If you are a fan of high-intensity interval training in place of slow, boring cardio workouts, Turbulence Training is the perfect match for you (and me.) I still do plenty of long bike rides to build my endurance, but when it comes to getting in shape, high-intensity training is the name of the game.

I love short, intense workouts, especially bodyweight conditioning circuits (such as this quick ab workout), so I’ve been a fan of Turbulence Training for a while now. It’s the king of “bang for your buck” workouts - just 45 minutes a day, 3 times per week.

And now, to help me on my quest for six pack abs, Craig Ballantyne has just launched a new book, Turbulence Training for Abs. It’s everything I’ve come to know and love about this style of training, but now geared even more for building my abs and shedding fat.

Best of all, the workout does not include the crunch! It’s been referred to as “the ultimate ANTI-CRUNCH home workout program.” This program has 30 ab exercises that Craig says work better than crunches - and he has the six pack abs to prove it! (Those are his abs on the cover, and this picture of him shows them off even more.)

Here’s what you get in this new program:

1) The 4-Week Beginner Introduction to CRUNCH-FREE Ab Workout
2) The 4-Week Intermediate Level ANTI-CRUNCH Ab Workout
3) And THREE Advanced 4-Week Home Abdominal Workouts
4) The “TT Abs 300″ Workout Challenges (including one for beginners, intermediate, and advanced fitness levels)

And the three bonus ebooks that come with it:

1) The Bodyweight Abs program that you can do anytime, anywhere, without a single piece of equipment (comes with beginner and advanced versions too)
2) The Advanced Ab Nutrition Meal Plans for Men & Women
3) The 5 Motivational Secrets to STOP Cheating on Your Diet and Never Skip Another Workout Again

Turbulence Training for Abs

Hungry for a solid training program, I opened the main Turbulence Training for Abs ebook first. It’s a solid 80 pages!

The book begins logically by first answering questions about Turbulence Training, then having you do a lifestyle review, and then does goal setting - very important things to think about before beginning any workout program! Then there are workout guidelines that explain what you’ll be doing - if you’re a beginner, pay very close attention here.

Next up, the actual workout plans. As I mentioned, there are beginner, intermediate, and advanced plans. I really like this approach because you can start at the beginner plan and work your way up gradually. Even if you breeze through the intermediate and advanced plans (unlikely,) you will then have the experience necessary to build on the advanced plan to form a “super advanced plan.”

Based on the exercise sequences and the expected intensity, I’m starting with the Intermediate plan. I have learned that even if an advanced workout program looks easy, it will be much harder than expected. Plus, if you’re not used to doing the exact routine already, it will really hit your body hard! (There are tips about which plan is right for you at the beginning of the book, but you’ll either start with Beginner or Intermediate.)

Just the fact that some of these exercises are new is a great reason to do the Intermediate Plan before moving on to the Advanced Plan, even if you are already in good shape from doing other bodyweight exercises I’ve mentioned here on CoachLevi.com. Not to mention, the Beginner and Intermediate plans aren’t too intimidating, but the Advanced plan sure is! (At least in my eyes.)

Easier said than done, I always say!

As for the workouts themselves, each starts with resistance training - a good mix of bodyweight exercises and some that call for dumbbells - and follows with interval training - alternating fast and slow workouts which consist of basic interval routines (running, biking, swimming, etc.)

After you get through the plans, you’re in for a treat! Once per month, at the end of the four week program, you can perform the “TT 300 Abs Workout” (all the details are included in the ebook.) But basically it’s a killer routine where you do a ton of exercises in a row to cap off the four hard weeks.

I’m expecting results much like I get from Cyclo-Core. These Turbulence workouts are a similar idea, although there are plenty of exercises here that aren’t in Cyclo-Core, so it’s worth adding this to your repertoire. You could also mix the two together and create a hybrid workout, which I plan to do once I have completed all the Turbulence plans.

Of course, you need to know the proper form and instructions for these exercises. So the entire second half of the book is filled with pictures and instructions for doing the exercises properly.

Plus, there is a section of stretches, which you should do after each workout.

