Lisa - Fat Girl Fit

International Women’s Day 2021

Today is International Women’s Day and the theme for 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge. The theme is explained further on the International Women’s Day website as follows:

‘A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.

We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge.’

Women’s sport and equality is a topic that I feel passionate about. In recent months have been excited to see the women’s issue from Rouleur magazine that is their best selling issue to date, and also the Cycling Weekly International Women’s Day issue.

I was honoured to be quoted in the Rouleur magazine in the article on turbo cycling by the lovely Becca Charlton. In the Cycling Weekly magazine I was captured from the opening words from guest editor Elinor Barker:

‘The best thing I can do to promote women’s cycling is to be good at my job and put on a show that people want to watch. The best thing you can do as a journalist is to report on that show. Not on the inequalities, but on the racing, the drama and the action.

It would have been easy to fill these pages with content about ingrained sexism, prize money discrepancies and the eternal quest to find a saddle that won’t eventually result in reconstructive surgery. And rightfully so. These are important subjects to cover and I hope to read about them more in this magazine.

But I wanted to use this opportunity to explore what happens post-adversity. A glimpse into the future; when sport media no longer needs to address the problems we face and can focus on women’s interests. On interesting women. When we are truly treated as equals, without the need for ‘female’ to prefix ‘cyclist’.

What #ChooseToChallenge means to me

My challenge to myself this year was to start racing on Zwift, to get out of my comfort zone. I was inspired so much by my friend Laura, though I was terrified in equal measure. I signed up to a Zwift Power account and messaged her to I knew I was saying it out loud and committing to giving it a go. Laura is a Specialized ambassador and races for Aeonian Race Team (AEO) and is BADASS!

I’ve now done 4 races and my positioning has ranged from 1st to 108th. It is tough and definitely type 2 fun. There are so many strong female riders and they are so inspiring. Starting out was the hardest thing but reminding myself I was new to this and was there to give my all and see what happened made it less pressure – pressure I should add that came from myself and no one else.

I’ve also joined 3 Donny Chain Gang women’s rides. The women on these rides are seriously incredible! Every time I join I try and hang on a little bit longer and see if there is enough in the tank for a little sprint finish. It aint easy, its the DCG. The support is amazing, it is live streamed on the DCG You Tube channel and they support every rider! The next women’s ride is this Wednesday, 10 March – see you there?

The above is what #ChooseToChallenge means to me. To be fearlessly unapologetically you always. Don’t feel you can’t do something because you don’t fit the mould, challenge it and do what makes you happy. It is what I love about cycling, the diversity, the different forms it takes, different ages, abilities, and how inclusive it can be.

What #ChooseToChallenge means to other amazing women

Here are some quotes from some amazing ladies, who inspire me, with what this years #ChooseToChallenge means to them:

‘Choose to challenge is a perfect theme for me. This last year has been super challenging but I’ve persevered. Yes I’ve spent way more time on my turbo than I ever thought would have thought was possible but it’s been worth it. I’ve got some really cool challenges lined up this year too and I will keep challenging the inequalities within our sport of cycling. I love International Women’s Day – it’s the day we launched the InternationElles two years ago!’ Louise Gibson from InternationElles, united in the fight for equality and to boost women’s cycling. She is also a fellow pink lover, like me!

‘When Lisa asked me to write a short paragraph on how I choose to challenge myself, I was actually stumped. Taking a moment on International Women’s Day where #choosetochallenge is this year’s theme, to stop for a bit and think about it seemed appropriate! Where to begin? Well, as a recently single Mum with no family close by, it seems that every day is a challenge.

Managing my five year old full time as he transitions into prep school, juggling my business FOHER Co and managing the day to day intricacies of keeping that running smoothly, trying to tick the boxes for my triathlon training (first race of the season this weekend!), keeping on top of the housework, the tropical jungle that is my garden, making sure the dog is walked, preparing healthy meals, squeezing in some ‘me’ time etc etc well I’m sure many will relate.

