Hank: You could say tiredness and fatigue is part of cycling. I guess they are, but
what we can do is delay the onset of fatigue and tiredness, implement some tricks and tips
to get you riding for longer and faster. Now, this is my favorite one and it doesn't even
involve this bike. No, it involves this one. All right, old boy? This way, you can sleep
and ride at the same time. Go on, then, dad. I guess I'll see you in the next video. Oh,
no. It's the intro. [laughs] [music]
Right, let's kick off with an obvious one. Resting. Now, most cyclists or most athletes,
for that matter, focus on their training as the main aspect. Actually, resting is where
you repair, strengthen, and rebuild your muscles. You need to rest to enable you to get better,
fitter, and stronger. Make sure, if you're just getting into training or you're a committed
trainer, that you put in those rest days into your schedule.
Now, the other thing is listen to your body. If you wake up and you feel shattered, then
take the day off. There's no need to push yourself. It's actually going to be beneficial
to your training if you make sure you rest. Let those muscles repair and rebuild. Today's
one of those rest days. I can just relax and, well, take in the sound of the birds. Here
at GCN, we're using Whoops. Si, Dan, Jeremy, they all know how much rest I'm getting. Put
your feet up, rest, and don't feel guilty. While you're at it, why not just go through
GCN's bank of videos? This is where I need a television there.
[music] Warming up is a really effective way to prepare
your body and combat the onset of tiredness. It can be 10 minutes, really, really simple.
All you have to do, well, is pedal. Not putting out many watts and just loosening up the muscles.
Warming up is also really effective at raising your body temperature and your metabolic rate.
Waking your body up so you're firing on all cylinders when you get going. Getting in a
good routine about practicing yoga or even stretching will help you combat that effect
of tiredness. Right. I've had my morning coffee. Now for
a bit of yoga. Right. One, two, three, up. I apologize, for all you yogis out there,
but I've been practicing engaging the core. Look at that. Who would have thunk it? I'm
doing a bit of yoga. [music]
Dehydration can really impact performance, and it can also lead to muscle cramps, muscle
fatigue, and generally just eats away at your energy stores. Making sure you're topped up
on those fluids is absolutely imperative. What I'll tend to do is drink around about
a bottle an hour or two before exercise. When you're on the bike and going, I always tend
to try and stick to one bottle an hour. Little and often. Keep sipping throughout that hour
and try and get that bottle finished within that hour. It's also worth remembering, the
more you sweat, the more you're going to lose those salts and those minerals. Making sure
you get them back in is absolutely key to your hydration.
That's where these electrolyte drinks come in really handy. You can get this in a tab
form or powder form. Super easy to use. Chuck it in your bottle, give it a shake, and you're
good to go. Right. Prepare my bottle for the ride. Just like a cookery program.
[music] Fueling is also a really important part to
be able to maintain physical exertion. Think of it like putting petrol or gas in your car.
Your car's not going to do too well running on empty and your body is very much the same.
Keeping topped up on food and fuel will enable you to ride faster and for longer. Timing
is also really important. Eat too much before you go on a ride and you'll feel sluggish,
bloated, and you'll also get a stitch. Not very pleasant. Give yourself an hour or two
before you head out on the bike to eat yourself a good meal and let your digestive system
work its magic. All right. Fairly simple meal here. Excuse me, guys. I'm trying to eat.
For those longer rides of more than hour, then it's worth taking food with you. Taking
some sport nutrition bars and gels will help you keep those carb, those glucose, those
sugar levels nicely topped up throughout your ride. The longer the ride, though, the more
food you'll need to take, so make sure you pack some good food. Off we go.
[music] I'm just 20 miles from home. One thing I will
say is make sure you pace your effort. Don't come up with this elaborate plan, big elaborate
route, go out too hard too early, because you'll only end up struggling to make it home.
Work your way up to those longer rides and go nice and easy, nice and steady, and make
sure you get to the finish. Using something like this, a bike computer or a bike head
unit, will help you track the distance you're going and the speed you're going at. Now,
this is really useful when you're heading out on a route. You know exactly how long
on that route is left. That way, you don't go too hard too early.
Using a heart rate monitor is also a really good way to manage your exertion. You can
use those heart rate zones just to manage those workouts so you don't over-exert yourself.
I'll put that back on there. I'm good to go. [music]
Taking breaks is another great way to ensure you're staying out of the red and you're managing
your tiredness. Don't be afraid. Listen to your body. If you feel that bit tired on a
ride, then take a break, sit down, relax, get your breath back, re-group, and then you
can go again. All right. Five-minute nap and I'll be good to go.
[music] Try riding with a friend or with a group.
The great thing about cycling is that it's a sociable sport. You can have a good conversation
while exercising and it's also good because it will distract you from the workload you're
putting out. I've been on big group rides, got back home, and just realized how far I've
been because I've been so engrossed in the conversation. It looks a bit odd because I'm
on my own and I'm telling you guys to ride with friends or with a group, but in actual
fact, one, I've got you with me through the camera, and I've also got my lovely creator,
film camera. [music]
Lastly, choose a good time to ride. Some people love the mornings. They feel energized. They
hear the birds singing, the sun rising and they're super motivated for their ride. Others
like evening rides where they feel they've done a good day's work and they're liking
seeing the sun going down. Making sure you're maximizing all that energy is really important.
What I would say, though, is shy away from the night riding. Your body is ready to rest,
sleep, and your energy levels will be quite low. Unless you're like me and you take on
rather stupid challenges through the night, then I would keep to morning or early evening
rides if I were you. [music]
Get in a good routine and try and put some of these tips into practice. I hope that it
will help you last that little bit longer on the bike. If you enjoyed this video and
it's helped, then make sure you give it a thumbs up. If there's anything I missed that
you think deserves to be in this list, then let me know in that comment section below.
I guess I'll see you in the next video. How cool is this shot? See if I can let go. Are
you ready? It's a bit scary. Actually, I'm going to leave that for next time. All right.
Ciao bella. Now the video is done, now it's my taxi home.
Dad. No, Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. [laughs] [00:09:16] [END OF AUDIO]