The event this year had 169 riders.

Save the date for Candy Corn Classic 2009:
Saturday, October 24^th

Prolonged and intensive exertion causes numerous changes in immunity in multiple body compartments. These exercise-induced immune changes occur at the same time the human body is experiencing physiologic and oxidative stress, inflammation, and suppressed function against foreign pathogens. Risk of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is 2-6 times higher in endurance athletes compared to controls during the 1-2 week period following competitive race events. URTI risk may be compounded when the endurance athlete goes through repeated cycles of unusually heavy exertion, has been exposed to novel pathogens, and experienced other stressors to the immune system including lack of sleep, severe mental stress, malnutrition, or weight loss.

Although endurance athletes are at increased infection risk during heavy training or competitive cycles, they must exercise intensively to contend successfully. Can athletes use nutrient supplements to counter exercise-induced inflammation and immune alterations? Supplements studied thus far include zinc, dietary fat, plant sterols, antioxidants (e.g., vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, N-acetylcysteine, and butylated hydroxyanisole), glutamine, and carbohydrate. Antioxidants and glutamine have received much attention, but the data thus far do not support their role in negating immune changes after heavy exertion. Most of the focus on nutritional countermeasures has been on carbohydrate.

Research during the 1980s and early 1990s established that a reduction in blood glucose levels was linked to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation, an increased release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone and cortisol, increased plasma growth hormone, decreased insulin, and a variable effect on blood epinephrine levels. Given the link between stress hormones and immune responses to prolonged and intensive exercise, carbohydrate compared to placebo ingestion should maintain plasma glucose concentrations, attenuate increases in stress hormones, and thereby diminish changes in immunity. Carbohydrate supplementation may also alter immunity following exercise by increasing the availability of energy substrate to immune cells. Glucose is the major energy substrate for immune cells.

Several studies with runners and cyclists have shown that carbohydrate beverage ingestion plays a role in attenuating changes in immunity when the athlete experiences physiologic stress and depletion of carbohydrate stores in response to high-intensity (~75-80% VO2max) exercise bouts lasting longer than two hours. In particular, carbohydrate ingestion (about one liter per hour of Gatorade) compared to a placebo has been linked to significantly lower blood cortisol and epinephrine levels, a reduced change in blood immune cell counts, lower pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and diminished gene expression for IL-6 and IL-8 (two important cytokines) in the muscle. These data demonstrate that the endurance athlete ingesting carbohydrate during the race event experiences a much lower perturbation in hormonal and immune measures compared to the athlete avoiding carbohydrate. Overall, the hormonal and immune responses to carbohydrate compared to placebo ingestion indicate that physiologic stress is diminished.

For this and other related articles, visit www.gssiweb.org.

Published: 2008-06-20

 Looking for strong, firm, curved glutes? Based on a muscle activation study performed at the NASM Research Institute at the University of North Carolina, the following exercises were shown to provide the greatest activation of the gluteus maximus. More activation means more results toward your bottom goals! The study looked at what were perceived to be the best exercises for the gluteus maximus and the results showed that these four exercises provided the most recruitment. To keep your glutes in great shape, try performing this circuit 3 – 4 days per week as a part of your regular fitness routine.

Coaching Tips

• To get the most out of your glutes, stretch your calves and hip flexors prior to performing this circuit

Published: 2008-06-20

Based on a muscle activation study performed at the NASM Research Institute at the University of North Carolina, the following exercises were shown to provide the greatest activation of the gluteus medius. The study looked at what were perceived to be the best exercises for the gluteus medius and the results showed that these four exercises provided the most recruitment.   The gluteus medius is a major hip muscle that plays a huge role in stabilizing the lower extremity while on one leg and often times gets shut off by way of muscle imbalances. To help avoid knee pain, back pain, and to keep your hips and glutes in great shape, try performing this circuit as a part of your regular fitness routine.

