1. Wear the proper clothing. As with any inclimate weather you need to be prepared. If it is a cold wet wintry day you’ll need at least a base layer, jersey, warmers and a rain jacket. If it isn’t so cold you will at least need a base layer, jersey and the jacket. If it is just a little spit of rain you may not need the jacket but pack it in your jersey pocket just in case. For your legs I recommend a good smearing of some great warming embrocation if it is a cold rainy day, covered with a thin layer of Vaseline. This is a great way to get the muscles warm and the Vaseline layer help keep the heat in and shed the rain water. If it “San Diego cold” (below 60 and above 40) at least wear a pair of knee warmers. Keeping the thin skinned, no fat, unprotected knee joint as warm as possible is crucial. For the feet, it isn’t a bad idea to smear a little warming embrocation on them as well, with a little Vaseline. I typically wear standard cycling socks and my tube sock shoe covers. This works well for our “cold” days. If you happen to be living in the Midwest where it can be unbearably cold rain you may want to consider a nice pair of neoprene shoe covers and legwarmers or tights.

2. Decrease your tire psi. I like to ride at least 15psi lower when it’s raining. so for me that is about 95psi. I am not a big believer in “high psi is better” so I ride with a lower psi in general and even lower on rain soaked roads. This provides a bit more deformation of the tire in the corners and allows a slightly larger contact patch at the tire pavement contact point. This is always nice. Also, do your best to avoid the painted lines as they are typically very slick when wet. If you happen to be making a turn at an intersection and there are the big white crosswalk lines, slow down appropriately, start your turn, STAY OFF OF THE BRAKES WHILE ON THE PAINTED LINES, say a small prayer and then you should have no problem.

3. Anticipate your braking distance. In the wet, it is possible to take a little longer to stop because of the water accumulation on the rims. So if you can anticipate where you’ll need to be stopping or using your brakes, stop lights, stop signs, a crash, or something else, give your brakes a light squeeze, just enough to allow the pads to touch the rims surface this will get the excess water off of both the rim and the brake pad and then when you continue your braking to a stop the braking surface will be relatively free of water and other debris and your braking will be safer and almost as quick as on a dry day. But you need to allow a little extra space do do this.

4. Post ride warmth is critical. A lot of people shy away from riding in the rain because they “might get sick” well, you won’t get sick from riding in the rain unless you ride by a feces and rain covered road, and that case just keep your mouth shut. But you will get sick if you hang around the bike shop or living room in your wet clothing. You need to get warm as soon as possible. So either pack a bag of warm clothes to take with you in the car while you drive to the ride start, change as soon as you finish riding. Dry off, take off all the wet clothes and put the warm fresh clothes on immediately. At home it isn’t a bad idea to get in a hot shower with your wet, grimy cycling clothes on. Rinse your clothes out and get warm all at once. After the shower get warm clothing on as soon as possible.

5. Watch out! As the rain falls heavier sometimes puddles occur. Which one of those puddles is a hole filled with rain water instead of just a puddle? So approach some puddles with caution. Sometimes it is easy to see that a puddle is only a little deep other times not so much. Also avoid riding into rain filled drain grates as these will eat your front wheel for breakfast, lunch and dinner, these meals are ones that will leave YOU worse off.

Written by Matt Simpson.

And yes, #1 is YOU. Cycling is a very dangerous sport and knowing what to do in certain situations could be the difference between going down and getting hurt or riding through it thinking, “Whoa, that could have been bad!”

I’ve been in two cycling accidents that could have been avoided if I had simply taken better precautions, so these are simply my recommendations based on my past incidents and experiences. Nonetheless, I believe that these tips are useful in everyday riding and if you gain any benefit from reading this, I am grateful for being able to share.

This should go without saying, but the most important thing you must do when cycling is wear your helmet! Yeah, a no-brainer and it does not count towards my list but it must be stated. I don’t care how many years you have been cycling, there’s absolutely no reason to head out on your bike without one! And, I’m not talking about the casual beach cruiser ride on the boardwalk, that’s a different story. But, if you’re riding your road bike or triathlon bike you need to wear a helmet, period! Now, onto the list.

