Cold water immersion, Contrast baths, and Recovery between workouts shows some Promise.

Sprint Cycling Performance Is Maintained with Short-Term Contrast Water Immersion

CRAMPTON, DAVID1; DONNE, BERNARD1; EGANA, MIKEL1; WARMINGTON, STUART A.2

Abstract

Purpose: Given the widespread use of water immersion during recovery from exercise, we aimed to investigate the effect of contrast water immersion on recovery of sprint cycling performance, HR and, blood lactate.

Methods: Two groups completed high-intensity sprint exercise before and after a 30-min randomized recovery. The Wingate group (n = 8) performed 3 × 30-s Wingate tests (4-min rest periods). The repeated intermittent sprint group (n = 8) cycled for alternating 30-s periods at 40% of predetermined maximum power and 120% maximum power, until exhaustion. Both groups completed three trials using a different recovery treatment for each trial (balanced randomized application). Recovery treatments were passive rest, 1:1 contrast water immersion (2.5 min of cold (8°C) to 2.5 min of hot (40°C)), and 1:4 contrast water immersion (1 min of cold to 4 min of hot). Blood lactate and HR were recorded throughout, and peak power and total work for pre- and postrecovery Wingate performance and exercise time and total work for repeated sprinting were recorded.

Results: Recovery of Wingate peak power was 8% greater after 1:4 contrast water immersion than after passive rest, whereas both contrast water immersion ratios provided a greater recovery of exercise time (∼10%) and total work (∼14%) for repeated sprinting than for passive rest. Blood lactate was similar between trials. Compared with passive rest, HR initially declined more slowly during contrast water immersion but increased with each transition to a cold immersion phase.

Conclusions: These data support contrast water immersion being effective in maintaining performance during a short-term recovery from sprint exercise. This effect needs further investigation but is likely explained by cardiovascular mechanisms, shown here by an elevation in HR upon each cold immersion.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise:

November 2011 - Volume 43 - Issue 11 - pp 2180-2188

doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821d06d9

 

Cycling and Saddle Sores How to Prevent them

Preventing Saddle Sores

Wearing cycling shorts, as opposed to regular shorts over cotton underwear, will help cut down on friction that leads to saddle sores.

For many recreational cyclists, the worst part about getting back on a bike is the inevitable saddle soreness. Depending on how long you've been away, it may only take a few minutes before pain in the rear starts taking the joy out of your ride. Fortunately, it willget better with time. The more you ride, regardless of physical exertion, the longer you'll be able to sit as your tissues adapt to the added stress.

A Short Order

One way to reduce saddle soreness is by wearing cycling shorts. You will notice a huge difference when you stop using shorts over cotton underwear. Cotton absorbs and holds sweat, leading to a very chafed bottom.

I recommend using bib-shorts. This style, which has built-in suspenders, usually fits better than traditional shorts and does not shift while riding. When the chamois moves, it causes friction. Friction can cause irritation, chafing and eventually saddle sores.

It's important to clean yourself right after a ride so organisms don't start to grow and multiply. Make sure your bottom and crotch are as clean as possible before a ride to help prevent organisms from growing in the first place. For long-distance rides, cyclists might consider changing shorts at various points to help cut down on possible infections and chaffing.

It's important to remember that when you stop riding your sweat starts to dry. Because it contains salt, sweat will turn into solid crystals that start to sand the skin. The longer you're on the bike, the more you will need to apply chamois crème. Reapply when you stop to help decrease friction and keep a barrier from the potential salt crystals. Most crèmes on the market work pretty well, but try a few and see what works best for you. I do not recommend Vaseline. It is hard to get out of clothes, clogs pores, and stays on the hands, which can get into your gloves and cause a big mess.

The Right Saddle for Your Ride

Research has shown that traditional saddles compress various nerves and blood vessels. Over the past few years, saddle manufactures have been trying to decrease the pressure to these areas, and many companies now sell saddles with an open channel down the center.

Riders should also pay attention to saddle size and cushioning. There is a reason other than weight that you don't see huge saddles on the pro tour. Having a large area of contact with the bike increases the potential for pressure, which in turn causes nerve and blood-vessel issues. You want your sit bones and some buttock tissue to receive most of the pressure from the seat, not the area were most of the blood vessels and nerves connected to your genitals are located. 

Serious amateur riders and enthusiasts who spend long hours on their bikes need a comfortable, light saddle that eliminates all numbness. This cuts down the risk of damage due to repetitive micro-trauma.

