#1 Cycle more
The old saying 'practice makes perfect' is true and is certainly the case when it comes to improving your fitness levels for sport. There are numerous ways to train.
The hard part is finding more time to cycle. If you have a busy working life a great option is to cycle to and from work each day. If you don’t have time for long distance cycling, power interval biking may be a good option to build fitness levels.
#2 Motivation
Ever heard the phrase mind over matter? Staying in a positive mind frame and feeling motivated can have a big impact on your performance. It’s important to feel inspired. Cycling groups can often be a good way to discover new places, exchange cycling tips and above all really push one another, plus it adds a great social aspect to your cycling which will help the miles fly by!
Making excuses why not to cycle such as not wanting to ride in bad weather or being too hard on yourself and your fitness levels can really have a negative impact on your progression so it’s important you find the right way to keep yourself and your motivation sky high.
#3 Set targets
If you’re serious about improving your cycling fitness setting targets is the perfect way to make sure you have something to aim for. Knowing how far you’ve come, whether you’ve improved or need to push yourself that little bit harder is a great way of keeping track of where you’re up to. Plus working towards that end goal can give you an amazing sense of achievement once reached!
#4 Eating correctly
Having a well balanced diet is the key to fueling your rides. Maintaining your energy levels are crucial so make sure you have good pre and post work out meals for high performance and recovery post training.
Carbohydrates are important; this is where the main source of energy will come from. Oats are a great way to start any day as they have slow releasing energy. Remember to avoid certain foods before riding such as fatty foots, spicy food, foods hard to digest such as red meat and any heavy foods in order to avoid having stomach upset.
Protein is key to post riding as they help maintain and build muscle mass which is important in the recovery process. Great sources of protein include meat, fish, eggs and milk.
#5 Having the right bike
Hybrid bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, fixed gear bikes, electric- assist bikes…we could go on. There are ranges of different types of bikes available and that’s not to mention the option of sizes and accessories that come with these. Ensuring you do your research on the kind of bike that works best for the type of cycling is crucial to your riding performance. Getting a bike properly measured to your size will make all the difference.