Making Shift Happen

I’m so excited to share my interview with Coach Rafaella “Roxy” Wieschollek from Roxybikes Coaching! Coach Roxy is an absolute gem of a human, as well as a phenomenal mountain biking coach (you should follow her links below!). In this interview, we talk about how you learn mountain bike skills best, which skills to focus on, and how this can help you crash less overall. If you wa...

Consistency is key to progress, but why do you lack consistency? Let’s get to the bottom of this. Give this episode a listen if you struggle with consistency and motivation, and want to make a change.🎧 Here are some other episodes about consistency and motivation that you may want to check out: 145. Motivation, Goal Setting, and Thriving with Sabrena Jo, Ph. D. 141. What to do if You’...

The holiday season is upon us, and you may find yourself traveling more. With the increase in travels, you may be feeling concerned that you won’t be able to keep your healthier habits up to chase goals you may have. It’s okay to feel a little anxious about that! I want to give you some travel tips that can help you navigate your time on the road, away from your home and routine. So, g...

Gravel cycling has roots in inclusivity. It embraces the idea that you can be on a dirt road on any bike you can get your butt on, wear whatever clothes, and just ride your bike endlessly from almost any point on the map. It allows for a sense of unbridled freedom. Early gravel events were welcoming to all, and they felt like a community coming together to support one another and celebrate the mut...

Motivation: does it exist? Do you focus on the least effective things when it comes to motivation? If so, how can you change that in order to see the results you seek? In this interview, I sit down with my friend, Sabrena Jo, Ph. D., to talk about the focus of her research: motivation! Give this episode a listen to learn more about motivation and what you can do to harness it, as well as ways you...

Indoor bike training is the bane of many cyclists’ existence. I get it! Who wants to be indoors on a bike when you’d rather be outside? But, indoor bike training can also make training happen more easily, regardless of the weather. In this episode, I outline the reasons why I think indoor bike training is awesome… and why it’s not.😉 Give this episode a listen to learn why...

The interference effect between strength and endurance training has long been seen as having a detrimental impact on overall training outcomes. But, recent research has shown that the opposite may be true. Which means training both strength and endurance at the same time (concurrent training) may be beneficial. The key is to manage a certain set of factors, as I discuss in this episode. Give this...

The best time to workout or train will always be the time that works best for your schedule and energy levels. Consistency is the best indicator for long-term success, after all – so how can you be consistent with your training or workouts?  Give this episode a listen to learn how to decide when the best time to workout is for you. I offer up some reflection questions for you to use to deter...

Friends, no, you do not likely need to go harder or whatever in order to see results if you’re too tired to workout. Maybe you just need to take a rest day or do  something more chill. Ever thought about that? Give this episode a listen to learn how to determine what to do when you’re too tired to workout.🎧 Here are some other episodes you may want to check out: 138. Signs Your Body N...

Muscle soreness may be something you may chase in your workouts or rides, but is that necessary? And how do you know if your muscle soreness is okay to experience or not? What if it prevents you from training altogether? So many questions, so little time. Somewhere along the way, us humans have started to think that soreness is a welcome feeling. We’ve started to think that we need to feel sorenes...

Seasonality: what the hell is it, how does it impact your overall training and health, and what can you do about it? In this episode, I have the honor of sitting down with coach Kate Solovieva. Known as SOLO for short, she is a life coach with over 10 years of experience and a background in psychology, so she has plenty of insight to offer you on how you can manage seasonality and make it work for...

How do you know for sure your body needs rest and it’s not your inner critic telling you to stop? What are the signs that your body needs rest? Let’s talk about it. Please, give this episode a listen and let me know if you have any questions at all – I’m always here for you. 🎧 Here are some other episodes you may want to check out: 135. How to Improve Recovery 132. How to Identify and Manag...

