive materials - a suboptimal running gait can result in stresses and injuries to the whole lower body. "During locomotion the foot is required to shock-absorb on impact, and then become a rigid lever for propulsion. Problems with this process will necessitate compensation in other joints further up the body."
The foot is active in both the landing and push-off phases of the running cycle, so it's involved in absorbing the shock of impact (upon landing), then controlling the forces generated by running (during push-off). If your foot is too stiff to bear the impact, a tibial stress fracture could result. And if your foot is too unstable to land in a controlled manner, you could develop runner's knee.
The most common foot complaint of runners is plantar fasciitis, an injury that tends to strike those who overtrain, neglect to stretch their calf muscles or overdo hill sessions and speedwork. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that stretches from the toes to the heel. "If the plantar fascia is overstretched in a foot which overpronates so that the arch is flat at push-off, it pulls away from its insertion point in the heel, causing pain.
That tearing, which usually occurs at the point where the fascia attaches to the heel, results in inflammation. Because the fascia has a poor blood supply, it can be a slow-healing, chronic condition. In these cases, the injury can result in a heel spur, a tiny, soft calcium deposit that forms from the bone trying to heal itself. While the spur itself isn't painful, it can further irritate the fascia.

The Achilles tendon picks up where the plantar fascia leaves off. The largest, strongest tendon in the body, it runs from the heel to the calf. It propels you forward when you run and, similar to the plantar fascia, the tendon or its surrounding sheath can become inflamed when overworked, causing Achilles tendinitis. This is often an overuse injury.
"The Achilles tendon is overstretched because of the tilting of the heel during extended pronation, thousands of times in a runner, causing inflammation. Sudden increases in mileage or excessive hill running or speedwork can lead to Achilles tendinitis.

This tendon also has a low blood supply, making it slow to heal. If 'acute' Achilles tendinitis isn't treated properly or rested sufficiently, it can lead to chronic Achilles tendinitis, which is very difficult to treat and can stay with an athlete for years.
Retrocalconeal bursitis is sometimes mistaken for Achilles tendinitis. Bursitis is the inflammation of a bursa sac, a fluid-filled cushion between bones and overlying muscles and tendons. This particular sac sits right where the Achilles attaches to the heel bone. Tight calf muscles, consistently running on hard surfaces and jumps in mileage can all lead to bursitis.
Seeing a pattern? Yes, for these issues, the root is usually the same: too much, too soon. But if you've trained by the book and haven't broken any injury-prevention rules, it would be worth seeing a podiatrist who's clued up on runners' issues. You could be wearing the wrong shoe for your foot type, you may have biomechanical problems that could be corrected with an insert or orthotic or you might have a weakness or imbalance that could be improved with specific strengthening and stretching exercises.
In the meantime, icing the sore areas, cutting your mileage and incorporating more cross-training into your routine will help you begin along the road to recovery.

Injury First Aid - The RICE Method

2009-05-19T11:58:00.002+08:00

Injury is the most common reason for runners ‘retiring’ from the sport, especially as far too many attempt to run through pain without thought for the consequences. Chronic injuries – that is, long-standing ones – are invariably more difficult to restore to full health, so it should go without saying that you need to take early active intervention.
Acute injury is associated with local bleeding and that the object of first aid is to minimise this bleeding and reduce its consequences. The acronym ‘RICE’ is commonly used as an aide mémoire.

R stands for Rest – common sense, really, but a runner in the middle of a race or training session may not heed the symptoms of a less severe injury and just carry on. There may be some excuse, as exercise-induced endorphins can reduce the brain’s ability to interpret symptoms of injury, though the more experienced you are as a runner, the more intuitive you should be in interpreting these. Continuing to run will force more blood to the site of the injury and maintain bleeding – more severe damage is the inevitable result. If you have no option but to carry on, try to cool the area with water and slow right down – walking is ideal.

I stands for Ice – the application of which should be carefully controlled. Simply putting ice on the site of an injury is going to produce blistering and ice burn, so it should be wrapped in polythene, crushed and further wrapped in a damp tea towel. Time is an important factor. Fifteen minutes should be the upper limit for a single application, but this can be repeated hourly.
You can use ice in other ways during rehabilitation. Firstly, you should reapply it if you feel twinges as you gently stretch out the injury on the subsequent days, and it can also be used as a massage medium which can ease apart scarred, healing tissues while the cooling effect continues to provide capilliary contraction and prevent further bleeding. Ice is the most valuable, yet least used and understood, method of healing sports injuries.

