The Strong Savvy Cyclist & Triathlete Podcast

When it comes to making cyclists stronger on the bike via strength training, it's important to look at strength training from a different lens. Chris Peden does that...but he wasn't always a cyclist- far from it in fact. In this episode Chris Shares his experiences that brought him to cycling a bit later in his athletic career, how he views strength training for endurance athletes, and some fantas...

I've managed to pick up a case of Strep throat, so this weeks episode is a short, quick hitter with a few topics I've had the last week in the weight room. Make sure to subscribe, as we've got some phenomenal guest interviews coming up that you won't want to miss! Read more on the HVTraining Blog: https://www.humanvortextraining.com/ Subscribe to the HVTraining YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube...

These days it can be really difficult to go against the grain of commonly accepted practices...even when just asking the question of why we are doing something at all! While I've certainly not always been the most eloquent in addressing some of these items, I do try very hard not to be a jerk about it. This week we talk about being a contrarian and not a jerk, and how in order for us to continue t...

When it comes to training these days, it seems that "research leads the way". For most, this makes sense- the research shows us what works, and then we move in that direction....right?<p> Not exactly.<p> More often than not, the researchers are looking to figure out why what the best coaches in the field of performance are doing, works. In the case of strength training for cycling and...

Ah, progression in your (or your athletes) strength training: Easy peasy! Add more weight, or, find a more advanced exercise. Right? Well, actually..... In this weeks episode Coach Brodie explains the 4 ways to progress your strength training, and the important criteria that must be met before even considering changing the programming. And the "common ways" of changing the program? Aren't the best...

How should triathletes approach strength training? Should they lift until their muscles are burning? Should they do "sport-specific" movements that look like their running or swimming? Do they target "limiter" muscles, like the triceps and calves? What should their strength training periodization look like? In this weeks episode we cover all of the above, as well as the top 3 mistakes triathletes...

As we prepare to turn the clocks back this weekend, many endurance athletes are looking ahead to next summer's events and riding. . .But have you taken the time to dive back into your past years work to figure out a better plan? Deena Blacking is a cycling coach, lawyer, and writer based out of Girona, Spain. Originally from the UK, Deena has been developed a coaching approach to help her riders,...

This weeks episode is a bit different. My energy has been really low (thanks, Corona), but I wanted to stay consistent. So, here we are! I share a few thoughts on the mindset of coaches these days, as well as the state of the fitness world, which has become so obsessed with marketing, and cheap subscriptions models.  Like it, or dislike it, this week is a slower paced episode, with some thoug...

This week we sat down to talk with Fast man Colin McKenna, a 2x HVTraining athlete, who's seen absolutely phenomenal results following the strength training for cycling performance approaches here at HVT. Here's the thing that pretty much no one believes: Colin has gotten stupid strong and fast, not having used a weight more than 45#.....He's not the only one: Carolyn G. who has been in the Big Ge...

The more I experience, and the more conversations I have with others who've had corona, and the coaches of those who've had corona, the more I come to conclude that there is no one common pathway to return to sport.  This week I share an update as to how things are going, and how I'm dealing with these challenges.  The Strength Training for Cyclists Certification will open here at the en...

What is the ONE thing that can have the biggest impact on whether you succeed in something, or fail? On a macro level, a huge determination of success or failure, and especially so the speed of which you achieve or fail- is the setup. Chris Abbott is the co-host of the Breakthrough Secrets Podcast, and has been in the fitness industry for nearly 13 years. In this time he's gone from a trainee, to...

Well, this sucks.  Less than 24 hours before I was due to fly to Leuven, Belgium, to present at the Science in Cycling Conference and to teach a 1 day Masterclass on Assessment for Strength Training for Cyclists, I tested positive. In this short episode I share a brief overview of my experience thus far, and try to add a little value to your life.  Did you or someone you know catch Coron...

