Ask A Cycling Coach - Trainerroad Podcast

Take a deep dive into heat training to learn how it can make you a faster cyclist in hot and cool conditions. - How much does heat affect cycling performance? - What temperature is ideal for heat training? - How to control the temperature of your training environment - Is it better to heat train in humid or dry environments? - How sweating cools your body and how to increase your sweat rate - Should you train at a lower intensity in the heat? - How heat training improves performance - Can heat training improve VO2max? - How to make your sweat more efficient - Hormonal benefits of heat training - Does a post-ride sauna session have the same effect as heat training? -How long do the effects of heat adaptation training last?

• Why do you want to eat more during rest days or weeks? • Should recovery rides feel hard? • Why are you not good at long climbs? • Bike setup, pacing and technique to make you a faster climber • What is the best way to increase short power? • Is peak power what matters most in a sprint? • Omniums vs. stage races • Omnium strategy • How to fuel during a stage race • Does needing to get out of the saddle mean your workout is too hard? • When is it okay to sprint in the saddle? • How to learn as much as you can while watching the Tour de France. • Is riding zone 2 while watching the tour a waste of time? • Should your workouts be as hard as your races? • Why do you burn more calories when you get fitter?

• Epic Rides Carson City Off-Road recap • How to pace a long MTB race • How to save energy in a mountain bike race • The effects of extreme heat on human performance • How to rebound from overheating • Hydration strategies with aid stations • How to avoid cramps on the bike

• Epic Rides Carson City Off-Road course preview • How to prioritize races • How to set a time goal for an MTB race • What to know before you pre-ride a course • When should you time your course recon? • What is "sessioning" and how to use it • How to find good lines through a turn or obstacle • Is carb loading effective? • How to fuel before a race • How to stay positive during a tricky course recon

• Will taking 3 days off in a row hurt your fitness? • Can you fit two weeks worth of training into one? • Why you can't complete long intervals • Sleep hacks • How much does elevation really affect you? • Can you take a week off between training phases? • Does your training improve with a more expensive trainer? • How to treat saddle soreness • What is the difference between saddle sores and saddle soreness

• What to know before you race the Lost & Found Gravel Grinder • Should you warm up before a gravel race? • How to know if positioning is key for your race • How to improve your positioning quickly • What bike should you use for gravel racing? • Accessories and tools to carry in a gravel race • How to pace a gravel race that starts with hard climbs • What tires are best for gravel racing? • How much pressure to run in your tires for gravel racing • Are dropper posts valuable in gravel racing? • How to know if you should stop at aid stations or not • Group tactics in gravel racing • Should your nutrition plan change for gravel racing? • How to race a criterium with a lot of turns • How to "feel out" a pack of unfamiliar racers

• What Coach Chad learned from his trip to The Giro • What Nate has learned about geometry and bike setup • How to build corner speed • How to pace an XC race • Lost & Found Gravel Grinder preview • What to carry with you during a gravel race • Best bike setup for a technical gravel course • The coach's strategies for race day • Nate's calorie counting tips

• Is walking your dog recovery? • Is a carbon, full-suspension XC bike worth the cost? • How to fit your training into lunch breaks • Is active recovery actually better than complete rest? • How to train for “Knife Fights”, or how to be a serious threat in criteriums • How to adjust your plan to fit in big weekend workouts • What metrics should you track in a mountain bike race? • How to break through a wall of resistance on a smart trainer • How to train for TTs, The Coach’s TT challenge • Are warm downs effective? • Will taking 3 days off in a row really hurt your fitness?

• How to train for criteriums • The best way to train for cyclocross • How to pace a long time trial or bike split • Does riding the trainer cause unique injuries • How to mix low-volume and high-volume training plans • What the coaches look for in their power files • Aerodynamic advantages for triathlon • How to use road shoes in triathlon • Nate, Chad and Jonathan's TT challenge • Are cool downs beneficial?

• DEXA vs. BodPod • Knee pain rehabilitation for cyclists • Coach Chad is going to The Giro! • Is lactate a myth? • What causes pain during a hard effort? • Is it more important to hit your power goals, or stay in aero position? • How to train indoors in a hot environment • Should you wait to take an FTP test after rehabbing from an injury? • Do smart trainers measure power differently than power meters? • Should triathletes train like roadies in the off season? • How to balance massive weekend rides/races with a training plan

• Coach Chad's fasted training • Why just riding inside or just riding outside is not the best approach • Nate's high calorie experiment • Counting calories for cyclists • Why replicating your event's distance is not necessary, but can be beneficial • Nutrition's role on long rides • How to pace a road race that starts with a long climb • How to stay strong during a hard workout • How to psychologically prepare yourself for a hard workout • Does coffee dehydrate you? • Should you skip base if you have already been riding a lot?

