Feature

Mon 15 Jun, 4:00 pm UTC

Fitness: 10 cycling myths busted

By Nick Morgan, Cycling Plus

In cycling there are known knowns and known unknowns. Nick Morgan uncovers the truth behind the riddles wrapped up inside enigmas…

Sex hurts

Plenty of footballers, boxers and even cyclists claim that abstaining from ‘how’s yer father’ before a big event is vital to performing at their peak. ‘No nookie after Wednesday if you’re racing on Saturday’ is their philosophy.

Sadly, it looks as if such monkish behaviour is in vain. There’s no scientific evidence to suggest that sex before an event reduces endurance or speed.

Indeed, in a treadmill test, male athletes showed no decline in performance 12 hours after having sex. In fact, if you’re the type who gets restless the night before a race, the sleep-inducing powers of sex may actually help. But whether you can persuade your other half to help you out with this is another matter entirely…

'Warm' is the crucial word in warm-up

Despite its name, a warm-up has little to do with temperature, so you can bypass blowing on your hands before a chilly morning ride. A team from Aberystwyth University heated the leg muscles of riders before cycling and found it had little or no effect on their endurance performance. Instead they discovered that the warm-up is all about telling your body it’s going to need to recruit plenty of muscle fibres to work soon.

The team went on to look at the best way to help your body do this and found out that a few gentle stretches aren’t enough. They recommend a five- to seven-minute interval session at 75-80 percent effort 10 minutes before you start your ride.

“At the onset of high-intensity exercise, the body recruits the muscle fibres it thinks it needs, but invariably it doesn’t recruit enough, because it doesn’t know how long you’ll ask it to exercise for,” says Dr Mark Burnley, one of the researchers. “A heavy warm-up recruits more motor units to start with, which slows down the rate of fatigue – it’s a bit like adding more people to a tug-of-war team.” The heavy warm-up is advisable only when glycogen depletion isn’t a factor, so forget it for races that last longer than an hour.

Warm-ups aren't about being warm:

Aspire not to perspire

It’s commonly assumed that the less fit – or more fat – you are, the more heavily a period of exercise will make you perspire. “Actually, after repeated training your body becomes more efficient at cooling, so you start to sweat earlier and produce a greater volume of sweat,” says Dr Nick Gant of Loughborough University. “So, in fact, the fitter you are, the more you should sweat.”

It may not sound like it, but that’s something to be thankful for. New research shows performance drop-off in the heat is caused primarily by your body retaining excess warmth, rather than due to a lack of fluids. This not only means cooling your skin will help dramatically, but that sweating is vitally important, so think twice before you spray yourself from head-to-toe with anti-perspirant!

We should all be aspiring to more perspiring:

Harder is better

Can filling your tyres with enough air to fill a Zeppelin lead to faster riding? A team at the University of Texas decided to investigate if rock-hard tyres really make a difference. They asked seven riders to cycle at top speed on a four percent incline four times, each at different tyre pressures. The riders used identical bikes and conditions were controlled to ensure each trial only varied in tyre pressure. “The difference in rolling resistance caused by varying tyre pressure is too small to be detected physiologically,” lead researcher Dr Timothy Ryschon concludes.

Furthermore, if you try to pump your tyres until their pressure is sky-high, you’re going to be in for a rough and uncomfortable ride, because you’ll effectively have no suspension to cushion the blows. Feeling every bump in the road through your undercarriage is likely to slow you down and may even cause some damage to your bike.

Pumping up tyres doesn't always pump up performance:

Dehydration puts a dampener on performance

Dehydration’s effect on performance is one of the most prevalent myths in sport, but all is not as it seems. “The theory of dehydration limiting performance in the heat is completely bogus,” says Dr Ross Tucker of the University of Cape Town. Several studies have shown that your performance drop-off in hot conditions is due to the body’s level of heat storage, rather than its lack of fluids. Indeed, a South African study looking at competitors in an Ironman Triathlon found that although many suffered from extreme dehydration, there was no correlation between their levels of hydration and performance.

“There may exist a tolerable range for dehydration that won’t impact negatively on endurance performance, but which may even confer an advantage by preventing the increases in body mass due to the consumption of large volumes of fluid,” says Professor Yannis Pitsiladis, who has devoted many years to studying the nutritional habits of Kenyan distance runners.

