Welcome to Chain Reaction. I’m Coach Damian Ruse, a professional cycling coach for over a decade. Each episode unpacks a real cycling story about the human side of performance.
This episode explains what burnout is, examines the symptoms, illustrates why it occurs, provides a burnout questionnaire to assess burnout levels, and provides strategies to prevent its occurrence. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
On August 5, 2008, Sarah Hammer and Michael (meatball) Friedman arrived at Beijing Airport ready to compete for the USA 2008 summer Olympic games wearing face masks to protect them from air pollution. Why?Do masks even protect you from air pollution? Is air pollution that dangerous? Today we’re investigating whether Hammer and Meatball were right to wear masks - and what you can do if you’re faced with a similar situation.Listen in to find out the effect of air pollution on your cycling performa...
This episode explores Green Tea Extract and the promise it has shown as a supplement to induce weight loss by an increase in energy expenditure and fat oxidation. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Energy systems drive all of our activity on the bike. Understanding them will help you to focus your training and optimise your nutrition. The 3 energy systems will also help you understand training zones. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
The impact diet has on performance is huge. We look at the latest recommendations for carbohydrate use, and how to increase fat oxidation. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
How did Eric Marmotte win the US Pro National Championships in 2014, and what can you (and your team) learn from this race? We take a look at his win while also looking at all the different options that were available to Marcotte and Team Smart Stop. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
How do you know if your training program working? Testing is the best way to find this out - but testing is hard physically and mentally. With the help of Alan Couzens this episode looks a how to put together a monitoring system that doesn't rely on maximal tests. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Traditional periodization follows an optimal sequence based on the time course of training adaptations. Understanding this will help you set your training load, and time physiological adaptions better. Use the ideas from Alan Couzens to help you plan your training for optimal performance gains within the linear periodization model. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO...
Learn how to read scientific papers if you should implement the techniques or products mentioned while avoiding the main pitfalls of using this approach to performance. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
To get things going in 2015 I thought it would be cool to look a little deeper into a 2014 Cyclingnews Reader Poll By: James Huang. It produced a top 10 of innovations from the year, and we dig into each one a little deeper. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Since the Summer crits have started in Australia, and this is one of the most underrated episodes of SPC I've decided a replay Criterium Racing: Tips, Tactics and Strategy. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
What is the right tapering strategy for you? While this is not top of mind all year round, it’s important even when it’s not happening. Meaning you should be thinking about it when you’re planning your season. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Interval training is the cornerstone for successful cycling training. I use them in all my training programs and I believe they are the most effective way to achieve great results. Find out what they are, why you should be doing them, and how to do them. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
This is something new for Semi-Pro Cycling – a Rider Hot Seat where a rider jumps in the hot seat and I try and answer their questions about their training and racing. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Learn how to take control of the coaching relationship and take advantage of the knowledge of your coach. This episode covers Things You Can do to Make The Most of Your Coaching which can be used as a criteria if you’re considering changing and once you change to a new coach. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
If your current coach's plan seem to work and you have a good rapport, why would you make such a radical change? If your after performance gains and have an appetite for knowledge, then a new coach can serve you well. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Learn the 5 step system to become a stronger, faster and more efficient climber. Including the Focus Checklist - a complete body and form check to keep you riding at your highest capacity even in high stress situations. Also learn a quick way to check if you are activating your glutes, and why it's so important in climbing. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO...
This episode looks at optimising the mechanical forces on the pedals in different situations to produce a higher power output. In every cycling environment there are opposing forces that change the force on the pedals compared to the input. The problem with pedalling is that it is impossible to have an effective force throughout the entire cycle. Understanding these forces better will help you make adjustments on the fly. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO...
This episode is all about choosing team members, finding mentors and pleasing sponsors from both a rider and manager perspective. Nick Traggis - Director at Team Horizon Organic/Einstein Bros helps us out with some knowledge bombs. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Carter Jones’ coach Dr Stephen McGregor joins us again to talk about Carter's development. Carter Jones has signed a two year deal with Team Giant-Alpecin. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
It’s cycling and climbing today with the concept of VAM helps us understand and quantify cycling performance and can be a useful tool to help improve your own cycling performance. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Today we are learning about training the respiratory system - that’s right the breathing muscles - not the lungs. Breathing muscles fatigue just like any other muscles. So why not train them? Performance gains of 2.7% or more... → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Learn how to survive days when you are doing 2 training sessions. This episode gives a basic framework, guidelines and benefits of having two training sessions in one day. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
We take a look at his approach to building the Performance Systems at Drapac Pro Cycling in it’s first year as a PRO Continental Squad. On an individual level habits are your implicit systems that drive your life. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
The challenge of a longer stage race is that it requires more fitness, more endurance and the ability to recover day-after-day. This episode answers the question - Am I training hard enough for a demanding stage race? To help answer this question I asked Scott Bradburn onto the show...Scott rides for the Australian NRS team - Cellarbrations Racing supported by VW and Bikebug - as he prepares for the Tour of Tasmania. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO...
Discover a faster and less painful why to measure progress and set training zones. RAMP tests can test VO2Max, Lactate and MAP. You may be familiar with V02Max and lactate but not MAP. MAP is just as useful as FTP for measuring progress and setting training zones...But what is MAP and how is it calculated? → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
It may be a little early for you to start reviewing your season. But it’s never too early to start preparing for it when it eventually comes around. Discover how to review your season by maximising the data you have collected over the year. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
When it comes to building your Chronic Training Load the composition of that load is very important, and because we are endurance athletes. Finding the right balance between endurance and fitness is central to our performance. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
My predictions for the next 5 years of cycling technology. Some will become reality and some are on the dream list, but all are fascinating. From ABS to advanced telemetry and HUD to onboard video displays - we are in an exciting time for cycling innovation. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Is altitude training worth your time and money? Altitude camps, altitude sleeping, and altitude training, what works best or even at all. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