The Free Bonus Ebooks

Don’t forget, there are three bonus ebooks to check out…

Advanced Abdominal Nutrition Guidelines

This book contains some basic nutrition advice to have you eating healthy and making the most of your workouts. It is basic advice, but it works, nonetheless.

The book also contains quite a few meal plans to help you burn off belly fat. It’s no miracle diet, but the meal plans do look good. (I think the author of this book goes a little overboard on drinking expensive bottled water, but otherwise it’s all sound advice.)

It’s most useful for beginners who need a quick explanation of a healthy diet.

5 Motivational Secrets to Burn Belly Fat & Get Flat Abs Forever

Now here is a book that is absolutely essential. Getting motivated and having reason to workout is a more important factor in your life than the exercise itself. Again, this book is full of sound advice, and it’s absolutely essential for anyone that is trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

(I’d actually recommend reading this book before any of the others.)

TT Bodyweight Abs

If you don’t have any equipment, or if you’re always in a hotel room without access to equipment, this book full of bodyweight workout plans is just right for you. There’s not much else to say, because this training program is very similar to the main “TT for Abs” regimen, but with a focus on only the bodyweight exercises.

 

Just a Few Drawbacks

Being an ebook, there’s a bit of a hassle to this workout plan. To do the workout, you have to review the plan and figure out the exact workout with the exercises, supersets, trisets, and such. You can’t just pop in a DVD and follow along. If you read carefully, you can figure it all out, but just remember, you will have look things over and review the manual before jumping in.

It will also help to have these pieces of equipment available: yoga mat, stability ball, light dumbbells, standard weight bench, bicycle or exercise bike, pull-up bar, ab wheel, medicine ball, Smith machine or squat rack, aerobic step, and an incline bench.

You don’t absolutely need all of that equipment, but you definitely do need the stability ball (then you can do probably 95% of the exercises.) The other stuff comes in handy though if you want to do every single exercise listed in this book.

Special deal - Ends 7/23/08 at midnight. That’s tonight!

Craig has added THREE more 4-week programs to sweeten the deal and keep you burning fat for another 2-3 months. When you grab your copy before Wednesday, July 23rd at midnight, you’ll get:

“Hot Zone TT Fat Loss Workout”

…showing you how 4 simple exercises hit all the fat burning hot zones of the body and help you boost metabolism and burn more belly fat.

“Bikini Ready Abs”

…from America’s #1 Fat Loss expert for Moms, Holly Rigsby, giving you another “IN-HOME” fat burning abdominal workout you can do with minimal equipment.

“The Big 5 Fat Burning TT Circuit Workout”

…revealing one of the most popular and innovative fat burning workouts Craig has ever put together. If you love burning fat with circuits, you’ll love this simple 5 exercise solution to getting rid of stubborn belly fat.

But remember, these extra bonuses are only available as FREE GIFTS for a limited time. After the deadline they will be put back in the workout vault for Platinum TT members only.

So, if you want these bonuses for free, click over to www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com right away.

My final verdict is…

Overall, this is a great collection of books. Turbulence Training has become a popular workout program for good reason - Craig Ballantyne knows his stuff, the workouts get results, and you don’t waste hours of your time doing stuff that doesn’t work.

The package is just $39.95, which is a bargain. That’s less than most 1-month gym memberships, and much less than it would cost for someone to put together a custom training program (which might not even work as well as this.)

For absolute beginners, you might want to consider getting someone experienced to check your form, and/or look into a DVD workout program. But TT for Abs is still something to check out!

In any case, there’s a 60 day guarantee. You don’t like the program, you can get your money back. Every single cent, since there is no dealing with shipping and handling charges.

Official website: www.turbulencetrainingforabs.com

When it comes to sunglasses for cycling, you have a seemingly endless array of options. Sunglass frames in colors to match your bike, lenses for every possible lighting situation, and some even have a built-in MP3 player!

But just one of these options will really affect your performance - the lens color. I’m no optometrist, but I’ve worn many a sunglass lens and have a pretty darn good feel as to what to wear, and when. (Plus, I’ve studied light as a photographer, and the principles apply here, too.)

Here’s a guide covering what lens to use for the conditions in which you ride:

 

Black/Gray Lenses

Black, gray, and/or smoke lenses are best for bright conditions - they dim the bright sunlight to ease the strain on your eyes. While the lenses do darken your vision, gray does not alter color, so everything remains the same color.

