Gifts For Cyclists
Do you love someone who loves cycling?
With the holidays upon us and that widespread sense of Christmas cheer, you're probably thinking about the best way to show your loved ones how much you care.
Maybe you want to surprise them with a gift that lights up their parties and puts a nice smile on their face; a gift that shows them not only that you pay attention, but also that you care in search of health and fitness.
This article is intended to help you choose which gifts your cyclist will lay out - a list of gifts to send directly to the North Pole to put the elves to work. Check out our ultimate cycling gift list to help you take the stress out of your Christmas.
A note on cyclists
We need to take care of the people we love. So it's up to me to make a little public service announcement about cyclists. They are a little crazy. Cyclists tend to spend too much time on their bikes and not enough grounded like normal people. Furthermore, they don't eat enough to fuel their cycling endeavors.
This means that cyclists often do not respect the recommended amounts of both energy and nutrients from food (1). In this way, they become addicted to supplements, particularly for essential dietary nutrients (1-2). In fact, up to 93,8% of cyclists do not meet the needs of vitamins B1, B9, A and E (1). Needless to say, most cyclists need a nutritional boost!
1. Mypre
As mentioned, your rider is highly likely to be deficient in at least 1 or 2 essential nutrients, which are necessary for health and performance. In order to combat these potential deficits, some of the best cyclists in the world make specific changes in their diet and supplements to ensure a good performance.
In a study evaluating the diets and diets of endurance cyclists competing in the longest cycling races in the world (the Race Across America), the preferred ergogenic aid for before, during and after races appears to be an amino acid supplement ( 3).
Mypre is a highlight product that provides 4g of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) with a 2: 1: 1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine and valine. All this accompanied by an extra 800 mg of leucine which gives a boost to the muscles to facilitate optimal synthesis of muscle proteins. In addition, this mega supplement provides 1,5g per serving of l-citrulline, beta alanine and d-aspartic acid that boost performance and recovery; in addition to providing 24% of the daily intake of vitamin B12 and 15% of the daily intake of vitamin B6.
But it doesn't stop there. Mypre is also a source of two other essential performance aids for a cyclist.
First, it provides 400 mg of a proprietary blend of caffeine and guarana extract which equates to 5 and a half cappuccinos. Caffeine has many benefits for cyclists of both genders as it has been shown to cause a significant 3-4% increase in power produced during a 50-60 minute ride (4).
Second, Mypre provides 4 g of creatine in 4 different forms (including creatine monohydrate and creatine hydrochloride). This very widely used supplement has also been shown to assist cycling performance by increasing peak power output and total work output during repeated bouts of peak sprinting (5), reducing ammonia buildup in blood plasma and easing fatigue. .
It is evident that these aids (amino acids, caffeine and creatine) would be useful components of a scrupulous daily cycling program - however, with Mypre you get a great variety of supplements made almost tailor-made for those who want to give their fitness a boost by pedaling. . Choose from 7 fantastic flavors to suit your recipients' preferences!
2. Water bottle
Another essential dietary requirement often not respected by cyclists is that of hydration (1). It's simple, cyclists don't drink enough water to stay hydrated during their performance, and a whopping 92% of them choose to drink water as soon as they get off the bike (3).
This is a great reason to be sure you have equipped your loved ones with the best bottle you can get your hands on to prevent them from being dehydrated and unable to perform optimally.
The negative effects of dehydration are real. One study has shown the negative effects of this deficiency on cycling performance (6).
Six trained cyclists were asked to cycle for one hour at 70% of their VO2max and then for the time to exhaustion at 90% of their VO2max to measure the effects of mild dehydration resulting from cycling performance.
They performed this task first with a fluid moisturizing solution taken repeatedly during the test, and then without ingesting any liquid.
The results showed that fluid intake had not only reduced the amount of fluid lost during exercise, but he also increased pedaling time by a whopping 3 minutes!
This combined with an increase in the perception scale of effort while pedaling - this means that dehydrated athletes (only 1,8%) not only tired before, but also felt more tired after the performance.
A healthiergang 800ml sports bottle is a welcome addition to any bike and allows you to stay hydrated during training and racing. With this water bottle made from a soft, squeezable material to last long and featuring a leak-proof cap, you can keep every drop while being confident that your drink is safe and tested.