My top 5 cycling tips to watch for:

1. The Shimmy – this is defined as: a rapid oscillation or wobble of a wheel and tire assembly about the steering axis (see www.google.com). A shimmy usually occurs when going downhill at a fast rate of speed and your bike frame starts to wobble back and forth creating a speed wobble, usually caused by crosswinds. There is a hill in San Diego called Torrey Pines that I was descending down, just cruising away and a city bus came blasting past me carrying a bunch of wind behind it. Unexpectedly, my bike started to shimmy like crazy because of the sudden gust of wind-flatulence that followed the raging bus, and, already going fast down the hill didn’t help my adrenaline in the situation. When something like this happens, stay calm and keep your shoulders relaxed as this will help absorb the wobble (keeping your shoulders and arms tight will only make things worse, but this is hard to do because we naturally get tense when something surprises us!). The key thing to do as you notice the shimmy is immediately clamp both knees onto the top tube of the bike frame and slightly push your weight onto your pedals (pretend like you’re standing up but don’t actually stand). Again, remember to keep those shoulders loose! Whatever you do, DO NOT HIT THE BRAKES in this situation as this could make you to crash.

The key things to remember the next time you experience the unexpected shimmy is: shoulders loose, clamp those knees to the bike frame, and push your weight onto the pedals. When the shimmy is gone, exhale and get back to riding!

2. Keep your hands on bars when drinking – and to explain this a bit further, it means that when you go down to reach for your water bottle, place your supporting hand on the top portion of the handlebars closer to the stem. This will give you better control of your bike while you’re using the other hand to grab your water bottle and gulp down your drink. Try not to leave one hand in the “drops” while you reach as you could hit a bump and jolt your arm, causing you to crash. Keeping your supporting hand on the top portion of the handlebars (even on the elbow pads for a triathlon bike) will better support you in case you hit a bump or a hole while riding with one hand. Also, keep your supporting arm’s shoulder relaxed and loose whenever you take the other hand off. Try this out for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

3. Don’t follow too closely – and by this I’m speaking in terms of group riding, especially if you’re not familiar with the group you’re riding with. If your front tire rubs the side of a cyclists back tire, there’s an extremely good chance you’re going to crash. This is a very common cause of crashes in world class cycling events such as the Tour de France. It happens when you are drafting off of the person in front of you. Your tire overlaps their back tire on the left or right side, then either they change direction or you change direction and you basically run into their tire. They are not going to crash but you are because it’s your front wheel, so it’s your responsibility to keep some distance between the rider in front of you. For triathletes riding in groups, you’d want to stay out of your aero bars out of respect for the riders around you. It’s safer to keep your hands near the brakes in group situations; however, be careful not to brake too fast as this could cause a crash behind you.

4. Never assume the right of way – if a car hits you while you’re riding does it really matter if you had the right away? For me, my whole concern is avoiding the situation at all costs, so when I’m out riding my mentality is that everyone is going to cut me off. Riding with a “defensive driving” mantra keeps you alert and should help to avoid any unfortunate accidents.

5. Last but not least – LOOK AHEAD! The obvious applies here but this is more referred to as attention to detail such as cracks in the road, debris, and potholes. It’s very important to look ahead of the path you’re going to be riding on and make sure it’s clear from any danger. Cars are not affected by 1-inch cracks in the street but YOU are, so pay attention and learn to recognize what size gaps, cracks, and holes to look out for. It’s also important to note that your body will go where your eyes are looking so make sure to always be looking at the path where you want to ride, and not that big pothole that wasn’t there yesterday! I don’t know how many times I’ve run over what I didn’t want to simply because I was looking directly at it.

There it is, my 5 cycling tips to watch out for! These were all based from my experiences out on the road, some of them good and some were bad. I hope any portion of this list is useful to you.

Stay safe and best of luck out there!

Written by Dave Platfoot

For those of us who do most of our riding in So Cal, it is frequently up, up, up and then down, down, down. It is not often that we really have an opportunity to cruise on a flat steady road. Riding here today in Wilmington on the flats roads I was quickly reminded of how difficult it is to hold a 20-25mph pace for an extended period of time. A flat course offers little opportunity to relax rest and cruise. The need for pacing on a flat course is of utmost importance and so is wheel choice.

When riding on a flat course you will need to maintain your cadence throughout the ride because there is nowhere to coast. It takes a great deal of physical and mental energy to keep your cranks going all day long. So, to overcome any of the shortfalls and minor mental breakdowns you will have, go slow. I know, I know, some of you studs out there think I am crazy but if you think you are going to ride 112 miles at 25 mph and not be on someone’s payroll, you are the ones who are crazy. Start slower than you think you should, build into a rhythm and maintain that rhythm. I guarantee you will be better off using this approach than someone who hasn’t.

Choosing the right wheels to race a flat course is also important. The minor inconvenience of slowing down on a flat course is often followed by the desire to speed up. A light wheel will accelerate faster than a heavy one and therefore help you do so. So, just in case you are the person who signed up for the flat course in order to set a speed record and you begin to fail miserably because you didn’t pace yourself, at least when you stand up and sprint for a 100 meters your wheelset won’t be holding you back and your 112 mile tempo ride that turned into a 112 mile sprint workout will be just a tad easier.