So how do I challenge myself beyond surviving each day? Well, I set the bar even higher. I ride even further, I push even harder. I face my fears head on and I don’t back down. Interest in women’s sport is at an all time high! Something I am particularly proud of is our Cairns Women’s Road Racing Team, which we formed in 2019 to advocate for women’s equality in cycling at our grass-roots level. We now have women’s podiums and equal prize money at our local races, and Women’s teams forming down the east coast of Australia. Next step? Challenge that status quo nationally and keep up the momentum. Now that would be a satisfying change.’ Dr Kylie Anderson, founder of Foher Co, and all round lady boss.

‘During an unprecedented year and among a lot of uncertainty and sadness around the world I felt so fortunate to discover a community of women in the virtual world of Zwift and across social media that kept me motivated and positive throughout the lockdowns.

When I was growing up in the sport of cycling it played a huge role in undoubtedly shaping my confidence, my future career and brought so much positivity. However, when it came to a community of women or girls, well I can’t say that existed back then. I tried more and more to fit in with the boys, wiped my makeup off, tried to hide my femininity. Things have come a long way since then but in this last year, more than ever I’ve challenged myself to stop worrying about what other people think. To let it go more. If I’m going for the wooden spoon in e-sports, so what? There’s so much more to riding than worrying about where I am in the running order, being embarrassed that I’m not the same as the next person. Instead I focused purely on the benefits it was bringing, my little PB’s here and there, the people I was connecting with, the pool of sweat on the mat beneath me…. and that became a lot easier surrounded by role models like yourself, Lisa. Let’s celebrate our differences and the things we do bring, rather than worrying about the things we don’t. It’s liberating and it’s infectious. Happy International Women’s Day.’ Rebecca Charlton, who is a presenter, journalist, author and one of the nicest and supportive people I have met from social media.

‘I #choosetochallenge all the stereotypes of what a cyclist should look like, from what I wear to who I ride with. I #choosetochallenge my mental barriers of what I’m capable of #shutuplegs and I #choosetochallenge everyday mansplaining and misogyny I experience on and off the bike. Because I truly believe #cyclingisforeveryone.’ Shuhena Islam, who is an ambassador for Cannondale, Rapha, Hub Velo CC women’s champion and lawyer to top it all off!

There is still so much that can be done – be part of the change.

Category: Cycling

Women’s 30 Day Cycling Challenge

Given the opportunity to take part in a 30 day cycling challenge with the objective to result in being fitter, faster and stronger on the bike will always have me sold!

I was one of 100 women lucky to take part in the 30-Day Women’s Cycling Challenge. It was 30 days following 3 structured workouts per week and started 4 January. This was perfect timing for me as I had finished my Zwift Gran Fondo training plan the week before. When signing up you are agreeing to complete 80% of the workouts, which is good for me as I am used to structured workouts and actually prefer them.

The challenge is designed to make riders more efficient on the bike. You also got access to a private forum for advice from others taking part in the challenge and previous participants, nutrition advice and exclusive discounts from brands that are used and recommended by the coach.

A Bit About The Coach

During the challenge you also got access to the coach, Theia Friestedt, founder of 360 Velo who is a Certified US Cycling Coach and competitive cyclist, and has decades of experience in a variety of other sports, including ballet, yoga, and TRX.

Theia noted in one of the posts in the forum that one of the main principles of her training programs is to “do the minimum amount of work needed to yield the most results”.

She went on to explain that so many training plans out there drive athletes to the ground, and so many athletes believe they have to be absolutely exhausted to have done a “good workout”. But the key to performance is consistency, and the key to consistency is being able to do workouts week in, week out. If we work too hard and don’t recover well then we won’t be consistent, we will be too tired or worse, injured.

Theia had found from her own training that it was only after finding the perfect balance between intensity and recovery that her performance increased significantly.

In advance of starting I read up on the challenge and the following sentence stuck out to me:

‘bike riding requires skills, not just strength. The strongest rider doesn’t usually win the race. It’s the rider who can combine strength with skills who goes faster.’

Challenge Objectives

The objectives were as follows:

Fitter – improve your fitness by completing structured workouts with a purpose
Faster – learn new skills that will result in speed, efficiency, and economy on the bike
Stronger – develop muscular strength for riding on hills, climbs, and flat roads

My turbo set up at home uses a Wahoo Kickr direct drive smart trainer, which also measures power in the form of watts and this was a requirement to take part in the challenge. In addition to this you needed at least one year of cycling experience and to be currently riding at least four hours a week, categories that were both fine with me.

