In today’s Journal Club we’ll check out a brand new paper examining caffeine, coffee, and riding a bike as fast as you can. Does coffee improve your cycling? Should you stop drinking coffee in the lead-up to an important event in order to boost your caffeine sensitivity and performance on race day? Let’s find out.
Today I’m kicking off a new blog segment called the “Journal Club.”
In the Journal Club, we’ll examine a single research paper that holds significance to you as a cyclist. Whenever possible, I’ll select open-access research and include a downloadable link to a personally annotated PDF so you can dig into a full-text version and follow along.
In today’s Journal Club we’ll check out a brand new paper examining the performance implications of a Low Carb High Fat or “keto” diet. Is going “keto” likely to improve your cycling? Let’s find out.
Most cyclists are familiar with eating a lot of carbs. In simple terms, “Carbohydrate is the most important nutrient in an athlete’s diet because it is the only fuel that can power intense exercise for prolonged periods…” [1], [2].
Research into the performance boosting potential of beets goes back a decade [1, 8]. From effects on cardiovascular disease [15] to repeated-sprint performance [14], our knowledge of how beet juice impacts the body has continued to grow. Most of us are familiar with the decade old claim that beet juice improves cycling performance, but how exactly does it work?
Read More “Does Beet Juice Really Make You Faster on the Bike?”
Hydration advice can be confusing. Over the last 20 years, strategies have ranged from “drink to maximum tolerance” to “ intentional strategic dehydration”. In this article we’ll take a closer look at the spectrum of hydration research then draw from science to create basic guidelines for your next race.
Read More “Staying Hydrated on the Bike: Does It Even Matter?”
When it comes to riding a bike, whether accelerating out of a corner or going up a hill, being leaner is generally better [1]. Losing weight isn’t rocket science. Body mass goes down when energy demand outstrips supply. If the energy equation is so simple, why is getting lean such a battle for many cyclists?
I love drinking coffee with my family at a lazy breakfast, on a cold day exploring San Francisco, or most of all at the end of a long ride with friends. Coffee tastes amazing and smells glorious; oh, it can also make you faster on the bike.
Carbohydrate intake is a perpetually hot topic in the field of sports nutrition. From classic low carb weight loss strategies [1], to cutting edge carb periodization [2], if you’re wanting to ride further or faster, getting smarter about carbs is in your best interest.
Cyclists generally don’t spend much time thinking about protein. That’s a mistake. Adequate protein intake insures the maintenance of lean muscle mass, improves recovery through increased rates of glycogen synthesis, might improve cognition and sleep, and potentially helps to keep you from getting sick [1-3].
