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With the Christmas holiday in the rearview mirror Athletes everywhere are turning their attention to 2019 and dreaming of what can be accomplished. It’s an exciting time of year that sees most of us setting goals and making the commitment to improve ourselves in various ways. With endless New Years resolutions to consider, we thought it best to share three specific intentions that will help every Athlete have a season to remember.  The Pigeon pose has numerous variations, and each one is very beneficial for cyclists trying to release built-up tension in the hips. Photo Credit: Rick Cummings/Yoga Journal #1: Develop A Maintenance Yoga Practice Or Stretching Routine Tightly bound muscles are the enemy of Endurance Athletes and too often are the culprit of over-use injuries or nagging-pains that never seem to go away. We have seen to many Athletes endure setbacks or have to revise their goals due to preventable injuries caused by tight hips, legs, and back muscles… That is why we suggest that all our Athletes develop a 15-20min. yoga stretching routine that can be done multiple times a week. Yoga is hugely beneficial for Endurance Athletes for two reasons: #1- Yoga promotes length and relaxation in the muscles that are used over and over again to propel us forward on our bicycles. #2- Restorative yoga practice has a meditative component that rejuvenates the mind while releasing tension within the body. These two facts alone make regular yoga practice an ideal tool to compliment any training program. If you are new to yoga, there are many great poses to consider and get comfortable with, but we think three of the best for cyclists are Crescent Lunge, Pigeon Pose, and Bound-Angle Pose. To get started developing your own home practice yoga routine we suggest watching YouTube videos to find what sequence works best for you to release the tension built-up through constant training.  Coach Brian has been adding gravel events to his calendar for the past few years as to keep things 'fresh' after 15-years of competitive cycling.Photo Credit: Danny Munson, DMunsonPhoto.com #2: Get Outside Your Comfort Zone & Try Something New Whether you are a seasoned cyclist or just getting into the world of Endurance Sport, keeping things ‘fresh’ is a great way to keep improving. That can be something as simple as adding in a core-routine or gym work to your offseason, or as wild as adding a gravel event to your season goals. The notion of doing something different, even just slightly so, will challenge you mind and body to create new pathways and adapt to new stimulus. Although one of the hardest things in Endurance Sport is putting-in the training time to achieve big goals, we cannot stress enough that being open to doing things differently can keep you continually improving. Note: This does not mean you should throw-out tried and true training methods, instead the goal is to add a new dimension to your training that enhances your abilities and helps you achieve your very best!  Athlete and Coach Chris Hauth summed up the Athlete Mindset well on the Rich Roll Podcast. Photo Credit: The Rich Roll Podcast
#3: Develop An Athlete’s Mindset To Both Train Hard & Rest Properly! In our years of Coaching we have noticed one universal truth that nearly every Athlete exhibits… They associate hard-work and suffering with success and therefore minimize recovery in their training program. Although resting properly can be a difficult notion for any Athlete with a demanding job and family commitments, proper rest should not be an after-thought. The best Athletes in the world find ways to balance hard training and proper rest in order achieve their highest potential. But even if you are not a world-class Athlete you can still reap the benefits of the Athletes’ Mindset. This New Years, make the resolution to balance hard training with proper rest, be it extra sleep, a coffee ride, or possibly foam-rolling and recovery yoga. The extra emphasis you put on recovery will help you continually adapt to hard training, but also keep your mind sharp, meaning that you can push yourself harder and deeper, when necessary in training or at an event. Summary: We hope that you have enjoyed this weeks training article and that these resolution suggestions can make their way onto your list of aims for 2019! And if your New Years holiday sees you spending any time in SoCal please come ride with us at the 4-Days To Fitness Training Camp in Santa Clarita and join our training presentation at CBS Cycling on Saturday December 29th at 3:00PM! Event Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1935038356790722/ From all of us at Big Wheel Coaching, we wish you a happy, prosperous, and wildly successful 2019! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching The Christmas and New Years Holiday Season is here... Wow, how time flies! If you are like us, the holidays seem to creep-up faster and faster each year, and ‘winding-down’ to enjoy the holiday's takes longer than we care to admit… Luckily, the addition of Baby Seamus has reminded us of the blessings of family, the privilege of close friends, and the excitement we hold for our BWC Athletes leading into 2019. That is why all of us at Big Wheel Coaching would like to wish you and your family a lovely holiday season spent amongst your favorite people! And if the holiday season includes any extra time for training, we hope you will consider joining us at these BWC events in the coming weeks: 4-Days To Fitness: December 29- January 1st, Santa Clarita, CA We have participated in the annual 4-Days To Fitness Training Camp since it was organized out of a friends house almost ten years ago... Now it has become a massive event, featuring 4-consecutive days of training in the Santa Clarita area, with cyclists coming from all over to join in the fun! These are FREE rides, with both a long and short route options each day, so there is no doubt that you will get in a high-quality workout whether you join the group for one or all four days. Complete Event Info Including Location, Start-Times, & Routes Can Be Found Here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1935038356790722/  We are headed to 4-Days To Fitness for more than training, we have a special coaching presentation that is FREE to attend. We hope to see you there! Photo Credit: BWC 4-Days To Fitness Presentation At CBS Cycling: December 29th, Santa Clarita, CA Join us after Day #1 of 4-Days To Fitness for a performance-focused presentation at CBS Cycling from 3pm-5pm! It’s always a packed house for this presentation, so come early for refreshments! This year our presentation will have two-parts, the first covering training principles including multi-day ‘block’ training, which will serve you well at 4-Days To Fitness. The second part will help you craft a clear vision of what cycling success looks like this season so that you can drive toward it all year long! It’s definitely not something to be missed, so please join us for this FREE event!  