The upshot? Don't get thirsty but even more importantly, keep your cool (see Aspire to Perspire above).

Dehydration isn't always bad:

Balancing act

Many people with hip, leg or foot injuries are told they have one leg slightly shorter than the other, so using a wedge should balance them out and resolve the problem. That advice may be useful in a small number of cases, but often using a wedge isn’t necessary. According to biomechanics expert Martin Haines, it may not be that there’s a real difference in the length of your legs, but that there appears to be one due to a problem with the pelvis. In this scenario, he claims the best cure is to correct the pelvic problem through manipulation and exercise, instead of through the use of a wedge.

“A rotated pelvis is probably the most likely reason for people who have one leg shorter than the other,” Haines explains. “Certainly the anecdotal evidence points to this and – in these cases – wedges can cause [the patient] more problems than they solve.” Given Haines’ opinion on the matter, we’d recommend that you get your injury properly diagnosed by a medically qualified expert, rather than by a salesman in a cycling shop. After all, waiting may only exacerbate the issue.

Could one leg be shorter than the other? it's unlikely:

Lactic acid brings the pain

Lactic acid has long been the bogeyman of speed and endurance athletes. The commonly held belief is that once you push your body to its limits, lactic acid starts to flood your system causing the pain and ‘jelly-legged’ feeling we all know so well. However, the truth of the matter is quite different. “Lactic acid is a partially broken-down carbohydrate molecule containing lots of energy,” says Dr Louis Passfield, who works at the University of Glamorgan. “If we exercise very hard, the body doesn’t have time to break down glucose fully, so it breaks it down as far as lactic acid, which is then used to provide lots more energy. The pain experienced is more likely to be caused by nerve endings in the muscles being stimulated.”

Lactic acid is unlikely to cause pain:

Eating is cheating

It seems logical that your body will be in a fasted state if you do your exercise before breakfast and, without food to burn, it’ll set upon the spare tyre round your midriff instead. Not true. Well, at least it’s not true that your spare tyre will diminish any more quickly than if you do your exercise at any other time. “It’s a pretty straightforward equation,” says sports nutritionist Karen Reid. “You eat a certain amount of calories per day and exercising burns some of those calories, regardless of when you do it. If you cycle in the morning, you may burn fat, but you’ll add the calories back throughout the rest of the day.”

With that myth busted, early morning cycling may even be best avoided. Statistically, it’s the most common time for suffering heart attacks and strokes during exercise.

Skipping your cornflakes won't neccesarily help you shed weight:

A leg that's free from hair moves swiftly through the air

Non-cyclists simply don't understand why many male bikers shave their legs. The most used excuse is the aerodynamic benefit of baldness. Oops! While leg shaving makes your muscles look nicer and road rash easier to clean, no academic study shows any kind of significant advantage in terms of speed.

But before you bin the razor, the same is not true if you plan on dabbling in triathlons. Given that water is around 1,000 times denser than air, the resistance hairy legged athletes face when swimming is more of an issue. Several studies have proven that body hair removal can reduce the drag effect significantly. One study even found that swimmers achieved 10 per cent greater distance with each stroke.

Shaving leg hair gives no significant aerodynamic advantage:

All fat is bad

“Fat gets bad press and endurance athletes have developed an almost pathological desire to reduce body fat as much as possible,” says Dr Arthur Stewart, who is an expert in the relationship between anatomy and movement. “But fat plays a useful role in maintaining energy balance, in repairing tissues after training and in providing shock absorption for feet and organs, which is crucial for preventing injury.”

Trying to measure your personal fat levels accurately is difficult and expensive. So a good tip, according to Dr Stewart, is to only worry about dieting a few weeks prior to competition. During the training months, it’s best to eat sensibly but not stingily. Remember that carrying a few extra pounds may help you stay healthy and free of injury.

Not all fat is bad:

User Comments

There are 49 comments on this post

Showing 31 - 49 of 49 comments

  • I suspect much of the problem with Hydration is because the drinks come with loads of salts.

    Start sufficiently hydrated, and top up with small amounts of water and you won't lose salt in your sweat. That was my experience when I used to train in temperatures in the high to mid 30s in Queensland.

