Nutrition Before a Workout

Although many athletes feel as they can wake up and begin their workouts without the proper nutrition, this is proved to be a bad and unhealthy habit. While many athletes will debate the benefits of fasted training, the truth is that your body needs the proper nutrients before you begin training to ensure that fatigue doesn’t set in, and you don’t get hungry while working out. Eating before working out gives you extra energy that can help you get that extra rep in the gym or squeeze a second or two off of your sprint timing.

So how much time should pass between eating and training? Generally you’ll want to eat larger meals between three and four hours before your workouts. It is essential to let your body digest everything you’ve consumed, so you don’t get sick during your workout. A larger snack can be eaten between one and two hours before training. Obviously the smaller the meal, less time you’ll have to wait between eating and exercising.

• Large Meal Example - Bowl of rice with vegetables

Rice not only helps to stabilize blood sugar but is slow digesting, which means that it will provide your body with energy for the whole day.

• Large Snack Example - Turkey Burger with a whole wheat bun and a side salad

Turkey burgers are great before a workout because they are much leaner than beef and are packed with protein. The whole wheat bun is perfect for your dose of pre-workout carbs, and the side salad is packed with other essential nutrients.

• Small Snack Example - Yogurt or Some Fruit

Yogurt is a great snack to consume pre-workout because you can eat it quickly if you don’t have much time. A serving of fruit works out great, as well. Try to go for a snack like a banana as it is a full of carbohydrates that digest easily and contains a large amount of potassium. During a hard workout, your potassium levels will typically drop quite low, and potassium is needed to keep your muscles functioning properly. Low levels of potassium during a workout can lead to fatigue and cramping.

Post-Workout Nutrition

It is just as imperative that you consume a proper meal post-workout in order to help your body recover properly. To aid in the recovery process, your glycogen stores must be replenished, so it is recommended that you consume a meal high in post protein and carbohydrates. While carbs are necessary, it is vital that you do not go overboard here. With any type of exercise that you do with enough intensity, your insulin levels will be raised significantly. This means that following your workout you won’t need as many carbs as you before you started the workout to aid your muscles in recovery. Too many carbs end up being stored as fat instead of muscle tissue. So what are some great ideas for post-workout meals?

• Large Post-Workout Meal - Chicken Stir-Fry

Chicken Stir-Fry is an excellent choice for a post-workout meal because of the lean protein dose while the rice takes care of your carb intake. Although brown rice is typically the recommended option for other meals, white rice should be consumed post-workout as it is higher on the glycemic index (GI) scale. This helps the glucose to get to your muscle tissue much faster, and the added veggies are perfect for essential nutrients like niacin.

• Small Post-Workout Snack - Cereal

Can cereal really be all that healthy after a tough workout? Before you go and reach for the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, remember that you need to consume the healthier types of cereal that isn’t loaded with tons of sugar. Consider consuming some whole-grain cereal with a few cups of skim milk. The cereal will be packed with carbs, vitamins, and minerals that aid in the muscle recovery process while skimmed milk is an excellent source of protein without any fat.

This post is published by Mountain Bike World. Read more on Perfect Nutrition Plan for Recreational Athletes

Music : Rocksteady by The Bloody Beetroots

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Location: Secret Secluded Beach

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Click back to learn how to setup your own bike workshop

The following is a list of some of the essential tools and gear you will need for your workshop. It should provide you with a basic assortment to get you going…

A Workstand

You will need a workstand of some sort or another. Find something simple, solid and a reasonable price. You wouldn’t want to be paying much more than $400.

When you clamp your bike remember to always use the seat post. Having a carbon seat post I find is useful to have an old, cheap steel post to use (NEVER clamp to a carbon seat post)

1mm to 8mm Allen Keys

As I said in part 1, you get what you pay for. Don’t waste your money on cheap ones. You will use allen keys for nearly everything so get a decent set

Screwdrivers

Same deal as the allen keys. Make sure you get a set of both Philips head and flat bladed screwdrivers

Chain Breaker

Get some spare pins and links when you get your chain breaker. Generally if you are going to be using a chain breaker, you are going to need the spares (try to ensure they match your chain)

Pedal Spanner

People often think they don’t really need one, but I have found that one of the most common creaks on bikes comes from pedals that aren’t done up properly

Bottom Bracket Splined Tool

This little number is used for removing your bottom bracket from your frame.

