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Needed to hear this. I`m 36 atm, and having same thoughts :)

Use smaller plate, smaller fork/spoon and eat slowly. I also drink large glass of water prior to the meal.

I'm very fixated on my cycling results as of now, I understand the purpose of strength training and I want to give my weekly plan a change. I don't want to hit the gym, I have a dumbell, can I work with that? Or is it mandatory to go the gym?

Great video. I think you might have flipped the braking and acceleration on the diagram. I have difficulties believing a sprinter can do 1G of acceleration while maximum braking is only 0.4G.

There are two reasons to go fast in the curves, you’re competing or you enjoy it. Otherwise it’s not worth it to take risks whether you are descending on your bike or you are riding your motorcycle or on a Sunday drive. Also, how you are wired cognitively makes a huge difference. You have to process a lot of information very quickly, have very good spatial awareness and make real time decisions right now. Be careful out there, know yourself and your limitations. Last, if you don’t know the road, slow down.

You take the flight with your gut not with your handlebars. Center of gravity. That's all there is to it.

I agree, CX is the most accessible form of bike racing.

Ok, so I will share my approach with you, that got me back on the bike again and worked for ME very well. I used to have quite high FTP 300 W till injuries occurred (broken collarbone) and some life changes that kept me off my bike. Anyway, I gained 27 kg on my base weight of 78 kg in very short time. I remember regulating weight when I was in shape was no problem but when you loose 60% of your FTP and form (not longer doing 100 km rides daily) its not that simple Z2 is something where you barely move.... The only thing that got me "fast" back again ware carbs (I got my ftp back to some decent level fast), but weight kept going up..In the past I could regulate my body weight with counting calories, something was wrong. I thought it was my age or something... Anyway. My first approach was just eat less and do more rides, I expected quick results. WRONG.. Then I tried Z2 training, there ware some benefits but still more or less the same, weight kept going up. BTW zone 2 when you are overweight and having only hills around you is impossible. You need flats to do that. Anyway I kept getting over trained very often with no results in weight loss. Then I remembered on my old food diary..When I started cycling years ago I kept food diary for a while (I had 20 kg too much back then) and I mostly ate meat and salads (except breakfast) I ate cereals. That worked for me back then? So I went to extreme and tried keto diet (well almost so called "carnivore" diet in the first week with lots of fat in my meals). I figured there must be something about those ketones or ability to use your own fat, so let's train my body to use fat !!!!!! There you go first 2 weeks 5 kg down and so on and so on.. (I know, some of it was water) but I felt like new. First week I didn't (and couldn't) touch a bike or any sport since body had to switch to "eating" fat AGAIN. I had headache etc. so called keto flu. It was quite difficult to get over it. Then after a week and I half when my body adapted I went on zone 2 rides still no carbs only meat and eggs. (I couldn't do more than zone 2 anyway :) no carbs no power). After 4th week on zone 2 and no carbs power got up again a bit. Then I started introducing small amounts of carbs again into my meals but only on days when I went cycling, always much under expected energy expenditure of a ride adding carbs on a ride. Well that worked very well. Fasting without starving :D Now I'm still loosing weight and feel I have double the power. I can easily do days without carbs and long rides are very enjoyable. There is something about adapting your body to be able to use metabolic system to use fat again. I can do long rides again. I didn't expect such results, keto is like fasting but without starving. Hope this approach finds someone that needs the same radical change.

what do you think about oval chain rings?

The words chase and cut spring to mind

56 yr old male club cyclist. After your post on ergogenic aids, early July I started on Creatine and a daily smoothie with beets, apple, ginger and celery. I drink about 2/3 or 600ml pre-training first thing in the morning and 1/3 an hour before a race or in the afternoon if not racing. Since then I’ve hit power PRs for 10-35 seconds and 2hrs. I’m very happy with my n=1 experiment. I already do the salt making my own Sole and DIY drink mix and gels. Thanks Damian.

My most effective training was have my rim brake bike on a dumb trainer. Elevate the front to simulate climbing angle. Then put straps on the brake handles to create resistance and push and pull hard at 30-50 rpm in 2 minute intervals. That strengthens every muscles legs, core, hips upper body that could turn the pedals and I felt strongest then. Since moving to smart trainers I can’t get the same training effect. Not much science in it but I really think the crude method was more effective.

