Pavcast

Wind. It can be painful, it slows you down, and it is often accompanied by something wet… ultimately, however, once you push past it, you will become a stronger cyclist.

Of course, I’m talking about the infamous, invisible force which destroys our cycling speed and makes us want to cry. What did you think I meant…?

Discussed in this podcast episode. How wind makes you physically stronger, including the training implications of wind. How wind makes you mentally stronger, including fear and common fear symptoms, systematic desensitisation, flooding, and coping. How wind makes you more aerodynamic, including ways to cheat the wind.

Links to further resources:

- Blog on how your mentality influences your cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-mentality/how-your-mentality-affects-your-cycling-performance/

- Link to further content: https://coachpav.com/blog/

- Blog on how to successfully complete a Gran Fondo event: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/your-guide-to-successfully-completing-a-gran-fondo-or-sportive/

- My client profile: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-client-profiles/

Silence… an opportunity to sit with your thoughts, reflect on your training, and check in with how your body and mind are feeling. During this time you can start to understand and appreciate all the thoughts and feelings going on in your mind and throughout your body. It is during this time that you can make huge improvements in mental toughness.

Discussed in this episode. The science of meditation for cyclists, including flow and athletic performance. Starting a meditation practice, including example breathing techniques.

Links to further resources:

- Study conducted into meditation for athletes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5605575/

- Further study into meditation for athletes: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-017-0018-3

- Wikipedia definitely of flow: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)

- Calm: https://www.calm.com

- Headspace: https://www.headspace.com

- Balance: https://www.balanceapp.com

Stretching is another area that we, as humans, love to get polarised about. You either do it or do not. If you are familiar with the term, it’s marmite. If not, you either love it or you hate it.

As a cyclist, can you benefit from a stretching routine? Funnily enough, the answer isn’t a clear yes or no. It depends on many factors including the time you have available, how focused you are on your bike riding, and what your day-to-day life is like. Read on and find out whether stretching is for you!

Discussed in this episode. The science of stretching. The benefits of stretching, including holistic best practise and mentally stretching. Stretching best practices and my top 5 stretches for cyclists.

Links to further resources:

- Link to further content: https://coachpav.com/blog/

- My client profiles: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-client-profiles/

- Research into stretching our minds: http://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/stretching-doesnt-work-the-way-you-think-it-does

- Link to info on Central Governor theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_governor

- Link to my video on stretching: https://youtu.be/spB4VwprTIw

If you’ve been following my content for several years now, you will know I’ve done this before… yep, that’s right, I’ve got to the point where I literally have to rehash my old content to keep you entertained… honestly, shame on you for listening

You will, however, be happy to know that I have updated my list and some of the reasoning behind them.

Anyway, if you can say each of these factors applies to you, you can safely say you are a proper cyclist. Hit me up on social media (@pavbryan) to let me know how many apply to you, or to let me know if I have missed any.

Links to further resources:

- Link to my client profiles: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-client-profiles/

- Info on coaching: https://coachpav.com/coaching/

- My profile: https://coachpav.com/meet-pav/

- Optimising recovery for cycling training: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/how-to-optimise-recovery-for-cycling-training/

For me, one of the most fascinating fields of general health is the role our gut plays in keeping us healthy. This probably stems from the challenges I have faced with various conditions and intolerances that have made nutrition somewhat more important to me than the average person.

In relation to other areas of our body, we really know very little about our gut and, although new research is constantly being presented, we have a long way to go before we can say with certainty that we know exactly what the inside of our gut should look like and how to definitely improve it.

That said, this blog will look at the link between gut health and cycling training performance.

Discussed in this podcast episode. Gut health, including what we know about gut health - nutrition and supplements. How gut health influences cycling performance. Ways to improve gut health, including gut healthy food and my top 5 foods to improve gut health. Adequate hydration. Relaxation, including my top 5 tips to reduce stress. Sleep. Finishing with my top 5 tips to improve gut health.