I sometimes hear or read advice telling people to lower the tip of their saddle. This may help, but it creates an entirely different health issue. This adjustment changes the biomechanics of the bike. Riders can develop knee pain or other issues, which often leads to more bike adjustments and so on and so forth. The end result is an ill-fitting bike that causes more harm than good. The saddle should remain level, allowing the rider to slide a bit back on long climbs and allow the body to utilize fresh muscle fibers.

So what saddles are best for you? Experiment before choosing one. See if you can get a loaner saddle from your local bike shop. I use two different versions of the Selle SMP, a minimalist Stratos for my racing bike and a Glider, which has a bit more padding and is wider, for my touring bike. This saddle has a huge gap in the middle of the seat as well as a curved overall shape to help eliminate the pressure of the nerves and blood vessels. Its front is bent forward for added control when climbing or descending. In addition, the back portion of the saddle has a drop-out to prevent the tailbone from hitting the seat on uneven surfaces or hard bumps.

I just finished the 1200-kilometer Paris-Brest-Paris ride without any numbness whatsoever. Selle Italia also makes a few models I think are good alternatives for riders that experience numbness. In addition, Specialized has a broad range of sizes and gender-specific saddles developed by Dr. Andy Pruitt, one of the most knowledgeable professionals in cycling on body position and injury.

The best way to deal with chafing and saddle sores is to treat your bottom like a baby's. Use Destin, Balmex or any ointment with zinc oxide. In addition, using triple antibiotic plus a pain reliever on long rides is helpful. Remember, be picky when choosing your saddles, shorts, and creams; keep that area clean and you will find your rides to be much less of a pain in the butt.

 

Active recovery effects on local oxygenation level during intensive cycling bouts

Keisuke Koizumi^a*, Yukio Fujita^a, Shigeji Muramatsu^b,Motomu Manabe^c, Motoki Ito^b & Jun Nomura^d

pages 919-926

Abstract

We hypothesised that the oxygen supply to the fatigued muscles is improved after the recovery with exercise caused by aerobic metabolism in the slow twitch fibres during the recovery period. 

Ten males performed a 30 s maximum cycling (1st Exercise), followed by a 20 min rest interval (Interval Rest) in which participants were either sitting (No Exercise) or low intensive cycling (Active). Then they again underwent a 30 s bout of maximum cycling (2nd Exercise). The total work of the 2nd Exercise was higher in Active compared to No Exercise (297 ± 14 vs 276 ± 23 J · kg⁻¹, P < 0.01).

 After Interval Rest, the muscle oxygenation level (P < 0.05) and blood lactate concentration (P < 0.05) were lower in Active compared to No Exercise. In Active, the total work was higher in the 2nd Exercise than the 1st Exercise (297 ± 14 vs 277 ± 23 J · kg⁻¹, P < 0.01), and muscle oxygenation levels during the 2nd Exercise were also higher at 10 (P < 0.05) and 15 (P < 0.01) s after the beginning of the exercise. 

It was suggested that active recovery exercise would manage to increase the muscle oxygenation level, and improve the performance during the 2nd Exercise accompanied with blood lactate control.

 

Lactate threshold predicting time-trial performance: impact of heat and acclimation

Lactate threshold predicting time-trial performance: impact of heat and acclimation

by Lorenzo, S., Minson, C. T., Babb, T. G., Halliwill, J. R.

The relationship between exercise performance and lactate and ventilatory thresholds under two distinct environmental conditions is unknown. We examined the relationships between six lactate threshold methods (blood- and ventilation-based) and exercise performance in cyclists in hot and cool environments. Twelve cyclists performed a lactate threshold test, a maximal O₂ uptake (Vo_2max) test, and a 1-h time trial in hot (38°C) and cool (13°C) conditions, before and after heat acclimation.

Eight control subjects completed the same tests before and after 10 days of identical exercise in a cool environment. The highest correlations were observed with the blood-based lactate indexes; however, even the indirect ventilation-based indexes were well correlated with mean power during the time trial. Averaged bias was 15.4 ± 3.6 W higher for the ventilation- than the blood-based measures (P < 0.05). The bias of blood-based measures in the hot condition was increased: the time trial was overestimated by 37.7 ± 3.6 W compared with only 24.1 ± 3.2 W in the cool condition (P < 0.05).