C is for Compression, or at least counter-pressure to the bleeding capilliaries. The greater the pressure applied, the lower the amount of blood that can pass to the rest of the limb. We all apply tissues to an external cut – a bandage or Tubi-grip will have the same effect internally. However, this pressure should be less than your blood pressure – there is little point in stopping the bleeding but cutting off the blood supply to the extremity of a limb. Gangrene can still occur, so you should alternate compression with ice. If the limb goes numb, the bandaging should be released.

E reminds us to Elevate the limb. Blood pressure reduces with height – it is lower in our brain than our toes – so the higher the limb is above the heart, the less force there is within the damaged blood vessel to cause bleeding and worsen the injury. While it may not always be practical to elevate the limb, any time doing so is well spent and will aid recovery.

The RICE method (combined with anti-inflammatory drugs if desired) is the best immediate response to most injuries. Full rehabilitation requires considerable expertise, however, and we will give more details next month

LABOUR DAY RIDE (1/5/09 KAYUHAN LONGLAI)

2009-05-01T15:13:00.006+08:00

With Raimi

In full action.

Raimi our super rider.

Albert, Jasni and Adik.

Albert and Yong.

Albert and Yong

Jasni fully focus.

Manjung to Simpang to bruas Ayer Tawar and back. Total distance 47km.

Only 7 riders turn up for this ride.The riders are Albert, Yong, Raimi, Jasni, Rafi, one guy which i can't remember his name and me. After a short discussion we decided to ride to Gelung Pepuyu and back but when we are nearing the junction to Bruas after Ayer Tawar, everybody decided to turn back. Raimi was not feeling good with his legs, Rafi got an appoinmnet at 10 am, Jasni wants to turn back and open up his shops, me not feeling well with my calfs, its cramps yesterday night, Alberts rim got problems and was unable to cycle well and Yong will be leaving to Canada, so we turn back and had breakfast at a Mamak restaurant at Ayer Tawar. Reach home around 9.45 am.

RAVEENA'S SPORTS DAY (11/04/09)

2009-04-29T20:04:00.007+08:00

Posing with her winners medal.

Receiving her medal from her teacher.

Discussing tactics with her friends.

Future 100 meter runner and champion.

Rehearsing for opening ceremony.

Singing national anthem.

The kids getting prepared to sing the national anthem.

Raveena 50 meter dash champion.

Kishen with his sister's medal.

BATU CAVES (19/04/09)

2009-04-29T19:35:00.004+08:00

BIDOR HALF MARATHON (26/4/09)

2009-04-29T07:54:00.004+08:00

At the finish line, i overtook almost 40 runners in the last 5 km.

Finally i was able to finish my first half marathon on 26/4/09 in 2 hour and 8 minutes. The entire course i think was hilly. It has been my dream to finish a half marathon and after this i'll attempt to finish a full marathon. I was able to finish the last 5 km in 25 minutes. Well i had to rest for a few days before resuming my training again. Plan to ride 100km for this coming Labour Day.

Taper Defined

2009-02-13T14:45:00.004+08:00

A taper is a period of time in which you reduce your training load before a peak event. By reducing your load for a period of time you allow yourself to rest before you race. This allows you to store up physical, mental emotional energy over a period of few weeks, allowing you to unleash your maximum potential on the race day. If you were to skip the taper, you could carry with you, into you peak race, some residual training fatigue, and you would not be able to race your best.
To make tapering a distinct part of our athletes training, we devote an entire phase, called the taper phase, that's is generally sets up as a three week period of time leading into athlete's peak race.

A suggested taper approach

Give yourself 3 weeks. Three weeks allows you time to really rest and fosters a deep recovery from your recent months of training. This allows for a tremendous build up of physical, mental, and emotional energy you need to perform your best.

During the first and second week, set up your training base on your final week of training before you taper. Eliminate all anaerobic training, and cut your training volume into half. These weeks should feel very easy and light. In the early going, you may feel a slight sluggish as your body adjust to the increased rest. As your body adjusts, you will start to feel well-rested, very strong and really eager to some hard training or to race.

