dm69 said:It seems that a power meter is not an option for me atm 🙁 due to "financial issues"😉 so I am stuck on "the dark side" using a heart rate monitor. What annoys me most when I ask people about the option of powermeters is they tell me I am too young to use or need a PM! Its like us juniors can't be trusted with the equiptment??? anyways I can't afford one for atleast another year and I am heading into my first year of under 19's (i am still only 15 years old:eek: ) next year. I have only been riding for a year!
I intend to have a massive few months on the bike building up power and endurance so I can atleast suck the wheels next year against the junior world champions we have in OZ. and build a good base to do well in my second year of U19's. Its quite important that I use this time wisely. I intend to hit the gym and add bulk, do some swimming for the lungs, a lot of velodrome work for cadence/ sprint/ tactics, keep taking my creatine, protein, tribulus, multi-v and other supplements aswell as of course riding minimum 750km's a week in the holidays (550 plus at school).
My Long term goal like a lot of other junior racers is to be as good as I can be and hopefully atleast get in a semi-pro team around OZ by the time im 25.
My goals for the next few months is simply to improve BIG TIME at EVERYTHING with just a HRM and a speedo. If you had to train without a PM and switch to HRM tommorow how would you do it and what knowledge have you gained from PM's that would help you. I hear you all going on about FT power and I hear of how you train with the Pm's to improve this skill how could I get better with a HRm and still pace myself correctly?
Thanks a million for any advice.
By the way I am asking in this forum because I know that power meter dudes/ dudesses are superior and more intelligent to those scabby HRM [censored]'s :p .
DM, I won't attempt to answer your questions, I'll leave that to the experts in the forum, but as an ex powerlifter and up until the end of last year an avid fan of bodybuilding, I did a lot of research into creatine. After a considerable amount of reading, including a simplified article posted below, common sense prevailed and I decided against using it. For some, it causes no problem, however, others have suffered serious side effects including symptoms not included in the article below such as depression, aggressive behaviour etc.
Finally, I would say it definitely has no benefit whatsoever vis-a-vis cycling.
[b][size=4][QUOTE] [/b]
Beware creatine's potential dangers
[font=arial]By Hollie W. Best[/font]
[font=arial]Gannett News Service[/font]
I am asked the question “Should I take creatine?” Creatine is a natural substance found in fish and raw meat. It is a compound that can be made in our bodies or taken as a dietary supplement.
Creatine is an amino acid, which is made by liver and kidneys, and 95 percent to 98 percent is stored in muscle. The Food and Drug Administration categorizes creatine as a food supplement.
Some studies have shown that creatine can increase the performance of athletes in activities that require quick bursts of energy, such as sprinting and weight lifting, and can help athletes to recover faster after expending bursts of energy.
In addition to providing more fuel for your muscles, creatine pulls water into your muscle cells, which increases the volume of your muscles. Creatine might help in gaining greater muscle mass because it enhances protein synthesis.
Nevertheless, before you go buy a creatine supplement, be aware that 20 percent of people taking creatine do not respond to it and their athletic performance does not change.
New research has shown that creatine can help buffer lactic acid that builds up in the muscles during exercise. You will associate lactic acid with the burning sensations that you get in your muscles during exercise.
The average human has between 3.5 and 4 grams of creatine per kilogram of muscle. Once you use up the creatine in your muscle you have to rest your muscle and wait a while before you can exercise the muscle again. Some studies suggest that taking more than 40 grams of creatine a day might cause liver or kidney damage in some people.
Creatine can be found in powder, liquid, serum, effervescent or gum form. All forms of creatine will stay in your blood stream up to 1 1/2 hours. The general recommendation for creatine supplementation is taking it before a workout.
If you deplete the creatine supply in your muscles and you have creatine available in the bloodstream, your muscles can replenish their creatine supply fromyour blood. But if your muscles are full of creatine and you are not working out, the creatine in your blood will be converted into creatinine and excreted. Over time this constant excretion of creatinine can put a lot of work on your kidneys and liver. Creatine might sound like the “wonder supplement” for athletes wanting to increase their performance or muscle mass. Be aware that the potential for danger is still unknown due to its “newness.” Short-term side effects of creatine supplementation include: upset stomach, muscle cramping, diarrhea and dehydration. Athletes of any age taking creatine should do so under the supervision of a health-care provider.
[/QUOTE] [/size]