The take away from all of this is that for a flat course race; maintain a steady tempo and your training workouts for these flat course races should include such efforts. While riding flat courses be sure to occasionally stand up and relieve your nether regions as flat courses tend to have a numbing effect on our sensitive parts.

Written by Matt Simpson

Every athlete at one time or another reaches a plateau and begins searching for ways to move up to the next level. But, have you considered that the next step may be to do “nothing?”

The recovery phase is one of the most overlooked facets of training. Appropriate rest in the form of days off, naps, and adequate nightly sleep are all crucial for every athlete. Muscles need time to heal from the stresses of training in order to become stronger and adapt. Adaptation is where all of your training starts to work its magic. Without enough rest the body never adapt and won’t go beyond a certain level; thus a plateau. Worse, inadequate rest can lead to over training and injury.

Rest and recovery need to be incorporated during training sessions and after competition in a calculated manner. Those who do weight training are familiar with the time required to allow muscles to heal and adapts so that greater loads can be lifted on successive training days. The bodybuilder will work different muscle groups on different days allowing muscles plenty of time to rest and recover. Likewise, cross training allows a similar transfer of muscle group stress from day to day as sports are alternated.

Triathletes, the ultimate cross trainers, schedule varying and multiple weekly workouts for swimming, cycling and running that satisfy the training requirements of each sport. The taper phase of triathlon training is the controlled reduction of training prior to competition, which leaves the body in a state of “peak fitness and readiness” for an event.

Single sport athletes are most in need of discovering ways to incorporate appropriate rest and recovery time to their training. Cross training offers variety to the single sport athlete who also needs recovery time but does not want to give up additional training days.

Let’s be clear: rest and recovery are exactly that. It is universally recommended that at least one day a week be taken off from workouts. After a competition and depending on the extremes of the event, several days to a week off, or even more, might be necessary.

Schedule your rest as seriously as you do all of your other training. It might be the missing link you’ve been looking for.

Written by Victoria Nordgren. Victoria Nordgren, the founder of nordgren – women’s performance activewear at http://www.nordgrenactive.com/ is an avid cross trainer living in New York City.
Her weekly fitness blog can be found at http://nordgrenactive.com/wordpress2/
Please feel free to contact Victoria at info@nordgrenactive.com

There is no right or wrong method of weight training – what’s important is incorporating weight training into your regimen in a way that will consistently and comprehensively strengthen your entire body. That said, let’s demystify some of that equipment.

Free Weights
Free weights allow you to focus on specific muscles such as your biceps, triceps or deltoids using your body to stabilize the movements. Free weights are versatile and can be used to give an extra challenge to such exercises as walking lunges. The benefit of free weights is their versatility. They give you the option of working to hone the shape of a muscle if symmetry and muscle appearance are goals for you.

Machines
Machines have been designed to replace every one of the classic lifts, making them easy for a beginner or someone doing physical therapy. The benefit of machines is that they take the guesswork out of a movement and stabilize the body so that only specific muscle groups are challenged. The benefit of machines is in the ease of use.

Olympic lifting
Cleans, Push-presses, Squats, Bench presses, Deadlifts are some of the moves of Olympic lifting. Strength training using Olympic lifts is the classic way to gain muscle strength and endurance. Olympic lifting requires a coach or trainer who is well-versed in the proper form necessary to execute these moves safely and effectively.

Staples
Pushups, Pullups, Dips, Planks, Lunges and Burpees are all staple exercises using the body’s weight to build strength. These moves should be a component of every athlete’s repertoire.

So, how best to proceed? Rather than get bogged down in which method or combination of methods to choose, take a moment to think about your needs and goals. Are you a runner? You need a weight training routine that strengthens the muscles that support your knees and strengthens your upper body. Cyclists need something similar with less emphasis on the quads, which are already well built on the bike. Swimmers need to strengthen the chest, back and muscles that support the shoulder joints as well as lower body strengthening.

I believe in a mix of all of the above methods. If you’re just getting started learn the Staple moves. These staples are the foundation of every military training program. For pull-ups and dips most gyms are equipped with weight assist machines, such as the Gravitron, that will allow you to hoist your body weight. Women will find that the use of a weight-assist machine is essential to initially perform pull-ups and dips. Once you get comfortable with these moves you can bring in weights.

In order to learn the common free weight moves get yourself a copy of The Body Sculpting Bible by James Villepigue and Hugo Rivera or other such guide at your bookstore. These books break the body down into it’s muscular components, specifying the muscle to be trained. A routine of six to ten different moves can give you a total body, weight training routine.