Cone Spanners

As with the allen keys, you are going to use these a lot so get some quality ones. You will likely need 13, 14, 15 and 17mm sizes.

Spoke Key

Don’t rush out to get one of these. It can be very easy to ruin a wheel if you get it wrong.

Multigrips

These little beauties are handy for countless number of things

Lubricants

For a good general purpose grease on moving parts I recommend Pedros Synlube. For cables and pivot points Pedros Extra Dry is another good one. You will also want to get a decent chain lube. There are a number of good varieties on the market.

Safety Glasses

Don’t try to be a hero. It’s hard to ride your bike if you are blind!

Other Bike Tools

A number of other handy bike tools to have include:

• Scissors
• Stanley knife
• Cable cutters
• Long nosed pliers
• Crank puller
• Floor pump with pressure gauge
• Tyre levers
• Assortment of cleaning agents, brushes and rags
• Wire for securing grips
• Pipe cutter – for trimming bars and seat posts
• Files and sandpaper – for cleaning up rough edges
• And finally… an apron

Click back to learn how to setup your own bike workshop

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by Jennifer
(Georgina, On, Canada)

Mountain biking is my husbands second nature. He is steath, agile and committed to the ride, when on his bike. I am not so much on a bike, but I appreciate his passion and I love to tag along to take photo’s of him riding the trails. Whether it be ballance beams, teeter-totters, jumps and crazy downhills, I have to get down and dirty – and fast – to capture him in motion.

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by Lori Pelley
(St. Thomas, Ontario)

2008 “We Can Do It” Mental Health Awareness Mountain Bike Ride, St. Thomas ON to Grand Bend, ON

A Challenge started this Volunteer Ride for Mental Health on making it all the way to Niagara Falls from St. Thomas, ON. I loved it and started the “We Can Do It” Run with other volunteers and members of Pychiatric Survivors Network of Elgin in St. Thomas, ON.

We now ride yearly for our Organization and other Consumer Survivors Initatives CSI to show anyone one can do this with encouragement and support. We do our own fundraising and supplies by doing bake sales, basket draws, and the occassional barbecues, etc as Funding is not available to help any other way.

I just want to say thank you to those riders and members who have helped keep us going and encourage others to try it’s not about how fast or how quick you arrive it’s about having fun and being together.

We are working on the 2009 June Ride, which this year we have split into two rides to allow those who cannot do long runs to participate. 1st is to Strathroy 100km return and the 2nd is to Niagara for those more experienced which is a 400 km return.

Thanks for the opportunity to post

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How do you find women mountain bikes? A common question, but before we answer it lets look a bit closer at women’s mountain bikes.

In the old days women mountain bikes were made with a low dropped top tube so they could be jumped on and ridden with a dress or skirt. Women’s mountain bike design has come along way though (not to mention fashion – how many women ride bikes in a dress these days?)

Bike manufacturers have realised that on average, a women’s body tends to be smaller, lighter weight, have a shorter torso and shorter arms than the average man that most bikes are designed for. Women tend to have more of their height in their legs than men.

Do You Need A Women’s Mountain Bike?

Today women’s mountain bikes are designed for the average women’s relative proportions. The bikes are a little bit taller and have a slightly shorter top tube (but generally not a different position – especially in more performance oriented models).

So do you fit the average comparison between men and women’s body size? If so then you will almost certainly get a better fit with a mountain bike designed for women. If not then there is no reason why you shouldn’t get a non-women specific mountain bike.

For the majority of women it usually just comes down to size, and if you follow this fitting guide, you can almost guarantee a comfortable bike that fits you perfectly.

What about Women Mountain bike seats?

Whether you buy a women specific mountain bike or not you almost definitely will want to get a women specific bike seat. But don’t just get any bike seat that claims to be made for women. Make sure you get one that fits you properly.

Before we get started on this remember that whether you are male or female, your body needs time to get used to riding a mountain bike. If it has been awhile since you last rode a bike it will take a ride or 2 every week for upto a month before you build up some resistance in your butt.

The first thing to look for in a women mountain bike seats is a cut-out down the centre of the seat to avoid any pressure in sensitive areas whilst riding. These days just about every mountain bike seat (male and female) will have this cut-out.

