these technologies remains acceptable under vibration conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the reproducibility of the Rotor 2INpower technology for PO monitoring under different cycling conditions. Methods Subjects Twelve male cyclists and triathletes volunteered to take part in this study
Search Results
Reproducibility of the Rotor 2INpower Crankset for Monitoring Cycling Power Output: A Comprehensive Analysis in Different Real-Context Situations
Víctor Rodríguez-Rielves, Alejandro Martínez-Cava, Ángel Buendía-Romero, José Ramón Lillo-Beviá, Javier Courel-Ibáñez, Alejandro Hernández-Belmonte, and Jesús G. Pallarés
Mechanical Properties of the Human Heel Pad: A Comparison between Populations
John H. Challis, Chloe Murdoch, and Samantha L. Winter
The purpose of this study was to compare the heel pad mechanical properties of runners, who repetitively load the heel pad during training, with cyclists who do not load their heel pads during training. Ten competitive long distance runners and 10 competitive cyclists volunteered for this study. The thickness of the unloaded heel pad was measured using realtime B-mode ultrasonography. A heel pad indentation device was used to measure the mechanical properties of the heel pads. To evaluate the differences between the two groups, in heel pad properties, a repeat measures analysis of variance was used (p < .05). Heel pad thickness was not different between groups when normalized with respect to subject height. There was no significant difference between the groups in percentage energy loss during loading and unloading (runners: 61.4% ± 8.6; cyclists: 62.5% ± 4.6). Heel pad stiffness for the runners was statistically significantly less than that of the cyclists (p = .0018; runners: 17.1 N·mm−1 ± 3.0; cyclists: 20.4 N·mm−1 ± 4.0). These results indicate that the nature of the activity undertaken by individuals may influence their heel pad properties. This finding may be important when considering differences in heel pad properties between different populations.
Cycling Efficiency and Performance Following Short-Term Training Using Uncoupled Cranks
Andrew D. Williams, Isaac Selva Raj, Kristie L. Stucas, James W. Fell, Diana Dickenson, and John R. Gregory
Objectives:
Uncoupled cycling cranks are designed to remove the ability of one leg to assist the other during the cycling action. It has been suggested that training with this type of crank can increase mechanical efficiency. However, whether these improvements can confer performance enhancement in already well-trained cyclists has not been reported.
Method:
Fourteen well-trained cyclists (13 males, 1 female; 32.4 ± 8.8 y; 74.5 ± 10.3 kg; Vo2max 60.6 ± 5.5 mL·kg−1·min−1; mean ± SD) participated in this study. Participants were randomized to training on a stationary bicycle using either an uncoupled (n = 7) or traditional crank (n = 7) system. Training involved 1-h sessions, 3 days per week for 6 weeks, and at a heart rate equivalent to 70% of peak power output (PPO) substituted into the training schedule in place of other training. Vo2max, lactate threshold, gross efficiency, and cycling performance were measured before and following the training intervention. Pre- and post testing was conducted using traditional cranks.
Results:
No differences were observed between the groups for changes in Vo2max, lactate threshold, gross efficiency, or average power maintained during a 30-minute time trial.
Conclusion:
Our results indicate that 6 weeks (18 sessions) of training using an uncoupled crank system does not result in changes in any physiological or performance measures in well-trained cyclists.
