English
Español
Français
Italiano
Deutsch
Cycling News
FAUSTO MASNADA: THE WORST DAY OF MY CAREER
In recent days, the CCC Team has announced that it has had to take drastic measures to address the lack of funds in this time of crisis, related to the health emergency for the Coronavirus Covid-19: the general manager Jim Ochowicz explained that the majority of the technical staff contracts have been suspended, while the salaries of the riders will be greatly reduced for the rest of the season (as high as 80%). In the last few days, some economic problems had emerged for Polish sponsor CCC which, due to the pandemic, saw the volume of its business collapse: the measures taken by Ochowicz were necessary due to the lack of liquidity and to allow the team to maintain a necessary budget to complete when the races were to restart. Of the WorldTour team, which also includes the Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet, among others, there are also four Italians: the Friulian Alessandro De Marchi, the Trentino Matteo Trentin, vice world champion, the Bergamo-based Fausto Masnada and sprinter Jakub Mareczko. Yesterday, in the pages of the daily newspaper L’Eco di Bergamo, the 26 years old Fausto Masnada, commented on this situation: “From a sports point of view I consider it as the worst day of my life, I never expected to find myself in such a situation.”.
CYCLIST – DOCTOR ELISE CHABBEY IN THE CORONAVIRUS LANE
A news that makes you think and that sees the Swiss professional cyclist Elise Chabbey as the protagonist. With the coronavirus pandemic still not reaching its peak and given that the cycling races have all been cancelled at the moment, Chabbey has decided to leave his team, Bigla-Katusha, to wear the white coat. The 27-year-old Swiss woman, who recently graduated in medicine, abandoned her preparation for the classical springtime to work at the University Hospital of Geneva. “Doing nothing is not in my nature. What’s happening is unprecedented, and given the gravity of the situation, I felt I had to do something…”, commented the redness. “When this crisis is over, I’ll know I tried to do my part and I hope I’m proud of myself.”
AN HELP TO STAY FIT IN THE CORONAVIRUS DAYS
AN HELP TO STAY FIT IN THE CORONAVIRUS DAYS Sporplushealth, a platform specialized in scientific training, wants to give concrete support to those who are in quarantine due to Coronavirus. If you are a cyclist, and you have a roller to train on, then join our initiative that helps you in your tailor-made preparation in these difficult days at home. If you’re not a biker, you can still use the exercises offered by our coaches. WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? We’re talking about free support, supervised by one of our coaches: Test and evaluate your current form status Draw up an appropriate training plan Get an improvement A card of postural exercises Get dietary advice Remember, however, that training too much during this period is not recommended. Follow our directions, download Sport Plus Health! WHAT SHOULD I DO? Download Sportplushealth Write an email to support@sphtechnology.ch Get a program Train monitored by the coach Check the improvement
THE CORONAVIRUS ATTACKS ATHLETES? THE OPEN WINDOW PENALIZES THEM
THE CORONAVIRUS ATTACKS ATHLETES? THE OPEN WINDOW PENALIZES THEM Athletes and Coronoavirus. A theme that may seem far from the reality of healthy people, like athletes. To surprise everyone was the news that a tall, strong, marathon runner, amateur footballer from Lombardy, was infected by Covid-19. The man had breathing difficulties and was admitted to intensive care. The question is: Wasn’t a virus that only affected the old people and immunosuppressed? The fact has amazed the non-experts to work, who have felt decidedly disorientated by the fact. The answer lies in too much physical activity. This is how the phenomenon called Open Window occurs. It is scientifically proven that the functions of cells in our immune system are temporarily inhibited after a prolonged, high-intensity exercise session. Basically, the human body is too busy performing very hard. At this point in the phase following intense physical activity there is a drop in our immune defences, which in Italian is called “Open Window”. At this stage the risk of infection is significantly increased. The open window can have a very variable duration, depending on the person’s general conditions. How long is the Open Window period? Let’s not talk about a fixed number. It can range from 3 to 72 hours after a particularly intense workout. The risk of getting sick is also increased by the environmental conditions that usually follow significant physical exertion. THE ENVIRONMENT: Share the locker room, the action of the air conditioners, the vapours. These are situations in which contagion is facilitated. For those who do not know this, the muscle gets inflamed when it is forced to sustain intense efforts. The immune system attracts leukocytes to defend itself and several hours pass before the situation returns to normal. The intense effort also tends to diminish the function of T lymphocytes, cells that are particularly important for the body’s defence. The number of so-called natural killer cells, which are essential against cancer cells, also decreases after an intense physical effort of at least one hour. So exercise is harmful? No, not at all. Physical activity stimulates our immune system. However, excessive stimulation leads to the opposite effect, i. e. a lowering of our body’s ability to defend itself against viruses and bacteria.
