Empirical Cycling
  • Home
  • Coaching & Services
    • Coaching & Consultations
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
    • About Our Coaches
  • Results
  • Podcast
    • Podcast Episodes
    • Donate
  • Education
    • Articles & Webinars
    • Empirical Cycling Library
Podcast merch!

​Listen and subscribe:

RSS FEED
ITUNES
Soundcloud
Stitcher
Spotify
GOOGLE
​If the episodes below don't load, turn off your ad blocker.
There are no ads.
If you think free coaching is worth a couple bucks,
​please consider a donation.
Picture

Ten Minute Tips #19: FTP Testing Shortcuts

4/20/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Ten Minute Tips #19: FTP Testing Shortcuts
​Kolie and Kyle discuss the mental and physical aspects of going into an FTP test and add some perspective on nerves, rest, and softening blows to the ego. Then three alternative RPE or data based, submaximal methods are discussed. We also touch on tests that go too well and how to adjust to realistic numbers for training, and why it's better to be consistent than play whack-a-mole with occasional good days.
0 Comments

Perspectives #11: The Best Workout Is Not Working Out, with Adam Pulford

4/5/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Perspectives #11: The Best Workout Is Not Working Out, with Adam Pulford
CTS coach Adam Pulford shares his thoughts on the ins and outs of recovery and how crucial it is. Topics including signs you need a rest week, how often you should take one, rest week structure, if sprints are okay during a recovery day, and the benefits of apple picking.

Show Notes
Adam's Instagram
Adam's CTS Bio

CTS Instagram
CTS Podcast
0 Comments

NASA Physicist Reveals String Theory SECRET to UNLOCKING Your Cycling Performance

3/31/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · NASA Physicist Reveals String Theory SECRET to UNLOCKING Your Cycling Performance
In this ground-breaking, tell-all episode, Kolie needles Kyle before he pulls at a thread, and Kyle's yarn untangles the skein of reality and explains how you can use the underlying fabric of the universe to bring your cycling performance to the next level.

0 Comments

Perspectives #10: A Guide To Time Trialing, with Cory Lockwood

3/27/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Perspectives #10: A Guide To Time Trialing, with Cory Lockwood
Former national time trial champion Cory Lockwood fields questions from Kolie and podcast listeners about the ins and outs of time trialing, including his #1 tip for time trialists of all levels. We cover pacing, gearing and equipment selection, and mental focus. Plus we talk about how Cory's current training is going, fueling for big workout days, the team behind a big performance, and the unexpected usefulness of mirrors and plastic wrap. ​All while his cats try to steal mic time.
0 Comments

Watts Doc #37: Your Fast Twitch Fibers Probably As Aerobic As Your Slow Twitch

3/17/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Watts Doc #37: Your Fast Twitch Fibers Probably As Aerobic As Your Slow Twitch
Does your training zone determine the fiber type used? Does fiber type determine aerobic or anaerobic pathways, carbs or fats? We answer these questions by looking at evidence and concepts that show that fast twitch fibers can be just as aerobically capable as slow twitch fibers, nearly as good at burning fats, and why that might be. We dissect a paper on elite cross-country skiers, and another paper on whether or not fast twitch fibers had been recruited at relatively low intensity. In-depth discussion follows on fiber type distribution, muscle mass recruitment and force availability, why endurance athletes defy the expected metabolic properties of fast twitch fibers, and why these expectations may have started with cats.
​
Show Notes
XC Skiers paper
The Muscle Fiber Profiles, Mitochondrial Content, and Enzyme Activities of the Exceptionally Well-Trained Arm and Leg Muscles of Elite Cross-Country Skiers

Ramp test muscle recruitment paper
Progressive metabolite changes in individual human muscle fibers with increasing work rates
Picture
Figure 2 from XC ski paper, showing HAD and CS activity of arm and leg muscle samples against MHC1 proportion in those samples.
Picture
Figure showing metabolite changes at rest and after ramp test stages to 2 below LT (t2), 3 above LT (t3), and to exhaustion (t4).
0 Comments

Watts Doc #36: How Power Meters Make Lactate Testing Nearly Obsolete

3/4/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Watts Doc #36: How Power Meters Make Lactate Testing Nearly Obsolete
Kolie makes his case that power meters are rendering lactate testing obsolete for most cyclists. After some background about lactate and why lactate testing was (and still is) historically crucial for science, we compare lactate test values in ramp and MLSS tests between individuals from an excellent but under-appreciated study. We also dig deep into more recent data, from the lactate test of a former world champion and Kolie's own surprising MLSS test, and the physiology explaining these results. We conclude with practical considerations about what threshold means, and why power meters are our best way to measure it.

Show Notes

Justification of the 4mmol/L lactate threshold
Lactate kinetics in human tissues at rest and during exercise (contains figure from episode cover art)
The maximal metabolic steady state: redefining the 'gold standard'
Alterations of the lactic acid content of the blood as a result of light exercise, and associated changes in the CO2 -combining power of the blood and in the alveolar CO2 pressure (Owles paper)
​Lactate kinetics and individual anaerobic threshold
Picture
Figure from cover art and above-linked paper: Lactate kinetics in human tissues at rest and during exercise"
Picture
World Champion lactate curve during step test with 3 minute step durations.
0 Comments

Perspectives #9: Pragmatic Physiology and Nutrition, with Tim Podlogar

2/21/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Perspectives #9: Pragmatic Physiology and Nutrition, with Tim Podlogar
Tim Podlogar, nutritionist for Bora-Hansgrohe and research fellow at the University of Birmingham, joins Kolie for a conversation. Just a few of the topics covered are what makes Slovenian riders so good, what lab tests are useful and for whom, low-carb rides, and why substrate use is not adaptation. Nutrition topics include fructose, "fat loading," the role of supplements like creatine, bicarbonate, and beta-alanine. Also discussed are things like responsibility for our media's influence, and the pressures, dangers, and nuances of MDPI and scientific publication.