Zwift is my platform of choice for indoor training on the bike and the sessions for the challenge were loaded to Today’s Plan, which I could access in Zwift also. This was a good continuation from my training beforehand although I had never used Today’s Plan but the instructions were sent in advance of the start and very easy to follow to get set up.

Pre Start Q&A with the Coach

Before the challenge started there was a live Q&A that covered what the challenge was about and for Theia to introduce herself also. Some of the areas covered were as follows:

There were daily core 15 minute workouts to be done before the bike to engage and activate the muscles fired up and ready.
2 full days off per week to allow appropriate recovery is recommended.
There was flexibility to move workouts around but the challenge is designed to do the workouts within the week they are assigned and not move from week to week.
It was important to have an up to date FTP in Zwift to ensure the workouts are at the right levels.
Theia asks people not to use ERG mode on your smart trainer – eek this was not something I was used to. The reason for this is that the biggest principle is to practice what you do outside and one of those things is shifting, alongside cadence. Theia believes that always working out in ERG mode results in inconsistent power output in real life and without it you can build and maintain speed with better gear/cadence use and in return you cycle faster. Cadence ensures you perform better without using more power and that you can sustain that performance for longer. Intervals in the plan are designed to simulate real world experience. This is a skill that is part of the sport of cycling and Theia believes the results will prove this.
Not to worry about stars in Zwift as it is purely gamification in training, we are human and other factors can impact performance, and that it is important to remember that FTP is not a static number.

My Thoughts

I am a huge fan of structured training and this was just that so a tick in my book. The focus of each week was as follows:

Week 1 – Strength, aerobic capacity and includes intervals from tempo to sweet spot
Week 2 – Strength, aerobic capacity, endurance and power from intervals building from tempo to threshold
Week 3 – Threshold work, aerobic capacity, and muscular endurance
Week 4 – Recovery and skills

I thought I had a good core but I could really feel the effects of the daily core workout pretty early and it was nice to have that consistency throughout off the bike for on the bike benefits.

I struggled to begin with not using Erg mode. I have always used this in my structured training and like that I don’t have to think about the interval and power targets as the resistance automatically changes. However, I do appreciate the logic behind not using it and hitting power targets off your own steam. I struggled most matching a dictated cadence with required power but actually nowhere near as much as I thought I would. The time also went by quicker as I had to concentrate more on the targets. I was also surprised how many people I knew who didn’t use Erg and are now complete converts to training in this way. I think I am now one of those converts!

I loved the support in the forum you have access to. There was a lot of communication amongst the ladies, loads of support and Theia was also very present in this too, which was lovely.

It was also really nice part way through to have a follow up Q&A with Theia and other ladies in the group too. It was really interesting to hear how other ladies were getting on with the challenge especially as we all have different levels of experience and abilities. There was a really interesting conversation about the correlation of power and cadence that is relative in order to pick up and maintain momentum and also working with terrain to your advantage. I actually joked to my husband that he would love Theia as he is hot on cadence.

Theia did not review the workouts completed, which was a shame not to have feedback. We did have videos per workout for explanation and could see our own completed sessions/performance. Also if you wanted to discuss anything you could post in the forum and as I said Theia was extremely responsive so it actually served the same purpose to a certain extent.

Did My FTP Increase?

It was not a requirement of the plan to complete an FTP test. Personally after I do a block of training I often like to complete an FTP test so I can gauge any increase/decrease from a previous result. I would normally allow myself 3 complete days rest, however, this time I took only 2 days from my final session and then took a ramp test on Zwift (more on the different type of FTP test here) and my result……

Well my result previously was 222W and is now 224W – only a slight increase but a gain is a gain (a friend reminded me of this yesterday) and I will take it!

Category: Cycling

Top tips on how to survive multi – day riding

Multi day and endurance cycling events can be daunting. Long periods of time in the saddle and overall distance can easily become overwhelming. This could be an event that starts on one day and finishes on another in one stage or could be multiple days over a certain time like on a training camp, cycling holiday, personal challenge or multi stage event.