During these weeks your workout should be perform in your aerobic endurance training zone and should include speeds drills that you have performed during the year.
During the third and final week (race week), you should do one final workout, similar to the one you have in your first two weeks of tapering, in each discipline, a few rest days, and an easy loosening up workout before the day before you race. For example, take rest days on Monday and Friday. Run on Tuesday, ride on Wednesday and swim on Thursday. Do a very short swim or ride on Saturday to loosen up. Race on Sunday.

Finally have a great Race.

CORE EXERCISES FOR CYCLIST

2008-12-16T21:54:00.015+08:00

SCISSORS KICK

WHAT IT WORKS - Tranverse abdominus, hip flexors, inner and outer thigh

A) Lying on your back with legs straight, place both hands palms down under your lower back.
B) Pushing your elbows down into the floor and pulling your belly button towards your spine, raise your shoulder off the floor and look towards the ceiling. Raise your leg 4 inches off the ground and scissors them:left over right, then right over left. Thats one rep. Work up to 100 if possible or else 30 to 50 reps should be suffient.

WHY IT WORKS - A comprhensive movement that connects key cycling muscles, the kick also builds inner thigh muscles, which help you achieve hip, knee, forefoot alignment, for a proper and efficient pedal stroke.

CATAPULT

WHAT IT WORKS - Entire core

A) Sitting with a slight bend in your knees, press your heels against your floor. Extend arms to the front of the shoulder height, palms facing each other.
B) With a straight spine and upward gaze, inhale deeply, then exhale and slowly lower your torso to the floor over 5 counts as your inhale. Arms are overhead.
C) In one smooth movement, leading with the arm, exhale and explode back to the starting position. Do 20 reps

WHY IT WORKS - Contrary rto its name the catapult encourages supreme body control.

BOAT POSE

WHAT IT WORKS - Tranverse abdominus and lower back.

A) Sit, resting both hands lightly behind you, and lean back until your torso is at a 45 degrees angle.
B) Keeping your legs together, lift them off the floor as you extend arms forward at shoulder height. Abs are tight, as thighs and torso forms a 90 degrees angle. If your hamstring are tight, you'll need to bend your knees a little. Work up to holding for 60 seconds.

WHY IT WORKS - As with the plank, this pose builds the lower back stability and core strength needed to remain bent over the handlebar for hours, or to blast up hills without compromising power or speed.

TRANVERSE PLANK

WHAT IT WORKS - Tranverse abdominus and obliques

A) Lie on your right side, with your right elbow under your shoulder, forearm in front for stability, and stack your left foot on your right. Raise your left arm over your head.B) In one motion, lift your hips to create a straight line down your left side. Lower your hips a few inches off the floor; do 10 to 15 reps, then switch side.

WHY IT WORKS - Strong obliques improve your stability in the saddle, letting you take on hairpin corners with more control and speed.

PLANK

WHAT IT WORKS - Tranverse abdominus, upper and lower back

A) Lying on your stomach, place your elbows under your shoulders with forearm and hands on the floor.
B) Lift your hips off the floor keeping your back straight and abs tight, and rest on your toes. Aim for 60 sec.

WHY IT WORKS - The plank builds the strength and muscular endurance you need to ride powerfully in the drops or in an aero position long after others have surrendered to the top of the handlebar.

HIP EXTENSION

WHAT IT WORKS - Lower back, hamstring and gluteus

A) Lying with your hip and stomach on the stability ball, put your hands on the floor directly under your shoulder, and extend your legs with toes resting on the floor.

B) With a straight spine and shoulder blades back, as if you are trying to make them touch, lift both legs off the floor, keeping them straight. If possible, raise them slightly higher than parallel to the floor. Hold for 2 sec and lower. Do 20 reps.

WHY IT WORKS - This movement builds backside strength, for added efficiency on the second half of the pedal stroke.

POWER BRIDGE

WHAT IT WORKS - Hip flexors, gluteus, lower back.

A) Lying on your back, bend your knees and place your heels near your gluteus. Arm at your side, palm down.
B) In one smooth motion, squeeze your gluteus, raise your hips off the floor and push up from your heels to form a staright line from shoulders to the knee; toes come off the floor slightly. Hold for 2 sec.Keeping your toes raised, lower yourself three-quarters of the way to complete one rep. Do 20 reps.