  • I liked the photos too :)

  • @rogerthecat - I don't take on fluids during rides < 2hrs, even at higher intensities and my power doesn't decline. now what?

  • well if you drink 2+ liters of water (as water - no cordial or as tea coffee) you will not become dehydrated at all. The body uses 2 liters of water per day in perspiration alone. Drink more than this every day and feel fitter look healthier and be more energetic ! that's my advice !!!!!

  • I was told that mtber's shave their legs to prevent bateria in mud/chod/sh*t getting in cuts as much whilst out riding. I guess the little bacterias climb down your hairs and set up camp in your wounds, but as i write this it sounds retarded. Either way shaving your legs to make you 'faster' is not cool and almost probably makes 0% difference.

  • His wife looks neglicted in the bedroom department, I'm ready to help....

  • Shaveing my legs stoped bugs hitching a ride and biteing me, which was annoying as I react bady to isect bites and came home on a daily basis with horrible red itchy lumps on my legs, so off came the hair. Also it looks lots better and it makes me feel faster and my wife also likes it ;@).

  • The trouble with this article is the information is unspecific - the stuff about tyre pressures is cack without figures - all l know is l like 55psi in my mtb tyres for road-riding, but more than that & the carcasses split & if it rains you can slide cornering, but then again, it depends on rider weight...

    As for hydration, l think both arguments are cack, because a lot depends on what you've eaten as well - there's too much salt in most food & this makes you feel thirsty, even after lots too drink, whereas, eating just fruit you feel hydrated even on a sweltering day when you might be dehydrating, but this b/s about needing an intake of 2litres a day is the silliest myth ever, unless you live in Malaysia, or just want to impersonate The Manikin Piss...

  • So my fat hairy soft sexual activity is not what is slowing me down on the bike?

  • Pretty good article i suppose. The dehydration bit surprised me, actually. As someone who walks in the hills a bit i was told if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated. Seems to me that the article is referring to dehydration that you might not notice - not serious. I suppose the weight gain from constantly drinking is more important on a climb than a TT.

    On the other hand, when my (non cyclist) brother read this he did immediately point to the shaving bit, laughing and brandishing my razor. What a prick. Yes, most cyclists now know that hair removal is really more for aesthetic purposes. Apart form that, its much easier to put on sunscreen, a problem for me as i burn more easily.

  • When I saw this article i thought it would be a bit contentious, maybe it is an excuse for some amusing photos? It's pretty bad journalism.

    For drinking, if I need a pee on a ride I know i am drinking enough/ too much. Much more preferable to dehydration and heat stroke.

    As for shaving legs, it makes me FEEL faster, no science needed to back that up, it's like having go faster stripes on your car, it makes me want to ride faster and defend my roadie honour from scooters and bmx bandits, and my girlfriend likes it.

  • "“The theory of dehydration limiting performance in the heat is completely bogus,” says Dr Ross Tucker of the University of Cape Town."

    Well now, it has just been established that Dr. Ross Tucker is a quack. Bike Radar should pull this article immediately. Dear readers, do NOT accept this phenomenally bad statement as having anything to do with reality. The reality is that your body will shut down and ultimately you will begin to suffer damage if you do not stay adequately hydrated and nourished. Guess what happens when you run out of hydration? You stop perspiring! Duh. WTF Bike Radar? Does your editor not have a clue about what responsible journalism is? If it sounds like a duck, it probably is. QUACK QUACK QUACK. I urge the editor and publisher to investigate the MYTH they just helped create and promulgate. VERY, VERY BAD on you Bike Radar.

  • In the 50's/60's they had the theory that "driest is fastest". Plus ca change.

    It's a standing joke to mock slow cyclists for having been robbed of of their precious manly vitality by insatiable females the night before! I wonder, do women athletes have the same attitude to pre race abstinence?

  • Can't do the "Sex & ride like a God" thing at all.

    I agree with 3 to 4 days away from the joys of sex if you want a good performance on the bike at an event such as a Merida, MM, SITS etc.

    One thing I have been interested in is how long I can cycle for before I actually need a drink. I used to drink a little from the very outset, now I drink maybe 50% less on my rides which has been something of a revelation.

