As the new year begins, I look back at
the people I have been so lucky to work with. After hearing, “I can’t to do it without you
Tad,” I remind myself I am part of their “team,” their personal enhancement
team or P.E.T. Regardless of your
individual goals or where you fall on the competitive barometer having an
off-the-bike network to improve your overall health, comfort or injury recovery
is critical. To better understand the
theory behind this I ask that you think of your body and flexibility as a
traditional window blind. The strings
holding it together represent your muscle tension, the frame your skeleton and
the horizontal slats your pelvis. If you pull the strings evenly the blind rises
evenly, but what if one string is higher or tighter than the other? Then the
blind is crooked and uneven and perhaps the slats are slightly turned. Given that scenario, how could you ever be comfortable
or perform at the best of your ability - not to mention the increased intrinsic
risk of injury? In most cases a professional bike fit can alleviate and correct
for several issues however many need to be solved off the bike. P.E.T. findings
are often shared, adjusted and corrected based on one segment’s complementation
of the other with the single unified goal of serving the needs of the client. Meet 5 people you should know.
1. Full Time Bike Fitter/Biomechanist
Everything should start with a professional
bike fit, as biased as that may sound.
This will create a baseline and alleviate some issues while hopefully leading
to the root cause of your issue(s) whether they are comfort, power or
rehabilitation. Anytime you get a new bike, or make a major modification to any
one contact point (saddle, shoes, handlebar), it’s time to get re-fit.
2. Cycling Coach
Many will say “not for me” but if
not you then who? Don’t think of utilizing this service as a
deficiency correction, but as a structural guide to help you achieve your
goals. A coach will add structure to
your riding program and give you the accountability needed to pursue your
goals. Like bike fitters, coaches will largely
fall into two categories – Coaches (static) and Physiologists (dynamic). Coaches tend to be more advice driven and
derive plans based on your heart rate or “PER” (perceived exertion
rating). Physiologists will often have
advanced degrees in clinical exercise, kinesiology and other biomedical fields offering
years of practical experience.
3. Massage Therapist
Many folks chronically neglect
the engine. Our hard earned money is often spent on shiny machined bits for the
bike rather than on ourselves. Every
good crew chief knows that the focus goes to the power plant not the chassis. Massage is often thought of as “relaxing” or
a “reward” rather than a constant in your training program. I often get calls from folks that have issues
(usually knee) from muscular imbalances that occur due to lack of muscular maintence. Often the pain is not the culprit; most
hamstring pain is a result of an overly tight quadriceps muscles. Think of the mini-blind
again. If the quad pulls the pelvis
(slats) forward then the hamstring will always be under duress. Starting a massage
regimen early can sometimes be the key to unlocking hidden performance and
comfort.
4. Physical Therapist/Chiropractor
Thought of by some as the root of
all evil, these professionals often get a bad rap and are misunderstood. This may stem from the complaint of ongoing
treatment and not fixing the issue
but it is often not as simple as that. Your
issue won’t go away on their own yet exercises or adjustments to correct your
actions will aid your progress in skeletal and muscular alignment. Often the root cause of pain, especially in
the lower back, can be attributed to a leg length discrepancy. The correction
of this and relay of the PT/Chiro findings back to the fit department are
paramount to the way you feel on and off the bike.
5. Dietician/Nutritionist
I was once told in jest that
cycling was just a really expensive eating disorder, and while humorous, there
is a sliver of truth in that statement.
Weight can be the single most self affected multiplier of health or
performance in regard to your training program. Most returning clients are
surprised to find that post consultation that they are not eating enough, and
the timing of what and when they eat is off.
Managing blood acidity levels and inflammation become important factors
for recovery and overall health after years of leaching the calcium out of our
bones. Having a plan or finding foods
and strategies that parallel your training/life schedule is the main goal.
Maintaining awareness of your
program in your everyday life will greatly benefit you and your riding over
time. Better levels of stretching, strength and focus on muscular health with
small substitutions in the right format will begin to add up. Control what you
can control and limit your losses. Starting your next ride better hydrated,
rested and flexible may start you down the road to your best season ever and
closer to obtaining your goals than ever before. Enjoy the ride.
For years fitters have heavily relied on optical systems and angle based algorithms to come up with integration solutions between bike and rider. The more asymmetric the client, the more expertise required of the fitter. As MRI's revolutionized the medical field, the addition of pressure analysis in cycling and triathlon gave way to contact point visibility while giving crucial feedback that was previously unavailable. Instead of asking clients, "How do you feel?" we can now quantify those feelings with the ability to visualize the interface between contact points and changes made via position or equipment. Understanding and interpreting real-time pressure data separates fitters from those who can and those who cannot. 
At their highest levels, the difference between technology and magic is sometimes indistinguishable. We have implemented the Gebiomized system in hundreds of bike fits at saddle and shoe contact points as a primary system for biofeedback between our client and their bike. In the world of fit, where our primary job is to responsibly adjust symmetrical products to the asymmetries of our clients, Gebiomized has widened the gap between those fitters that play checkers and those that play chess. 
