Knowing how to train and fuel yourself appropriately, especially as a female athlete, goes way beyond just lifting weights. Whatever other pursuits you enjoy also require the knowledge and understanding necessary to train for your body's unique needs.
Key TakeawaysIf You Want to Improve Your Cycling, You Should:
Work to change your mindset and educate yourself about the right training practices for your body and age Ensure that you are fueling your body properly to have the energy you need to feel and train better Work with a coach to keep muscles on your skeleton while pushing the pedals properly and mobilizing fatBadass Bosses on Bikes With Marissa Axell
Marissa Axell is a cyclist and cyclist coach who has dedicated her work to teaching women cyclists how to be badass bosses on their bikes. She helps women understand not just the skill but also the nutrition, recovery, and training that works well for female cyclists at every age. Disappointed by the lack of information and representation in the female cycling work, Marissa took her years of experience and created a space and program that, frankly, I wish I had known 20 years ago when I first got onto a bike.
Chasing Quality, Not Fatigue
We have been conditioned for years that we have to be on every adventure and embody the all-or-nothing mentality. While Marissa is an advocate for high-intensity interval training, she has framed it in a way that does not set your body to chase fatigue but instead chase quality.
Focusing on your exercise quality and intensity will do more for your fitness, physiology, weight, and long slow distance effects than going above your threshold ever will. As we age, we have to remember to change our mindsets and training practices to best serve our here and now bodies in a way that still delivers the results we expect.
Changing the Mindset of Women Athletes
It has only been in the last five or so years that we have started to understand how women of different ages need to train. We are cyclical beings which means that we need to match our training to the cycles of our bodies and our lives to see improvement.
Fueling, recovery, and intensity are some of the most important factors for making long-term and sustainable fitness goals. While it is natural to want to see rapid change and be told what to do, it is not always the most effective. Finding the mix that works for you while having a constant conversation around fueling practices and rest is the key.
Are you ready to reevaluate your training and nutrition practices when it comes to cycling or other exercises outside of strength training? Share which activities you enjoy doing the most with me in the comments section of the episode page.
In This Episode How to start introducing the idea of periodizing your training (9:45) The most common training mistakes that female athletes need to approach differently in cycling training (13:33) Why changing your mindset around how you train as you age is crucial to your success (21:01) Examples of High-Intensity Interval Training on a bike and why it may not be what you imagine (25:29) Why you need to be fueling properly for your activity level and body composition (30:04)Quotes
“It is really important to sit down with your client or athlete and just allow them to dream about what the best scenario ever would be. And then I kind of reverse engineer how we can make that happen, and rest is by and large a big part of that.” (11:47)
“Cycling, that sport, is so stuck in traditions a lot of times. And we didn't really know until about five years ago that women really needed to train a little bit differently once they are over the age of 40. So we are still fighting this ingrained traditional sense of training, and we are still fighting a little bit of the patriarchy and misogyny.” (17:14)
“I want you to think more about how to keep that muscle on your skeleton; that is what is going to help you stay comfortable and keep you peddling for a longer duration. It's not the hours in the saddle.” (21:49)
“Would you take your sports car to the gas station and fill it up with 2 gallons of gas and then go for a 4-hour drive through the mountains? Probably not, because you would be worried about running out of gas. And that is literally the same thing you are doing when controlling or restricting your intake, and then trying to train on top of that.” (32:09)
“It's hard to distinguish the correct information from the noise. And so that is where we come in, and we talk about fueling your body for the tasks at hand.” (34:22)
Featured on the ShowJoin the Group Strength Nutrition Unlocked Waitlist Here
AXN Fitness and Coaching Website
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Check out the full show notes here!
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