Training Plan

From my experience training correctly is key and this should be structured with your specific goals in mind. My training plan would be varied and include rides that are:

endurance – flat or rolling course, boost muscular endurance, aerobic fitness and fat burning zone. These rides will also build up your experience of spending multiple hours in the saddle.
interval work – short periods of high intensity. Turbo sessions lend themselves better for interval sets too with no interruptions or obstacles found when out on the road. Turbo trainer sessions are great for following structured plans. I use Zwift and complete the dreaded FTP test. An FTP test scores your functional threshold power and this determines your ability to sustain the highest possible power output. Once you have completed this it means sessions you follow will then be geared around your FTP and more tailored for your ability.
hill climbing – to get better at hills you must practice on hills, it really is that simple (and I am saying this as much to myself as everyone reading this). Hill climbing on the bike also helps with improving muscular endurance and strength.
recovery rides – recovery is part of the process and allows muscles to repair. A recovery ride would be otherwise known as active recovery but should be done so at an easy pace. If you use training zones think zone 1 or 2, super easy, more than comfortable and conversational pace. I have written a blog post on this in more detail that you can read here.
strength and conditioning with a focus on leg and core strength, essential when on the bike.
yoga to ensure stretching – it really helps!
sleep – I always try and get 8 hours per night, key time for your body to rest and repair and make you feel more energised.
I train off cadence though many others train using heart rate or power, and this is personal preference. Cadence is the number of revolutions per minute of the crank arm and gives a natural feel when riding to indicate when gear changes are required if cadence is too high or low.

Other Considerations

Multi-day riding is different to a single ride regardless of length as you will need to get back on and do the same in a sequence of days. Riding on back to back days will help to build stamina. If an event is over more than one day you should absolutely be training for this and simulating the same sort of scenario in your training. If you find after one long day in the saddle you struggle to ride the following day this would be an area to focus on for multi day riding.

Building up mileage gradually over time is important because a sudden increase in mileage can not only increase risk of injury but you will probably see less progression also. Build a strong base and then build on that gradually. I wrote a post when I was training for a 300km bike ride that you can read here.

When spending many hours in the saddle you want to ensure some comfort and I cannot personally vouch for the importance of a bike fit enough. The smallest of changes can make the biggest of differences. I have written a blog post with more detail on this that can be read here. Don’t let the overall goal overwhelm you. Break it down ie rest stop to rest stop as necessary, work out food stops as an example.

Fuel correctly as this really can make the biggest difference when riding! Don’t try anything new on event day(s) and instead stick with what you have tried and tested during your training. You should know by then what works for you and stick with that. The key is what works for you – people will try and be helpful and they very well might be but what works for one will not necessarily work for another so be selfish and do what is right for you. I have a timer on my bike computer and every 20 minutes it will alert me to eat and drink and I have found little and often works for me. Being properly hydrated is essential and a carbohydrate/electrolyte drink is great for endurance events and performance. The only thing I might change relating to fuelling would be depending on the weather for example if I knew my ride would be in hot weather, I would ensure my fuel was nothing that would melt and could withstand the heat. I would also take extra sachets of my energy drink and possibly salt tablets to replace salt lost through sweating (nice I know but this can really help).

Recovery at the end of the day will help, if an event with massages then a short rub down of muscles will be beneficial and if not stretch with a focus on areas you will have worked on the bike like hamstrings, quads, glutes, hips, back and groin. Recovery shake to rehydrate and rebuild and repair muscle fibres ideally within 30 minutes of completing your ride for the day, and enough sleep ready for the following day.

I will always maintain you should trust your training – train smart with your goals in mind and when completing your event trust the work you have done to get you to that point and enjoy the ride!

Category: Fitness

Have Fun With Movement

Have you ever thought about how you move?

Previously I have said that I started blogging initially as part of a fitness and weight loss journey and I was in a routine where I would post on a weekly basis as an update with what weight I had lost on my ‘weigh in Monday’. This soon turned into something that was quite toxic and left me feeling terrible about myself. I also soon realised that was not what my blog was about and instead I turned my focus to being a healthier and happier me. The wording of my blog strap line changed from ‘An ordinary girl on a mission to get fit and lose weight’ to ‘be fearlessly unapologetically you!’ A blog post with more on this, can be found here.

