Specific training: improve your biking performance !

I’ve decided to talk about biking today because it is one of the outdoors sport that I enjoy the most. Firstly, because it allows me to spend the day outdoors and secondly because it is an intense sport that can help improve general physical condition efficiently. However, if you practice it as a means of training method or to prepare yourself competitively, you’ll benefit by combining it with a specific training program. The specific training will help you to prevent injuries and optimize drastically your performance. In this article, I’ll share with you a biking sample workout routine that will help you to optimize your performance.

Before starting a specific training program, it is a must to understand the biomechanics of biking. The muscles which are recruited most when you bike are quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes. The two power muscles are the quadriceps that allows extension of the leg as you are pushing and the hamstrings that does the flexion of the knee to pull back the pedals. The workout routine below is designed to increase both stability of the knee and the hip. This will allow you to use less energy to perform the same effort, which will improve your endurance.

A1 – Piriformis superficial fibers, 2 sets of 100 repetitions,
lift in 1 sec. and go down in 1 sec. (1010 tempo)

A2 – Gluteus Medius medial fibers, 2 sets of 100 repetitions,
lift in 1 sec. and go down in 1 sec. (1010 tempo)

B1 – Front barbell step-ups, 4 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions 2010 60 sec rest.

B2 – Biceps femoris Kneeling leg-curls, plantar flexion of the ankle, feet neutral, 4 sets of 8-10 repetitions 4010 60 sec rest.

C1 – Dumbbell Split squat, 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions 3020 60 sec rest.

C2 – Lying leg-curls, dorsiflexion of the ankle, feet neutral, 4 sets of 6-8 repetitions 5010 60 sec rest.

C3 – Seated calf raises, 4 sets of 15-20 repetitions 2020 60 sec rest.

To get optimal results, I recommend that you do this routine twice a week for 4 to 5 weeks. After completed this routine 8 to 10 times, you might hit a training plateau. Therefore, you will need to change the exercises, number of repetitions as well as the rest time to overcome that plateau and further keep up with your progression. This routine is as effective for beginners as it is for advanced people.

You would like to further optimize your performance ? Contact us, so we can make you a specific training program for your sport !

Good training!

Jean-Francois Thibault
JFT INTL
514-223-6060
info@jftintl.com

2 tips to increase drastically your performance !

Spring is back and you have probably already started back your favorite sports outdoors.  Did you know that you could improve your sports performance by following a specialized weight training program built for your sport? If you are someone who likes to surpass himself and overcome your plateaus of sports performance, then a sport-specific training program is the solution !

For instance, if you practice running. The hip muscles are key muscles to work on and to strengthen so it allows you to use less energy and oxygen at every stride and thereby prevent injuries. If you are an expert at mountain biking, your abdominals and lower back muscles have to be really strong. You must work these muscles in agreement with your current physical condition. This is why giving the same sports-specific training program to everybody practicing the same sport is not logical because everybody have their own limitations.  Since we do not all have the same flexibility, bone density, muscle quality, coordination, postural alignment, it is imperative to respect these individualities.

The fastest way to increase athletic performance is to first start by correcting your postural alignment and train your postural muscles.

First, here are some benefits of having a perfect postural alignment:

1- Better coordination and reflexes

2- Major decrease in the risk of injuries

3- Increased joint stability

4- Better balance and mastery of the gravity line

5- Increased energy levels

6- Decreased stress levels due to muscular compensations

7- Improved digestion

Having your postural alignment done will improve your sports performance for sure, guaranteed!

After performing postural corrections, a specific weight training program combined with myofascial stretches is the secret to optimize your performance while decreasing the risk of injuries. Each muscle must be trained in relationship with your type of muscle fibers and the sports event. For example, a distance runner will not train his quadriceps the same way as a gymnast.Yet both sports requires a contribution of quadriceps, but the runner for its part need much more endurance while the gymnast needs strength and explosiveness. I think you see where I am getting, the desired muscle quality is different in every sport. So, even though the exercises might be the same at some times, the number of sets, the repetitions range, the tempo as well as the rest between the exercises will never be the same. For instance, the distance runner would benefit from doing sets of 100 repetitions on squat. However the gymnast would need to do sets closer to 4 to 10 repetions according to the periodization.

At JFT INTL, our philosophy is to respect the individuality of each person. Our personal trainers are qualified to teach you sports-specific training programs that goes with your type of muscle fibers in order to let you surpass yourself in your favorite sport.

Contact us now to make an appointment for your postural correction and to get a sports-specific training program that suits your needs.

Jean-Francois Thibault
JFT INTL
514-223-6060
info@jftintl.com

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIFIC STRENGTH TRAINING FOR GYMNASTS

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIFIC STRENGTH TRAINING FOR GYMNASTS