WHY IT WORKS - in addtion of working the hip flexors, often extremely stiff in cyclist, the bridge strengthens the link between your lower back and gluteus.

BOXER BALL CRUNCH

WHAT IT WORKS - Transverse abdominus, obliques and lower back

A) Lie with the middle of your back on a stability ball, yours knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head, but don't pull on your neck.B) Squeezing your belly button towards your spine,lift your upper back of the ball. Keeping your shoulders off the ball, trace a clockwise oval with your torso. Apply pressure with your lower back to keep the ball still through the entire motion. After 15 clockwise ovals, trace 15 counterclockwise.

WHY IT WORKS - Despite the straightforward motion of the bike, your body moves in three direction:forward as you head down the road, vertically as your legs pedal up and down, laterally as your hips and upper body rock side to side."This fluid,circular exercise builds control and helps you minimize lateral torsion and wasted motion.

The Perfect Pedal Stroke

2008-12-10T22:05:00.003+08:00

How to get the most energy from each crank revolution.

Pedaling in a simple circle is a complex thing, but mastering it can save energy. with proper ankling (shown here; not the injury-causing technique of the past), riders can churn out the same amount of power at a heart rate as many as five beats per minute lower. This stroke is for flat terrain at threshold, or time trial, intensity.

Hip-Knee-Ankle Alignment Viewed from the front, your hip, knee and ankle should line up throughout the pedal stroke. You don't want knee wobble. "Just think pistons, straight up and down." If you can't correct this, or if you experience knee pain when you try to restrict lateral movement, you may need orthotics or another type of biomechanical adjustment.

Zone 1 Known as the power phase, the portion of the pedal stroke from 12 o'clock to about 5 o'clock is the period of greatest muscle activity. "A lot of people think hamstrings are used only on the upstroke,"but a good cyclist uses a lot of hamstring in the downstroke, because it extends the hip." The key to accessing the large muscles in the back of your leg is dropping your heel as you come over the top of the stroke. "At 12 o'clock, your toes should be pointed down about 20 degrees, but as you come over the top, start dropping that heel so that it's parallel to the ground or even 10 degrees past parallel by the time you get to 3 o'clock." The biggest mistake that novice riders do is : not dropping the heel enough in Zone 1.

Zone 2 Using the same muscles as in the power phase, but to a lesser degree, this phase acts as a transition to the backstroke. "As you enter Zone 2, think about firing the calf muscles to point your toe. As you come through the bottom of the stroke, the toe should be pointed down 20 degrees. "This ankling technique transfers some of the energy developed in Zone 1 by the bigger muscles to the crank."Act like you're scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe."

Zone 3 Even though you feel like you're pulling your foot through the back of the stroke, you're not. "When you look at even the best cyclists, they're losing power on the upstroke. "The pedal is actually pushing your leg up, so the goal is to lose as little power as possible and get that foot out of the way." One fun way to improve the efficiency of your upstroke: mountain biking. "The terrain keeps you honest. "If you're focusing only on the downstroke, you'll lose traction and fall off your bike in steep sections." As for other exercises, i would like to advice against single-leg pedal drills--"for recreation-level riders, they injure more people than they help"--but recommends hamstring and glute-strengthening lifts, as well as squats, "done correctly, in a squat rack with someone showing you how."Saddle Position Proper bike fit, especially saddle height and fore-aft adjustment, is a prerequisite for a smooth pedal stroke. Without it, you won't be even remotely as efficient as you could be. "If your saddle is too high, you're not going to be able to drive your heel effectively," he says. "If it's too low, you'll have knee pain." In the right position (knee over the ball of your foot with the pedal at 3 o'clock; knee slightly bent with the pedal at 6 o'clock), you'll maximize your energy output and also be able to adapt your ankling technique to different terrain, cadence and effort levels.

Zone 4 As you enter the second half of the upstroke phase, think about initiating your downstroke. "Many riders don't initiate early enough,, they often wait until 3 o'clock--but they should be starting before 12 o'clock. A tip: As you begin to come across the top of the stroke, think about pushing your knee forward, toward the bar. But only your knee : "Your pelvis should remain a stable platform, not sinking down and not moving forward." As the knee comes forward, you should feel your hamstrings and glutes engage, and your hip extend.

