It’s been a while since I have reviewed a shirt that as soon as I slipped it on had me a bit lost for words. i-RULE’s new PRIMO is DIFFERENT in that way. I did not know what to make of a shirt made of merino, recycled wood pulp and coconut fibre; it seemed more like a mix of natural product best used to make hippy dwellings. Once I put it on and the speechlessness set in I started to understand this natural fibre cocktail was tailor made for rednecked mountain bikers and hippies. Simply put the shirt feels like silk on and performs incredibly well in variable weather conditions hour after hour on the trail and at altitude.

The fabric itself provides that energy conserving thermo-regulation we all associate with merino but dries a hell of a lot quicker; it doesn’t smell after extended use and the coconut fibre panels not only wick like a synthetic but also provide better than UPF 50+ sun protection.

The smarts in this shirt don’t end with the new age fabric, the i-RULE design elements really come out to play here for the long distance rider with the DELTZ pockets a godsend for gels and bars; the trademark Quadstowe 4 pocket rear storage system with sloping side pockets holds enough stash with the centre zipped a useful adjunct for valuables and battery packs. The T vent system does a great job underneath your pack wicking moisture away and sans pack maximises airflow and sun protection.

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Traditionally, late autumn through to early spring marks the rebuilding of aerobic and strength foundations in the periodised programs of most endurance athletes. It coincides with shorter days, poor weather, dangerous road and trail conditions and with it all, seasonal health concerns.

As in any periodised ( or recovery-based) training program the main aim is progressive adaptation and improvement but not unhealthy obsession. It is OK to miss the occassional session and to roll with the punches in terms of other commitments. It’s not only the traditional big mileage time it is also about addressing core strength and particularly any imbalances or injuries that need rehabilitation and conquering.

Athletes that embark on regular, disciplined base training throughout the winter establish a substantial aerobic foundation that will carry them through to early summer; it’s like  money in the bank.The gradual low-intensity, repetitive nature of base miles often (but not strictly ) done on soft winter trails strengthens ligaments and tendons in key joints, enabling the athlete to gain strength in these crucial locomotion areas and prevent iunjury onset ahead of spring time speed work.

Hill work and snowshoeing or dune running ( if accessible ) are important ingredients in a successful winter build-up and offer stimulating and challenging alternatives to the daily grind.

A common misjudgment is to tune your base mile phase to a metronome like beat of low intensity with way too much time spent in HR Zone 1; it is usually of more use to venture to the dizzying heights of Zone 2 low ranges during winter miles, This means, roughly you should be spending a good deal of your time exercising at between 60-75% of HRmax. In terms of progression over a typical 12- to 16-week base phase, training should gradually increment from the low end (i.e. 62 to 71 percent of lactate threshold (LT), or around 61 percent of max heart rate) of the aerobic energy system to the high end (i.e. 90 percent of LT and 80 percent of max heart rate). In the case of say, a running program, adding 5km-10km gradually to your weekly total before a stable mileage rest period then add to the progressive total over the ensuing three weeks.

You should include a fartlek session once a week whether you are running, riding or paddling adding to the faster sections of these kind of activity over a 3 week period; it breaks up the monotony and helps ready your body for speed work in spring.

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Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a condition of muscle pain, soreness or stiffness that is generally experienced  12-48 hours post exercise.  It is particularly prevalent when kicking off a new program, switching disciplines ( trail running to kayak for example ), or after shifting your volume and intensity up a notch or two or doing compound sessions such as bricks.

Contrary to old wives tales and dated wisdom, DOMS is not caused by lactic acid accumulation after a tough training session or race. Szymanski (2001) notes that blood and muscle lactate levels do rise considerably during intense eccentric and concentric exercise, however values for blood and muscle lactate return to normal within 30-60 minutes post exercise. Szymanski also notes that the symptoms of DOMS peak within 24-48 hours after an intense eccentric exercise bout when blood lactate levels have been at normal levels for a considerable amount of time.

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In the past the notion that rowing would boost cycling was regarded as borderline nutty but as this week’s events at the Olympic Games in Beijing have shown there may well be a strong correlation between the sports; Rebecca Romero (UK) and Alison Shanks (NZ) 2 cases in point of ex rowers making the grade as world-class track cyclists.