Acclimation had no effect on the bias of the blood-based indexes (P = 0.51) but exacerbated the overestimation by some ventilation-based indexes by an additional 34.5 ± 14.1 W (P < 0.05). Blood-based methods to determine lactate threshold show less bias and smaller variance than ventilation-based methods when predicting time-trial performance in cool environments. Of the blood-based methods, the inflection point between steady-state lactate and rising lactate (INFL) was the best method to predict time-trial performance.

Lastly, in the hot condition, ventilation-based predictions are less accurate after heat acclimation, while blood-based predictions remain valid in both environments after heat acclimation.

Effects of Saddle Height on Economy and Anaerobic Power in Well-Trained Cyclists

Effects of Saddle Height on Economy and Anaerobic Power in Well-Trained Cyclists

Peveler, WW and Green, JM. Effects of saddle height on economy and anaerobic power in well-trained cyclists. J Strength Cond Res 25(3): 629-633, 2011-In cycling, saddle height adjustment is critical for optimal performance and injury prevention.

A 25-35° knee angle is recommended for injury prevention, whereas 109% of inseam, measured from floor to ischium, is recommended for optimal performance. Previous research has demonstrated that these 2 methods produce significantly different saddle heights and may influence cycling performance. This study compared performance between these 2 methods for determining saddle height. Subjects consisted of 11 well-trained (V̇o2max = 61.55 ± 4.72 ml·kg−1·min−1) male cyclists. Subjects completed a total of 8 performance trials consisting of a graded maximal protocol, three 15-minute economy trials, and 4 anaerobic power trials. Dependent measures for economy (V̇o2, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion) and anaerobic power (peak power and mean power) were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance (α = 0.05). V̇o2 was significantly lower (reflecting greater economy) at a 25° knee angle (44.77 ± 6.40 ml·kg−1·min−1) in comparison to a 35° knee angle (45.22 ± 6.79 ml·kg−1·min−1) and 109% of inseam (45.98 ± 5.33 ml·kg−1·min−1). Peak power at a 25° knee angle (1,041.55 ± 168.72 W) was significantly higher in relation to 109% of inseam (1,002.05 ± 147.65 W). Mean power at a 25° knee angle (672.37 ± 90.21 W) was significantly higher in relation to a 35° knee angle (654.71 ± 80.67 W). Mean power was significantly higher at 109% of inseam (662.86 ± 79.72 W) in relation to a 35° knee angle (654.71 ± 80.67 W). Use of 109% of inseam fell outside the recommended 25-35° range 73% of the time. Use of 25° knee angle appears to provide optimal performance while keeping knee angle within the recommended range for injury prevention.

Not sure about this study.....looking for a comment by my friend Paraic McGlynn

Update:

I talked to Praic McGlynn the famed bike fitter from serotta that I trained under and he is working on some comments about this study. This article is a hot topic on my blog page and has gotten a ton of traffic so if you have an opinion then please leave a comment.

Colavita Moves into the Number one spot on the NRC rankings!

It was the day before Christmas Eve and I just found out that the director for the original team I was going to work with this year was not going to be with the team. After a few choice words and a bit of complaining. I started to call around to different teams looking to find a new team to work with and the Tour of California was coming up quick. I called team Colavita and was able to work something out and get out to California to start the season at the largest event of the year. Having Lance back in action made this ToC even wilder. I must say that I was a bit nervous meeting the team for the first time because that's always the strangest part and not being with them at training camp made it even worse but hey I can blend with the best of them. I was picked up by the two massage therapist Balee Holt and Susan Somye. We exchanged info about ourselves and had a few laughes and I felt comfortable already and that was important because these ladies would be sending the guys for me to work on and without their approval as "mother Hens" for the team I would be hard pressed to build confidence. I then settled in my room and panicked for a few moments that they would not come into my room ........they did of course and soon I had met all of the American and Italian guys on the team and began to do some work. I finally met Seba Alexander the D.S. of the team and he sat me down with the rest of the team and explained that he had no clue how I would help with the team.....I instantly liked him. I went over how I would contribute and by the middle of the tour I was working on the whole team and most of the staff it was an very difficult week but I grew to respect the team and Athlete's. So Congrat's Team Colavita now hold onto it.

Cycling and Hot Foot or Metatarsalgia

The foot forms one of the three primary contact points between the body and bike, so it’s no surprise that it can be one of the main sources of discomfort and/or injury. “Hot foot” is something that most of us have likely experienced, but is spraying water on the foot or loosening the straps on the shoe all we can do? By Rick Rosa, D.C.,D.A.A.P.M.