Technique: Preventative measures

2008-12-08T18:06:00.001+08:00

Taking just a few minutes to check your bike before each ride could save you a painful fall, or irritating on ride mechanicals, in the long run. Read on to learn what, why and how.
1. Saddle, post, handlebars and headset
Don’t just waggle them, put an allen key into all the bolts and check that none are coming loose. Squeeze the brakes and rock the bike back and forth looking for play in the headset. Watch out for: loose bolts, cracks, creaks and play.
It’s also important to use a torque wrench to get the right tightness. Often the correct torque setting will be marked on the component by the bolt itself. This is really crucial on carbon components, where it’s possible to break something by overtightening.
2. Pedals, cleats and cranks
Again, put a spanner or allen key to everything, checking it’s at the right torque. Cleats need to be clean and grit-free to avoid pedal entry or exit problems – there’s nothing worse than shinning yourself on the pedal because the cleat has skidded off. Even worse is falling into the road at the lights because you can’t hold that track stand any more, and you can’t clip out of the pedal.
3. Gears and cables
Have you got the gears indexing smoothly up and down – through all available options – with as little noise as possible, and no rubbing on the front derailleur? Check the cables for fraying, corrosion, cracked outer casings and any signs of rust.
4. Wheels and tyres
Check the wheels are ﬁrmly in the drop-outs and that skewers are tight and fully closed. Skewer quick release levers should be on your left (as you sit). The rear should be closed between the seat and chainstays, where the frame allows, and the front should be behind the fork leg.
Unless you’ve got a spoke tensioner – which we don’t even have [in the GB workshop] – don’t bother with the spoke tensions. Check instead for trueness by spinning the wheel in the frame and seeing if the clearance between the wheel and the frame or fork remains consistent on both sides. Check the braking surfaces for excessive grooves or scoring.
Check the tyres for cuts, ﬂints or glass and correct pressure. Don’t check by hand, it’s not good enough. You need a good track pump with an accurate gauge. It’s worth getting a good one, because some of the cheaper gauges can be out by up to two atmospheres. We had one made especially for our workshop.
5. Brakes
Make sure the pads are aligned to the rim. Be sure there is enough pad thickness for at least your planned ride and remember that pads wear quicker in the wet than the dry.
The lever action at which the brakes start grabbing is all down to your personal preference as a rider, so set them up however suits you.
I like to set them up so they don’t grab straight away, so I can feather them – lots of bunch riding pile-ups happen because riders in front overreact with their braking.
6. Chain
One of the most neglected but hardest working components – check for rust, stretching, noisy links. You won’t regret investing as little as a ﬁver in a chain checker. Wash and oil the chain after every ride.
7. Frame
When you’re cleaning your bike, look carefully for marks or scratches that might be the beginnings of cracks. Cracked paint is a sign of problems, too. Take a good look at all the stress areas of the frame – all the joints or welds, the bottle cage mounts and cable mounts as well.
8. Kit and contact points
Always ride with a basic repair kit. Two tubes, a patch kit, pump, minitool, levers. Contact points also need attention. Regularly check all your kit for wear – cleats, saddles, bar tape and so on. When stuff gets worn, you get injuries.

JTC 100KM FUN RIDE (30/11/08)

2008-12-02T13:25:00.006+08:00

Hj with his son,bulat and dnash boss Jamal, which i hope will be sponsoring and supporting us in the more coming future ride.

Kpg Gajah resting area.

At Kampung Gajah resting area.

Me, actually can't wait for the ride to start.

Raimi getting ready for the ride.

Rizal gearing up for the ride.

Everybody in joyous mood before the ride.

Group picture of MCT before the ride.

MALAKOFF POWERMAN 2008 (9/11/08)

2008-11-12T21:09:00.006+08:00

Proudly posing with the medal.

A cold 100 plus should be given instead of mineral water.

Close up of the finisher medal.

With Jasni, the other finisher of the Manjung cycling team.

My friend Jeff snap this one for me. Thanks Jeff.

