To be a good cyclist takes a few certain innate personality traits—determination, perseverance, drive, and a willingness to endure much physical and mental pain. To be a great cyclist, one must have all of the qualities above, as well as an intense curiosity.  A great cyclist always asks, “What can I do better and how can I do it better?”  Great cyclists scour their training and race data, as well as the latest books, magazines, and forums for answers that lead to real, visible results: a podium finish, a personal best, or a qualifying time. For a lucky few, this tactic works. But for most of us mere mortals, an extra ingredient is needed — a cycling coach could be the missing key.

An effective coach can provide you with three benefits: knowledge, objectivity and inspiration.

Knowledge

Experienced cycling coaches have a tremendous amount of knowledge. This can be helpful because competitive cycling is a complex sport. There are many variables that impact your success including the bike itself, bike fit, position on the bike, bike handling, year-round training regimen, diet, motivation, rest and recovery, choice of racing discipline and race selection.

A good coach can be very helpful when it comes to developing a training plan, improving your cycling skills and dealing with problems such as performance plateaus.

Objectivity

Objectivity is another benefit of coaching. A coach can objectively diagnose problems that are impacting your performance. For example, if you are struggling during the season, you may have difficulty determining the cause of the problem, but it might be clear to your coach.

Your coach might notice you’re not resting enough, or may recognize the need for a diet modification. Even more commonly, your coach may point out your expectations are unrealistic for your current stage of development. With their impartial perspectives, coaches can often discern issues athletes overlook.

Inspiration

Third, a coach can be a great source of inspiration. Never underestimate the tremendous psychological benefit an effective coach can provide. No matter how dedicated and committed you are, sooner or later, you’ll need some inspiration. Cycling is a very difficult sport and there are numerous obstacles every cyclist must face. These include injury, illness, difficult training and racing conditions, uncertainty and a lack of confidence, especially when things are not going well.

A coach can help motivate you during these difficult times and can be a source of strength, a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board and a friend. A coach will also hold you accountable. You may buy the excuses you make but a good coach never will.

If you are ready to work hard and need a coach to help guide you, encourage you, and help you reach your goals, we know that we can help you.    We strongly encourage you to set an appointment with our head coach coach, Richard La China, to learn more … http://ridelikeaninja.com/fitness-coaching/