Happy New Year!! It's been a great year for music and I always like to start my new year with two special playlists. One being a “Best of” playlist and the other a “New Year” themed playlist. I'll be sharing both of these playlists later today on my blog. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite New Year themed songs as well as two new releases that I'm sure you're going to want to add to your playlists soon!
The first song, Auld Lang Syne by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a rockin', short and sweet version of the traditional New Years song. It starts out slow and builds throughout the two minutes so your legs should follow suit. I like that you can use this one as a working song, but there are many slower versions you can use as a cool down/stretch. Check out 10 excellent versions of the song here.
The second song, New Year's Day-Ferry Coston Remix, is one that I know most of us have used if we've made a New Years playlist in the past. If you haven't seen this remix though , it's got more of a beat to it and can be used as a hill, seated or standing at around 68 RPM's. The Spotify link is for a 4:37 version, the iTunes link is a version that clocks in at 9:41.
And the last song is one of my favorites to pull out each New Year. I've used it as both a flat road and a warm up, but I particularly like it for a warm up because I just love the lyrics, and it's a great way to start both the new year and your workout!
“Another year you made a promise
Another chance to turn it all around
And do not save this for tomorrow
Embrace the past and you can live for now.”
Another climb at around 65 RPM's. If you enjoy house music with a driving beat every once in a while, then this one is definitely for you: (sorry, I was unable to find an iTunes link)
Have a great new year and here's to more great music in 2016!
[wlm_private ‘PRO-Platinum|PRO-Monthly|PRO-Gratis|PRO-Seasonal|Platinum-trial|Monthly-trial|PRO-Military|30-Days-of-PRO|90 Day PRO|Stages-Instructor|Schwinn-Instructor|Instructor-Bonus|28 Day Challenge']
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Download Linked File As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library
To download the above media on a PC:
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Save Link As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library Click here to watch a video on how to download media files from ICI/Pro.
Premium Members, follow the link below to download this new mix.
[wlm_private ‘PRO-Platinum|PRO-Monthly|PRO-Gratis|PRO-Seasonal|Platinum-trial|Monthly-trial|PRO-Military|30-Days-of-PRO|90 Day PRO|Stages-Instructor|Schwinn-Instructor|Instructor-Bonus|28 Day Challenge']
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Download Linked File As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library
To download the above media on a PC:
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Save Link As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library Click here to watch a video on how to download media files from ICI/Pro.
Serotonin is a brain chemical with different functions.
– It’s a neurotransmitter that’s targeted and enhanced by several antidepressants.
– It’s the precursor of melatonin, the “sleep hormone” and anti-inflammatory.
– It affects satiety and modulates general food intake and carbs specifically.
– It’s a vasoconstrictor.
– At high levels, it can make us lethargic.
– It plays a role in energy expenditure and motor activity.
Exercise can raise levels of serotonin. Typically, that’s considered beneficial because serotonin is often referred to — somewhat mistakenly — as a “happiness” hormone.
But among athletes, increased serotonin is known to exert a negative influence on endurance training by bringing on fatigue. Various studies over the past decade or so have shown this to be true in both human and animal studies.
The connection between serotonin and fatigue during endurance exercise is more pronounced in high-intensity (“exhaustive”) training.
Red Ginseng
Red (panax) ginseng has been promoted as an ergogenic aid for endurance athletes. Having never tried it, I can’t vouch for its effectiveness.
Tests on animals, however, suggest that the mechanism behind the ergogenic benefit of ginseng lies in its ability to suppress brain levels of serotonin.
The side effects of red ginseng vary and may include anxiety, headache, insomnia, nervousness, or dizziness. If consumed with coffee, it can cause irregular heart rhythms. Anyone taking meds for hypertension should avoid red ginseng.
Peony Root
Other animal studies show that peony root (paeonia radix) works similarly. It reduces fatigue by blocking the synthesis of serotonin during exercise.
The drawbacks of peony root are stomach upset, rashes in sensitive people, or its ability to slow blood clotting. That may lead to negative interactions with anticoagulant meds — either prescription drugs like Coumadin or over-the-counter items, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen (Naprosyn).
Acupuncture and glucose
Still other animal studies have shown that acupuncture at selected sites or glucose injections in the brain can improve treadmill running by suppressing serotonin synthesis and release.
So the serotonin/fatigue connection in athletes and animals has been shown time and again.