RUN 11KM BIKE 64KM RUN 10KM

Finally i have achieved my dreams of becoming a finisher of the event. I have targeted to do well below than 4 hours and 15 min and I was doing very well in the beginning. The first 11 km run, i did it in 1 hour and 2 sec. The timing can be considered my personel best. Why? Because after almost 20 years, this is the first time i'm running more than 10 km. Jasni my cycling buddy was 3 min behind me at this time. Then came the cycling part, initially i was feeling good in the bike for the first 32km. My average speed was 3okm per hour and my timing for the first loop was 1h and 4 min. Then tragedy struck me, at the foot of the Tuanku Bainun bridge cramps hit me. Both my quadriceps and hamstring was contracting non stop and i was in terrible pain. I had to jump off from my bike and quickly i administered self first aid for almost 15 min. During that period many competitors including Jasni had overtook me. Finally after a brief period of self stretching and massage, the cramps were gone. Slowly i started my ride again maintaining speed around 25-27 km per hour. With the cramps, there goes my hope of doing well below than 4 hours and 15 min. Quickly i shifted my target to become a finisher. Well it is my actual target but i have an extra target deep in my heart to do it in the above mention time. I manage to finish cycling in 2 hour and 25 min. A quick glance at my polar watch shows me i have done 3 hours and 35 min on the run and bike and i have only 1 hour and 25 min left to finish the race. I began to wonder whether i can make it or not in the stipulated time of 5 hours. With my experience in the sprint event last year, running especially after biking is not an easy task to do. I set my running pace slowly to avoid cramps from coming back. I tried to run consistent with a slower pace but i find it very hard to do. So its time to change strategy again. I ran 200 meter and walk 50 meter and its finally works well for me. I manage to overtook many competitors including Jasni who is almost 15 min in front of me during biking. One competitor that i must salute was an 60 year malay man who manage to overtook many athletes including me. He was consistent on his running until he finishes the race and was placed fourth in his category. I finish the run in 1 hour and 13 min and overall my timing was 4 hours and 44min 33 sec. Well by becoming the finisher i have fullfill my target and i shall return next to improve my timing or become finisher again. My position was 33 for category 40-44 age, and overall 294. To all the guys and gals who did it, i would like to salute you for all your hard work. Finally Jasni manage to sneak in on time and both of us is the only guys in our cycling group who are dare enough to rise to the challenge of the Powerman. Not forgetting the Singaporean athlete who came in in 4 buses. Hope to see you all next year again.

Raveena's Graduation Day (8/11/08)

2008-11-12T18:18:00.007+08:00

Receiving her prizes for 2nd overall in her class.

With her best pal Mishal a mixture punjabi and Iban.

A lovely hand written backdrop.

Raveena and her classmates dancing to the tune an Indian Songs.

Performing for an latest Hindi songs Peeya-peeya.

Involving in fashion show.

MY FATHERS NEW GRAVE

2008-10-30T12:21:00.002+08:00

1) Missing is beloved father, spelling mistakes remembered not remenbered and children's not chiloren.
2) Side view of the grave. ( Two steps not single step, tiles completely blue)
3) Front view, praying altar 2 feet long with white sand and stone in the middle.
4) Front and side view.
5) Front view of the grave. Generally its ok expect for the spelling mistakes.

HAPPY DEEPAVALLI TO EVERYBODY

2008-10-27T15:59:00.013+08:00

Sharveena was thinking way ahead about her future.

Kishen unable to stand still for the camera.

Kanna and Sharveena.

The girls in the family.

Sharveena posing like model.

Raveena showing off her teeth to everybody.

Raveena and Kishen with their new dress.

Both mom and daughter posing in different styles with their new dress.

After mom, its time for dad to pose with his beloved daughter.

Both cousin with their new deepavalli dress.

Where's my ang pow appa?

Kishen and Sharveena.

Kannna and Sharveena.

Janagi, Kishen, Raveena, Geraldine with her daughter Sharveena.

My son Kishen Kumar. A staunch supporter of AC Milan. He's wearing Milan jersey.

Sharveena sucking her favourite finger (baba).

Thina, Geraldine, Sharveena with Raveena.

Prayer's for ancestors a must hindus on deepavalli's eve.

There's no deepavalli without beers. Cheers and happy deepavalli.

Posing with grannies.

Kishen getting blessing from his grannies.

Kolam a must for special occassions like deepavalli.