Well said. I try to do the gym for weights at least twice a week. I am 54 and was told some years ago weight training becomes more important as you get older, in order to maintain muscle mass. I enjoy cycling but consider weight training as an added component to keep me healthy. When I began road cycling some 4 years ago, I weighed 195 ibs, I am now 150 (intermittent fasting also helped) Though I work my legs, I find its also important to work other areas of my body that cycling won't

You are one likable dude!

Take up track cycling, get fast AND strong 😁. (No really, track is awesome)

Is this type of training done in seated position and is it supposed to be a sprint style of Intensity

I started taking my training seriously about three months ago (was inspired to buy a bike and get into racing by EJ Trains) and this is such a useful video when considering how to build out a training plan. Thank you for sharing your insights and knowledge!

I gained 15lbs with the birth of our second son we had two little ones and I just couldn't exercise anymore. Picking up alcohol didn't help either. I cut both carbs and alcohol immediately losing about 15lbs. In my mid 30's picked up alcohol again for a few years, packed on 5-10, then quit and started cycling and quit booze for good, losing 10lbs. The last few years in my fitness journey I gained 15lbs and its all muscle. Throughout this whole 15 year fluctuation I described above I still fit in my high school pants. Now I am at my personal heaviest and the waist is the loosest. You cannot out train your eating habits. You are what you eat. The exercise helps sculpt your body but six packs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.

I need help Sir!!

No it's not late i am a cancer survivor 34 years old riding every day for the local races pushing my body to extreme taking care of myself more than ever you are right damian happiness is state of choices you make! Loved this video 🌹 Btw i am saving money to be coach by you one day soon Abdullah from Pakistan

There's no way around the benefits of diverse weights strength training which massively develop the neuro muscular power needed to improve the overall performance on the bike.

Have you considered racing in the upcoming IndieVelo Grand Tour? Check it out in a few days when an article is released on it!

Definitely agree with the need to do strength training for longevity and injury prevention. It’s important to think long term about your physical health, and how you can avoid overuse injuries in the future.

Well said. For all of us non pros, being fit>fast anyday. Hit the gym, build those muscles and bones. Your body will thank you when you hit your 60s with a skeletal system that can deadlift 200 pounds and do an all day ride, as opposed to being able to zoom up all huez but get a sore back from lifting the trainer out of storage during winter.

What would be the best turbo trainer to complete the workouts on?

I swiched from Gym to cycling this year, because i didn't wanted to be inside all day. Now i can enjoy nature with my rides outside, and get fitness inside with Zwift and some Gym work if the weather is bad.

57 here. The one thing I wish I'd known earlier is that happiness is a threshold, not a value. If you are not happy enough, you will be unhappy. If you are happy enough you will be happy. Sometimes it's hard to stay above that threshold. Take every opportunity. Don't think, "This only moves the needle a little bit. I need something to make me super happy". That tiny improvement may actually make all the difference in the world for you. Bonus wish I'd known: posture is about where you put your head, not how straight your back is. Took me 50 years to learn that!

Interesting but curious, why does it really matter if I eat two eggs in two minutes vs two eggs in thirty minutes

Why isn't work rate addressed in terms of a fueling strategy? Riding at 500 kj/hr for 4 hrs is not the same as riding at 750 kj/hr for 4 hrs. At some point an actual scientist will develop an actual formula for people based on work rates (or ftp or w/kg) that address the elephant in the room: which is that riders with different abilities (watt outputs) require different amount of fueling to optimize performance. Unless of course, you (Semipro Cycling) are saying that regardless of work rates, carb intake rates should remain the same. In which case, an explanation of why that is true would be great.

Great info, thank you. It would be interesting to give some examples about food portions containing 75g/150g of carbs (pre training) and also options (gel only?) to ingest 60g/h while exercising. Thank you

I have been training this way for several years and it does work. But what I learned is that you cant just optimize your CTL, you need to take a 3 prong approach. Burn the candle at 3 ends. So fitness, weight, and diet. Optimize your fitness through CTL increases (very slowly), optimize your weight loss (very slowly), and optimize your diet. If you do all 3, you will get fast.