With this change in mindset I found that I began to enjoy more the simple act of movement and being active in different forms whilst having fun with it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I feel I need to address this as I don’t want anyone to think I am being a hypocrite, I would like to lose weight. There is nothing wrong with that (although I always fear being shot down when I say that). But I can do so in a healthy and happy way. Talking weight loss has become taboo and I actually wrote a blog post about that here, but my point is being active and movement should not be done with the sole focus of losing weight.

Have Fun!

For me I need to enjoy what I am doing and strongly believe we should never underestimate the importance of having fun. My mindset moved from having to diet and exercise to lose weight, which ultimately made me feel worse about myself and instead focus more on movement that makes me happy. It is what I love about going out on my mountain bike too – enjoying just being out and about on my bike, getting dirty, enjoying the fresh air, climbing across ditches with my bike, not worrying about my average speed and just enjoying the fun of it. Why don’t we do more of what we love?

To have fun is to enjoy what you are doing and for it to bring you pleasure. Once I took things back to being fun I found so much more enjoyment and I want to be active. My goals are still there but in between I enjoy my life.

A friend asked me once why I ran if I hated it? Good question, I was running to get quicker, but why? Soon I stopped chasing that goal of running quicker – I can run, I am not quick and that is fine. Why was I in such a rush and in turn hating every single run I did? Why not realise that the simple ability to move is a gift that some others do not have the luxury of and we should cherish that. I ended up running with a couple of friends at local parks and veering off on trails, exploring the forests. We would laugh and joke, jump trees, cross gates and bridges, run through streams and crawl through pipes and just enjoy being outside. Arriving home I would be filthy dirty but had a huge smile on my face.

Diet Culture

Increasingly the focus within society is on what we can achieve through exercise and movement rather than the health benefits. This leaves a feeling of working out to be a chore and something we don’t look forward to. Movement is defined as the act of moving. Looking at exercise as movement instead is more pleasurable. Movement produces serotonin, a feel good hormone that your body will thank you for.

Diet culture also plays a part where we have it drummed into us to look a certain way, eat certain foods and this naturally warps the mainstream perception of what movement and exercise is. To live like this encourages a very unhealthy relationship – be active, exercise and move because you want to and not because you ate a cake or a biscuit. There are many quotes about doing an activity because you love your body and not hate it and it is very true – we don’t complete a workout to feel depleted, we want to feel energised and we should do so intuitively.

Have you ever felt increasing pressure to go bigger and better? You run/swim/bike (whatever your chosen activity is) a series of distances that increase in distance but where does that stop? The focus is always on getting quicker, going further, and that is fine BUT if that is not your goal then that is also absolutely fine. You may have heard that phrase to compete or complete? Both are fine, it just depends what your personal goal is.

Find what works for you and your body and don’t be as concerned with what everybody else is doing.

What Does Being Active Look Like To You?

The NHS have guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 to complete 150 minutes of weekly physical activity. This could be anything from working out in the gym, to walking, cycling or yoga and much more. Choose what makes you smile.

For me being outside is key, I love nothing more than getting out on my bike or just being outdoors. Our son is now 22 years old but when he was growing up we wanted him to love being outdoors too. Children will follow the examples set by those around them and imitate what they see so it is key to remember that your influence can be hugely powerful.

So ask yourself how you move and if that brings you enjoyment and if the answer is no don’t be afraid to change and when you do, smile.

Category: Cycling

Gran Fondo Training Plan

I have just finished the Gran Fondo training plan on Zwift. This is my second training plan I have followed on Zwift; the other being the FTP Builder that you can read more about here.

So what is the Gran Fondo plan intended for? Well the objective is to build strength and endurance, whilst including high intensity interval training. When I was looking into the plans available the following appealed to me:

‘You’ll come away ready for long climbs, sustained efforts, and everything else a course might throw at you, thanks to this plan’s proven framework for success over long-distance rides.’

