If you were a normal human, that headline probably would have made you run for cover! But since you are one of those crazy exercise addicts they call cyclists, you’re excited about making your hard exercise routine even harder!

It’s quite simple to make almost any exercise A LOT harder. All you have to do is incorporate an exercise ball! Also known as a “Swiss ball,” “stability ball,” or “inflatable ball,” adding one to your workouts takes each exercise to a new level. Instead of an exercise targeting one muscle group, it will target your entire body! That’s because you need to perform the exercise while staying balanced, which is harder than it looks!

Here are some examples:

The Abdominal Crunch

While doing a few hundred crunches on the ground will strengthen your six-pack, doing 20 crunches on an exercise ball will strengthen your entire core (abs, obliques, etc.) That’s because you have to keep yourself from rolling off of the ball!

Push-ups

Push-ups are one of the most common exercises, and doing them will build your upper-body to a common level. But if you want to be uncommonly strong, use an exercise ball!

There are two ways to add it in.

First, do push-ups with your feet on the ball and your hands on the ground. Having your feet elevated (decline push-ups) incorporates some stabilizer muscles, but having them elevated on a moving object really brings in the muscles of your entire body!

Second, if you’re looking to make things even harder, try push-ups where your hands are on top of the ball and your feet are on the ground. These are extremely hard, especially for us cyclists with weak upper-bodies. See, your arms are supporting your body and stabilizing the ball at the same time. Expect to fall over the first time you try it!

Superman

Here’s a great exercise for your lower back. But why not try it while balancing on top of a stability ball?

This is really hard, because it’s more about balancing your body over the ball. So you need back strength to hold yourself up, plus great balance to keep yourself up there!

Sitting Down

Sitting down is pretty simple. It’s hardly exercise.

But try sitting on top of an exercise ball and you might change your mind! This is a great way to sit around and watch TV, since it’s a non-stop workout.

Standing Up

Got the hang of kneeling on an exercise ball? Then it’s time to step it up, and that next notch is quite a stretch from the first one - standing on the ball! If you think it’s easy to stand on an exercise ball, you’re either too naive or already an Olympic level athlete!

(Be careful. Falling off one of these things hurts!!)

Well, now is the time to go and try it out! (Just be sure to start at the beginning of the list!)

Christmas is almost here and if you still have gift shopping left to do, it’s time to pay hefty shipping charges!

But good news from Nashbar and Performance Bike - both are offering a free 2 day shipping upgrade (on orders over $75) but only if you order TODAY!

Use coupon code DEC2ND for Nashbar, and for Performance, just click here and you’ll get the discount without a coupon.

But that’s not all. I found a chance for you to win a free $50 gift card for just about any online cycling/outdoor gear retailer. (Take a look at that page for ideas.) The cool thing is, some of these gift cards can be emailed, meaning you can buy it right up until Christmas day and get the gift on time, as long as the recipient has an internet connection!

Ultra Rob is holding the contest over at his blog, so take a look real quick so you can enter. All you have to do is give him some advice on how best to build his new outdoor gear shop section of his website. Let him know what you’d like added or what needs some improvement.

If your suggestion is the best, you’ll get the gift card. (See his site for full details.)

Happy shopping!

If the sales flyers and shopping bargains haven’t tipped you off yet, let me put this bluntly: the holidays are here! And, as usual, they brought along friends like cold weather, a lack of daylight, visits from the in-laws, and lots of junk food.

The results of which can be summarized as holiday weight gain. It’s almost inevitable. I for one have gained a few pounds already, and there’s no telling what will happen come Christmas!

But to fight back against weight gain (I can’t help with your in-laws,) here are five simple strategies to keep you lean and mean until you can get back out on your bike.

5. Holiday Workouts

Despite weather or family commitments, set aside some time to ride. Plan a big ride in the morning before your big Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. For two reasons…

First, you’ll burn off some calories that can be replenished at the meal. That way you’re offsetting what would be a big weight gain. Second, you’ll be less likely to binge on junk food after working hard on your fitness. If the effort you put into your training is fresh on your mind, you won’t want to throw it away by gobbling up every piece of pie you see.

4. Start With Healthy Foods

Fill up on fruit and other healthy foods first, then take a break. For example, have a plate of turkey, veggies, sweet potatoes, and cranberries, then savor a glass of water (or wine.) And then, and only then, browse the desserts.

You’ll have consumed valuable nutrients, and you’ll feel fuller and be less inclined to stuff yourself with desserts.

3. Heed The Law of Diminishing Returns

Once you make it to the desserts, go ahead and try some pie. But just eat a small slice. After a few bites, there’s no real reason to eat more, as you’ve already gotten the taste. The first bite is wonderful, while the pleasure from the last bite is nowhere near as much.

It’s the same principle as the “buy one, get the second 50% off” sales. Getting a second shirt (or piece of pie) isn’t worth as much as the first because it doesn’t provide the same level of satisfaction.

2. Be The Designated Driver

Planning on having a few beers or shots of whiskey? Think twice, because some drinks can really pack on the calories, especially mixed drinks (egg nog, for example.) You could actually drink in just as many calories as you got from dinner.

Being the designated driver is a great way to avoid them (unless you value alcohol more than the lives of your family members, in which case weight gain is the least of your worries…)

1. Don’t Stand Beside The Desserts

Somehow I always end up standing beside the dessert table. While you’re standing there and visiting, you’re also grabbing handfuls of snacks to munch on (sometimes without even realizing it.)

This is the easiest thing to do, and it can make a huge difference. Since you don’t even need the food, there’s no harm in avoiding it, but if you end up mindlessly chomping on some cookies, you’re in trouble.

Plop down on the couch or beside the veggie platter instead.

If you manage to implement all five strategies, good job! (You’ll thank yourself in your first race next season…)

Photo credit: jonbro

Well the time has finally arrived! Today is the official launch of my new book, The Complete Guide to Off-Season Training for Cyclists.

The concept is similar to my free report, An Introduction to Off-Season Training for Cyclists, but it goes much deeper and reveals more secrets.

Here is a list of the main topics:

- Braving the cold weather and riding outside.

- How to ride inside and still get a great workout.

- Body-weight workouts you can do at home (with pictures.)

- Great sports for cross-training.

- Proper rest and recovery to prepare for another hard season.

- And more!

It’s a 53 page guide, so there’s really too much to list here!

If you want to learn more and get a copy for yourself, the book is now for sale in our bookstore:

The Complete Guide to Off-Season Training for Cyclists

There are numerous benefits to yoga, such as increased flexibility, reduced stress, and better circulation. There is also the satisfaction of working your way up to more advanced poses. But there is at least one more benefit not on that list…

As Will Ferrell demonstrates, three years of yoga can lead to wonderful results! (The video is a little on the NSFW side…)

So if any macho “manly men” laugh at your yoga routines, just show them this video and they’ll understand.