Gray also makes a great lens color for driving sunglasses.

Best for: road rides, especially on sunny days.

Not for: mountain biking. The dark lens may be too dark for trail use, especially if you are dealing with shady areas and shadows. Gray won’t improve contrast, clarity, or depth perception, either, and those things come in handy on singletrack.

 

Brown Lenses

Brown is a good “all around” lens color choice. It is dark enough to save your eyes in bright conditions, but brown also improves contrast, clarity, and depth perception. Plus, it really enhances shades of green (i.e. trees, bushes, and grass.)

Brown does this by filtering out blue light waves.

Best for: mountain biking in good weather.

Not for: night riding.

 

Amber Lenses

Amber is somewhere between a light brown and a dark yellow lens. It will block blue light, which greatly increases contrast, making it a good choice when rocks and roots are jumping out at you from the shadows.

Best for: mountain biking under cloudy skies or on dimly lit trails.

Not for: bright, sunny days.

 

Red, Rose, and Vermilion Lenses

Red lenses, usually referred to as “rose” or “vermilion,” will increase contrast and brighten cloudy, dreary days. These lenses will distort colors, however, so don’t wear them in situations where you need to see perfect shades of color. (That’s not necessarily bad, though, because sometimes this distortion is pleasant and easy on your eyes.)

Best for: rides in cloudy, hazy conditions.

Not for: bright, sunny days, or situations where you must identify poisonous snakes by their color.

 

Orange Lenses

Orange comes in somewhere between red, brown, and yellow lenses, and as such, works well in darker, cloudy weather.

Best for: mountain biking on hazy, cloudy days.

Not for: bright, sunny days.

 

Yellow Lenses

I have found yellow lenses to be my favorite for foggy, hazy conditions. Yellow increases clarity so you can actually see where you are going, even if you’re in dense fog.

Best for: road rides in the early morning fog.

Not for: bright, sunny days.

 

Clear Lenses

Clear lenses do not alter your vision, so they work great in dark conditions when you still need to protect your eyes from dirt, debris, and harmful UV rays.

Best for: dark conditions, such as night riding.

Not for: bright, sunny days.

 

Green Lenses

I had a pair of fishing sunglasses that used green lenses. They will enhance your perception of red and yellow light, and increase contrast much like brown lenses.

Best for: a fishing trip (when the fishing hole requires some mountain biking to reach it.)

Not for: bright, sunny days on the road bike.

 

Blue Lenses

I haven’t found a good use for blue lenses when it comes to cycling, because they make things look funky. And if you want to filter out blue light to increase contrast and depth-perception, blue lenses just ruin that.

Best for: a fashion show.

Not for: road or mountain biking.

 

Photochromic (or “Transitions”) Lenses

These are the lenses that transition from clear to a dark gray color depending on the sun. If you’re out in the sun, they’ll be dark gray; if you’re in the shade, they will be either a very light gray or clear.

Best for: road rides, when the weather is changing or you’re going in and out of wooded areas. They may also be a good choice for 24 hour mountain bike races if you only want to carry one pair of sunglasses.

Not for: mountain biking during the afternoon. The lens won’t transition quickly enough if you go from a sunny section into a dark, shadowy section, and brown would be a better choice, anyway.

 

Sunglass Lens Summary

In the end, you only need a few different lenses to get by. It seems it would be ideal to own 10 different lenses, but in reality, it’s a hassle to change your lenses all the time (especially if you are on vacation or doing a multi-day race.)

So here are the popular lenses…

Get gray lenses if most of your rides are on the road in nice weather.

Go with brown lenses if you are a mountain biker.

If you venture out in rain or fog, get some red, yellow, or orange lenses for those conditions.

But… if you were getting just one pair, I’d say brown is the way to go. Brown is great in the woods, especially on shadowy singletrack (due to increased contrast and depth perception offered,) and it’s not bad on the road, even in the sun (since it is dark enough to dim the brightness.)

*TIP* Whatever lens color you get, be sure the lens is shatterproof. Most lenses will be polycarbonate, which is the ideal material. Polycarbonate lenses are shatterproof, durable, and they filter out 100% of the harmful UVA and UVB rays. (Yes, even the clear lenses do this.)