Raveena and Kishen.

Raveena and Kishen posing with their new deepavalli attire.

Sharveena in the morning.

Sharveena enjoying herself in the afternoon, she was able to sit independently without any assistance.

All of us would like to wish every hindus a Happy and Properous Deepavalli. Be united every indian. May god bless us all.

Climbing Techniques

2008-10-24T22:38:00.002+08:00

When theDifferent climbing techniques offer individual advantages road starts to head up, are you a Marco Pantani - preferring to dance out of the saddle, or more Jan Ullrich - remaining glued to the seat? Recently, scientists have tried to decide on the best method and it turns out that both styles have their benefits.
There are basically two aspects to consider when deciding on the optimum uphill position: aerodynamics and muscle activity.
The argument has always been that aerodynamics matter less on an incline because the rider is moving much slower, so increasing frontal area by standing on the pedals won’t slow you down nearly as much as it would on the ﬂat.
This, of course, depends on the severity of the incline.
If you’re not going that quickly or if the hill is not that steep, you’re probably best off maintaining the more aerodynamic seated position – unless you just need to take the pressure off your behind.
But if the hill is a stinker and you want to attack up it at full speed, standing on the pedals every now and again will give you a much needed boost without jeopardising your overall efﬁciency.
Why incline and intensity matter when deciding whether to sit or stand
Professor Jim Martin, an aerodynamics expert from Utah State University, calculates that on a 5% incline a seated position is about 3.7% faster at 400W power output. But this difference shrinks to almost nothing as the steepness of the hill climbs to 15% or if the power output drops.
But, without some other beneﬁt, there would still be no point standing. This beneﬁt comes from muscle activity.
Researchers from the University of Franche-Comté showed that uphill cycling while standing up uses different muscles, meaning riders can generate greater power. But the researchers were less sure about the overall efﬁciency of the standing position.
They found that standing increased muscular activity in the lower limb beyond what was needed to simply propel the bicycle uphill.
“Therefore, it would seem reasonable to believe that this results in reduced metabolic efﬁciency,” lead researcher Dr Sebastien Duc notes, “but it’s not quite that simple.”
This is because the efﬁciency level is affected by the pedalling intensity. Experiments with cyclists working at a low intensity (50-60% of VO2 max) show a marked difference between the efﬁciency levels of seated and standing positions with standing causing an increase in oxygen consumption double that of sitting. But at higher intensities the efﬁciency difference simply disappears.
“The hypothesis that standing posture is less economic than seated is only valid when intensity is lower than 75% of VO2 max,” says Duc.
So there you have it – the two branches of investigation largely agree

Preparation To Malakoff Power

2008-10-20T14:30:00.005+08:00

And finally my machine.

Maximum speed for the day.

Average speed for the day.

Total distance for the day.

Total riding time.

1) Yesterday we decided to run 5k and cycle 32k but ended up cycling to Senangin (46k). Albert, Yong, Rafee, Jasni, together with a few of Navy triathlon guys and remaja boys did the run. I ended up running 6k in 32 min. Rizal were there looking after our bike and things but he too finally ended up running around Manjung stadium. He might did a few laps on his own. Raimi was injured so he did not run but he manage to join us for cycling.
2) Initially the plan was to cycle until Damai Laut traffic light and back but during the ride there were many voices demanding we should cycle a bit far so we decided Senangin should be ok.
3) With the navy guys leading the pack it was a fast and furious ride. Not even 10k to the ride i can see some of our rider were unable to follow the pace. The speed was almost 40km per hour an the remaja boys together with Jasni and Yong were unable to keep pace with the rest of us.
4) After Tuanku Permaisure Bainun bridge I too was unable to follow the guys and ended up cycling alone to Senangin. I was really tired due to two factors; first Saturday i ran 7k and cycle 72k and the other factor is i couldn't sleep the whole night taking care of my only daughter Raveena who was having fever for the past two days.
5) On the way back the group decided to have breakfast at Pak Hassan's roti canai stall. It is the favourite stall of fellow cyclist if they cycle there. I meanwhile decided to skip the breakfast and return as soon as possible. I was thinking about Raveena all the while during cycling.
6) Manage to maintain about 30km per hour until i reach home and by the time i reached there Raveena's fever has subsided and she was up and playing with her mom.

