McRae - Ride strong: essential conditioning for cyclists

Bloomsbury Sport

An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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This electronic edition published in 2016 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First published 2016

Jo McRae, 2016

Illustrations by Dave Saunders and Louise Turpin, 2016

Photography: Hamish Brown (internal); Robin Bell (contents page and )

Jo McRae has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.

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ISBN: 978-1-4729-2860-3 (PB)

ISBN: 978-1-4729-2861-0 (eBook)

ISBN: 978-1-4729-2862-7 (ePDF)

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Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the importance of what I have learned through the CHEK institute in enabling me to write this book. Much of what I apply in my work with cyclists is an amalgamation of learning, but I rely on the knowledge I have gained through the CHEK institute the most.

I would like to thank my exercise models: Paul Callahan, Jake Martin and Nichola Roberts, who bring the book to life with the bodies of real cyclists. This makes the exercises all the more relevant and meaningful.

Hamish Brown has provided the stunning photographs that illustrate this book. I would like to thank Hamish for his support on this book as an artistic project. Thanks also to Robin Bell for allowing me to use his picture of Paul riding from Lands End to John Ogroats on the contents page.

Most of all I would like to thank my close friends and family who have helped me take this book through its various incarnations to final completion. You know who you are. THANK YOU.

About the author and contributors

Jo McRae is a lifelong cyclist whose experience crosses a range of disciplines at national level competition with road racing, criteriums, time-trialling, track and cyclo-cross. She started racing bikes as a young girl, and having graduated from Loughborough University with a first class degree in sports science in 1998, she briefly represented Great Britain on the road in Australia before racing for a season in France supported by the Dave Rayner Fund.

On her return in 1999, Jo found work in the fitness industry exploring all avenues of teaching and training to build some real-world experience on top of her academic knowledge. Over the past 15 years she has developed a skill base that allows her to bridge the gaps between rehab, fitness and performance merging several fields that otherwise have operated in isolation and provide exercise programmes that meet the needs of the individual across the spectrum.

In recent years she has brought this knowledge back home and applied it to cyclists, specializing in providing off-the-bike conditioning programmes that dovetail with a riders cycling training to maximize gains in performance and to minimize risk of injury.

Jo continues to ride regularly herself, but its the challenge of getting the best out of other riders in her role as coach and mentor that she enjoys most.

You will see her throughout the book making adjustments to the models in as they work through the exercises.

Paul Callahan is a weekend warrior and family man in his 40s who enjoys riding his bike to stay fit, to commute, and to get outside. He has dabbled in a bit of road racing and done a few time trials but mostly enjoys riding for the fun of it. In 2014 he rode from Lands End to John o Groats with eight others, raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. He says of the journey: It was the ride of a lifetime, riding until sunset on an unknown path, making great friends and memories along the way. The photo on the contents page shows Paul on that epic ride. He has promised to one day repeat the route with his wife, Tosie.

Paul illustrates the essential stretching exercises in . These are the most relevant for riders like him who benefit most from flexibility work.

Jake Martin is a young (almost) full-time cyclist competing at national level in the UK at the time of writing. In recent years Jake has been trying to make a name for himself on the tough UK circuit. 2014 was a difficult season for Jake and his body shows the scars of the many crashes and injuries he sustained throughout that year in our photo shoot.

Jake illustrates the essential strength exercises in . These exercises are most relevant for riders looking to develop that extra edge in their performance and training and are willing to work consistently year round to gain the benefits.

Nichola Roberts started competitive life late as a triathlete. After a cycling incident in 2012 prevented her running and swimming, she focused solely on cycling and has not looked back. She has competed in road racing to Cat 2, completed the Haute Route Pyrenees in 2013, finished first woman at Ride London, and has competed in various European Gran Fondos. Mostly, though, she cycles for the love of it and is never happier than when lost in the country lanes of Britain or the mountains of Europe.

Combining her passion for cycling with her profession as a physiotherapist, Nichola set up Velophysio in order to help people interrupted by injury to achieve their cycling goals. With 15 years experience of working as a physiotherapist on sports injuries, together with specialist training in cycling, Nichola has found her calling.

Nichola illustrates the essential core exercises in with Jake.

Introduction

One of the best things about riding a bike is that it reminds us what it feels like to be a kid.