Photo credits: Oakley | Smith | Tifosi

Looking for the best all-natural granola that money can buy? Then get Bear Naked!

This has nothing to do with taking off your clothes - Bear Naked is the company that makes the granola! If the price is any factor, this is what you call a premium granola! (It’s typically $5-6 for a 12 oz bag, one of the highest priced cereals out there.)

For the price you do get a granola that is made with all-natural ingredients and whole grains, vegan friendly, certified Kosher, and even hand-crafted in small batches with REAL freeze-dried blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and hearty nuts.

Once you have some, you see how good it is! They have a lot of good flavors, but today we’ll look at a classic, Peanut Butter & Jelly.

The big question on my mind was, “is this going to taste like a real pb&j sandwich?”

You know what, this peanut butter & jelly flavor does remind me of a good ol’ pb&j sandwich! You can see it contains whole grains, peanuts, and dried raspberries (just like bread, peanut butter, and jelly.) So if you take a handful and chew on it, and close your eyes and flashback to childhood, visions of fresh pb&j sandwiches should dance in your mind!

After consuming a few bags of this stuff, whether straight from the bag, with milk, or with yogurt, there was a clear winner. Grabbing this granola out of the bag by the handful was the best way to eat it! It’s really fun to just open the bag and eat.

You could put it in a bowl and eat it by the spoonful, too, but that requires a bowl and a spoon. C’mon, utensils aren’t fun!

I preferred to pick out the dried raspberries and eat them first, and then I’d scarf down the rest by the handful. It has a great flavor, like natural peanut butter.

Overall, this just plain tastes good, and the texture is just right. It has a satisfying crunch, but it’s still soft, so you can chew it easily.

However, in milk, it’s not so great. It’s still OK, but eating it plain is so much better. It seems like the milk takes away some of the good, natural flavor. Peanut butter and jelly is perfect as is - if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Although this is so good, I guess I should also consider, “Is this Bear Naked granola healthy?”

You bet it is. All you have to do is look at the ingredients list and realize that you can pronounce everything on there!

Key ingredients include whole grain oats, expeller pressed canola oil, peanuts, honey, sweetened dried red raspberries, coconut, natural peanut butter, whole grain crisp rice, brown rice syrup, ground flax seed, oat bran, and natural grape flavor.

For a cereal that comes out of a bag, that’s as close to unprocessed food as it gets!

As with most granola, this is high in fat - 7g per 1/4 cup serving. But that’s mostly from the natural peanut butter, so it’s a healthy fat. Just 4g sugar per serving! That all adds up to 140 calories per serving. (Although I have no problem eating an entire bag at once, which is 11 servings, or 1500 calories!)

If pb&j isn’t your thing, there are other Bear Naked flavors, such as Fruit and Nut, Peak Protein, Heavenly Chocolate, Blueberry Walnut, Banana Nut, Apple Cinnamon, and Peanut Butter. If granola isn’t your thing, Bear Naked also makes hot cereals and trail mix.

And let’s not forget…

Bear Naked and Cannondale sponsor a sweet mountain bike team!

That’s actually how I first heard about this stuff. I got a taste of this great granola courtesy of Brandon Draugelis, one of Bear Naked/Cannondale’s top racers on the east coast.

After that I found it in the stores and had to continue buying it!

And get this - if you save your empty granola bags, you can send them back to Bear Naked to get recycled. To say thanks, Bear Naked will then send you free gear like a t-shirt or reusable grocery bag!

My final verdict is…

This granola is awesome! I like it best plain, in handfuls right out of the bag. It tastes great, is fun to eat, and it’s healthy!

It can get expensive (like all other natural/organic food,) but it makes for a good treat, so I recommend having some when the craving hits.

Official website: bearnaked.com

[Click here if you would like to get your product reviewed on CoachLevi.com.]

In a desperate attempt to slim down for a big bike race in July (and get six pack abs in the process,) I was actually willing to buy and use diet pills. Normally I wouldn’t give any sort of diet pill a second glance, but this was different… this was an all-natural fat loss pill designed for bodybuilders who need to lose that extra bit of fat to look their best for competition.