With the temperature soon to be reaching 100° in the Washington DC area, I was asked by a reader of this blog, who who had been experiencing foot pain, which he soon came to learn, was a condition known as “Hot Foot.” He asked me about it and wanted my help to “cool off” the situation. “Hot Foot” or Metatarslgia is caused by the compression and inflammation of nerves and joint tissue in the metarsal heads, which is the area right above a well placed pedal spindle. It is characterized by pain and a sensation of burning as well as numbness. Many cyclists believe that splashing water on the feet will help with the symptoms, but that is a symptomatic treatment that is not getting to the root of the problem, namely an inflammation in the nerve and surrounding tissues. The

Joys of New Stuff


Recently, I had a case of a young man who had classic symptoms of metatarsalgia that began after putting in some long miles on his bike on a hot day shortly after buying new shoes and pedals. He claimed that the pain kept returning when he climbed hills or during a long ride. In taking his history, I noted that the new shoes and pedals were made up of much stiffer carbon fiber. In addition, he was in the habit of using regular short socks that he would wear with his regular running shoes. There was no evidence that organic diseases, such as diabetes or degenerative joint disease, was present in his history. Exam DetailsUpon physical examination, I found that he had significant restricted movement in the joint tissue of the foot and ankle. He had an obvious fallen medial arch (foot was flat) and was pronating. In addition, he had very tight gastroc/soleus (calf), as well as Achilles tendon. His foot would swell up from the heat and this would only add to the pressure on the forefoot, excacerbated by the thicker socks he wore.

Treatment






The treatment in his case worked out well. We began using ultrasound, Low level laser and manipulation of the foot and ankle as well as ice baths in order to restore proper biomechanics and reduce inflammation. I placed a small pad that was inserted into his shoes under the metatarsal heads in order to spread them out and reduce pressure in hopes that this would help him without the need to be fitted for orthotics. I also suggested that he get thin socks and asked him to loosen the lowest strap over the metatarsal heads to decrease the pressure that was building up during the long rides. He was very diligent about performing the stretches I gave him for his calf muscles and Achilles’ tendon, which added to his recovery. In this case he was able to acclimate well with these minor adjustments, primarily because most of the injury was due to the sudden change in stiffness of the carbon pedals and shoes.

In one study done by Jarboe and Quesada on the effects of shoe stiffness on the forefoot, they found that carbon shoes can be 42% to 550% stiffer, which translated to an average increase in the pressure of 18% over more traditional plastic shoes. (1)Other Things to ConsiderIn other cases, casting for an orthotic that will support the metatarsal heads as well as the medial arch is needed. Orthotics correct and support proper biomechanics, which evenly distribute the pressure on the metarsal heads. In cases of extreme events like RAAM they place the cleat way back or cut open the toe box to help alleviate pressure on the forefoot but this is not ever necessary for the amateur cyclist. Lastly, moving the seat down 1 cm and shifting the cleat back 1 cm can also take some pressure off the metatarsal heads. However, I am not a big fan of this because I believe this can force other biomechanical issues to other joints, such as the knees to come about unless of course I personaly fit you to that position myself. Also using pedals with a large platform is better for distribution of the pressure over the forefoot and will not pinpoint all your weight and force into a small area. Using cortisone injections and surgery is rare and is usually related to other issues, such as neuroma’s, seasamoid issues, or acute trauma to the foot.As always remember to work with a qualified professional.


References1. Jarboe NE, Quesada PM. “The effects of cycling shoe stiffness on forefoot pressure.” Foot Ankle Int. 2003 Oct;24(10): 784-8.2. Cailliet R. Soft Tissue Pain and Disability. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company 1996 pg 442-445

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Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine increase in Exercise Performance

I wanted to post a note about this article a while back but did not have time. I found this very interesting in that it may help develop Peak power and at a minimuim should warrent a larger scale study. Any Questions Just ask.

"Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine produces enhanced anaerobic work capacity with reduced lactate accumulation in resistance trained males," Jacobs PL, Goldstein ER, et al, J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2009; 6(1): 9. (Address: Patrick L. Jacobs, Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL, 33314, USA. E-mail: pjacobs4@fau.edu ).

Summary:
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study involving 24 healthy male resistance trained subjects (average age: 25 years), supplementation with 4.5 grams glycine propionyl-L-carnitine (GPLC) 90 minutes prior to participating in an exercise testing protocol, was found to enhance peak power production and significantly reduce accumulation of blood lactate (16% less blood lactate production 14 minutes post-exercise), as compared to ingestion of a placebo. The authors state, "These findings indicate that short-term oral supplementation of GPLC can enhance peak power production in resistance trained males with significantly less LAC accumulation."