Machines can be used to replicate some of the fundamentals of Olympic Lifting in a safe way. They are also extremely useful for working around an injury. Most machines have a helpful picture describing the muscle or muscle group worked. You will initially need assistance setting up the machine to fit your body proportions, making sure that the machines line up where they are supposed to in accordance with your joints.

Ultimately the best method of weight training is the one that works for you. Do take the time to research all of the different methods listed above. With a little knowledge it is quickly demystified! If you have any questions at all about putting together an effective routine I’d be happy to give you some guidance!

Written by Victoria Nordgren. Victoria Nordgren, the founder of nordgren – women’s performance activewear at http://www.nordgrenactive.com/ is an avid cross trainer living in New York City. Her weekly fitness blog can be found at http://nordgrenactive.com/wordpress2/
Please feel free to contact Victoria at info@nordgrenactive.com

Are you looking for ways to increase your speed, strengthen joints, and work all the major muscle groups of the body in one quick routine? Try this!  Three classics performed back to back 2-3 times per week will provide all of that and more. Time strapped? This routine can be done in less than 15 minutes!

Are you already doing weight training as part of your overall training routine? Three sets of this routine at the beginning of your weight training sessions can enhance the results of the weight training. If you aren’t doing weight training yet, this series is a great way to introduce the fundamentals of weight training into your routine in a very manageable way.

Here are the three classic moves:
1-  Squats
2-  Plyometric box jumps
3-  Pushups

Squats
Take some time to learn how to perform a squat correctly as this set up will serve you well! A proper foundation of good form is the best way to get maximum results from performing squats while avoiding injury. Of the 3 moves the squat will take the most time to perfect.

Here is a good description of how to properly perform a squat:
Begin by standing with your feet shoulder to hip width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Stand up straight with your shoulders back and a slight curve in your lower back. Keep your body weight in your heels and the slight curve in your lower back throughout the movement. Look straight ahead or slightly upward.  Squat down by sending your butt back and descend, as if you were sitting down in a chair. Your knees should never move in front of your toes. Lower your butt until it is parallel with your knees, or just slightly below your knees.  If this is too difficult, squat only to the point of your current range of motion. Reverse the movement and come to a standing position, fully opening your hip and knee joints.  Repeat.

For the purposes of this series we’ll be doing squats without weight. Why? In order to increase your speed. This workout is geared to make you faster. The joint and full body muscle strengthening are the happy side effects!

Plyometric Box Jumps
Start with a 12” high Plyometric box. Jump onto it with both feet and land softly. Step backwards one foot at a time off the box. Repeat.You’ll see videos that show people jumping onto and backwards off the box with both feet. Since the benefit of the jump is in the spring onto the box, it’s best to go down carefully to avoid injury. When 12” gets too easy, add height in 3” increments.

Pushups
If you’re already able to perform a pushup, try an inverted pushup with your feet on the 12” plyo box and your hands on the floor. Otherwise do your pushups on the floor in the standard way. Keep your hands at chest/shoulder level or the pushups will become more difficult to execute. Use your abs as well as your upper body strength to push up from the floor.

If you’re unable to perform a full pushup then it is critical that you work on this move. Pushups can be done with the knees on the floor instead of the feet, or against a wall from a standing position. Even if you’re only able to perform one full pushup in the traditional manner you should start with that and then use the modified position to complete the repeats. Anyone who considers him or herself an athlete should be able to execute pushups in the traditional manner because it is an absolute baseline exercise for upper body strength.

Here’s the routine:
15 squats
10 12” plyo box jumps
10 pushups

Repeat for 3 sets with anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes rest in between sets. You should be breathing pretty heavily at the end of each set. If not, increase your speed. Do each set as quickly as possible and for time if you want to record your progress.

Make adjustments as the routine gets easier. Add an additional set. Increase the height of the plyo box. Increase the number of repeats. In the same way, if this routine feels too difficult decrease the number of repeats or use a lower plyo box. It’s best to do at least 3 sets at the level you are able to execute.

At somewhere between 4 to 6 weeks of performing this routine twice weekly you should definitely notice more spring in your step when you’re running, greater push/pull in your cycling and better results in your speed work. Let us know how it’s working for you!

