Recovery Supplements
Recently, while in my local bike shop I found myself paying some serious attention to my favorite category of products- Recovery supplements. As I became momentarily engaged with the sheer magnitude and overwhelming bulk of selection, I wondered how on earth someone without a doctorate or at least some education in nutrition and, from the […]
What to Eat
One of the most interesting attributes, I find, regarding cyclists, triathletes, and runners is that they spend thousands of dollars and countless hours in perfecting and fine-tuning their technique in hopes of capitalizing on the advantage come race day. While it is rather obvious that technology and training are quite important to compete, especially, in […]
VO2max: Functional or Functionless?
Since the advent of mainstream ventilatory data collection, VO2max, for some reason, has been the quintessential bit of information that makes an endurance athlete feel complete and whole. Granted, knowing that Lance Armstrong’s VO2max is “84” is both as interesting as it is humbling… that’s quite high, for the record. AND, I will admit that […]
Translating the Lingua Cycliste’ part I
Cyclists are a different breed, I grant you, but until you hear them (alright, US — you got me…) speak about their sport, you never realize the magnitude of departure from the norm. Just one conversation reveals this complex and systematic language packed with phrase after acronym whose meaning only draws credibility from the tone […]
Go Hard or Go Home
“Go hard or go home”. How many times have you heard that pedantic statement? Probably too many to count, I’m sure. Normally, the mouth from which that originates is situated about a foot above a body clad in Under-Armor holding a Gatorade in one hand and some brightly decorated protein bar in the other. You […]
Using Power or Heart Rate Vol 1.
Quite simply, I have never been confronted by a more constant and seemingly endless debate than the use of power data vs heart rate (HR) to classify the intensity of efforts on the bike. For me, as a physiologist, I can easily see it both ways, thus building arguments towards the implementation of both variables […]
5 Easy Steps to Selecting Your “A” Race this Season
It’s quickly approaching that time of year. Time to start gathering your thoughts and ideas towards success of your upcoming season. All I can say is, “Giddy Up!” I love this time of year, but I’m often approached by many athletes with questions of how to plan for a successful and stress-free calendar year. If […]
Why are Members of Law Enforcement at Higher Risk for Health Issues?
Many people often think that the dangers of being a first responder disappear when each shift ends. Unfortunately, officers are 25 times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than die in the line of duty. Being a member of law enforcement is an active, exciting, and thrilling profession, but officers are […]
Heart Disease: #1 Killer of Active and Retired Cops
Introduction Twenty-two years – it is staggering. The average life expectancy of a police officer in the United States is twenty-two years less than their civilian counterparts.[1] As a police officer, life expectancy is only 57 years, compared to 69 years in the civilian sector. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg.[2] A […]