{"id":760,"date":"2019-04-11T07:59:33","date_gmt":"2019-04-11T07:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/?p=760"},"modified":"2019-04-11T08:04:30","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T08:04:30","slug":"new-to-the-cycling-world-youve-come-to-the-right-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/2019\/04\/11\/new-to-the-cycling-world-youve-come-to-the-right-place\/","title":{"rendered":"New to the cycling world? You\u2019ve come to the right place\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>Getting started <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>New to the cycling world? You\u2019ve come to the right place\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ireland is booming as far as cycling is concerned \u2013 whether for work commutes, leisure or general fitness purposes, more and more people are getting in the saddle.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We have a wealth of beautiful backdrops and routes for people to explore and we\u2019ve got better over the years in ensuring cyclists are safe and respected on the roads. All we need now is better weather \u2013 but even climate change couldn\u2019t fix that one!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, if you\u2019re getting serious about getting on your bike, you\u2019re about to be absolutely <em>bombarded<\/em>; with training advice, information on supplements, the bike you should get, the smart watch you need to get, and lots more besides.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To try to streamline matters, we\u2019ve put together a simple list of things to take your cycling to the next level without overcomplicating things \u2013 or leading you to financial ruin!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Training <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first questions you\u2019ll face ask is how much training you should be doing. How many days a week should you be out on the bike? What sort of rides should you be undertaking? Do you need a supplementary weights programme in the gym? The list goes on&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no right or wrong answer here, but the first thing you need to prioritise is your time. Ask what you can realistically commit to, and then stick with that plan.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>And while you <em>can<\/em> hit the gym to develop stamina and power in your legs, but most advice will tell you that the best way to improve your cycling is \u2013 drumroll \u2013 cycling. Yeah, it\u2019s that simple.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>An extra session or two a week will make a huge difference if you\u2019re only beginning, and you can build from there to work on your speed and endurance \u2013 this will be where you\u2019ll see your progress.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Nutrition<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve covered some aspects of nutrition ( link <u>here<\/u>), but the bare bones will always be that a healthy and balanced diet won\u2019t steer you far wrong. Fear no food groups, but instead see your food as a fuel source that directly affects your performance on the bike.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Using apps like My Fitness Pal will help track your intake, and point towards where you might be able to improve food habits. Also, hydration when you\u2019re out on the bike is key, but generally improving your water intake will benefit you in many other ways too \u2013 so go gung-ho on the H2O!<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bikes and accessories: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Avoid the temptation to spend huge money on a new bike if you\u2019re very new to the game \u2013 if there\u2019s nothing wrong with the one that you have, then stick with it until there\u2019s good reason to make a change.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The same goes for accessories, where the clue is in the name; we\u2019ve compiled a list previously of things you need (link <u>here<\/u>), but most gizmos and gadgets are just optional additions. What <em>is<\/em> imperative is safety; your helmet, appropriate lights and reflective clothing, and a bell.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Recovery\/Sleep<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The last word is all about the last thing you do every day \u2013 hit the sack. Avoid the temptation to over-exert yourself and completely ignore rest and recovery; they\u2019re as important as your training, and cycling when you\u2019re not in shape to do so won\u2019t help anything.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Knowing when you\u2019re physically and mentally tired \u2013 as opposed to feeling a little lazy\u2013 can be a learning curve, but listen to your body and heed the signs. Remember that Rome wasn\u2019t built in a day; consistency and sustainability will get you long-term results \u2013 and you\u2019ll continue enjoying your cycles too!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Getting started &nbsp; New to the cycling world? You\u2019ve come to the right place\u2026 &nbsp; Ireland is booming as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69,4],"tags":[],"global-categories":[],"class_list":["post-760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mostly-for-fun","category-road-cycling"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>New to the cycling world? 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