In between the New Year and the spring cycling season, there seems to be something like a Bermuda triangle affect taking place in terms of motivation, training, and sticking with goals. They all seem to disappear. Even the best of intentions seem to dissolve into thin air.
Granted, the weather doesn’t help. Cold days followed by warmer days and then again, snow or wet days. Training outdoors proves to be inconsistent. Training indoors consistently, can be maddening. Add the frustrations up and it’s easy to see why those New Year goals may have fallen by the wayside.
Yet, on the bright side, spring is right around the corner. And while there are some wet and sometimes snowy days ahead of us, now is the time to dig a deep and set those training goals in motion. So when you are experiencing a lack of motivation to train, try some of these tips to get you going.
One of the reasons training year round is to maintain a base level of fitness. Also, training year round helps to reduce injuries. In a sport based on such a highly repetitive action, like pedaling, the first line of defense against injury is a proper bike fit. The benefits of a professional bike fit will not only help improve your riding position, but it will also help motivate you to ride your bike and perfect the mechanics of your pedal position and body posture. The results of a professional bike fit will leave you feeling more confident in your bike parts, bike set up, and inspire you to reach your potential – which translates into riding more. And that is the objective! To ride more regularly and frequently during the pre-season.
Another option is to trade saddle time for gym time to gain core strength. The primary focus when it comes to strength exercises for cyclists is to train in a similar motion to cycling with the lower and upper body while increasing overall core strength and muscular endurance. Check out The Best Strength Exercises for Cyclists or 7 Hip and Core Exercises for Endurance Athletes to get you started and also – to keep you motivated through the winter months.
If those two options don’t get your motor running, then sit down and revisit your 2019 cycling goals. What is it that you wanted to accomplish in 2019? Get back on track. Check out our post, The Best Training Aids to Launch into Spring Cycling. The post dives into the benefits of training with power meters. Maybe to spark some motivation you need to invest in new cycling accessories like a power meter or heart rate monitor.
Quite frankly, we’ve found one of the best motivators for riding is purchasing a new bike! Whether you choose a road bike, mountain bike, hybrid/ commuter bike, or even a fat bike, getting a new bike turbo charges motivation and inspires a sense of adventure. There is just nothing quite like the feeling of purchasing and riding a new bike!
When all else fails, remember something is better than nothing. Meaning, some training is better than no training at all. Give yourself a break for those days missed and shift your focus towards being consistent in your training. Spring will be here sooner than you think!
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