3 Tips to Improve Your Speed
IN A HURRY? 3 CYCLING TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SPEED When you first started cycling, you got fit pretty quick. Your cycling speed increased dramatically, and you started feeling pretty dang good about yourself. But in the months or weeks since, you’ve had to work hard for every little improvement. Now you’re beginning to feel like you’ve already reached your peak. So how do you get a faster cycling technique? Here are 3 cycling tips to help you step up your cycling game. PUSH HIIT TO THE LIMIT It’s time to get fit. Okay, so no need to get on a regimen even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would be scared of. (You can if you want; we prefer to fit through most doorways.) For your cycling needs, you should think about getting into HIIT. HIIT—that's High-Intensity Interval Training—can push your stagnant skills to unbelievable heights. By cycling hard in short bursts (think spurts of no more than a few minutes) and then relaxing for short periods, you strengthen your muscles. This lets you train hard in a fraction of the time you’re probably used to. HIIT is even believed to burn fat more effectively, which is always a plus. RIDE WITH YOUR BETTERS As far as cycling tips go, this one is so easy it feels like cheating. But keeping close company with cyclists who’ve been riding longer than you have can be a huge help. Sure, you might be eating their dust for a couple weeks. But keep at it, and you’ll be Pack Leader in no time. After all, what’s two weeks of shamefully lagging behind compared to a lifetime of quality riding? Just remember that they, too, used to be like you. You can at least make sure you’re more fashionable than they were. GET INTO POSITION Do you ever feel like you’re working too hard to get results? It might have little to do with “what” you’re doing, and everything to do with “how” you’re doing it. First, sit on your bike. Your hip, knees, and ankles should all be aligned and moving smoothly with each downstroke of the pedal. Make sure your saddle height is suited to your body. Your ankles should be anchored straight to the pedal, not angled down. Having the wrong posture is more than just bad—you could really hurt yourself. Fix the way you sit now for safer, more efficient cycling. Now it’s time to go for it. We hope you’re jazzed about trying these out on your next training session. These could be just the cycling tips you’re looking for to take your speed to the next level. Happy Trails.