Show Notes
Tim's Instagram
Tim's Twitter
Tim's publications
0 Comments

Perspectives #8: Why It's Hard To Rest, with Patrick Smith

2/15/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Perspectives #8: Why It's Hard To Rest, with Patrick Rest
This fantastic and nuanced conversation starts with discussing why it can be so hard to rest, but went into much deeper territory with changing one's behavior to better move towards goals. We explore ideas like a coach's job to moderate athlete responses to cultural and social pressure, managing the firehose of data, and the definition of insanity. Also touched on are practical ideas for self-coached athletes, such as leaving workout comments for yourself or daily journaling.

Show Notes
coachpatricksmith.com
0 Comments

2021 Best of Instagram AMA Questions

2/7/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · 2021 Best of Instagram AMA Questions
Kolie spent yet another year on Instagram (@empiricalcycling) answering questions in the stories for 51 out of 52 weeks to add a bright interlude to doom scrolling. This podcast contains 32 questions under the topics training intensity, periodization, adaptation, and general. Timestamps for the headings are below.

Show Notes
Timestamps (approximate) for question groupings.

Intensity related: ~2min
  • Straight from the first Q&A of 2021: Best way to gauge RPE?
  • Can you describe the RPE you like to prescribe for endurance rides?
  • Over/unders crush me. Sweet spot is easy. Normal?
  • When they say 2-3 high intensity workouts per week, does SST count towards that?
  • Thoughts on HR decoupling, and whether you should or shouldn’t push past it (in z2)?
  • Is it still realistic to believe that FTP is within a certain percentage of vo2max watts?
  • Does your FTP change day to day depending on internal/external factors OR during a big day?!
  • Percentage FTP for effective endurance ride? Does it have to be 75%?
Periodization: ~37min
  • Thoughts on mixing vo2max and threshold in the same block?
  • Historically poor anaerobic capacity even with focused training. Should I work on it all year?
  • When coming off a month break from training, what would you start with?
  • Is there such thing as vo2max maintenance? Like 1 workout every other week type of thing?
  • Do elite riders actually only stick to polarized approach? Or is there actually more variation?
  • What kind of long term planning goes into an elite training plan vs an amateur? Like a multi-year view?
  • Generalized version of many questions: How much aerobic training is needed for the track and/or shorter events like hill climbs? ALSO lots of training binaries questions, i.e. should i train anaerobic or aerobic?
Adaptation: ~60min 
  • Do aerobic gains require protein?
  • Does anaerobic work kill off mitochondria?
  • Can you have a high vlamax and a high ftp?
  • My vlamax is 0.31, how important is vlamax for crits? Do I need to increase?
  • On FTP: push it up, pull it up, or both? And does strategy change during the season?
  • Why training fasted of carbs when training aerobic base is touted to bring on adaptations?
  • How to train repeatability? All out until you can’t go over threshold? Or incomplete rest?
​General: ~80min
  • Any favorite training experiment from a year with no racing?
  • Does sex decrease performance on the day?
  • Cycling specific joint angles in lifts or full ROM?
  • Out of saddle increases HR and RPE… what to do? Train it more?
  • Thoughts on recent research re: use of ketones to prevent symptoms of overtraining?
  • Can you be at vo2max if not at HR max?
  • Why is resting so hard?
  • Things that pros do but hasn’t been proven by science (yet)?
  • Possible to get stronger and lose weight at the same time?
0 Comments

Ten Minute Tips #18: Metrics Are Not Fitness

1/29/2022

0 Comments

 
Empirical Cycling Podcast · Ten Minute Tips #18: Metrics Are Not Fitness
This episode takes a cue from Kolie's recent webinar on balancing aerobic and anaerobic training (linked in show notes) and delves deeper into the temptations of training to a metric or fitness test. We deconstruct some common FTP tests and metrics like FTP, FRC or W', and VLamax, and their interpretations and over-interpretations. Most of the discussion is about what drives these metrics, the pitfalls therein, and if you're actually getting less fit when they shift.

Show Notes
WKO5 Webinar: Balancing Aerobic and Anaerobic Training

Cat links!
Millie Instagram
Kelvin Instagram
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019

    Categories

    All
    Antioxidants
    Athletes
    Base
    Biochemistry
    Broscience
    Concurrenttraining
    Diet
    Efficiency
    Electron Transport Chain
    Free Radicals
    Ftp
    Glycogen
    Heart
    Hiit
    Interview
    Keto
    Lactate
    Low Carb
    MAP
    Metabolism
    Mtor
    Musclephysiology
    Pgc1-alpha
    Ramp Test
    Size Principle
    Slow Component
    Sprinting
    Strength
    Studentunion
    Substrates
    Testing
    Training
    Ttt
    Vo2max
    Wattsdoc

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2019
  • Home
  • Coaching & Services
    • Coaching & Consultations
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
    • About Our Coaches
  • Results
  • Podcast
    • Podcast Episodes
    • Donate
  • Education
    • Articles & Webinars
    • Empirical Cycling Library