Testing: The assessment protocol consisted of five maximal effort 10-second cycle sprints performed with 1-minute active recovery periods between bouts. While Wingate type testing is typically performed using a single 30 second work period, repeated 10 second sprints have been used when testing exercise capacities similar to those required in relatively intense exercise. The sprints were performed using a Monarch 894E leg ergometer (Monarch, Varberb, Sweden) outfitted with pedal cages. The external resistance applied was equivalent to 7.5% of each subject's body mass. The testing protocol included a 10-minute warm-up period cycling on the test bike at a pace of 60 RPM, without external resistance. Following the warm-up period, subjects were directed to gradually increase the pace of their pedalling over several seconds until they reached a maximal pace of unloaded sprinting. At this point, with a verbal cadence, external resistance was applied thereby initiating a 10-second period of sprint testing and data collection. Verbal encouragement was provided by the investigators to continue sprinting at maximal pace throughout the 10-second bout. Subjects were directed to continue pedalling at a slower controlled pace during the 1-minute active recovery periods. With five seconds remaining in the recovery period, subjects were again directed to gradually increase their pedalling to a sprinting pace for the second sprint. This procedure was continued for a total of five 10-second sprint bouts.
Anaerobic power output of the sprints was determined using the SMI OptoSensor 2000 (Sports Medicine Industries, Inc., St. Cloud, Minn). Values of power output determined included peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) which in this case were the average values of power output during the first five seconds and total ten second period, respectively. The third power output measure was a value of power decrement (DEC) in which the difference in power output between the first and second five second periods are expressed as a percentage of the first.
Blood lactate levels were assessed using the Accutrend® Lactate analyzer (Sports Resource Group, Inc., Pleasantville, NY). The analyzer was calibrated using the standard control solutions prior to each testing session. Lactate values were determined at rest and post-exercise at minutes four and fourteen. Heart rate was measured using a Polar HR monitor system with values assessed at rest, during the final 5 seconds of each sprint as well as four and fourteen minutes following completion of the fifth sprint. Thigh girth was assessed using a Gulick tape with circumferential measurements taken 15 mm superior to the patella. Thigh girth was measured at rest and four minutes following completion of the final sprint interval.

Now I know the sample size was small but I think the methods are sound and the results are interesting and show a significant increase in anaerobic power.

Cold California

Posted on 2009-02-13 15:13:19

Only I would land in California on Wednesday with temps around 55 and raining.......and of course it is 70 and Sunny in Washington D.C.! I have now settled in with the team and am happy to report that everyone is fantastic. All the riders are doing well and it has been great working with them. Today the sun is fighting its way in and out as we get ready for the Start of the Tour of California. Today we had some locale news interviews as well as my friends over at pezccycing news.

The team gets ready for a morning ride and make their last minute adjustments.

Tour of California

Posted on 2009-01-30 10:01:36

For those of you who are cycling fans I will be blogging from the Tour of California. I am very excited for this event that has now become the largest and most important race in the U.S. It will attract some of the best teams and riders in the world, and here is an excerpt from their press release:

Featuring a field that includes seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong and two-time defending Amgen Tour of California Champion Levi Leipheimer (both racing for Astana), the 136 rider peloton also is expected to include 2006 Giro d’Italia Champion Ivan Basso (leader of team Liquigas); 2008 Olympic Champion in the time trial Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank); 2006 Amgen Tour of California Champion Floyd Landis (Ouch presented by Maxxis); 2005 World Champion Tom Boonen (Quick Step); three-time World Champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank); two-time United States National Champion George Hincapie (Team Columbia); and the top American performer in the 2008 Tour de France Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream). Other anticipated participants include, 2008 Tour de France Champion Carlos Sastre (Cervélo TestTeam); four-time Norwegian National Champion Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam); 2008 U.S. Professional Champion and Olympic Gold Medal Winner Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing); Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia), widely considered to be the world’s best sprinter; 2008 Best Young Rider in the Amgen Tour of California Robert Gesink (Rabobank); and 2008 Tour de France Best Young Rider Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank).

I am even more excited to work with Team Colavita/Sutter Home as they come off an impressive showing at the Tour of San Luis as the team doctor. So Check back soon as the RecoveryDoc works on Team Colivita/Sutter Home.