Protein To the Rescue
When I long ago learned of the connection between exercise-induced serotonin and fatigue, my first thought was of protein. A combination of mid-ride protein and starch would tend to block serotonin synthesis, I figured.
Sure enough, research supports that.
Protein added to a carb supplement has been shown, for example, to enhance running endurance capacity in football players toward the end of a game.
Experiments on rats trained on a treadmill and given free access to food and a choice between water and a water/amino acid solution showed that the rats preferred the amino acid solution when made to run on the treadmill. Tests revealed decreased brain serotonin in those rats. This suggests an ergogenic benefit of the amino solution.
How Can You Use This Info?
Fatigue has multiple symptoms that may occur simultaneously. For best results overall, a few basic workout guidelines should help.
Stay hydrated, of course, always. Dehydration produces severe fatigue (and worse).
Don’t overdress. Hyperthermia can increase perceived effort and derail endurance efforts.
Add protein to your fuel mix. Preferable types would be fairly easy to digest, such as organic pea protein powder. It could easily be added to the recipe for Dr. Joan’s Potato Goo, described in a previous post.
Wishing you excellent results with your endurance workouts in the year ahead!
Below you'll find Week 2 of December's @ or Above Threshold Keep it Simple and Progress indoor cycling profile.
Workout Basics:
7 minute warmup
1 minute recovery
4 minute interval increasing wattage or intensity each minute
5 minutes holding the 4th minute's wattage
1 minute recovery
6 x 1 minute intervals increasing wattage or intensity for the first 4 intervals and “meeting or beating” the 4th minute's wattage or intensity on the 5th and 6th.
1 minute recovery
3 minute interval increasing wattage or intensity each minute
3 minutes holding the 3rd minute's wattage or intensity
1 minute recovery
6 x 1 minute intervals increasing wattage or intensity for the first 4 intervals and “meeting or beating” the 4th minute's wattage or intensity on the 5th and 6th.
1 minute recovery
2 minute interval increasing wattage or intensity each minute
3 minutes holding the 2nd minute's wattage or intensity
1 minute recovery
4 x 1 minute intervals w/30 second recovery after each
Workout Goal:
How long can you stay at the summit?
7 minute 24 second warm up
Soft pedal for 3:24. Get comfortable on bike. Discuss fit and console.
Slowly and steadily increase HR and/or Average Wattage each minute, for 4 minutes, keep intensity below threshold.
1 minute recovery
9 minute ride up to peak and hold interval goals and specifics:
Slowly and steadily increase HR and/or Average Wattage each minute, for 4 minutes, find an intensity that can be maintained for an additional 5 minutes.
Ride seated with a RPM of 80-11o
1 minute recovery
6 x 1 minute intervals ride up to peak and hold interval goals and specifics:
Increase HR and/or Average Wattage for each one minute interval, for the first 4 intervals then hold peak intensity for the last 2 one minute intervals.
Ride seated with a RPM of 80-110
30 second recovery after each one minute interval.
1 minute recovery at the end of the set.
6 minute ride up to peak and hold interval goals and specifics:
Slowly and steadily increase HR and/or Average Wattage each minute, for 3 minutes, find an intensity that can be maintained for an additional 3 minutes.
Ride seated with a RPM of 60-80
1 minute recovery
6 x 1 minute intervals ride up to peak and hold interval goals and specifics:
Increase HR and/or Average Wattage for each one minute interval, for the first 4 intervals then hold peak intensity for the last 2 one minute intervals.
Ride seated with a RPM of 60-80
30 second recovery after each one minute interval.
1 minute recovery at the end of the set.
4 minute ride up to peak and hold interval goals and specifics:
Slowly and steadily increase HR and/or Average Wattage each minute, for 2 minutes, find an intensity that can be maintained for an additional 2 minutes.
Ride standing with a RPM of 60-80
1 minute recovery
4 x 1 minute w/30 second recovery after each interval goals and specifics:
Repeat four 1 minute intervals, increasing HR and/or Average Wattage with each interval
Ride all intervals standing with a RPM of 60-80
30 second recovery can be done in any position or RPM
Cool Down
[wlm_private ‘PRO-Platinum|PRO-Monthly|PRO-Gratis|PRO-Seasonal|Platinum-trial|Monthly-trial|PRO-Military|30-Days-of-PRO|90 Day PRO|Stages-Instructor|Schwinn-Instructor|Instructor-Bonus|28 Day Challenge'].