We are kicking-off 2019 with a high-performance event to help racers across SoCal compete as a well-drilled team at the Team Tactics & Race Strategy Clinic! Photo Credit: BWC The Team Tactics & Race Strategy Clinic: January 18-20th, San Pedro, CA This is BIG news! We created the Team Tactics & Race Strategy Clinic to help racers throughout Southern California take their well-intended group of training partners or teammates and transform them into a high-performance squad of savvy bike racers. If you have ever dealt with the frustration and post-race disappointment that comes with a poorly executed team-plan, this clinic is for you and your teammates! Cycling is a team sport, that requires sacrifice from dedicated team-members just to have the opportunity to win… So before you set your 2019 race goals, rally your teammates and join us for the Team Tactics and Race Strategy Clinic to make sure your hard-earned fitness creates opportunity for big results all season long! For Complete Event Information See Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1974204246216782/ Event Registration: https://www.bikereg.com/the-team-tactics--race-strategy-clinic  Before we sign off, we have one more bit of exciting news…
If you are looking for last-minute gifts for yourself or a bike-crazy family member, consider some our **NEW**BWC swag, like the Race Day Bag from Pedal Industries. Check out our online store to order BWC-themed Race-Day Bags, Hats, & Socks! https://pedalindustries.com/collections/big-wheel-coaching In closing, and with all this exciting news shared, know that we are thankful for every one in our BWC family and wish you the happiest of holidays as well as a wildly successful New Year! #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching At Big Wheel Coaching, our vision is to help Athletes everywhere unleash their inner potential and achieve all their athletic goals. And that is why we are very excited to bring on two new coaches that will help us fulfill that vision! Brady Kiss and Leo Bugtai are two stellaryoung-men that have been a part of the BWC family for quite some time. Both have continually shown a drive to help others as well as a passion for Endurance Sport which has given each of them a great deal of knowledge and experience that simply must be shared with our BWC family of Athletes! With that said, we are thrilled to introduce Brady and Leo as well as announce that they are ready and able to Coach Athletes of all levels! Here is a little information about each of our new Coaches:  As a Coach at Lyndenwood College, Brady worked closely with his Athletes and developed a reputation for helping Athletes get results while having fun! Photo Credit: Brady Kiss Brady Kiss Brady has taken his passion for cycling from a humble beginning that started with BMX racing as a kid. In high school, he raced for one of the original NICA teams in the region, the Yucaipa High-School Thunderbirds MTB Team. His abilities quickly propelled him into road cycling where his experience as an MTB and BMX racer served him along his journey to becoming a Category 2. From there, Brady went to college on a cycling scholarship at Lyndenwood College where he competed in every cycling discipline imaginable over his four-years of attendance. Once he graduated, he was recruited to be a member of their Coaching Staff. In Brady’s Words: “I am very excited to join Big Wheel Coaching. I have a passion for cycling and it has been a huge part of my life for the past 11 years!” “Throughout that time, many people have contributed to my success and love of the sport. Very near the top of that list are Brian and Joy, who have coached and mentored me for years.” “I am excited to join the BWC team and give to others what has been given to me!”  Besides having a killer beard and a welcoming smile, Brady is an incredible coach! Photo Credit: Brady Kiss Leo Bugtai Leo Bugtai also came to Big Wheel Coaching as an Athlete several season ago. Leo was searching for a way to achieve his potential and fulfill his dream of becoming a professional cyclist. After only a few short years, Leo has made a rapid ascent in the sport that includes numerous impressive results and performances. His work ethic has made him a stand-out Athlete, but he has remained focused on helping others navigate the complex sport of cycling. It is this first-hand knowledge of the sport and the work it takes to succeed that he is excited to bring to the BWC Family of Athletes.  Leo Bugtai is bringing his drive and passion for performance to the BWC family of Athletes! Photo Credit: Christy Nicholson, EchelonDesignPhoto.com In Leo’s Words: “From the beginning, I have always found myself helping other riders to be their best, whether it be through sharing the importance of fundamentals or outlining advanced race tactics. I really enjoy seeing Athletes perform beyond their expectations and achieve their potential!” “Looking at it objectively, becoming a Cycling Coach was something that was inevitable. I have a deep passion for the sport as well as helping others succeed, which is what coaching is all about!” “Big Wheel Coaching’s vision is something that aligns perfectly with my own experiences as an Athlete. No goal or dream are to large or small, #TrainYourPotential!”  Leo is more than a "Sharp Dressed Man". He is excited to "roll-up" his sleeves and build some training plans for our BWC Family of Athletes! Photo Credit: Leo Bugtai