It’s called Lean Out, and it’s a “fat transport system” from Beverly International.

So it’s not actually a “diet pill” per say. It’s more of a supplement that will preserve your muscle tissue and help you burn more fat for energy. While that is ideal for bodybuilders who need to be super cut and lean, it also sounds pretty damn good for a cyclist trying to slim down.

Heck, anyone that’s trying to slim down probably wants to lose fat instead of muscle. In most cases, when you ramp up your training and restrict calories, your body will end up burning muscle tissue for fuel. Even if you have some extra belly fat, your muscle is fair game.

So after hearing about Lean Out (thanks to the free fat loss bootcamp in Cyclo-Club,) I knew it was just what I needed to lose body fat without sacrificing my hard-earned muscle. Best of all, it was priced at about $30 for a 30-day supply - you won’t find a deal like that on any ‘infomercial miracle diet pills.’

Lean Out - How it Works

Let’s face it. Losing weight is a simple formula. But losing fat, that’s extremely hard!

So… aside from genetics, you’ll need a healthy diet and intense exercise, plus some serious supplements, to really shed body fat (without losing muscle at the same time.)

Beverly’s Lean Out formula is a big help. It’s primarily composed of lipotropics, which have the ability to dissolve and metabolize fats. In essence, they emulsify stored fats and dump them into the blood stream to make them more available for your body to use as an energy source.

Lean Out also contains L-Carnitine, the amino acid that transports those newly available fatty acids to the mitochondria in your body. In biology, we always referred to the mitochondria as the “power house” of the cell because that’s where your energy comes from! They suck up fat and incinerate it, producing energy for you in the process.

All the while, this and other ingredients are protecting your lean muscle tissue. It almost sounds too good to be true!

There are a few other ingredients, too. I’ll let Beverly explain them directly:

L-Carnitine (600 mg): Maximizes the retention of muscle tissue while dieting. Essential to convert stored fat into energy.

Methionine (1000 mg): Speeds fat and cholesterol utilization, mobilizes fat from the liver to be released and used as energy.

Choline (1000 mg): A special emulsifying nutrient that helps to break down cholesterol and prevents it from sticking to artery walls with Inositol to utilize fats.

Inositol (1000 mg): Aids in fat transportation, metabolism, and redistribution of fat in the body.

Chromium Picolinate (200 mcg): Aids sugar metabolism, improves blood lipid profile, helps fat burning and muscle gains. Moderates insulin release and keeps blood sugar levels stable.

CoQ 10 (10 mg): Helps convert fats and sugar to energy in the cell, while protecting the heart.

Betaine HCl (100 mg) B-12 (100 mcg) and Biotin (450 mcg). Vital factors in converting fat to energy.

Lean Out also acts as an appetite suppressant, although I’m not sure which ingredient is responsible for that. I think it’s a combination of everything.

Lean Out - My Test

After testing out some intense weight lifting this past winter in the Susquehanna Experiment, I had a little more upper body muscle, so I wanted to drop some fat to make sure I was still light enough to climb well on my bike. (I had bulked up from 158 to about 167 lb, and I could definitely feel the extra weight on the climbs!)

I started taking Lean Out according to the instructions on the bottle, which was basically 4 pills per day - one with each meal and one before a workout. I was going with one after my three largest meals, and one before my hardest workout. So the bottle would last me 30 days.

At first, I wasn’t too sure how to adapt my diet. I always keep a fairly healthy diet, but I was doing some weight training and lots of cycling, so obviously I was still getting plenty of sugar and carbs while riding. Should I have been eating more protein and fat? Who knows.

But I was exercising quite a bit and eating fairly normally (which was a lot, but definitely not overeating.)

Well I did that for about 10 days. I went from 165 to 166 and was looking fatter than usual. What great diet pills…

So I reevaluated my approach and did more research, leading me to these instructions from Beverly International. I saw some people did 4 pills, then 8 pills, then 12 pills daily. (Double or triple what I was doing!)

So I decided to bump things up to 6-8 pills per day. When I did that, I definitely noticed the “appetite suppressant” starting to kick in. While 4 pills per day did nothing whatsoever to suppress my appetite, 6-8 made me avoid eating!

