How to improve your climbing

We’ve all seen the pictures of professional cyclists sailing gracefully up Alp D’Huez like they’re on a gentle Sunday ride. Unfortunately, for the rest of us it’s far from effortless. It is hard, painful and anything but graceful. So why is it so hard? More importantly, how can you improve your climbing so you’re cresting…

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How to achieve perfect form for a Gran Fondo

Hitting peak form for your goal event isn’t easy. Here’s how… You’ve spent all winter braving the bad weather and building your aerobic fitness and now its Spring. The good weather is just around the corner and before too long you’ll be on the start line of your goal event. So the question is: how…

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The cyclist’s winter training survival guide

Winter training used to consist of endless miles in the cold and rain. Even when riding indoors this meant staring at a garage wall for hours on end. With the advent of smart trainers, online platforms like Zwift and smarter training it needn’t be so arduous. The main thing is to have a plan and…

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The importance of base training and how to get it right

What is it Base Training? Base training is a commonly used term for a block of training designed to build Aerobic Endurance, the bedrock of any endurance training plan. It is typically the first stage in a Periodised Training Plan, followed by a Pre-competition (or Build) Phase and finally, a Competition (or Race) Phase. A…

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The menstrual cycle: an athlete’s guide

Introduction Whilst women are biologically identical to men in many ways, there are some fundamental differences. As a male coach I know that to coach women effectively I need to be aware of those differences. This blog is a summary of my research into the menstrual cycle along with some practical recommendations for athletes. Unfortunately…

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