3. Earphones
Many people love to listen to music. Not everyone likes the same music, but it is often said that this can give us a boost during training when we are slowing down and we need a little more motivation.
Although it has not yet been proven with certainty that music always manages to facilitate an ergogenic effect on our physical performance, it has now become such a widespread concept that even the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences suggests in its expert reports that music may hold. the power to influence mood and reduce our perception scale of effort (7).
Concepts that have also been endorsed in other studies (8).
A study that specifically examines cycling performance found that listening to your favorite music during a constant high-intensity pedaling period can increase the pedaling distance traveled (by 2,7 km!) And reduce the degree of pain felt by the cyclist. (9).
What a fantastic motivation to gift your loved ones with the special edition of the healthiergang Veho Z1 360 Stereo noise isolating earbuds so they can listen to THEIR favorite tracks while on the road.
With the awesome new flat and flexible anti-kink cable system, these beauties won't tangle and will be compatible with your smartphone or MP3 player - no matter which device you prefer. Also in this case, the product is branded with the leading healthiergang logo on an international scale.
It's just one of those gifts that must go under the tree - if you don't get them for yourself first!
4. Yoga ball
This might seem like an unusual gift but believe me, it is justified. As a musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapist, it is not uncommon to meet people who have the best intentions and motivations to train but are inhibited by pain.
Among cyclists, I often see people who are active commuters on bikes or spend their weekends pedaling, but still have problems in their lower and upper backs.
What I want to tell them is that, in general, to be able to condition yourself to spend hours on the bike, sometimes you have to do something different.
There are many types of yoga: Bikram, Hatha, Kundalini, Vinyasa - the physical principles remain the same.
Yoga helps improve the efficiency and neuromuscular control of our body, reduces muscle tension and physical manifestations of stress, and improves tissue elasticity.
Since cycling is a type of activity that depends on the body being in a static position for long periods, it is evident that yoga can be useful.
In fact, a fascinating study of a group of young cyclists revealed that doing yoga has a couple of essential physiological benefits (10). That is to say that the practice of yoga reduces the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and shifts our autonomic nervous system to more parasympathetic activities. This would lead not only to a reduction in stress and anxiety, but also to a promotion of relaxation and movement of the muscles.
The MyProtein yoga ball is an ideal home workout accessory to work on strength, mobility and coordination as part of a yoga plan. With a diameter of 65 cm, the ball will not take up too much space in the room and will be reachable whenever you need it.
5. Compression shorts
We all want to look and feel like athletes and the wide selection of healthiergang clothing for physical activity allows you to find the right gym equipment for everyone!
However, the healthiergang compression shorts are my favorite as well I believe that any respectable cyclist should have them in their closet.
These shorts are an adequate compression base layer for any type of exercise and the hand-knitted wrap style gives great support to the muscles while providing the necessary compression to aid recovery.
In addition, the isothermal technology used to make them keeps the body temperature at 37 ° to prevent overheating during an intense workout. They are even woven with antibacterial silver to stop the spread of bacteria.
So why is this product such a useful gift for a cyclist? First, the irritation. I do not add anything else. Let's close it here.
Furthermore, it has been analyzed and proven that the use of compression garments for lower antis for endurance cycling performance, during and after the race, help performance times (11).
In a study carried out on 14 male athletes, the use of compression shorts and leggings improved the performance speed by 1,2 minutes in a 40km time trial! They did this by increasing the average power produced when compared to a placebo (non-compression garments).
As suggested by the authors, l'use of this type of clothing has given a boost to recovery and power for endurance cyclists.
Of course, no one wants to have the equipment and no idea how to use it… but if cycling is the passion of your loved ones, a pair (or three) of these compression shorts will make them happy!
6. NO2 Extreme
Research found that using nitric oxide supplements can improve many people's tolerance of both aerobic and anaerobic work (12). This product works on the already described l-arginine - nitrogen monoxide pathway (13).
Basically, l-arginine (an essential amino acid that cannot be naturally produced by the body) is able to synthesize nitrogen monoxide (NO) thanks to a group of enzymes belonging to a family called nitric oxide synthetase.
This occurs in the cell walls of our blood vessels and produces a dilation of the smooth vascular muscles.