I get it: tracking food is cumbersome and overwhelming. It can be a lot to do when you are already doing a lot in life. So, h ere are 5️⃣ things you can do to help you lose body fat without tracking your food. Give this episode a listen and let me know if you have any questions at all – I’m always here for you. 🎧 Here are some other episodes you may want to check out: 116. How to Lose Body...

Do you feel the need for speed on your bike, and want to get faster on your bike? 👉 Then, listen to these five tips on the ways you can increase your speed on the bike. With a little effort OFF the bike, you can improve your speed ON the bike, along with doing some other skill work you can develop on the bike. Give this episode a listen to make yourself even faster (which can also mean more fun!)...

Recovery is one of the most overlooked parts of training. It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of adding more training to your schedule and plans. But that’s not what you need. ❌ 👉 A solid training plan includes adequate recovery. ✅ Train hard, recover hard. ✅  Recovery is a crucial part of your training. Improved performance occurs during the recovery part of your training. After y...

Self-care can be such an elusive term, up there with “mindfulness” for some folks. But the thing with self-care is that it’s definition is up to YOU and what it means to YOU. Self-care also isn’t only about the “self,” and it can be a way to make your relationship with others even closer. In this episode, I share some definitions of self-care, the various areas...

Building confidence on the bike can feel arduous or sometimes downright impossible sometimes, especially if you’re new to mountain biking or if you’ve just had a crash. In this episode, I break down the top seven things you can do to build confidence on the bike. If you want a copy of FREE my e-bike guide to building workouts, then get it here: https://shifthumanperformance.com/free-e-...

Is it burnout or depression, and how do you identify it and manage it? In this interview, I sit down with Dr. Erin Ayala (she/her), a licensed psychologist, performance consultant, and researcher, as we go in-depth on what burnout is, and how you can come out it. Erin blends clinical and research expertise in her work with athletes from various sports backgrounds, but especially in cycling. She’s...

Vacation doesn’t have to be a time when you abandon all of your goals for the sake of hedonism. Vacation can align with your goals, with a few simple tweaks. First, we have to stop with the “all or nothing” mentality. Give this episode a listen if you tend to have a difficult time navigating vacations with your goals in mind, or if they tend to be a source of stress for you. Here...

Hardtail or full suspension bike? It depends. 😂 This is like the debate with flats versus clipless pedals. But ultimately it all depends. The winning argument for which bike to get will depend on what style of riding you do, full stop. So, let’s talk about some of the differences to consider when you’re trying to decide which bike to get. Give this episode a listen to decide if a hardtail or full...

It’s bike park season, which means you may be experiencing some more aches, pans, and fatigue after your days at the bike park. It can be so frustrating experiencing fatigue when you just paid a pretty penny for a bike park pass, too. In this episode, I share my top five tips for reducing fatigue in downhill biking, so your next days at the bike park can start to feel better and better. If y...

Heat illness is not to be taken lightly, especially if you are outside in the heat more. In the last episode, you learned how to properly acclimate to the heat, but today I am talking about how to recognize and treat heat illness. If you spend time outdoors in the heat or coach others in the heat (especially kids), then give this episode a listen! 🎧 Here are some other episodes you may want to ch...

The more acclimated you are to the heat, the better you can perform in the heat. Working to acclimate to the heat means you will have a lower heart rate when exercising or training in the heat, you’ll feel less exhausted, and you’ll also feel like your effort is less intense the more acclimated you are to it. WINNING! If you want to acclimate to the heat and not dread training in the heat, then gi...

The bad news: Concussions are always a possibility with every crash on your mountain or gravel bike. The good news: there are ways you can prevent the severity of concussion, which I explore further in this episode. Do you have anything else you do to reduce the severity or risk of concussion? Please share! Here are my exercises on YouTube that you can progress to after building first with the ban...

Descending on your mountain bike can be the most intimidating thing you do when you’re learning how to ride, especially if the terrain you’re navigating is more technical or extremely steep. If learning how to descend confidently on your mountain bike is at the top of your list for skill work, then listen to this episode to get my top five tips you can do to crush your next descent. Th...