It was 8 weeks and each week had 4 sessions, which included the following:

long tempo intervals: intervals at 90% FTP intended to get you used to sustained power
low cadence intervals: now these I found so tough! I train using cadence and low cadence is not something I feel comfortable with. These intervals were as high as 97% FTP and as low as 55 RPM, when I usually sit at around 80-85 RPM so quite a difference and total leg burner!
progressive ramps: pretty self explanatory with intervals that progressively get harder and in addition each block of intervals getting harder than the one before
breaks: intervals that build to top speed and above threshold power with those breakaway sprints in mind
extended tempo: again with the focus on endurance and sustained efforts
sweet spot training: these always sound like they should be nice and comfortable and yet I find can be some of the harder sessions with most of your time being spent in 85% to 95% of FTP
tempo accelerations: steady endurance with sprint efforts
maximal aerobic power: intervals that are high power output, longer than a sprint but good recovery time in between efforts
over unders: my nemesis! I hate these sessions with a passion as they are always a killer. Unders at 80% FTP and overs up to 95% FTP, constant between these levels really test you mentally and physically.
long ride: these differed every week with each getting progressively longer in duration (the longest being 3 hours and 15 minutes). Each week had a different focus but each were intended to build endurance and included efforts to simulate conditions you may encounter when out on the road.
endurance free ride: I did my first two sessions of the week on a Monday and Tuesday and then used this ride as recovery to spin the legs ahead of the long ride at the weekend. You can also do this ride outside.

As I noted with the FTP Builder plan the Zwift companion app made it very easy to see how my plan was scheduled for the week and each session says when it will be available and you can click in to each to see what is in the session.

Every session completed then gets ticked off and you work your way through the weeks. I am one of those sad people who love to get my stars in a workout and so liked seeing the green tick when I completed a session too! Here are my stats from the end of the training plan:

So how did I get on? The longer sessions built up and that gradual increase definitely helped getting used to longer sessions in the saddle. With no natural movement on a turbo the longer sessions can be tough. My final session was 3 hours and 15 minutes and I managed to tick off my 25 volcano lap badge. Yes, 25 laps is as boring as it sounds but the efforts made it interesting. I also got my 100km badge too so triple win with final long ride ticked off and two badges!

I would definitely recommend this training plan if you are looking to work on your strength and endurance.

Category: Fitness

Looking Back on 2020

Where do we even start with this year? I half wondered if there was a need for a round up post but decided there was.

Needless to say it did not go as planned, but that is the same for everyone. Events were cancelled. Goals changed. It’s been emotional! But let’s focus on the positives.

When it came to my top 9 photos from the year, I was worried about it, but there are still so many memories, so I won’t focus on the negatives as there are too many smiles to do that!

2020 Events

So pretty much everything got cancelled or deferred. However, some switched to a virtual format and so I did manage to complete the following:

Vatternrundan virtual 315km – yep that was it, but it is my favourite so I am happy with that.

2020 Training

My set up at home is great so I have been lucky in being able to continue training. This was definitely something I needed to add a bit of structure and normality, completing the following:

6 week bootcamp course
6 week tailored cycling plan for me
6 week FTP Builder plan on Zwift
8 week Gran Fondo plan on Zwift
the annual mileage goal I set myself
achieved 100 of the 137 badges available in Zwift

Other 2020 Highlights

multiple weekends away in our camper van – so good for the soul!
more time with family
more time with friends in our ‘bubble’
improved work/life balance
more time with the dog – actually a little worried how she will be when we do return to normal working days
took up MTB (definitely need practice on this)
had a number of gravel bike adventures (same note as the MTB above on this one)

2021 sees me as a Foher ambassador again and I could not be happier about that! The support from my Fohfam has been amazing, as always, but this year even more so. It is always nice to see so many in the virtual world – lots of kudos and riding together.

Like many, I have a number of events that have been deferred from this year so fingers crossed they take place.

Here is to an even better 2021!

Category: Cycling, Fitness

Plyo Box Exercises for Cycling Leg Strength

When it comes to cycling one thing you will most definitely want strength in is the legs! Of course, there are other factors like a strong core as an example. However, you will find most people who cycle will incorporate strength work into their training for improved performance and injury prevention. Cyclists will probably pay particular attention to leg day – your legs will thank you when it comes to increasing the pace or hill climbs.