So I got through about five days with the 6-8 pills per day, plus my normal workouts, but with less food. Let’s say normally I’d have four meals per day plus snacks. I switched to two meals per day plus snacks. Finally, I was able to drop down to 164 and then 163.

It wasn’t all good though… the lack of food sapped ALL my energy. My second day at 163 I got on my bike… and rode about 10 minutes in my granny gear. Afterwards I just went home and passed out.

I was eating less, but what about all my fat? Why wasn’t I getting any energy from it? (It’s not like I was starving myself. My extra low calorie days were still probably 2500 calories!)

That was the big downfall. So I ended up making sure I ate enough, and I always ate strategically to fuel my workouts. I was still low on energy, but I made it through my Lean Out test. (Which ending up being approximately 25 days.)

Lean Out - Final Results

In the end, I did see some results from my Lean Out test. Below is the “before” picture from June 2 along with the “after” picture on July 2.

If you look real close, you can see just a little bit more definition in my upper abs in the “After” shot.

I went from 165 to 163, giving me a net loss of 2 lb. That’s not amazing, but there’s a good chance that entire 2 lb was body fat!

Although it gets interesting… I first went from 165 back to 167, and then down to 163. So that was a little odd. But crazier still, in the days following my Lean Out use, I went to 161 for a few days then 159 lb. A delayed reaction, perhaps? Or just the buildup of Lean Out still in my body?

Whatever it was, I did have positive results, and I think this Lean Out stuff is pretty cool! (Even if my weight crept back up to 162 the next day…)

Although I was able to cut from 166 to 161 in May before my triathlon, without any pills like these, I don’t think much of that lost weight was body fat. And I gained it back shortly afterwards, anyway. So the Lean Out seems to be the way to go to lose fat.

Where to Buy Lean Out

I bought mine online at Supplements to Go. I got two 120ct bottles for $45 + shipping, which ended up even cheaper than ordering through Amazon.com.

Even with the cheapest shipping option (USPS,) they shipped my order within two hours and I got it in three days. (Ordered Wednesday, arrived Saturday.) I’m very happy with them.

My final verdict is…

Based on my overall experience, I would highly recommend this to all athletes or anyone trying to lose body fat (either to improve your health or to look good.) If you’re exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, you should see some results from this.

You’ll have to test it to see what works for you though. I gained weight at first, but then I figured out a better dose for me, and it started to work. Just make sure you’re eating enough - I still don’t think my fat stores were utilized for energy that well, since I almost bonked a few times. (I guess I’m just used to eating a lot!)

In the end, I dropped quite a bit of weight, starting at 165 in June and hitting 159 lb on July 3. I hadn’t been that light since last November!

Official website: www.beverlyinternational.com (or see the Lean Out page.)

Buy online: www.SupplementsToGo.com

[Click here if you would like to get your product reviewed on CoachLevi.com.]

I have been shaving my legs for so long that I don’t even remember why I do it. It’s just instinct. Kind of like putting on my helmet or lathering up with chamois butter, I don’t think about why I do it, I just do it. And hey, it works fine that way.

But there are so many myths and misconceptions about leg shaving, and so many articles that don’t quite get it right, I decided to put on my thinking cap and remember exactly why I shave my legs. You should always be able to make informed decisions, even if your information comes from some loon on the internet! So all my reasons to shave are listed below…

Shaving Your Legs for All The Wrong Reasons

First, we’ll start with a few reasons people give for shaving their legs that are actually myths or just dumb reasons.

To ride faster (due to better aerodynamics.)

The first thing most people think of with smooth legs is better aerodynamics. Surely a smooth leg slices through the wind much, much faster than a leg covered in thin little hairs!

But guess what - this lack of leg hair does not make you more aerodynamic. While there are a variety of wind tunnel tests for time trial positioning, along with big studies about air turbulence for golf ball dimple designs, drag from leg hair has not been studied. Why? Because it is way too minimal to even matter.

If you are a triathlete or swimmer, though, you’re dealing with water, and that’s a different story. (One which doesn’t even matter these days, thanks to super fast suits that even smooth skin can’t compare to.)

For sheer joy and excitement.