Written by Victoria Nordgren. Victoria Nordgren, the founder of nordgren – women’s performance activewear at http://www.nordgrenactive.com/ is an avid cross trainer living in New York City.
Her weekly fitness blog can be found at http://nordgrenactive.com/wordpress2/
Please feel free to contact Victoria at info@nordgrenactive.com

Bikram Yoga is a 90 minute meditation while performing 26 postures in a heated room of about 101º-106ºF. The poses are derived from traditional hatha yoga postures. What makes Bikram Yoga different from other forms of yoga is the level of discomfort in the form of sweating, heat, potential dizziness, and aerobic challenge it provides in it’s execution. Developed by Bikram Choudhury in California as a way to strengthen, heal and cleanse the body, Bikram yoga inspires devoted followers or outright naysayers. There is no ambivalence about the experience – one either loves it or hates it. As one who falls into the former category, here’s what I learn with each and every class that makes me a better athlete and perhaps a better person:

Tolerate Discomfort – Bikram Yoga is a series of discomforts, based on:
•    heat levels that run from sweat inducing at a minimum to dizziness inspiring at varying moments
•    steady breathing through the nose only (in order not to provoke the flight response of mouth breathing according to the instructors) despite the serious aerobic/cardiovascular effort and occasional desire to gasp for breath

Intense Focus – Learning to focus intensely on the execution of the poses in a deliberate and steady manner without letting the mind wander is the meditation aspect and an excellent mental discipline that can be taken beyond the class and out into the world. This is serious training of a different sort for every athlete looking for improvement of any sort. Train the mind and the body will follow!

Access Inner Calm – Breath control is essential to create calm under stressful conditions. Strengthen your ability to control your breath and you automatically strengthen your ability as an athlete. Having a deliberate method of stress control that can be accessed in daily life is definitely a desirable side effect.

Combine Physical/Mental strength – Bikram Yoga has a magical way of entwining physical and mental strength. Both are required throughout class, hand in hand, in order to achieve the full range of motion for each posture. While it is possible to tune out the mind in Bikram Yoga as with any other sport, the environment makes it much more difficult to do so. The only way to overcome the discomfort is to mindfully execute each pose in a fully engaged fashion.

Locate Balance & Coordination – internal and external balance are fine tuned through the discipline of Bikram Yoga. True strength can indeed be discovered with the challenge to locate physical balance in the postures.

Appreciation – The world comes down to a desire for nothing more than air and water while performing Bikram Yoga. Simple, elemental and very effective!

The more tangible benefits of Bikram Yoga are the strengthening of all of the body’s systems; injury prevention and healing through increased flexibility; and increased cardiovascular strength. The “heat training” is a great way to increase aerobic capacity as time spent in temperatures hotter than race day will benefit any athlete.

Consider Bikram Yoga as another cross training option to elevate the heart rate and condition the neuromuscular system!

Bikram Yoga studios are located in every major city in the USA and internationally, as well as in many other locations.

Written by Victoria Nordgren

As a true believer in the cross training approach to fitness for improvement of overall performance, weight-training is as important to an athlete, at any level, as the foundation sport or sports(triathletes) that get the focus of training attention.

I’ve heard the arguments that go something like this: “the only thing guaranteed to improve running (or fill in your sport of choice) is running itself.” I’m not buying it. At a certain point the body requires a different type of stressor to bring performance to a higher level. Not to belabor the sport of running but if your training program already includes speed drills, distance work and intermediate running training – what can be done to take everything up a notch? How can speed, endurance and recovery all be further improved without risking injury?

A Weight-training program that is carefully designed to strengthen all of the muscles that provide joint support will decrease the odds of injury to that joint. A weight-training program that targets the parts of the body left unstrengthened by your sport of choice, will provide a greater overall fitness level. A weight-training program will change body composition (in conjunction with a clean and balanced diet) to leaner and more concentrated muscle mass. Stronger muscles will give you a speed boost because they can propel you forward faster, no matter your sport.

I’ve also heard the arguments against weight-training that concern the build up of body mass for fear of slowing down an athlete and hindering speed. Before one can build body mass to the extremes seen on the covers of magazines or on television, one would need to focus on muscle building to the exclusion of all other activities in an extraordinarily disciplined and time-consuming fashion. What’s wanted is a weight training routine that builds strength and symmetry into the muscles, rounding out the specific sports discipline already in place.

Since there are so many myths and misapprehensions about weight-training, it is critical to arm yourself with knowledge before establishing a weight-training routine. Don’t hire a trainer until you know exactly what it is you’re trying to achieve from the incorporation of weight training into your routine. Talk to respected fellow athletes who are already using weight-training as part of their regimen. Best of all do some reading.