The second thing to look for – and the more important issue – is to get a seat that fits you properly. Another generalisation about women’s bodies is that they tend to have wider hips. Due to this you need to ensure you get a seat that fits you correctly. Again, if you are a women with relatively narrow hips, you may be better off without a women’s mountain bike seat.

This guide will show you how to find a seat that fits you properly.

Get a correctly fitting bike and bike seat is an important issue for both men and women, whether you are looking at women mountain bikes or not. It can make the difference between a ride that is enjoyable or literally a pain in the ass.

Want to Find Your Perfect Bike?

Want to buy a mountain bike? Then you must check out Your Essential Bike Buying Guide. It will take you step-by-step on the process of finding your perfect bike (and saving $$ in the process). Find out more.

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Year round fun, just keep on the trail!

by Peter
(Campbellville, Ontario, Canada)

Here’s a shot from the bars on one of the many trails at Hilton Falls, Ontario Canada. This has become a popular MTB destination during the winter months.

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by Jeff Simmons
(Woodstock, Georgia, USA)

Taking a break from the beautiful flowing trails at Issaqueena Lake in Clemson South Carolina.

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You will need to ride off-camber sections on just about every trail but riding them at speed can be frustrating. Here is the best way to ride them…

Step 1: Have a Look

The first thing to do is have a look at the off-camber section before riding it. This may involve getting off your bike, or you may be able to think quickly and make an assessment as you approach it.

What you are looking for is the angle at the section you are going to be riding on it. More specifically you want to see if it has been cut into the hill’s slope or if it’s the same angle as the hill slope. You also want to assess the angle of the slope; the length of the section; and your entry and exit points

the relationship between the trail and the hill angle will determine your body positioning. The length of the section will determine the speed you need. Looking at entry and exit points will where you need to be at any particular point.

You ideally want to enter the off-camber section at a point higher on the slope than the point you exit at. When you ride off-camber sections, you will naturally drop down the slope.

It will also make things easier if you can go into the section at a speed that will allow you to finish it without having to pedal.

Step 2: It’s All in the Hips

Now that you have a plan of how you are going to ride the off-camber section it’s time to do it. When practicing try and find a nice easy section that won’t need to much speed.

The main key to riding off-camber sections is body and hip positioning. Your body position will enable you to have maximum control – make sure you stand just off your seat with the pedals level. This will help with your control and encourage you to use more of your upper body.

As you enter the off-camber section, lean the bike slightly toward the slope and start shifting your hips away from the hill but with your body twisted towards the hill. What this does is reposition your your bodyweight to a counter balanced “virtual” center of gravity as your bike is leaning towards the mountain and your body against it.

So that was, lean bike over towards hill, move hips out away from hill, turn your upper body towards the hill.

Now all you have to do it roll through the section and adjust your body position as needed. As the slope and the off-camber gets greater exaggerate your hips more and use your bodyweight more.

As you exit the section move your bike and body back to a central position. Also, try to stay off the brakes as using them will tend to pull your bike down the slope.

Step 3: Changing Lines for Advanced Fun

If it is not possible to enter the off-camber section at a higher point than the exit point, you will need to change move your bike up a slope.

This is where having your feet in a flat position will really help you control the bike. The same principles as the previous section still apply but you need to either hop or turn up the hill.

To turn up the hill you are actually increasing the angle you will be riding against, so simply swing your hips out and get your weight re-centered.

If you want to hop up the hill, just do a simple bunny-hop up the slope to get to your new position. Be careful though. Bunny hopping can pre-load the bike and that added weight on the tyres can cause loose traction just before you do the hop.

Step 4: Pedaling Off-Camber

Pedaling in an off-camber section is pretty hard and requires a fair bit of concentration. You now have a variable pedal position and therefore body position. You also have to avoid hitting the ground with your pedals.

Other than these things, the you use the same principle of thinking about where your bodyweight is. Try and pedal your bike with your hips in the same position as when you generally ride off-camber sections and make constant adjustments around the Pedaling

It will feel funny as your pedal strokes will be a little messed up but just remember where your bodyweight should be – off the bike to counter balance the slope and keep downward pressure on the tires.

This post is published by Mountain Bike World. Read more on Ride Off-Camber | Learn How to Ride Off-Camber Sections