Durability in Professional Cyclists: A Field Study
Pedro L. Valenzuela, Lidia B. Alejo, Laureano M. Ozcoidi, Alejandro Lucia, Alfredo Santalla, and David Barranco-Gil
professional cyclists—with a superior discriminant validity than PO values attained under “fresh” conditions. 3 – 7 However, controversy exists regarding which variables are associated with durability. Research with professional cyclists has shown larger performance decrements with greater amounts of work (in
The Record Power Profile of Male Professional Cyclists: Fatigue Matters
Manuel Mateo-March, Pedro L. Valenzuela, Xabier Muriel, Alexis Gandia-Soriano, Mikel Zabala, Alejandro Lucia, Jesús G. Pallares, and David Barranco-Gil
, and although no significant differences were found attending to the cyclists’ level, professional riders tended to achieve higher MMP values than their nonprofessional referents for efforts lasting 5 to 60 minutes. In the same line, van Erp and Sanders 3 recently reported that MMP values obtained
Importance of Standardized DXA Protocol for Assessing Physique Changes in Athletes
Alisa Nana, Gary J. Slater, Will G. Hopkins, Shona L. Halson, David T. Martin, Nicholas P. West, and Louise M. Burke
Purpose:
The implications of undertaking DXA scans using best practice protocols (subjects fasted and rested) or a less precise but more practical protocol in assessing chronic changes in body composition following training and a specialized recovery technique were investigated.
Methods:
Twenty-one male cyclists completed an overload training program, in which they were randomized to four sessions per week of either cold water immersion therapy or control groups. Whole-body DXA scans were undertaken with best practice protocol (Best) or random activity protocol (Random) at baseline, after 3 weeks of overload training, and after a 2-week taper. Magnitudes of changes in total, lean and fat mass from baseline-overload, overload-taper and baseline-taper were assessed by standardization (Δmean/SD).
Results:
The standard deviations of change scores for total and fat-free soft tissue mass (FFST) from Random scans (2–3%) were approximately double those observed in the Best (1–2%), owing to extra random errors associated with Random scans at baseline. There was little difference in change scores for fat mass. The effect of cold water immersion therapy on baseline-taper changes in FFST was possibly harmful (-0.7%; 90% confidence limits ±1.2%) with Best scans but unclear with Random scans (0.9%; ±2.0%). Both protocols gave similar possibly harmful effects of cold water immersion therapy on changes in fat mass (6.9%; ±13.5% and 5.5%; ±14.3%, respectively).
Conclusions:
An interesting effect of cold water immersion therapy on training-induced changes in body composition might have been missed with a less precise scanning protocol. DXA scans should be undertaken with Best.
Factors Affecting Cyclists’ Chances of Success in Match-Sprint Tournaments
Kathryn E. Phillips and Will G. Hopkins
“Skills and tactics play a much greater role in bicycle racing than is generally thought by those outside the sport . . . even a well conditioned cyclist will not win if she can’t employ a good racing strategy, execute timely tactics and have highly developed bike-handling skills and techniques.” 1
Between-Seasons Variability of Cyclists’ Peak Performance: A Longitudinal Analysis of “Real-World” Power Output Data in Male Professional Cyclists
Pedro L. Valenzuela, Manuel Mateo-March, Xabier Muriel, Mikel Zabala, Alejandro Lucia, David Barranco-Gil, and Jesús G. Pallares
The record power profile (RPP; ie, the highest power output [PO] that a cyclist can attain for a given duration during training or racing) is gaining popularity in recent years as a tool for monitoring endurance cycling performance. 1 This indicator has proven to be a reliable proxy of the maximal
Does Altitude of Birth Influence the Performance of National- to Elite-Level Colombian Cyclists?
Mauricio Garzon, Jenaro Leguizamo, Fernando Saldarriaga, Edgar Galeano, and Grégoire P. Millet
Cycling performance is determined by many physiological factors, including maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max) and peak power output (PPO). 1 , 2 Emerging data have been recently published 1 , 3 to compare elite junior, under-23 (U23), and professional cyclists. The benefits of altitude training for
Decrement in Professional Cyclists’ Performance After a Grand Tour
Jose A. Rodríguez-Marroyo, José G. Villa, Raúl Pernía, and Carl Foster
Different studies 1 – 7 have informed us of the extraordinary physiological characteristics of professional cyclists. Successful riders are characterized by high oxygen uptake (VO 2 max) (70–85 ml·kg −1 ·min −1 ) 1 – 6 and power output, between 400 W to 550 W (ie, 6.0–7.5 W·kg −1 ) during ramp