Two recommendations are:
FrameWork by Nicholas DiNubile published by Rodale
This comprehensive guide to the body’s musculo-skeletal system should be a critical component of every athlete’s library. The foundation, full body, weight-training routine shown in clear photographs, and incorporating targeted stretching is excellent and a great place to start.
The additional information contained in this guide about how to avoid all of the common (and less common) sports injuries should get you to the bookstore now.

For a more detailed guide to the specifics of weight-training:
The Body Sculpting Bible (for Men and for Women) by James Villepigue and Hugo Rivera published by Healthy Living Books
These guides detail the specifics of weight-training for each muscle of the body and help put it all together with clear photographs and comprehensive descriptions of body positioning and breathing for each exercise.

Written by Victoria Nordgren. Victoria Nordgren, the founder of nordgren – women’s performance activewear at http://www.nordgrenactive.com/ is an avid cross trainer living in New York City. Her weekly fitness blog can be found at http://nordgrenactive.com/wordpress2/
Please feel free to contact Victoria at info@nordgrenactive.com

It was still dark, still pouring and about 40 degrees when I learned from my coach that a filter problem messed up the pool’s heating, which meant cold water that was getting colder with each rain drop. We were free to leave, but there’d be none of that as far as I was concerned. If he was willing to coach, I was willing to swim—triathlon season is here and I need all the practice I can get. I jumped in. First thought: A wetsuit didn’t sound so ridiculous. But I got moving and class ensued for just over an hour. A very long, hot showered and a huge breakfast followed.

So what’s the point? I got to thinking about the human physiology behind that swim, the extra energy required and such. Triathletes and other sport enthusiasts all over are obviously facing cold training sessions right now, and it’s important to be aware of how the body responds in those situations.

Keep in mind: The degree to which the following bodily responses occur depend heavily on many factors: air temperature, wind chill, weather conditions, body type, clothing worn, sport, intensity, etc. There’s a big difference between 20 degrees and 60 degrees, even if you Californians think 60 feels like 20.

No. 1: Glycogen stores are depleted quicker.
Energy to fuel your muscles for a workout comes from glycogen stores, and during exercise in the cold muscles may require more energy at a faster rate, leaving you vulnerable to fatiguing quicker. This is the case if you start shivering—involuntary muscle contractions—or if you exert yourself harder, perhaps by not resting or taking breaks. Both are forms of increased metabolic heat production are meant to offset heat loss by generating heat, and the more muscles recruited the more glycogen stores diminish, all while your workout still requires and uses substantial glycogen stores.

What this means to you: Glycogen stores come primarily from carbohydrate consumption, which means you need ample carbs before, during and after workouts in the cold, or fatigue could hit faster than you’d like. If enough energy is exerted, you could be more tired than usual for the rest of the day. Note: That roughly 30-minute window after training is especially important to refuel muscles, as it aids in a faster recovery. Also important: Don’t allow shivering to get out of control. This is a sign of hypothermia setting in, and it’s best to stop training and get warm if that’s the case.

No. 2: Sweat happens. That can be chilling, especially when you’re done.
Just because it’s cold, doesn’t mean you stop sweating. Exercise = metabolic heat production = perspiration. This is where attire becomes important: If clothing becomes wet or dampened it loses its insulation properties. In cycling, where speeds are generally greater than running and thus a greater wind chill is generated, proper layering is especially important. However, if workout intensity is high enough metabolic heat production and other physiological factors should keep your core temperature from dangerously dropping. And don’t forget about swimming: Water submersion can cause even more rapid heat loss than land sports via conduction and convection.

What this means to you: It’s when you stop working out that’s risky—heat production decreases and sweaty clothes can turn into freezing clothes. Therefore, post-workout planning is key. Some clothing tips: More layers are better for insulation rather than one thick layer, and base layer–material should not act like a sponge. Also, shoot for form-fitting attire to prevent your warm air from escaping and cold air flushing in. In water, a wetsuit is an option. So is a shorter swim.

No. 3: Dehydration is possible, so drink up.
Cold weather can depress feelings of thirst so you may not crave a big swig of a sports drink every 20 minutes like you do when it’s 85 degrees out, but your body still needs it. Several factors unique to cold-weather exercise can cause dehydration. As mentioned, you still sweat and some of that may evaporate in cold air leaving you unaware of the extent of perspiration. In addition, fluid is lost through humidified breath in cold weather, and the body may also produce increased amounts of urine in the cold—eventually leading to dehydration. Even overdressing can factor into dehydration if heavy attire cause you to sweat more.

What this means to you: if dehydration sets in, performance can be impaired, as well as your body’s ability to retain heat. Headaches, cramps and elevated heart rate are all symptoms of dehydration. So drink about 5 ounces of liquid every 20 minutes. Something with electrolytes is best.