You might be thinking “hey, that might be neat to shave my legs once.” Trust me, it’s not. Ask any cyclist (or any female, for that matter) that shaves their legs how fun and exciting it is, and you’ll get blank stares and confused looks.

The first time is alright, and smooth legs do make for a good conversation piece, but then you have to shave again at least twice a week. It’s a hassle, and if you don’t do it, well, the stubble is not fun. So then you are forced to keep shaving or deal with stubble for a couple weeks.

Good Reasons to Shave Your Legs

Now here are the real reasons to shave your legs that actually justify the time, expense, and possible ridicule you’ll experience once you begin shaving your legs.

Reason 1 - To look good.

This is what it’s all about right here. You can have a fancy kit, sleek helmet, and top-of-the-line bike, but if you pair hairy legs with tight spandex, the cycling fashion police will be forced to haul you away.

Best of all, hairless legs emphasize your muscles. With hair, your legs will still be big, but once they’re shaved, every little ripple in your muscles stands out for the world to see. (Just look at Bobby Julich’s legs, pictured above!)

Reason 2 - To feel like a pro.

All the pros shave their legs. Not once have I seen a professional racer (on the road, at least) that foregos shaving, and even the majority of recreational roadies and amateur racers shave their legs. If you shave yours, too, it makes you feel like part of the group.

You’ll feel faster, too, just like the pros. Heck, you might even get motivated enough that your mind is driven to ride faster. This is a placebo effect, not aerodynamics, but it could very well result in faster times!

And not only do you feel like a pro, you just feel good. That’s probably because hairless legs keep you cooler (think of hairy legs like wearing a cotton t-shirt.) Plus, you actually “feel” the air moving around your legs, which is very neat.

Reason 3 - To treat road rash easily.

The less you race or do group rides, the less you’ll have to worry about road rash, but it’s always a concern. But if you do a lot of group rides and races, there’s a good chance you’ll experience road rash first-hand.

The previous two reasons (looking good and feeling good) will help you on each ride, but the (hopefully) rare cases when you get road rash will be the most memorable “I’m so glad I shaved my legs!” moments. That’s because cleaning your raw skin is much easier if you don’t have hair in the way. Not to mention, the hair will likely trap more dust, dirt, bugs, and gravel in your wounds.

If you end up in the hospital to get your hairy road rash cleaned out, chances are a tired, unsympathetic nurse will bust out the wire brush to scrub your wounds. Ouch! So in this case, leg shaving is kind of like wearing a helmet - you hope you don’t need it, but it’s there just in case.

Smooth legs also come in handy if you’re a mountain biker and get scratched up or cut; then you can put a band-aid on your wounds without it pulling out your hair (which can sometimes be more painful than the cut itself!)

Reason 4 - For better massages.

Again, this probably doesn’t matter on a day-to-day basis (unless you’re a pro,) but getting a massage feels so much better if your legs are smooth. Part of the reason is that the hair gets sticky and creates friction, which makes it harder for the masseuse, which translates into a sub-par experience for you.

Try it yourself: rub some massage oil on a hairy leg, and then do a little self-massage. Then try the same thing on a smooth leg, and you’ll see a big difference. Your hands will glide easily, and it will feel oh so good!

Reason 5 - To deter ticks.

If you ride in the woods (or even on back roads,) ticks can jump off weeds and grab your leg hair, then make their way around your body until they decide to bite. Smooth legs don’t leave them much to grab onto, so it’s less likely that a tick will stay on your body.

It will also be easier to spot a tick if there isn’t a mass of hair obscuring your vision.

I’ve found five ticks on me so far this year, but with my smooth legs, most have been stuck hiding on my clothes. With hairy legs, I probably would have had at least twice as many ticks, some of which may have crawled through my leg hair and made a nice home somewhere on my upper thigh!

(One did stick itself into my hamstring, but that bugger got there one evening when I was sitting around in the grass. I don’t think he would have made it there had I been wearing lycra!)

So there you have it. Five solid reasons to shave your legs that have nothing to do with aerodynamics.

Photo credits: Bobby Julich by The Dublin Reeds | Aero cyclist by Gaetan Lee | George Hincapie’s legs by TimothyJ | Tick by ninjapoodles