Coaching Tips

• For best results, include a lower body stretching program prior to performing the gluteus medius circuit

Published: 2008-07-31

Introduction 

As gas prices continue to soar, more Americans are parking their SUVs and purchasing a bicycle to ride to and from work as an alternative way of spending money on fuel.  By bicycling to work, commuters will be able to reach their daily physical activity needs and help fight the problem of America being an obese nation.  But what if I told you that by riding your bicycle, you might be susceptible to repetitive knee injuries?  When you workout in the gym you’re cautious of your form, but what about when you are bicycling outdoors? This article discusses the importance of proper seat height and how to set up your bike appropriately to avoid such knee injuries.

Why do I need a proper seat height?

A common problem that cyclists and triathletes face is “overuse-also known as repetitive knee injuries.”(1,2) These injuries are associated with the cyclist having an improper saddle height caused by an improper bike fit. There are several methods that are used to get the proper bike fit; however, the best method recommended is a knee angle of 25 to 35 degrees to help prevent overuse injuries.

Having a seat height that is too low can lead to anterior (front) knee pain.  A low saddle height will cause excessive compression of the knee similar to doing an improper lunge.  Performing improper lunges after a while will lead to muscle imbalance and trauma to the patella femoral ligament.

On the other hand, having a saddle too high can lead to posterior (behind) knee pain. A high saddle will cause excessive extension of the knee, which leads to another muscle imbalance and posterior cruciate ligament or a hamstring tendon strain injuries.

Obtaining the recommended knee angles of 25 to 35 degrees will allow you to avoid knee injuries.  To understand how this may impact you, on average a cyclist produces pedal strokes of 90 revolutions per minute.  So if you are in a spin class pedaling for 40 minutes, this accumulates to 360 pedal strokes. Simply, 360 pedal strokes is similar to doing 360 squats or lunges either correctly or incorrectly. If done incorrectly, this repetitive motion can lead to overuse injuries in cycling with the improper seat height.

Before attempting knee angle make sure your seat is in the proper position:

Steps on how to accurately measure knee angles

Ride on the bike to find a comfortable position on the seat Spin crank arm until either left or right crank arm is in down stroke with opposing crank aligned up with seat tube angle (maximum trochanter height) Take goniometer and place on the outside (lateral side) of knee Have one arm of the goniometer aligned with the greater trochanter Other arm of goniometer aligned with tibia (shin bone) Measure the knee angle (recommended knee angles 25-35) If knee angle is lower or higher raise seat height until you have reached the required angles Repeat these steps for opposite leg

Don’t have a goniometer?

Here are some calculations you can take and apply to the bike Stand up straight with good posture Make sure you are wearing the shoes that you will be bicycling with Have a friend measure from the bottom of your feet to your greater trochanter (hip) Take this measurement and then multiply it by 96, 98, or 100%. (This number varies by your pedaling mechanics.) Use these measurement and apply to the bike Measure from top of saddle to pedal (make sure crank is aligned with seat tube angle) These measurements will allow you to be within the 25-35 degree knee angle.(3,4) (Trochanteric Height)  X (98%) = Seat Height

How to transfer information from bicycle to indoor bicycle

Here is a hint to help transfer these steps from your road bike to the spin bike. Once you have followed the steps above, take your ultimate seat height by measuring from top of the seat to the pedal in the down position, with the crank aligned with the seat tube angle. It is best to take these measurements in centimeters. Write down these measurements and then apply to your indoor spin bike.

References

(1) Peveler W, Bishop P, et al. Comparing methods for setting saddle height in trained cyclists.  J Exer Physiology Online 2005;8(1):51-55.
(2) Peveler WW, Pounders JD, et al. Effects of saddle height on anaerobic power production in cycling. J Strength Cond Res 2007;21(4):1023-7.
(3) Gonzalez H, Hull ML. Multivariable optimization of cycling biomechanics. J Biomechanics 1989;22(11-12):1151-61.
(4) Price D, Donne B. Effect of variation in seat tube angle at different seat heights on sub-maximal cycling performance in man. J Sports Sci 1997;15(4):395-402.

About the Author

Mike Lovegren, MS, NASM-PES, USA Cycling Level 2, is the content development coordinator for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He has a master’s degree in biomechanics from the University of Northern Colorado and has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from California State University of Dominquez Hills in Carson, Calif.

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