• Nate's sleep study results • How sleep can affect your performance on the bike • Are allergy drops worth it? • Muscle biopsy update • Lost & Found Gravel Grinder race plans • DEXA body fat scan results • How to know if you should keep losing weight or just focus on raising power • What to do if you don't have enough time to complete your scheduled workout • How to cram for a Half IRONMAN • How to prepare for Silver King Leadville • Should you follow a high volume plan? • How to balance running and cycling • How to break through a plateau in fitness • Are group rides bad for your training? • The benefits and drawbacks of endurance bikes • Should you adjust your FTP depending on the workout? • How to get better at VO2 and high intensity workouts • How to psychologically train for hard workouts

• TrainerRoad is hiring! www.TrainerRoad.com/jobs • Athen's Twilight Criterium preview • Criterium race strategy • How to know if you should get in a breakaway or not • How to make a breakaway stick • How to know if your breakaway will last or not • When should you take a pull? • How long should your pulls be in a group? • Tactics to reposition yourself in a group • Criterium tactics for triathletes • How you should race if you are a Cat 5 • How to stay safe in a group • How triathletes can put roadies in the hurt box • How to prepare for "The Death Ride" • How to pace a big day in the mountains • What to eat during a sportive or gran fondo • Why simply riding at your FTP may be a bad way to get to your goal • How to trend your fitness toward an FTP goal

• Our new training tool! chillow.trainerroad.com • Nate's weird anti-snoring test • Muscle biopsy update • How to pick your races based off of your strengths • Are power meters valuable on mountain bikes? • Should single speed MTB riders use power meters? • When should you try to lose weight and when you should try to build power • When and what should you eat before a race • What type of food should you eat when riding? • How to adjust your training plan for a work trip • Is it bad to stick to a single race course? • How to branch out and find races that fit your skills • The best way to get slow in the summer • The benefits of being a fast swimmer in triathlon • How to know when to put more focus on a specific triathlete discipline • How to adjust your training for time off • Should your bike move side to side on the trainer? • How to have a smooth pedal stroke

• Nate's sleep study • H24 Camp recap • How to know when to change your A-Race • New Build and Century Plans • How to train with a broken collarbone • What effect does elevation training have on your body? • How to use elevation training properly • How to breakthrough a mental ceiling • When should triathletes use a road bike? • Are deep section wheels really that bad in crosswinds? • What is the ideal wheel setup for climbs • Is riding at night a good way to adapt to a lack of sleep? • Why you should get rid of your heart rate monitor (for racing, at least) • Should BMX racers train indoors? • How strong are BMX racers? • Can you train threshold and VO2max in the same workout? • Is FTP really "hour power"? • How to hit the apex of a turn

• How to form a cycling team • What is the role of a Director (Directeur Sportif, or DS)? • What is the objective of a team camp? • How to structure a team camp like the pros • What type of rides should you plan for a team camp • Should your training camp be at high elevation, or low at sea level? • How to select races as a team • How to select which racers will go to a race • How to form a race strategy • What to do if your race strategy has fallen through • How to perform a perfect leadout for a sprint finish • Team tactics for sprinting • Tips for riders from successful directors • Tips for team directors • How to race as a team • How to be valuable to a race team as a racer • How to race if you don't have a team • What a team should do if they don't have a director • Should you have a team captain, and what is their role?

• Strategies for how to recover mentally after a crash • How to transfer your indoor fitness outside • What type of fitness you should expect in the Base Phase • Is riding out of the saddle bad? • How to feel comfortable out of the saddle • What are the benefits of standing while pedaling? • How to train for Epic Rides Whiskey 50 • How to get structured training if you don't have a trainer • Are lab tests worth it? • What makes data usable as a cyclist? • Is it better to train late at night and risk a poor night's sleep? • How to train with a busy schedule • Can you use a smart trainer without plugging it in? • Is it bad to do extra intervals when feeling good? • What to expect if you are just getting started with bike riding • How does female fitness compare to male fitness? • How to hit your power targets outside

• Is it normal to have your wheel lift off the ground in a sprint? • Should you buy a used power meter? • Are dropper posts beneficial for road riding? • What sports drinks have low sodium? • How much sodium should your drink mix have? • Should you focus on your strengths or weaknesses? • What are "limiters"? • How to train for punchy road races • The best way to train for 2017 USAC Road National Championships • Is it a good idea to do hard efforts at the beginning or the end or a long ride? • Is road riding good training for mountain bikers? • How to best train for mountain biking • What crank length is best? • What should you know before you change your crank length • How to know if you are fatigued, ill, or training too hard • Our best descending tips for road racing

• How to check your equipment after a crash • How to know if your carbon frame is broken • The effects of mental fortitude on racing • How to shorten your training plan • How to lengthen your training plan • What tires should you use with FLO wheels? • Recovery techniques for stage racing • Should you prioritize one training phase over another? • Tips for training young athletes • How to pace an ultra endurance event • How to do form sprints • How to deal with the increase in difficulty from one training phase to another • Why does TSS drop in the build phase?

• Nate's Chico Stage Race Report • How to fit in group rides or races into your training plan • Is it normal to feel fatigued when returning to training after an A Race? • Should you skip base training after an A-Race? • How to break through a plateau • Is it bad to repeat your base phase if you don't have a specific race in mind? • How to adjust your training for illness or injury • How to balance road and MTB racing • Can you balance triathlon and enduro racing? • Is taking in protein a good idea on the bike? • How to develop a tapering strategy • How to eat during a recovery week • Is wireless braking on the horizon?