training

“If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink, it’s too late.”That unambiguous adage has become standard advice for runners seeking to avoid dehydration. The thing is, it’s wrong. A growing body of research supports the idea that you can avoid the performance-harming effects of dehydration simply by drinking when you’re thirsty, even on long runs in hot weather. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The latest pillar in the drink-to-thirst defense is a study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, in which runners did a series of moderate-pace two-hour runs in different temperatures and with different hydration strategies. There were two key takeaways. 
First, when 10 experienced runners (six men, four women) drank water whenever they wanted during three two-hour runs, they finished the runs in a similar state of adequate hydration, despite the runs occurring at different temperatures (71, 86, and 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Body … [Read more...] about Here’s the World’s Simplest Hydration Plan

Everyone has their own go-to cross-training workouts: hour-long boxing classes, solo strength training sessions, long runs—the possibilities are endless. Those exercises—in conjunction with riding regularly—means that you spend week after spending week or even year after year repeating the same motions, or always moving in one plane of motion with little to no balance, which can lead to overuse injuries and pain, says Joe Gambino, C.S.C.S., D.P.T., a New York-based physical therapist. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below To combat these overuse injuries, shoot for a little variety, and change up the way you sweat every now and then, such as a HIIT class or yoga. But that’s just to shake up your routine—you don’t have to give up the forms of fitness that you love most. Sometimes, you just have to do a little bit of specific, targeted prep work before you hop on the bike or hit the trail. “One way to prepare our body for our workouts is … [Read more...] about 4 Essential Moves That Will Prep Your Body for Your Favorite Workouts

You may not think your lower back has much of a role in running, but it plays a pivotal part in the kinetic chain that powers your running mechanics. How? Let’s break it down. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Causes of Lower Back PainWhat are the main problems runners face in their lower back? Here are three of the main issues:Muscular pain that comes on suddenly in your lower back is often indicative of a muscle spasm. Your muscles will feel as though they have locked up, and the pain can be severe and debilitating. You will not feel the shooting pain characteristic of sciatic or discogenic pain.Pain in your lower back that is associated with shooting pains down the back of one or both legs indicates sciatica or discogenic pain. A pinched nerve causes this discomfort. It often feels sharp compared to the muscle-gripping sensation that you would feel with a spasm.If you feel a chronic general achiness across the whole area of your lower back, you may have arthritis.Back … [Read more...] about 6 Exercises That Can Ease and Prevent Lower Back Pain

As cyclists, we’re often guilty of putting resistance training on the back burner in favor of maximum saddle time spring through fall. So when winter hits, it’s the perfect time to perform some strength maintenance. The good news: You don’t need to go to a gym, buy new equipment, or even leave your living room to get the job done. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below These five bodyweight exercises, demonstrated by Charlee Atkins, master instructor at SoulCycle in New York City and founder of Le Sweat, target all the muscles that support you in the saddle, but that cycling itself doesn’t strengthen. By strengthening them, you’ll ward off overuse injuries and set yourself up for a successful spring. How to use this list: Perform the exercises below circuit-style, going from one move to the next with minimum rest between moves. Do 10 to 20 reps of each move (depending on your starting strength level). Perform the entire circuit 3 times. Aim to perform the … [Read more...] about 5 Bodyweight Exercises Every Cyclist Should Do This Winter

Whenever the topic of strength training comes up, many of us tend to respond with, “Wait, I’m supposed to do something other than running?” But supplementing running with strength training exercises will not only help you prevent injury, but it will also make you a stronger, faster, and more efficient runner. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below That said, runners need a different strength-training program than your standard gym rat. Instead of pushing weight away from the body with bicep curls, leg extensions, and bench presses, runners should focus on targeting the key muscles that will keep them balanced and moving forward.We asked our experts to come up with 10 essential strength exercises for runners then had Hollis Tuttle, certified personal trainer and run coach at Mile High Run Club in New York City, demonstrate them. How to use this list: Perform these 10 exercises for the amount of reps listed twice a week. For best results, add them to your easy or … [Read more...] about 10 Essential Strength Training Exercises for Runners