Thanks coach, really helpful information

I'm an old school cyclist and heard all of the "scrape the mud off your shoes" and pedal in circles talk, and I've tried them over the years. And you're absolutely right -- at best they are counter productive.

What a mean 45 degree? At hour 3?

Just curious. Which GIRO helmet are you wearing in this video? Thanks.

For anyone else, if you’re practicing pushing hard into corners then wear gloves

Pros are confident in descending for one big reason; they are paid millions and are guaranteed to be paid even if they meet an accident. 😂

Super-sized portions

What about the protective properties to the eyes though? Like, is this removing UV protection?

Great video, but I’m curious as to what you used to measure the lean angles and plot the graphs?

I'm glad you eventually got to countersteering, but this should be lesson #1. Most videos on cornering don't even mention it. It's really useful for high speed direction changes to avoid road debris and crashes in a bunch. You can practise it on any ride, you don't need to be going around corners. Just get used to pushing the bar forward quickly and feeling what it does to the bike. As another person says, you can use the technique to get the bike upright again, so great for criterium racing where you want to get back on the power quickly.

Here in the US, cyclocross is dead. Run over by all the gravel bikes.

Even if I'm not strong that endurance bike make me strong😂

nice video, educational. where is this? lots of dogs.

Fun countersteering exercise. You can do this on one of those electric scooters or ebikes you can rent from the side of the road if you want. Scooters are better because the smaller wheels accentuate the effect. Find a parking lot/car park (depending where you come from) and get to about 20 mph. If you want to go left, push on the left side of the bar. That's the simple bit. You will go left. Keep doing this until your brain can comprehend what's going on - which is why an electric scooter is good, enough speed without the effort but it's the same on a bicycle. Less effort more oxygen left for brain processing :P The thing that really screws with the mind if you've been riding for years but haven't used this technique is that you can modulate your turn using countersteering. It isn't just for corner entry. Push harder on the left to increase the turn left so you tighten the turn. Ease off the pressure on the left to increase the turn radius. If you're going left and want to stand the bike up - push right. The best example of this I've seen on TV is Peter Sagan at the Richmond world champs. He attacks at the end of the last hill and nails it over the top. The few corners that follows, he does just this and puts massive distance into the chasers. Watch his body position and his arms. I'm happy that the local motorcycle school has an exercise where you have to simulate an emergency swerve and brake - swerve left, swerve right and brake before a line. Push left to go left, push right to go right but on the exit, push left to stand the bike up and brake hard. It's that last 'push left' that challenges the understand for most folks. You don't have to push left to go left. You can pull right to go left. I know, mind blown but think about it. Pushing left is the same on the bars as pulling left. The weight distribution is a little different but if you're having a drink or chowing down a snack and this is the only time you have, then skills training got you a free lunch - literally. Once you're comfortable with counter steering, use the pull method rather than the push method. Once you get used to pushing the inside bar to turn, descending is a cake walk. You just need to become comfortable enough with this technique to where your brain trusts it in an emergency situation. What you often see with midlife crisis folks that buy a motorcycle at 45 is that they get this on the training course but when they're under pressure, like in the riding test, the get nervous and go from push to turn to what you think your brain did at 7 years old and steer to turn. This stands the bike up and hell is unleashed. A wobble ensues and the bike goes in the undesired direction.