This relaxation of blood vessels in itself leads to increased blood flow which helps our response to physical activity and training. All we need to do to have these benefits is to consume l-arginine.
The NO2 Extreme supplement contains three different types of arginine as a source of NO synthetase; that is, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, arginine ethyl ester HCL, and ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate.
Research has shown the benefits of implementing these types of l-arginine (and the resulting increase in nitric oxide) in a cyclist's supplement diet.
Research (14) investigated the effects of nitrate supplements on power output and performance during 4 and 16 km time trials.
The boost given by nitrogen monoxide was found to have a positive impact on the power produced during both tests, including a 2,8% speed increase over short distance and a 2,7% increase over long distance. However, when comparing those who have taken supplements and those who have not taken them, the VO2max values ​​are the same.
This would show that nitrogen monoxide can boost power and performance while supporting the cardiovascular load as a whole.
Who wouldn't want to be more efficient, regardless of their physical goal? And that's just another reason to add NO2 Extreme to your gift list!
7. Hydrofuel Elite
No endurance athlete can sustain optimum performance without fuel. In the case of cyclists, the importance of carbohydrates as an energy source cannot be underestimated (15).
Research shows us the usefulness of consuming high-carbohydrate beverages before, during and after pedaling, with the duration of the exhaustion-time exercise directly linked to the amount of carbohydrates consumed (16).
In fact, up to 82% of individuals in a number of different studies showed a significant improvement in performance when carbohydrate intake was prolonged over time (16).
The reason lies in a couple of different mechanisms. Over shorter pedaling periods (less than an hour), exposure to carbohydrates from the receptors on the tongue improves specific brain areas to provide a boost to performance facilitated by the central nervous system.
This was proven in experiments where carbohydrate-based mouthwashes were used to see if they would affect cycling performance.
One of these studies showed that a 10 second rinse with a carbohydrate-based liquid increases the total distance traveled by 1,2 km (17) pedaling for half an hour! And all this without even ingesting the carbohydrates used as fuel! In addition, even a 5 second rinse resulted in 90% of cyclists pedaling longer than those who did a placebo rinse.
Over longer pedaling periods (more than two hours), carbohydrate consumption is required to increase the rate of carbohydrates reaching the muscles as glycogen stores are depleted (16). This allows us to sustain our oxidation levels of carbohydrates as fuel. This means a type of transportable carbohydrate that combines both glucose and fructose to give a boost to the rider's ability to ride longer.
Fortunately, Hydrofuel Elite provides just those 7g of carbohydrates per serving. In fact, it also provides essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium to prevent dehydration, as well as 24 mg of vitamin C per bottle. Finally, healthiergang also added a healthy dose of 3g of branched chain amino acids to aid in muscle protein synthesis after physical activity.
With two fantastic flavors - orange (everyone's favorite) and Acai berry (my favorite) - anyone can enjoy this drink, whether they just want to rinse, or just sip and savor it.
Ah, and did I mention that it has also been tested for the presence of any natural substances prohibited according to the rules of the Informed Sport project and the World Anti-Doping Agency? What a product!
8. Protein sweets
What celebration is it without some cake? It's not often that a nutrition article advises you to throw yourself on some sweets, but with healthiergang protein muffins you can do it guilt-free.
See, sometimes pie isn't that diet foe everyone thinks of, especially if you're a cyclist.
A very interesting study (18) aimed to prove that this was the case and took 9 people by randomly giving them both a special protein cake and a simple cake; he then compared them following a 2-hour cycle at 60-65% of VO2max and then a 1-hour cycle at 60-65% of VO2max slowly increased to 95%.
It was found that consuming a protein cake significantly decreased the levels of inflammatory proteins in the blood of the participants between 46 and 50%! The anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) increased 118% compared to the control cake. This would indicate a huge improvement in recovery if you add some protein to the post workout cake.
These protein muffins provide 19g of protein plus 30,4g of carbs per serving allowing for easy consumption to aid recovery after pedaling. With a huge choice of flavors, each pack contains 6 muffins to stay cool all week. It is certainly a gift that will give you complete satisfaction.
And here it is. A series of bespoke gift ideas that the cyclists in your life will love and appreciate not only because the products stand the test of time, but also because each of them will benefit you along the way to health and fitness. Best wishes and happy holidays.