CAMERON HIGHLANDS CLIMB (06/7/08)

2008-10-20T10:07:00.018+08:00

Shaiful looks like the most tired among us. He tried so hard to climb fast and ended up tagging his friends car during descending.

Yong too tired after the climb. Prior to the climb he did not train for a month.

Ali and his best pal Jasni.

With Rizal and Shaiful Ex-Perak cyclist some time ago.

Khalid mixing his Powerbar endurance powder before descending.

Refueling before descending back to Simpang Pulai.

Rizal with Khalid the Former ATM cyclist and chief mechanic, who very soon will tour the world by cycling.

Yong had to stop several times to nurse his cramps.

The elite Manjung cyclist

Enjoying my climb.

From left Rafee, Ah Chui, Ali (hidden), Jasni, Yong, Raimi and Khalid.

Discussing with Khalid which cassette should i used for the climb.

1) One week before century ride, due to lack of training our group manage to organised a climbing trip to Cameron Higlands in preparation to that ride.

2) It's about 10 of us and we started the climb excatly at 7.15 a.m at Simpang Pulai. It took me about 3h and 15min to reach the top. That is almost 50km of climbing and during the climb i had to stop several times to help Yong who suffered cramps after cramps but finally he manage to finish off the climb.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAPT SUGUMARAN A/L MUNIANDY

2008-10-19T22:40:00.002+08:00

1) Birthday wishes to my dear friend Capt Sugumaran a/l Muniandy which will turn 41 years old tomorrow. May all his wishes come true and may god bless him and his family.
2) He will be leaving soon to Australia for two years to further his studies in Sports Science (Master) and i would like to personally wish him and his family good luck and study hard my friend.
3) Do send us news from time to time from there. Ok bro take care.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY RAVEENA

2008-10-19T22:10:00.009+08:00

1) Raveena celebrated her fourth birthday at her Taska with her taska mates and teachers.

2) Blowing her fourth birthday with her fellowmates who share the same birth day with her.

3) She was really happy to celebrate her birthday with her taska mates an getting birthday present from her mom and dad. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR RAVEENA

JANAMANJUNG FELLOWSHIP RIDE 2008

2008-10-15T16:27:00.013+08:00

1) The ride covering almost 152 km was organised by Zaki and TNB Janamanjung. Almost more than 300 cyclist took part in this ride. They come from various part of Perak and as far as Penang and Kulim.
2) The ride took us from Teluk Rubiah Beach Resort to Kayan, Pasir Salak (where we rested 45 min), Bota, Ayer Tawar and back to Teluk Rubiah.
3) The speed limit was limited to 30 km per hour but towards the end after Kampung Gajah, the speed pick to almost 38 km per hour. Almost 5 km from the end there was a crash and our own cyclist Rafee was involved in the crash with one of the UPNM boys but thank god nothing serious happen to him.
4) The organisation of the ride was not bad considering it was being held by for the first by TNB Janamanjung and it was handled in an excellent manner. Syabas to Zaki and TNB Janamanjung. Hope there will be more in the coming years.
4) We reach Teluk Rubiah around 12.40 p.m and it took us almost 4 hours and 40 min to finish the ride.
5) Entrance fees was RM30.00 which in return we get a t-shirt, towel and lunch.

CENTURY RIDE 2008

2008-10-15T14:07:00.007+08:00

1) This is the first century ride that i'm participating as a rider. Never heard about this ride until Albert told me about it.
2) The entrance fees is about RM80.00 and the ride is about 100 miles or equivalent to 160km. We took off from Tasek, Ipoh at 7 a.m. We passed through Chemor, Sungai Siput, K.K, Sayong where we had a daunting task of climbing many hills and one of them is Bukit Cermin, later we passed Manong, Kuala Kangsar and back to Ipoh.
3) I was unable to finish the race in the stipulated time of 6 hours in order for me to get certs for below 6 hours. I had several bad cramps during the ride which is due to not properly hydrated before and during the ride.
4) Anyhow i managed to finish the ride in 6 hours 13 min, which i consider better for a first timer since there is a lot rider still behind me.
5) The goodies given to us are worthwhile for what we paid for and i would like to thank the organiser for the brilliant organisation of the ride.