Trail braking on a motorcycle is very different from what you described for the road bike. Trail braking on a motorcycle happens because of the load transfer to the front of the bike during braking and the resulting change in geometry,. It causes the bike to become unstable at the rear and allows the rider to hang the back out, pointing the front more in the direction of the turn. Using pneumatic trail on the front tire and it's ability to allow steering in a direction that the tire isn't pointing in, means a motorcycle can trail brake like this. Pneumatic trail is largely what allows a bike to have a bike front wheel pointed in one direction and the bike go another. An extreme example of this is motorcycle speedway (or circle track) racing. What you're describing on the road bike with more just like late braking on a motorcycle and "backing the bike in." If the bike doesn't want to rotate as much as you want too on entry, you can on a motorcycle, change down coming into a corner, then release the clutch quickly mid corner. Modern bikes use a slipper clutch so it's not as harsh a transfer On a push bike, you don't have the ability to apply acceleration to settle the bike if things get out of hand mid corner. Applying the rear brake doesn't do what you think it does on a motorcycle - if pulls the back of the bike down, settling the bike, giving it a little more grip and plants the rear wheel for harder acceleration. Such if you pull the brake hard enough the back will step out - but that breaks traction in all the wrong ways and counteracts the desired stability caused through settling the bike on the way in with a slight application of throttle so you can get the bike planted ready to give it plenty of beans on the way out. On a road bike, if you're giving the front brake enough squeeze, the back brake is next to useless. I say squeeze rather than pull because you want a quick but progressive application of force so you don't yeet yourself over the bars. If the back wheel is unweighted, you have no real control over steering under normal conditions. I think this in itself requires rider training and is something that most riders don't do. Find a hill that you're comfortable with of reasonable gradient, the wider and straighter the better. At a comfortable speed, go from no brakes to full brakes in under 1/2 second. Do not snap that lever back. Do this at ever increasing speeds until you get a feel for how hard you can brake before you think the back wheel is coming off the ground. We used to do this when doing hill intervals. We'd smash it up the hill, get a quick breather and bomb down the hill towards the "start" point and have someone watch to see what the back wheel was doing as you came towards a stop.

Nice video. That was a good watch. Finally, someone said the magic words: countersteer. :) Be careful when relying on treelines and objects like telegraph poles as they don't alway follow the road. Poles often do but not always. I've had a few agricultural moments using this method. I've bent a few wheels and cracked a rib or three but nothing too extreme. Instead of F1, look at MotoGP. F1 cars are often drag limited - meaning they run the maximum downforce possible whilst hitting what they think will be an appropriate top speed and as such they may take different lines to either try and get out the corner faster to slightly enlarge the time they're on the gas or do the opposite and brake super late because there are really tight corners that follow. The series that Monster did for Valentino Rossi, The Doctor, has in one of the episodes, a section on how he takes his little Vespa to a track to learn the corners at super low speed and how he analyzes them. This works for bicycles. ruclips.net/video/4NMQDqh6YcE/видео.html As someone that raced bicycles during the 80's and 90's then went onto riding sports bikes and doing lots of track days and many rider courses on how to ride the track there were two big take aways for me. 1. Vision. Always scan the furthest section of road you can see. Only look closer than that if you have hazards you have to rider around - potholes, dead critters, glass etc. Vision is everything. It gives you time to adjust your braking, back off and turn in. 2. How hard can you countersteer. Learn the art, embrace the art. Get used to "push to turn" more than you try and point your wheel in the direction you want to go - save that for the low speed in the parking lot. After I stopped racing bicycles and got a Yamaha FZR1000-EXUP back in the day, for shits 'n giggles we took the bicycle out to a local hill and when in full motorcycle gear (even replacing the Time Crit pedals I had with my older toe clips and straps so I could wear the boots.) I gave it a little more beans on the descent that I normally would. Then I gave it a lot more beans. It's amazing when you're wearing leathers and a full helmet how much more you may be prepared to give. More countersteer. Don't be shy with it. It took A LOT to get to the point where I crashed. I was good in races going downhill but having the extra gear coaxed out more than I thought it would. No doubt if I kept doing this it would translate into confidence in regular bicycle gear. The other thing is, don't ask the bike to do a lot of things at once. Don't try and brake and turn while adjusting your position. Move on the bike, then brake, get off the brakes and then turn. One thing at once if you can. Use your vision to plan ahead. I'm not a fan of trail braking on a road bike. Mountain bike yes if needs be but when just trail riding no because I don't want to chew up the trail, motorcycle on the track yes, not on the road though - if you're going that fast that you need to do it then you deserve to lose your license.

So science just invented wind sprints?

Collectively, the taller you are, more free power you can get compare to short person (consider same training routine & diet). Whatever it is, to be better you from yesterday is consistent well planned training, ride alone, last but not least listen to your knee 😂

it's not possible to recover fast. each body is diferrent. You have to know yourself.