THE EXPERIENCE: I TRY… LET’S DO IT, MY TEST
I’m starting from zero. I have no important technical basis and I let myself be guided by the desire to improve my physical fitness. My approach to SportPlusHealth is precisely for this reason. I heard from some friends that you can do a physical evaluation test and then set up a personalized work plan based on the quality of the training. For me it is an interesting speech, because it allows me to optimize my time which is divided between work and family. Let’s say it’s good fight, but I think it’s also fair to have a space at my disposal. Loving each other is a way to make others feel better. Obviously, one should not exaggerate and lead to selfishness, so I have to handle it carefully and with the help of someone who can help me in this regard. LOW SHAPE: I choose to take the test immediately after the Christmas holiday. I’m overweight and untrained. I win the embarrassment, but maybe it’s the best time because I could hardly stay lower than this. OBJECTIVE: my goal is to try to get in shape, using a methodology unknown to me, so I rely on the modernity that advances READY TO GO, WHAT DO I NEED? Few tools. In my case, I have a Samsung smartphone and, on the bike, I can count on an FSA Powerbox power meter. This makes things easier for me from a technical point of view, because both the phone and the powerbox have a data transmission protocol called Ant+, which is much more stable in data transmission than Bluetooth. (Meters also talk in Bluetooth, depending on the case. IPhones need an Ant+ key, in case power meter without Bluetooth). SETTING: before proceeding it is important to enter my parameters. Weight (also clothing and bike weight) and height. THE TEST: I choose a climb with moderate gradients, 5-6%, I do a short warm-up and then I try the 8′; to the best of my ability. This is an FTP test that lasts 8′. It’s winter and the physical skills are not yet at the top. I must also say that carrying out a test also requires a certain mental energy. There are times when you want to get up. . . but to finish the test, you can’t. J As I go up, I hear the voice of the app that shows me the partial results such as the express wattage and the minutes missing to completion. I notice good news. On the screen of the phone, which I kept on the handlebars, I can even see the performance chart. (I can usually keep my phone in my shirt pocket too). THE RESULT: The result from a numerical point of view I do not know if it is satisfactory or not. Of course, compared to the numbers expressed by the champions, I think it’s pretty ridiculous. 219 watts average in an 8′ test with a maximum wattage at 396 watts. (These are my mistakes to avoid a bad result.) In the second test, repeated a week later, I did better, reaching an average of 249 watts. (On the left there is the power graph of the first test. I didn’t give 100% on this test. On the right is the result of the second test, expressed by heart rate zones). WORK SETTING: I requested my tables, trying to respect what are my free moments. For this reason, I choose to set 2 workouts on the weekend, 2 hours on Saturday and 2 on Sunday, and one during the week. Easily, given the period, the midweek will be given by a spinning class. For now, this is what I feel is within my grasp. Let’s see what SPH will help me do. PHOTOS OF THE TABLE WITH THE CHOICE OF FREE HOURS Stay tuned!! Download Sportplushealth PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: MISTAKE TO AVOID DURING A TEST
EXPERIENCE: MISTAKES TO AVOID BEFORE AND DURING A TEST
My first test can’t even call it that. In fact, it was more an approach to the world of technology and science. For what reason? First of all, I’d never used a meter before. So, the first step was to pair the power meter to the SPH app in my phone (Ant+ or Bluetooth are the two communication modes). MISTAKES: Secondly, I have to say that my test did not go well for at least 2 reasons: one practical and the other psychological. GIVING 100%: From a practical point of view I have to admit that not having a great experience, I have not given 100% of my potential. I justify this lack but the lack of knowledge of the specific exercise. A person must try to give 100% of their potential to achieve a consistent result. MENTAL EFFORT: It is also good to know that before taking a test you must also be prepared for the mental point of view. The effort is sure enough intense and mentally challenging. I recommend that you try the test on a day when you have rested well and are not in a loading phase in the training plan. Finally, I managed to take the test… Do you want to see how did I do?
Running News
Running, how to choose the best shoes
Running with the right shoes is essential to prevent small injuries and for having a great training. The runner should never underestimate the choice of what you put at the foot: (more…)
Why running short distances is important
Training to run long distances does not mean avoiding tests over short distances. These, in fact, are an excellent means of training for all the runners. Let’s find out why. (more…)
10 tips to start running
When you want to start running it is important to check that you have the basic requirements and the right motivations. To overcome the first difficulties, you may need some simple, but valuable, tips. We have chosen 10. (more…)
Running, what to eat for the best performances
For your optimal sport performances, while not running into food shortages, the runner’s diet should take into account certain rules. According to experts, it is essential to ingest an amount of calories adequate to the activity carried out and also the protein intake must be calibrated according to physical effort. (more…)
10 reasons why running is good
Are you looking for a good reason to start running? Here are 10 that will significantly improve your quality of life. So good run, with SPH Running App. (more…)
SPH all around the World
SPH team is proud to welcome within his family the first customer from South Africa. Many thanks to all of you, who (more…)