For many of us, Training and Racing with a Power meter, has been a bit of a training bible, helping us to get more out of our time on the bike. Previously here on the SSCT Podcast we spoke with Hunter Allen about the myths of training with power for cyclists . . .but we didn't really get into the challenges that Triathletes face as they try to train with power on the run, and in the swim. Dr. Chri...

With Labor Day behind us, many cyclists are turning to base training, which for a growing number of cyclists, means hitting the weights. While hitting the weight should provide a big boon to your on-bike performance, many are making a few simple mistakes that are costing them the very things they're after from their strength training.  In this episode we talk about strength training for cycli...

Matt Fitzgerald has helped hundreds of thousands of endurance athletes over the years through his books, writings, and training programs. Over the last few years Matt's books and writings have had major tones of mental training, sports psychology, and "what it takes to make it" above and beyond the physical preparation for events.  In this episode we sat down and talked with Matt about his la...

Strength Training is here to stay. It's finally getting attention in the mass media, which means articles videos, and lots of content from well-meaning coaches and professional journalists. . . While this is a step in the right direction the vast majority of these resources and the information within, are aimed towards endurance athletes in their 20's, 30's and 40's.  From how to train, to wh...

Jay Croft has been writing about fitness for quite some time...but he noticed there's a huge gap in the information that's being written, and the individuals who are looking for good, high-quality information that is going to help them: Those aged 50+ So he started writing fitness content geared specifically for those aged 50+, their unique needs, and helping to decipher much of the fitness inform...

Science, it seems, has become the be-all, end-all for everything training these days. "Show me the research proving this works" riders and coaches alike proclaim, while talking about training approaches. Many cyclists and triathletes these days outright refuse to do a specific workout- or even strength exercise- if there isn't a research article "proving it works" or "showing it's valuable. This h...

When it comes to working through and around obstacles in life, Mike Kurkowski has had quite a few- from beating Leukemia as a 3 year old at a time when it was pretty much unheard of, how he re-learned how to move well as a 20-something year old after having a pin in his leg for many years that changed his movements, and how he became the co-host of The Breakthrough Secrets Podcast, where he and co...

In this episode we break down specific action items for each of the 3 types of endurance athletes: Tech Geeks/ Mathematicians Evidence based Know Thyself Creating the margin of safety in your training for improved results will take 3 different routes for each of these kinds of athletes. Some will focus on training related things, and others on non-related items. But finding the right thing to focu...

Allen Lim may be most known for Skratch labs and his fantastic talks, but there is far more to the man whose helped change how we endurance athletes look at nutrition and fueling! In this episode Allen shares some deep insights into Grit vs. Stubbornness, learning delayed gratification, Focusing on the EFFORT- not the results. Have we, as a society lost the love of progress and have become too foc...

Those who've poked their noses into the world of value investing will recognize this term, but we're not talking about stocks.... we're talking about YOU and your training! In this episode we use the comparison of the 3 kinds of stock traders:  "Flash Boys" (a la Michael Lewis's book) Day Traders Value Investors to help get across to the 3 different kinds of endurance athletes: Tech Geeks/ Su...

Lee Welton is a Physical Therapist and strength coach for hikers and backpackers. An outdoor enthusiast himself, Lee enjoys adventures in the great outdoors, and spent some time with us discussing:  The similarities between hiking and biking The importance of strong feet Mistakes cyclists and triathletes make when adding hiking to their fall or winter training How to stay strong, resilient, a...

Over the last 15 years or so, there has been a strong tendency to only rely, or to rely heavily, on the newest, latest, and supposedly "greatest". . . but in doing so, many coaches, athletes, and general health & fitness folks have missed out on the huge wealth of knowledge that has been accumulated to date.  Certainly, some things we have learned from experience are not as useful or appl...

Greg Choat is a performance specialist based out of Las Vegas who has worked with a number of athletes from a variety of sports, ranging from UFC and Olympic level Badminton to cyclists and triathletes in the amateur and professional levels. In this episode our main topic is when and how to get more aggressive with your bike fit during the season. The answer will surprise many cyclists and tr...