This is where a plyo box can come in handy, but first what is a plyo box? I first came across these in a CrossFit gym and it was made of hard wood and quite frankly terrified me. You can, however, also get a ‘soft’ version made of high-density foam, which is what I use (much kinder to the shins)!

Below are 5 of the leg strength exercises I have been using the plyo box for to complement my cycle training:

Box Jumps

You can’t have a plyo box and not include a box jump exercise right? Now if you are in the camp that is worried about crashing in to the box then I get you! Remember most people do at some point so don’t worry. Also you can start with the shortest side and work up to higher sides of the box when you feel more confident.

Start with feet under hips, bend into a partial squat and using your arms explode off the ground jumping to the top of the box, landing with soft knees also.

One legged pedalling

Bear with me with this one because it is a goodie! A friend of mine (the lovely Laura – Specialized Ambassador) suggested this as an off the bike workout and yes it looks a little silly but it works.

Start standing on the plyo box with one leg acting as a support into a partial squat and the other hanging off the side to do a pedal stroke motion. This works not only the supporting leg but also the core, hip flexors and functional pedal movement.

Calf raises

Your calves are always moving when cycling and this exercise both mimics the movement and strengthens the calf muscles.

Start standing on the edge of the plyo box, feet should width apart, raise up on to your toes and lower back down in a steady motion.

Hip thrust

A must have move for glute development, which will pay off when sprinting or out of the saddle climbing but also helps with back pain too.

Start with the bottom of your shoulder blades pressing into the top side of the plyo box with your barbell resting on your hips, knees bent, legs together and feet flat on the floor. As you lean back and rotate your shoulders up onto the box you drive your hips up.

Single leg push offs

An exercise that targets quads and hamstrings.

Start facing the plyo box and put one leg up on the box then push off and jump in the air, landing on the same leg. Repeat and switch with the alternate leg and also use your arms when jumping to help make the move more dynamic. If you are not so keen on jumping you can do these by stepping and incorporate weights instead.

The plyo box I am using is from Mirafit and can be found here. It has the 3 different heights of 16, 20 and 24 inches.

Happy cycling!

The plyo box was gifted but all opinions are my own.

Category: Fitness

Christmas Gift List Ideas

Being in a second lockdown I don’t know if you are like me but I love an excuse to shop online and not have to go out to the shops!

I think I will struggle a little this year thinking of thoughtful gifts for people as most of us have had such a jumbled year with everything that is going on. But, if you are a keen cyclist, like me, then here are some ideas for gift ideas to suit all budgets:

Kettleboob resistance band for strength workouts – definite gains to be had from strength and conditioning sessions off the bike. £14.99
NRG waxed chains – turn those waxed chains into extra watts! Full disclosure this company is owned by friends of mine but they know their stuff and I am a paying customer supporting their small business and have these chains not just on my road bikes but now also my MTB. Prices for chains range from £35 to £60 and other packages available too.
AMWRAP fun fitness gifts – so many options from small gifts to clothing but I can personally recommend the Fuck Burpees jumper, because who likes burpees?!
Spoke and Solace – cycle related clothing for men and women with the pink Giro jumper being one of my favourites, £48!
Love Velo CC – more cycle clothing designed by the lovely Lucy Sturgess and a brand close to my heart promoting equality in cycling. I have many of their tshirts but I think my favourite is the Here For The Cake tee because we all love a good cake stop on a ride right!
GCN Endurance book – new book from GCN by Mark Beaumont who is a long distance cyclist who currently holds the record for cycling round the world. This book gives guidance on all cycling aspects in relation to endurance riding. £16.99
Jens Cycling Art- have you done an event or cycled a famous route and want some art to hang in memory of that? If so then check out the prints available from Jen that start from £25.
BioRacer Winter Cycling Cap – they do say there is no such thing as bad weather just bad kit choices and with this winter cap you can’t go wrong. Thermal cap that covers not just the head but also the ears and part of the neck is a definite winner in my books. £45
VeloPac – I have one of these following a recommendation from a friend and they are fab! Neat little case that is waterproof and holds phone, money/cards, keys to hold your essentials when cycling. From £20 on Velo Vixen.
Dynamic Cyclist subscription – your one stop shop for classes/sessions/training available online or using the app for not just on the bike but also off the bike including stretching, mobility, yoga, strength, injury programming and more. $9.99 per month.