Research at Hundington College in 2003 by Barfield,Sherman and Michael set pout to confirm the unexpected similarities among progressive oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate (HR), and lactate (La) responses between cycle and rowing ergometry.

In the research, eight recreationally active adults performed two progressive submaximal testing protocols, separated by 2–7 days. Subjects completed 3-min stages at 50, 100, and 150 W on both a cycle and rowing ergometer. VO2 and HR were recorded every 30 s. At the conclusion of each 3-min stage, blood lactate was measured.

Main outcome measures. For each variable, a repeated measures two-way (mode by intensity) factorial ANOVA was used to determine main effects for mode, intensity, and interaction.

Results. There was no significant main effect (p>0.05) for mode on VO2 (cycle M=25.88±2.96 ml kg−1 min−1, rowing M=25.94±2.74), HR (cycle M=136.75±10.27 b min−1, rowing M=135.30±9.08), or La (cycle M=4.34±1.06 mmol l−1, rowing M=3.78±98).

The results of the current study provide evidence that cycling and rowing exercise may be used interchangeably during rehabilitation.

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Enduring road and MTB training in sub zero conditions day in day out in the Mackenzie (New Zealand) is enough to make you either take up lawn bowls or start thinking of effective alternatives.

If you are going to ’sacrifice’ hard miles in the saddle for an indoor regime (other than pure ergo work) you must ensure the routine trains bike specific neuro-muscular pathways and makes a contribution to strength, power and calorie consumption.

A popular alternate training regime in Europe and North America is the lamely labeled ‘bike circuit training’; lame by name but if done correctly powerful by nature.

Like any traditional circuit training format the bike circuit provides a variety of exercise activities wrapped around a core of ergo-based interval routines. These activities tend to be a mix of free weights, isometrics, plyometrics and machines. An ounce of common sense would also see the inclusion of bike-specific yoga stretches at the end of the session.

Not only is a bike circuit portion of your programme fantastic for coping with poor weather it’s also a great tool for adding some variety so it is not all 24/7 dull.

Really , the exercise focus is on developing strength, balance and stability in between your bike intervals bursts which tend to cluster around your specific goals; threshold work; steady state aerobic; tempo and cadence.

Remember,cycling-specific exercises adjacent to full-on pedaling intervals reinforces cycling-specific neuromuscular pathways which is why it is important to select exercise regimes that are relevant.

There is of course, a range of off-bike exercises for you to consider foremost of which should be dynamic squats, inclined bench step-ups, particular plyometrics, the lunge, and possibly the leg press and curls.

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Very much in vogue, post WW II, the humble medicine ball is winning over a new generation of converts. We are great believers in incorporating plyometrics and medicine ball routines into your programs not only for the specific physical benefits but also to instill a sense of fun and variety into what is usually a tough and monotonous routine.

In terms of cost effectiveness, accessibility and efficacy, medicine ball workouts definitely have their place. Used in conjunction with conventional plyometrics, medicine ball exercises can help improve strength, speed, balance and power. With medicine ball exercises you are dynamically moving your body, with resistance through a range of fluid motions.

Medicine balls utilize a high level of trunk activity. Many theorize that all movement begins at the core (abdominal and low back) and all forces are translated through this region. This means that if your core is weak your ability to develop power or force through the extremities will be reduced. Although there are many ways to train the trunk, medicine balls allow you to train these muscles in an explosive manner as well.

Explosive power development will give you new levels of strength and help improve overall performance. In sport there is no factor more important than rate of force development. Meaning, being just strong is not enough.

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There is no doubt for those who go hard out with their multi-sport and AR that the constant pounding does eventually, overload joints and eventually impedes mobility. We do not have to look far and wide for a magic elixir as our TV screens and even our supermarket shelves are brimming with bottles of the miracle supplement combo of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate; now with added bits and pieces such as Botswellia. There is no doubting the efficacy of this treatment although time to relief may be counted in the weeks rather than days.

There will soon be a next generation of compounds available to supplement manufacturers that will provide superior healing properties and pain relief for those with joint injuries and incapacities. These new aids will work over time—either alone or in combination with traditional joint-health supplements—to provide comprehensive, broad-spectrum support for joint repair and tissue regeneration.

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