    Most of my training rides are 2hrs long.

  • As the great sprinter (Reg Harris) once said, "sex..No I abstain for the hour before the race.."

  • Yes I too liked the pictures, the article is interesting, sadly the facts of the matter are that we are all unique, one man's drink to retain hydration levels makes another feel bloated and heavy...

    There is however a great deal of truth in the psycology aspects as covered by quite a few replies/comments, if you feel good and that you look the part your performance is better!

  • Interesting about the dehydration. I've been training in France all summer in temperatures between 30°c to 40°C, a mixture of running flats and hills and a few bike climbs each week - up to about 6000ft altitude. I have felt confused all the time about hydration as I never feel thirsty during the first 90 minutes and usually perform much better as time goes on. If I carry enough water to offset my weight loss it would cause serious problems. Last week I ran 44km in the hills and would have had to take 4 kilos of water on my back - no thanks! I used 2 kilos of water only. Basically I don't want to drink but only do so because everyone tells me to - yet my results don't seem to correspond with what they tell me to expect. I do drink when I get thirsty - but even then I don't mind feeling thirsty - it's a good feeling as long as it doesn't go on too long.

    People have remarked here that the claims made above were irresponsible - yet there are numerous cases recently of people both in and outside sport dropping dead because they have over hydrated and diluted their body salt levels to a lethal degree.

    It seems to me that the body is designed to cope with very large fluctuations in fluid levels but very small fluctuations in heat levels - so it doesn't seem that far fetched that the primary issue is heat and not fluids.

  • quotation from the following article...

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/19/healthandwellbeing.fitness1

    "However, in recent years sports scientists have discovered that it is just as risky to drink too much during exercise. Indeed, in many endurance activities, hyponatraemia - or fluid intoxication - is more prevalent than dehydration. Caused by sodium levels and other body salts (or electrolytes) becoming dangerously dilute, hyponatraemia can result in dizziness, vomiting, respiratory problems and fatigue. "During intense or prolonged exercise, the kidneys are unable to excrete fluid as efficiently as normal," Sutton says. "In extreme cases, water is retained, especially in highly absorbent brain cells, and the pressure causes the body to shut down its primary functions, such as breathing and heart rate. Treatment involves a small volume of highly concentrated salt solution. But it can be fatal."

    After the 2003 London Marathon, 14 of the runners taken to hospital had hyponatraemia, and a study by Harvard University researchers found that 13% of competitors in the Boston marathon drank enough to cause fluid toxicity. And despite what bottled water and sports drink manufacturers (sports drinks are as likely to cause water toxicity as water) would have us believe, many top athletes drink only small amounts. According to Dr Dan Tunstall-Pedoe, the emeritus medical director of the London marathon, "it's surprising how little elite runners do drink ... they are able to run 26.2 miles at speed with very little fluid on board."

    In the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Professor Tim Noakes, from the University of Cape Town and the leading researcher into exercise hyponatraemia, criticised the sports drink industry for positioning their products to the exercising public as "a medicine that must be ingested to prevent heat illness and optimise sports performance. I believe that the body is adapted for conditions of mild dehydration.

    "We evolved from hunters - we had to run and chase animals on the hot African plains. We didn't have time to pause for a drink," he says. "Physiologists developed an unproven hypothesis that to become even the slightest bit dehydrated during exercise would kill you. The sports drinks industry then used this bad science to market their products." Runners have died from hyponatraemia, but Noakes says he "has yet to find a death from dehydration in the history of competitive running"."

  • I don't know about you lot but I like my tyres as hard a possible when I am racing.

    My training bike I tend to keep the tyre pressure's on the low side which in my opinion makes it a little bit harder to pedal.

    I am not saying that the test on tyres which was expressed in this article is wrong its just I have a feeling that exact tyre pressures to produce the best rolling resistance depends on a whole lot more than the actual pressure, ie the weight of the rider the type of tyres and the road conditions oh and maybe the actual wheel type.

    I think seeing as most of us aren't able to exactly work out scientifically ALL the variables

    the correct pressure has to be squeezing enough air into your racing tyres that can indeed

    inflat a Zeppelin -- then all you have to do is hope against hope that they don't explode.

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