FASTER Cycling

After a recent podcast with Jim Martin we discussed the idea of matching breathing rate to cycling cadence and how it creates more efficient cycling. In this episode of FASTER we talk with Dr. Andrew Sellars about breathing rate and cycling/running cadence. It's one of my favorite episodes in a long time and I highly recommend listening. Andrew's knowledge as a coach, his background in physiology and muscle engagement in ...

Instead of picking a training methodology like threshold training or a polarized approach, what if you created a training that was adaptive? Wouldn't this be a better solution for you as an athlete in the long run? Today, on FASTER we are joined by Jim Van Der Berg who is the creator of JOIN Cycling, an ex-semi pro cyclist the the current coach of many pro cyclists. Jim also has a degree in exercise physiology and sports psych...

If you've ever ridden on a virtual cycling platform you may immediately notice that it's not representative of real-world cycling. When you come out of a corner on the road you have to add watts to the pedals to speed back up. Most virtual training platforms end up acting more like a spin class. George Gilbert set out to correct this process and founded IndieVelo in 2022. A short two years later his company was acquired b...

We welcome back the legendary Scott Tindal to discuss electrolytes for cyclists. Today, electrolytes have become common for daily use even amongst non-endurance athletes. Many of the electrolyte products contain ingredients that are not needed. In this episode of FASTER we break down what electrolytes are, what electrolytes you need, how electrolytes help cyclists, and how to optimize your electrolyte intake so you can become FASTE...

RAAM or Race Across America is a legendary race with cyclists racing across the country. Traditionally a solo race, it has expanded to include 2, 4, and 8-person teams. When you think of riding across the country you may think it would take 30 days. However, the fastest solo time is now less than 8 days. Today on FASTER we are joined by Rick Boethling who manages the day-to-day operations at RAAM and has crewed the race for his fat...

We've had several episodes discussing fueling during training and racing but today we cover fueling before and after training and racing. Sam Shepherd from Precision Hydration covers pre-training and pre-race strategies, including carb loading, carb sources, tips for fasted athletes and why fueling post activity is best looked at as part of you training session not a separate event. Listen to this episode to lock in your nutri...

In this episode of FASTER we have Dr. Jim Martin back to discuss cadence for cyclists. We also discuss the main differences between 2x and 1x drive trains and why 2x is likely faster for most athletes. We cover a wide range of topics including metabolic cost, cost of unloaded cycling, weave frequency, picking the right cassette and much more. Listen to this episode to learn how to optimize your cadence so you can become FASTER.

Many world class athletes can be seen with their eyes closed before a major event. I often wondered what they were doing and I've learned that most are visualizing. Visualization is a sports psychology technique that is proven to improve sports performance. In this episode of FASTER we discuss confidence and trust which are the building blocks of visualization and then discuss everything about visualization. Listen to this epi...

Most people in the west think of two things when discussing mushrooms. Food and hallucinogens. However, mushrooms have been used in the east for thousands of years for health. Recently, a cycling team used cordyceps mushrooms to help their athletes improve VO2 Max and studies show humans do get a VO2 Max boost from mushrooms. In this episode of FASTER we talk with Danielle Ryan Dawson from FourSigmatic about how adaptogens and mush...

Did you know that the fastest disc brake wheels we make are our gravel wheels even through they are 23mm shallower than our deepest road wheel? In this episode we discuss why and have a detailed conversation about Dollars/Watt when looking at gear. Most people look at the cost and the number of watts saved but time needs to be considered. We break down the math and show you how to save the most watts for the least amount of money. ...

Pelvic floor health may be something you've never heard of. While pelvic floor physical therapists been around since the 70s many issues go misdiagnosed by clinicians unaware of this specialty. Most pelvic floor work has focused on women's health but men are also impacted by pelvic floor issues. Listen to this episode of FASTER to learn all about pelvic floor health and how you ensure you aren't experiencing pelvic f...

Testosterone generally has a bad name when it comes to cycling and endurance sports. Steroids, TRT, and other options have landed cyclists in a lot of hot water. However, testosterone is a key part of our make-up and it is important to have enough to perform as a cyclist. In the episode of FASTER we talk with Mike Mahler of Mahler's Aggressive Strength about testosterone, hormones, and how to increase it naturally. Listen to t...

Vibration plays a critical role in cycling yet many people do not understand its importance. We've been studying vibration at FLO for years and working vibration reduction into the design of our wheels. Today on FASTER we talk with Matt Chase the vibration expert who helped with on road testing at FLO for measuring vibration and natural frequencies. Listen to this episode to get a masterclass on vibration and how it applies to...

As we age pain can increase during physical exercise. However, pain is not always a sign to stop. It may mean we need to push through or find new ways to keep moving. Old theory states that as we age we must slow down but new research proves that the more we move the longer we live and the better quality of life we have. In this episode of FASTER Dr. Kyle Buth from Crafted Wellness discusses using pain as an indicator to keep movin...

Have you ever considered how your spine alignment during sleep impacts your performance? We'll Dr. Martone has created a whole career on helping people improve the position of their spine during sleep to improve performance and prevent injury. Dr. Martone a practicing chiropractor and mountain biker herniated a disc which had him re-evaluate everything he knew and was teaching his patients. This led to a complete change in his...