No. 4: Less blood flow to the skin’s surface.
If it’s cold enough, the body will respond by lessening blood flow to the surface of the skin, especially the hands and feet, known as peripheral vasoconstriction. This way, less heat is lost to the environment as blood flow remains closer to the core to prevent the core temperature from dropping. (The opposite happens in hot conditions with vasodilation—more blood circulates at the surface to dissipate heat, the body’s natural cooling system. Depending on the circumstance, vasodilation can still occur in cold weather because of metabolic heat production.) No matter what, however, there’s always adequate blood flow to the head; restricted blood flow to the brain would not be good. Therefore, a lot of heat can be lost through the head.

What this means to you: Think of keeping your head warm first and foremost. Then consider gloves and a couple of pairs of socks. In the pool or ocean, be extra perceptive to your body and any sort of numbness and paleness. Don’t overdo a workout listen to your body and get warm if necessary—hypothermia or frostbite aren’t worth meeting your mileage for the day.

No. 5: Cold-induced injuries.
Cold hands, feet and skin, even shivering, could mean less coordination, less feeling and less motor control. In essence you can become clumsier and accidentally trip or fumble and hurt yourself. There’s also a chance of decreased flexibility and strain injuries in the cold. More serious cold injuries include exercise-induced bronchospasm, or exercise-induced asthma, which is not to be ignored—symptoms include labored breathing, excess mucus, coughing and chest tightness.

What this means to you: Performance may not be up to par in the cold if you’re shivering and experience depressed motor control. Play it safe.

So, is exercising in the cold risky?
Generally, no. It’s perfectly fine to carry on with regular training in the cold with no serious consequences, especially if your winter training takes place in mild-winter climates such as Southern California or Arizona. After all, many triathletes have there training schedules planned down to the minute and don’t want to stray from that! However, it’s important to be aware of what could happen and to take precaution—gauge the severity of the cold, consume enough carbs, hydrate and wear appropriate clothing.

Written by Tawnee Prazak. Tawnee Prazak is a freelance journalist, pursuing a master’s in kinesiology and is an avid triathlete. Various scientific studies, research and resources including the ACSM and NSCA aided in this article. Reach Tawnee at tawneeprazak@yahoo.com or see her blog at http://tritawn.blogspot.com.

By the time we rest get re-focused and on track again, it’s winter. Don’t despair! Before we get to specifics, lets go over a few points so we don’t get side-tracked this winter.

We all have different ideas on winter training. For some it is a vital time of year, laying the foundation for a big mid-summer race or tuning speed for the early season duathlons/ criteriums.  For others, winter will be a success if we gain less than 10 pounds. Whatever your motivations for this winter, balancing a structured plan with a good dose of spontaneity will get you in the best form ever, physically and mentally.

Outlook:
If you live in the northern states or anywhere that snows in the winter, you simply can’t train as much in the winter. With darkness coming around 4:30pm, frigid morning temps and icy roads, it’s just not possible. We won’t even get into jobs, girlfriends, kids, wives, the Patriots game schedule, etc… Since we are now at peace with the fact that we simply can’t put in as much time as we may want, we can focus on what to do with the time we have.

Getting started:
Find a routine. With cold temps, warm beds and stale indoor air it is easy to get “off track”. Try to find some kind of routine. This could be one workout or rendezvous with a friend per week. ie. “every Wednesday morning John and I run together, no matter what.”  “Thursday night I do the spinning class at my gym.”  This one appointment can be the back bone of your winter success.  Find something that works with your schedule so it will be easy to keep this date and not get side tracked.
This can work for you in a great way if this one workout focuses on your weakness. I have known athletes to turn their swim into a performance which puts them 5 minutes down on the leaders to 1 minute up, over the course of one winter!

The Bike:
Time constraints really hit hard when trying to work on your bike, especially if you are training for a longer early season race.   First thing to do is invest in the proper warm clothes. Water/wind proof booties and gloves. Warm tights, thermal cycling jacket, hat or helmet cover.  Investing in proper cycling winter gear will make your cold rides more enjoyable, more effective, and maybe a bit longer. One trick for cold feet is to use shoes 1 size to big and put in two insoles. And don’t jam your feet in there with to many socks. You’ll restrict circulation and have lumps of wood for feet in less than an hour.

The trainer can be your worst enemy and your best ally all at once. If you are going to improve your riding regular visits to the trainer will be a must but they don’t have to be torture.

1. Don’t do the same thing day in day out. Mix it up with different workouts and the amount of time you spend on the trainer. Try something new about once every 2 weeks. Like watching football with your buddies for 3- 4 hours with big gear climbs every commercial, sprints every field goal, and hard tempo every time your team is on offense would make even Mark Allen slump over the handle bars by the final 2 minute drill.

