00:00You join me on a mild but rather wet August evening for a bike ride in my shed.
00:07Now that might sound like a rather odd concept but this is what the top riders are doing up and
00:14down the country.
00:15But why? Well in this video we're going to find out. Things are about to get nerdy.
00:27For absolutely years cyclists have been feasting themselves and putting themselves in uncomfortable situations in order to get an edge
00:36over their rivals.
00:38Whether that be slogging up a really long climb or sitting at the top of a mountain where there's no
00:44air.
00:45Well now there's a new way and it involves wearing one of these. Rather fetching if I do say so
00:52myself.
00:55It might not win any prizes for fashion but apparently this is going to help me get faster.
01:01The good news is that for not a lot of money you can take advantage of what is potentially one
01:07of the most powerful performance enhancing tools at your disposal.
01:13For about 3 quid you can pick up a set of cobles.
01:17For yes a turbo might set you back a bit but there's lots of deals on second hand marketplaces especially
01:23at this time of year.
01:24And then I'm using my whoosh which is completely free.
01:28And if I get really good then it might even make me money.
01:32So how does this work?
01:34Well as the sweat pours, my motivation inevitably wanes and my heart rate climbs disproportionately to the power that I'm
01:44putting out.
01:44This discomfort can unlock a range of physiological adaptions that will not only prepare me for hot weather racing but
01:53improve my performance across all conditions.
01:56Train hot, race cool.
01:58That seems to be the phrase of the pro peloton in 2025.
02:03This is significant as cyclists are not particularly efficient.
02:07At best a top level world tour pro will be having a maximum efficiency of around 25%.
02:14Whereas most other riders, riders like me, I don't know if I'm even pushing 20% efficiency.
02:20Let's say I produce 300 watts of power.
02:24This generates 1080 kilojoules of energy to power the pedals as 1 watt equals 3.6 kilojoules per hour.
02:31With a 25% efficiency that means 4,320 kilojoules is being burned.
02:38Of which 3,240 kilojoules is being turned into heat.
02:43It takes a hell of a lot of energy to remove from the body.
02:48And when the body temperature level heats up too much, well, the body starts to prevent itself from generating more.
02:55In other words, you can't sustain power and you have to slow down.
03:01Just like normally happens to me on my whoosh.
03:05If you can improve your capacity to lose heat, you can push more watts for longer before thermal load becomes
03:12too much.
03:13So, what is the science behind heat training?
03:18How can you use it to your advantage?
03:21What do you need to be cautious of?
03:23And how can you use hydration, fueling and recovery strategies to be adapted to support this unique form of stress?
03:31Right, let's get this show on the road.
03:37So, when the body is exposed to repeated heat stress, it undergoes several key adaptions.
03:44Within a span of around 7 to 14 days, assuming that you're at least doing it a bit consistently,
03:51cyclists can experience significant improvements in their ability to tolerate thermal strain.
03:57Much better than I am doing this next interval.
04:02So, basically, this is known as heat acclimatization.
04:05You've probably heard of that.
04:07And one of the primary adaptions of this is an increase in plasma volume.
04:14Now, this enhances your cardiovascular stability and improves the oxygen delivery to the working muscles.
04:21And what that means is it enables you to sustain efforts at low heart rates.
04:28Look at that guy going next to me.
04:31That was an absolute sprint.
04:33The body also becomes more efficient at cooling itself, which will be quite useful right about now.
04:40So, it begins sweating earlier and more profusely, which helps dissipate heat more effectively via the convection process of evaporating
04:52sweat.
04:53Over time, these changes result in a lower core temperature at any given workload.
04:58A reduction in received effort as well.
05:01Again, that would be lovely right about now.
05:04And enhanced efficiency.
05:06So, how do you do it?
05:08Well, one of the most effective ways to create a heat adaption stimulus is through indoor training, just like I'm
05:15going to do here on my whoosh.
05:17The indoor environment naturally limits airflow and creates a pocket of warm, humid air around the rider.
05:23This amplifies thermal strain, particularly if the fan is used sparingly, or an extra layer of clothing is being warm.
05:31Even moderate intensity sessions can raise core temperature significantly in this context.
05:38It's no surprise then, that indoor training is one of the most effective ways to train.
05:43Whilst riding on these rather fetching virtual reality roads, I can adjust my effort based not only on my power
05:50or heart rate, but also my thermal stress.
05:53Apparently, a core temperature between 38.5 and 39.5 degrees centigrade during these sessions will provide the optimal balance
06:02between stimulus and safety.
06:05Now, it should be noted that exceeding that temperature can cause excessive thermal strain, and that will probably mean that
06:12I never recover.
06:13If you do decide that you want to copy the pros and add heat training to your schedule, then it
06:19is wise to err on the side of caution.
06:22Heat training adds another level of stress to an already demanding training load.
06:28It is essential to monitor for signs of non-functional overreaching or early burnouts.
06:34These can include, but are by no means limited, to an elevated resting heart rate, poor sleep, low mood, declining
06:43power outputs, or an inability to recover between sessions.
06:47Given that just about all training is about balancing the overall stress load, for people who are working full-time
06:54jobs, have children, or are in education, it's probably best to avoid adding heat training to your routine.
07:01That is, unless you are undertaking very specific events where heat acclimatisation will make the biggest difference, such as an
07:08event in high temperatures.
07:10Adding an additional stressor might be better served by incorporating appropriate high-intensity training or maximising volume.
07:18Basically, as with everything, train for the demands of your specific event or goal, and work backwards from that end
07:26target.
07:26As with all training interventions, heat adaption should be individualised.
07:32Start with a short, low-intensity session, and gradually build exposure as your tolerance improves.
07:38Use metrics such as perceived exertion, it can often be underrated, heart rate and temperature feedback to gauge internal load,
07:46and be prepared to back it off if the fatigue begins to accumulate.
07:51In summary, training in hot conditions, whether indoors, outdoors, or passively through hot water immersion, offers a potent stimulus for
08:00performance gains.
08:02The physiological adaptions include improved cardiovascular function, enhanced thermoregulation, and more efficient energy use.
08:11When combined with appropriate hydration, salt intake, and carbohydrate fueling, heat training can form a valuable part of any rider's
08:20preparation for competition.
08:22With specialist tools like the core body temperature sensor and heat suits, applying this training method to the same degree
08:30as the pros' is even more practical and achievable.
08:33Used wisely and with respect for the body's limits, heat adaption can help riders build resilience, increase blood volume, improve
08:41endurance, and achieve peak performance in all weather conditions.
08:45It's even been described by some world tour trainers as a sort of altitude-lite training, but let's be honest,
08:54it's got significantly less financial investment required.
08:57Thank you to MyWish for sponsoring this video and making it possible.
09:00If you want to find out any more about their free indoor training platform, then we'll pop a link in
09:05the description below.
09:07And let us know your thoughts on heat training in the comments section.
09:10As always, if you enjoyed this video, then please give it a like, subscribe to the channel for lots more
09:15like this, and we'll see you next time.
Comments