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Category: Cycling

Different FTP Tests

Ah the dreaded FTP test! Lets start with what they are – an FTP test is a measure of your functional threshold power and can be used to determine increase/decrease in fitness but more importantly for training plans so you can be more efficient in your workouts and get the most from them. If you use an app, like Zwift, for training it will colour the intervals of a workout so you can see at a glance and they are as follows:

Grey – zone 1/recovery
Blue – zone 2/endurance
Green – zone 3/tempo
Yellow – zone 4/threshold
Red – zone 5/vo2 max, which is basically the maximum rate that the heart/lungs/muscles can effectively use oxygen during exercise

You know those workouts with all the red are the hard ones!

But there are different versions of FTP tests out there just to add a little confusion and what one should you use? Well I use Zwift and with that you have the option of the following:

Long FTP – starts with a warm up followed by three sets of short ramp ups to 130% and in between two easier leg spins a 5 minute effort before starting your 20 minute effort before finishing with the cool down. The power is measured by the average power from your 20 minute effort and then 5% is deducted for a more realistic result.

Short FTP – starts by getting your warmed up and slowly ramping in two sets of intervals up to 130% of your FTP, the first ramp being shorter and the second slightly longer but only from seconds to minutes. This is then followed by a lower effort leg spin and then your 20 minute effort and cool down. The power is measured by the average power from your 20 minute effort and then 5% is deducted for a more realistic result.

Ramp Test – 5 minute free ride and then you pedal at 1 minute intervals, increasing effort by 20 watts per minute basically until you cannot pedal any longer. The power is measured by your best 1 minute power and then 25% is deducted for a more realistic result.

Ramp Test Lite – basically the above but for those who weight under 60kg or who are newer to riding and has a slightly different structure with a longer warm up period and each 1 minute interval increases by 10 watts. The power is measured by your best 1 minute power and then 25% is deducted for a more realistic result.

I completed the long FTP for my first test and since then always stuck to the short but more recently I was advised by many to try the ramp test. I was also seeing a lot of commentary about the ramp test online with what seemed to be two camps – those who felt it was more efficient and less stressful on the body and those who still remained keen on the 20 minute effort. Anyhow, I had just completed a 6 week FTP Builder training plan and to measure the improvement I needed to complete a test and figured I would try the ramp test. Now I know I cannot do a direct comparison as the last was in a different format but it does still give a good marker.

I have always dreaded the FTP test so was actually keen to see how I felt after the ramp test and if it was the same. Yes it is a very intense short workout but the recovery is absolutely so much quicker! I was surprised how it started so low and so easy to getting a little tougher and then within 90 seconds I would say moving to oh no don’t think I can hold on much longer to not being able to move the pedals. It is definitely a test where cadence is key – find a good rhythm and try and stick with it – the second your cadence drops too much you will almost certainly not be able to continue! I actually laughed when I got a text box asking if I was done and I definitely was so was happy to click the ‘I’m toast’ button and it then gives your result.

The downside of an increase in FTP? All the new workouts are based on your higher FTP levels so in turn are tougher! Let’s finish on a fun fact to end on a lighter note though – my first FTP test (the long one) almost killed me and I was so ruined by the end of it I couldn’t unclip so stood up and lent forward and lost my balance and fell off my turbo. Yep I basically fell off a stationary bike!

Other top tips from me:

take a couple of days complete rest before completing your FTP – it is threshold after all so if you are fatigued then you will be putting your body under further unnecessary stress and this will affect the result also
make sure you are hydrated
keep up the cadence as it really does help
stay seated – these tests are designed to record power from a seated effort and although you will be able to get more power from standing you will also fatigue quicker and this will not help the result
remember it is all relative – we are all different heights, weight and have different strengths and weaknesses so don’t compare your FTP result with someone else as it is personal to you
lastly (and not really a tip from me but from a close friend) is that races help – I know a few people who race online and you will have a message displayed on screen if your FTP increases during the race so it is not just the tests that measure the power output and some do not test well but perform better when racing so that is also an option and helps increase the power too.

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