Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad

• TrainerRoad Podcast Ride Day! • What are "openers"? • How to train the day before a race • How to train if you don't plan on racing • Should you take an FTP test after coming back from time off or injury? • More music recommendations from Coach Chad & Jonathan • What our ideal training setups are • What is the best trainer table? • What are the best headphones to use on the trainer? • How does your true VO2Max compare to a suggested one provided by your Garmin? • How to train for sprints • Is it wrong to ride hard early in the year? • Can training twice per day make you faster? • The best cycling / triathlon kit for tall people • Is there a placebo effect to the big ring? • Should you keep your training private, or share it publicly?

• Nate's ISRAMAN performance • ISRAMAN Review • What's the best way to shave your legs? • Is it necessary to take time off between training plans? • Why lower intensity work can feel harder than high intensity • How to deal with a week off from training • How skiing affects your training • Cross training for cyclists in the winter • Best cycling computer mounts • How to mount your phone to your Garmin mount • Does Yoga help cyclists? • How to effectively use stretching for cyclists • Is Soylent a good idea for endurance athletes?

• Crossfit and FTP Testing • Which gearing is best for big climbs? • Is expensive cycling kit worth it? • How to prepare for a multi-day stage race or camp • How to avoid numbness from your saddle • How to find the perfect saddle • Does increasing lean mass make you a better time trialist? • How to train throughout the year if CX is your only goal • Is it better to get a low-cost smart trainer, or an expensive standard trainer? • Does ERG mode give you a better workout? • How to add on more training to Sweet Spot Base

The Nate episode! • Nate, Chad and Jonathan's VO2 max & RMR test results • How to prepare for physiological testing • Nate's racing ISRAMAN! (full-distance triathlon in Israel) • How to cram for a big event • How to pace an IRONMAN • How to adjust your TT bike position for optimal power • Mountain bike racing in the mud • Testing ideas to heal sore legs

• What is metabolic efficiency testing? • How to know how much fat you are burning • Coach Chad, Jonathan and Nate's MET results • Does every athlete's threshold reside at 4mmol/L? • Which trainers are the quietest? • What to do after you reach peak fitness • Can you you maintain a peak for a whole season? • Do oval chainrings make a difference? • Should athletes calculate their caloric burn differently? • Which build plan should you pick: short or general? • How to know if you've had a bad test or if you've lost fitness • What to do if cadence drills don't allow you to hold your power targets • How to become a better climber • How to keep your cycling shoes fresh • What trainer is best for mountain biking? • What testing can help you understand your genetic limitations? • What power-to-weight ratio can you achieve?

• Chad, Nate and Jonathan’s physiological testing • How to test your metabolic efficiency • What is the ideal cadence? • Does dry needling help sore knees? • How to boost your immune system to avoid illness • Why does your smart tainer seize up? • Should you train before an FTP test or just get right into it? • Do spin classes make you a faster cyclist? • How to balance weight training with cycling • Do mountain bikers and cyclocross riders need a strong upper body? • What is the best training approach to improve your power to weight ratio? • Should cyclists practice “bulking”? • Should you use ERG mode during short, intense efforts? • How hard should your sprint intervals be?

• How to review your year and set goals • Do slow twitch fibers need more recovery time than fast twitch? • How long do the effects of supercompensation last? • Is running good cross training for cyclists? • When to apply chamois cream • How big of an effect can your bike fit have on your power output? • What should you do if you have a left / right imbalance? • Do antibiotics affect FTP? • Is it better to be consistent or go all out during VO2 intervals? • How to plan a season with two peaks • What is the difference between weaknesses and limiters? • How to adjust your training for single speed racing • Why are over-unders so hard?

• Cycling kit etiquette • Is it wrong to wear a championship jersey when training? • What type of garmin should you use in cyclocross? • Is it bad to smell like ammonia when working out? • How to deal with sweat in your eyes • What is the best sunscreen to use on the bike? • How to tell if you are just tired or experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome • What is the difference between over training and Over Training Syndrome • Do massages make you slower? • What type of massage is best for cyclists? • How to train for RAGBRAI • What type of training should you do for a big, non-competitive event? • Should you use a wheel block? • How to level your bike on the trainer • How to control your fan while on the trainer • How to adjust your training plan if you are sick • What is the best way to prepare for a hot race? • Does heat training make you faster? • Can you build power and lose weight at the same time? • What to record in a training diary

• Chainring sizes explained • How to deal with a saddle sore • Do warmups actually work? • Do high fat diets drop your FTP? • Why are our bodies not dependent on fat all the time? • How to do 'spinups'? • How high of a cadence should you be riding at? • What to do if your bike can't be used with a normal trainer • What is maltodextrin? • Does sugar intake halt fat adaptation? • Chad, Nate and Jonathan's most dreaded workouts • The effects of mental fortitude and optimism on performance • Should you have an offseason FTP and weight goal? • How to trend your fitness during the offseason • How to adjust your training plan for vacation or travel • What exactly is "high intensity"? • Should you wear knee warmers inside? • Are knee warmers better than leg warmers? • Why don't the pros use leg warmers? • Is Nate's nasal surgery helping him recover?

• Mud cyclocross tips • How to take a run up • Are 11-speed quick links reusable? • How high can your power-to-weight ratio be? • How to train for Leadville • How long does it take to regain peak fitness? • Why do you smell like ammonia after a hard workout? • How to add extra training stress to your training plan • Is it necessary to do a spindown with PowerMatch? • VirtualPower explained • How to get accurate data with VirtualPower • How to know if your FTP is too low • How to overcome a plateau in fitness • What to do during a recovery interval • What upgrades make you fastest?