Empirical Cycling Podcast

Lactate remains a misunderstood molecule, and most popular experts still don't have a full understanding of where it comes from or why. In this episode, Kolie explains the basic biochemical context of lactate, where it really comes from, and why we make it at rest and during exercise. You will come away from this episode with a good understanding of how enzymes catalyze reactions, the importance of always making lactate, and the kinds of things that cause demand on glycolysis.

Today we discuss the global COVID-19 pandemic. We start with basic virology and why it's through this understanding that we recommend even healthy people take extreme precautions. Then address group rides, and things to consider for your current training or re-planning your 2020 season for races that may or may not happen. We have links to additional studies in the show notes on the website.

We asked for questions, and we got them. Kolie and Kyle answer eleven excellent questions on FTP training.

Delving into the biochemical depths of all life, Kolie discusses chemical equilibrium, or disequilibrium, and how ATP's high energy phosphate bonds aren't really what give it the energetic potential it's known for.

Today Dr. Helson runs the numbers on how much rotating weight matters when accelerating. The answer may (or may not) surprise you.

Whether we should pace endurance rides by heart rate or power is a training question where the usual answers lack sufficient depth. In this episode we provide enough context, and an alternative, that you might find the right style of riding for yourself.

In this highly anticipated episode, a scientific paper and some metabolic logic show us a simple, effective way to make your FTP training better.

This episode takes a look at things like power output and when we might find differences in training response. Most energy systems are touched on along with quick insights that will be expanded on in upcoming podcast episodes.

Are your friends using bro science? Do you know someone with a magic solution, who thinks they put together the whole puzzle with only half the pieces? Learn the warning signs! Kyle hosts this episode on how to recognize bro science, its rhetoric, and typical warning signs.

Oxygen is corrosive, but we need it for life and exercise. This episode looks at how free radicals are made in the body, their role in adaptation to endurance exercise, and the body's natural defense mechanisms.