2. Keep your mind busy. When you’re not with your friends watch TV, listen to the radio, etc.

3. Stay focused. I have just given you ways to distract yourself from your work but the best way I find to make time fly is to have a specific workout and stick to it. To the second. Warm up, cool down, some 10 minute strength intervals, rest intervals. You’ll find that riding for less than an hour becomes pretty difficult if you don’t have a goal.

Take Care:
It is important that you take care of both your body and your equipment with the same care as you would in the summer months. Proper nutrition and stretching is vital to staying healthy and on the upward path. Care for your bike and trainer is also a must. Just because you’re not out in the rain and dirt doesn’t mean you can just get off your bike and be done with it. Salt will build up on your bike and trainer and will destroy both if you don’t clean them. They will surely fail you when you need them most.

Getting to You, Training Your Limiters
Now that you know what your weak areas are (from The Off Season – Part 2) we can get right to it!  Trying to improve any weakness is not going to come easily or quickly so now is the time to start correcting them.

The key to training your limiters is two fold.

1. Break down the task at hand.

a. There is more to having great endurance than just pounding out the miles on the trainer or the swimming pool. Are you training at the optimal intensity? Make the workout Quality before Quantity.

b. Endurance (for example) has 2 parts, being able to resist fatigue (pounding out the quality miles) and efficiency.  How much of each pedal stroke is pushing the bike forward and how much is just moving your leg?  If you are .001% more efficient per pedal stroke, x 90 RPM’s x 60 minutes in 1 hr. for a 5 hour bike leg or race. That’s 27 % more efficiency!

OK, there is some fuzzy math in there but you get the point. If endurance is something you’re working on you don’t necessarily have to ride the trainer until 11pm and swim until your whole body prunes.  Incorporate drills into your training. Lots of drills.

To address this issue Fast Pedal (FP) drills are key.

Workout #1: 3×5’ F.P. Pedal as fast as you can while still being in control. 110-120 is a great range. Take 3’ rest. Build up to doing these at the end of your ride.
Notes: This will work your Neurological durability as well as your general “endurance” as most people think of it.  Also when on the trainer realize you have no 0 time.  In a bike race you may only avg. 70ish rpms per minute.  And have 1/3 of your time at 0 watts or in a recovery zone! That a lot! On the trainer doing the workout above you could avg. 100+ rpms and have 100% of your time in zone 2 and 3.

Recently I compared a team training ride with a ride a friend did the day before. “I only had 90’ to ride” he said in disappointment. After comparing his data with mine I noted that if you took out the nearly 2 hours of non-pedaling and recovery wattage time in my ride he had done the virtually same training as me!  90’ in zone 2 and 3. You could say mine was better because of the fatigue from the longer duration, or… one could say his was more effective because his effort was a continuous effort while mine had several “rest periods”…   a topic for another time. This is a great example of maximizing your time.

Workout #2: Zone training. Do 45’ or more in zone 3 after a good warm up/at end of your ride. Build up to 90 minutes of zone 3 time.
Notes: Bump up the intensity! Do your “endurance” work in zone 3. Riding sub threshold has the same physiological adaptations as riding in zones 1-2 but they happen faster. The cost is greater fatigue and decreased reputability. But if you can’t do 3+ hours every day then do it up! The key to this is doing your Z3 work as one steady interval and staying in your zone (no coasting)! Having detailed and accurate training zones is vital for this. A power meter is king here. This will rack up your kilojoules (total work) much faster than riding in a group or doing zone 1-2 and will give you maximum return on your training time. By riding in your zone you could do twice as much “work” in the time given than on a long group ride. Two tips for making this work.

1. Don’t go out to hard

2. Don’t spike your power on hills, when you stand, etc…

2. Stay true to the grand plan.

Lower intensity “endurance” training will most likely take up much of your training time in winter. So when training your limiter, keep the intensity down! If you are working on your hill climbing go easy. Find a hill with a low grade so you can work on your climbing pedal stroke.

If you are working your sprinting power or anaerobic endurance, work the cadence aspect of it. Short, high cadence, spin ups are great for this. Make recoveries short but not too short. Let your heart rate drop to Z3 or Z2 and keep the gear easy. This will allow you to work the neurological and technical aspect of these skills without the cost of excess muscle damage and lactate build up.

Written by Eric Kenney. Eric has coached over 200 athletes of all levels in triathlon, cycling, mountain biking, and Cyclocross.
Find out more at http://ekendurancecoaching.com