Professional cycling requires both skill and endurance to perform well. Though skill is something that can only be learnt on the track, endurance is one factor that you can build no matter where you are. Good endurance strength means you have the edge over other players at critical stages of the circuit such as uphill climbs, and finishing stretches. So how does one go about improving his endurance cycling strength, and which regions to focus on to ensure success? Well, let’s find out.

Dodging fatigue – the indispensible gift for a cyclist

Now the first thing you have to understand about your body is that, no matter how trained you are, fatigue is inevitable. But with proper training, it can nevertheless be postponed. Technically it’s what technicians call the lactate threshold. When you cycle, or perform any other physical activity, your body generates lactic acid which causes soreness of muscles and tiredness. The lactate threshold is the point at which your body generates more lactic acid then it can effectively remove, eventually causing fatigue if you push any further. But by slowly working beyond the lactate threshold every day, the limit can be increased significantly. So focus first on improving your weaknesses. Head out to the hills and try to sprint up as fast as you can and see how well you can keep up your power. Try it over and over till you feel comfortable and move on to an even steeper hill. Also try your luck at the dirt track to improve control and have good weight distribution. A word of caution here; with the gift of endurance endowed on your body, you might want to make your bicycle as sustainable with the right servicing and bicycle insurance!

Hit the right weight to power ratio

One of the key factors to having good cycling endurance strength is weight-to-power ratio. It determines how much power your body can produce for its weight. For instance a lean and fit cyclist may be able to keep up his pace much longer than a well-built person, thanks to the well balanced weight-to-power ratio. So try to balance your weight and focus more on increasing power than mass of your muscles. Weight training can also improve your endurance strength significantly, since stronger muscles result reduced fatigue. So focus on training the muscle groups that contribute most to the cycling effort such as your quadriceps and core. But be sure to only train them during the off season time to avoid injuries and over straining.

Rest, diet, sleep – superb ingredients for the perfect cycling fitness cocktail

Training for endurance is a continuous process and doesn’t really have an end. But that doesn’t mean you can just keep on training without taking adequate rest. Endurance improves only when you rest and nourish yourself, so no matter what your schedule may be, find time to sleep for at least 7 hours. And maintain a balanced diet, focusing equally on obtaining carbs as well as proteins. Though you friends may advise you to stay off the carbohydrates, on heavy workout day lack of essential carbohydrates can cause severe muscle damage. So to summarize, improving endurance strength involves dedicated training, homework, proper nutrition and a long, comfortable rest. So get these things right and you will see your endurance improve in no time.