Links to further resources:

- How plants can unlock cycling performance increases: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-plants-can-unlock-cycling-performance-gains/

- How eating healthy improves cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-eating-healthy-increases-cycling-performance/

- Link to my nutrition content: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-nutrition/

- Link to my Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/pavbryan

- How to personalise a hydration strategy: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-to-personalise-your-hydration/

- How to prioritise your cycling events: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/how-to-prioritise-your-cycling-events/

- How stress is destroying your cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-mentality/how-stress-destroys-cycling-performance/

- The role sleep plays in improving cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/how-sleep-improves-cycling-performance/

- Link to my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/pavbryan

- Link to my client profiles: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-client-profiles/

- Info on coaching: https://coachpav.com/coaching/

- Link to further resources: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-your-gut-is-…ling-performance/

This is a phenomena we all experience, yet we don’t really talk about; it’s almost become taboo to discuss. I’ve searched the internet and can find no signs of scientific studies conducted into why this happens to us. With that in mind, I’m claiming this and naming it Performance Induced Stupidity Syndrome - maybe we can abbreviate it…

Of course, I’m making light of this situation, but bare with me. For those of you who haven’t made a bad decision in the heat of a race, Gran Fondo or Sportive, or club ride when tired, it can and will happen. This blog will give you the groundwork to understand why it might and the tools to ensure it doesn't.

Discussed in this podcast episode. How endurance training affects mental fitness longer term, including what ‘fluid intelligence’ is. How endurance training affects mental fitness during and immediately after training, including what Performance Induced Stupidity Syndrome is and why we experience Performance Induced Stupidity Syndrome. How can we cope with Performance Induced Stupidity Syndrome including my tips and tricks to avoiding issues.

Links to further resources:

- Further information on Crystallised Intelligence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_and_crystallized_intelligence

- Further information on Fluid Intelligence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_and_crystallized_intelligence

- Link to my client profiles: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-client-profiles/

- Successfully completing a Gran Fondo or Sportive: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/your-guide-to-successfully-completing-a-gran-fondo-or-sportive/

- Beginners guide to using a power meter: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/beginners-guide-to-using-a-power-meter/

- How to fuel a Gran Fondo or Sportive: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-to-fuel-for-sportives-and-gran-fondos/

How to cope with the taper tantrums by Pavcast

Instant gratification is hardwired into us. While it is important to practise patience and grace as we train, it can be really nice when we change something small and see an instant cycling performance improvement. With that in mind, I have compiled a short list of the most common areas in which I see an almost instant improvement with my clients.

Discussed in this podcast episode. Bike setup, including position, aerodynamics, and bike maintenance. Focus. Weight, including the bike and correct fasted training. Why training zones are holding you back, and seeking out the right advice.

Links to further resources:

- Link to my blog: https://coachpav.com/blog/

- Link to my nutrition content: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-nutrition/

- Link to info on coaching: https://coachpav.com/coaching/

- Losing weight while cycling: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-to-burn-fat-and-lose-weight-by-cycling/

If you’re watching this, it is probably because you need to - or think you need to - lose some weight. When you first start structured training, some initial weight loss might be easy to obtain, but the lighter you become, and the more desire you place on losing more weight, the harder that weight loss becomes.

Discussed in this podcast episode. The methodology behind losing weight while cycling training, including high intensity, low intensity, and moderate (threshold) intensity. Nutrition, including periodised nutrition and calorie deficit. Mentality, including stress is the reason you’re struggling to lose weight. Plus, my top tips for burning fat through cycling training.

Links to further resources:

- How to improve your base fitness: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/how-to-improve-your-base-fitness/

- How plants can improve your cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-plants-can-unlock-cycling-performance-gains/

- How eating healthily can improve cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-nutrition/how-eating-healthy-increases-cycling-performance/

- Further mentality coaching resources: https://coachpav.com/category/cycling-mentality/

- How your mentality affects your cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-mentality/how-your-mentality-affects-your-cycling-performance/

- How stress is destroying your cycling performance: https://coachpav.com/cycling-mentality/how-stress-destroys-cycling-performance/

If you are training for a Gran Fondo or Sportive, you likely fit into one of these two goal setting categories. The first is the cyclist who is training for one big event. This might be an event abroad, something like the Maratona dles Dolomites or L’Etape du Tour. The second is the cyclist who wants to do them all - every cycling event on the calendar!

In this podcast episode, I am going to help you focus on the right events to target - based on you already knowing these events - which events to taper for, and how to know when to remove an event. If you’re stuck at the stage before this, where you’re not certain what goals to target at all, you need some help with goal setting.

Discussed in this podcast episode. The A, B, C of prioritising cycling events, including “A” events, “B” events, and “C” events. The bigger picture and your long term cycling goals. The ideal amount of cycling events in one season or year. When enough is enough. Plus, my top tips for prioritising your events.

Links to further resources:

- How to accurately set your cycling goals: https://coachpav.com/cycling-mentality/the-importance-of-goal-setting-for-cycling-training/

- How to taper (coming soon!!)

- Do you really need to work with a coach: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/do-you-really-need-a-cycling-coach/

- How to improve your recovery: https://coachpav.com/cycling-training/how-to-optimise-recovery-for-cycling-training/