Summary: If reading about Brady and Leo’s passion for coaching gets you excited about your goals, wait until you meet them in person! We are biased, but these young-men are driven, passionate, caring, and Athlete-Focused, which makes them incredible additions to the BWC Team. We are proud to welcome them both and hope you will help us give them a warm reception to the BWC Family! If you have questions or would like to contact Brady or Leo regarding coaching please do! Their contact information follows: Brady Kiss: KissBrady@yahoo.com Leo Bugtai: LeoniBugatti@gmail.com #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching The New Year is nearly upon us, and for Athletes everywhere that means dreaming of what can be accomplished in 2019. For the driven and focused Athlete, going beyond dreaming is an absolute “must”. Like a ship lost at sea, an Athlete can float aimlessly in any direction going through their day to day training in the name of making “gains”… Or they can take it to the next level by crafting a powerful vision that acts like the rudder of a ship and guides them toward success! Over the years, we have developed the following five-step protocol that can help make your season successful beyond expectation:  Arriving at the start line of your biggest objectives confident and ready for the task starts with a dream and the courage to challenge yourself to think BIG! Photo Credit: Cotton Sox Photography. Step #1: Open Your Mind & Dream Getting started is most often the hardest step. Sometimes the reluctance to solidify a vision can come from our experiences of past failures as the sting of missed targets creates anxiety that history will almost certainly repeat itself. Although it can be said that part of Endurance Sport is experiencing and working to overcome setbacks, creating a powerful vision goes a long way to increasing your chances of being successful. To move forward and dream, you must cast-aside previous under-performances and look to all that 2019 can be. To complete this step you must dream without consideration of constraints and not assume that the limitations you have experienced in the past cannot be overcome. Take 30 minutes without distractions - no phones, TV, or other interferences - and think about all the things you would like to achieve athletically in 2019. Allow yourself to visualize and “feel” what it would be like to achieve the successes you dream of. Note: It can take longer than 30min. for some of us to dream-up our season goals, so consider multiple ‘sittings’ if need be. Step #2: Write Out What You Want To Accomplish In 2019 Following your 30 minute Visualization of what success could look like this season, it’s time to write-it-out. Put down on paper - yes write it out - don’t type it on a screen (yet). On a blank sheet of paper titled: My Vision For Success 2019. Write down what you want to accomplish. Itemize the different goals you came up with and be specific with your intentions. Step #3: Challenge Yourself & Write What A WILDLY Successful 2019 Would Look Like Once you have written your goals, now it’s time to push your limits and get outside your comfort zone. What would a WILDLY SUCCESSFUL 2019 look like? Dream bigger and write down something that scares you to say out loud. Think of something that would make you extremely proud and something that you would remember with satisfaction for years to come. How does that narrow your focus and sharpen your goal(s)? Now re-write your vision for a successful 2019 by blending the work you did in Steps 2 & 3 to create a clear and concise statement of what you want to achieve next season.  A well articulated vision of your season requires more than just big desires, it requires daily action that moves you toward actualizing the vision. Photo Credit: Google Images Step #4: Evaluate Strengths & Identify The Fitness/Skill-Set That Must Be Developed To Accomplish Your Goals! Now is the time to take the rudder that is your vision for 2019 and use it to focus your efforts on the steps necessary to achieve these goals. What are the steps necessary to accomplish your vision? Are there specific fitness targets that must be achieved? What are the skills and strengths you possess, that when honed, will drive you toward these goals? List 3-5 strengths and skills you have and how you can “take them to next level” to make you successful in 2019. Next, what are the elements of your fitness that are under-developed and must be enhanced to ensure you are successful? Follow this list of strengths with another itemization, this time outlining the “weaknesses” you have identified that must be developed in order to achieve your goals. Note: Be sure to make this second list a thorough one that identifies as many potential “limiters” and setbacks you could encounter in your seasons’ journey. Step #5: Create A Plan With The Appropriate Short-Term Targets That Develops Deficiencies & Keeps You Pointed Toward Success Now that you have identified strengths and weaknesses, it is time to identify short and medium-range targets that will get you to your goal. As you identify these steps, look to make the targets simple and not overly complex. The idea here is to decant a year-long goal into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and eventually daily targets. This may sound like a lot of work, but there is a method to the madness. With potent daily workouts, an Athlete will have a productive week of training. These weeks add up to effective months of training, which drive you toward your vision. The purpose of this portion of the exercise is to identify what is “next”. This will allow you to take actions today, this week, and later this month that will move you in the direction of your goals. Much like the Captain of a ship ensures his crew “stays the course”, these short and medium-range targets will help you stay on track for a wildly successful 2019.  The open-ocean is often punctuated with rough waters. Creating a vision for a successful season ensures that when adversity arises, you remain focused on your destination! Photo Credit: Google Images
Bonus Step(s)… Now that you have written everything out, there are only three things left to do… #1:Post your vision for this years’ success in multiple places, like your office or where you store your bike, so you are constantly reminded of what you are working for throughout the year! #2:Take daily action that is congruent with your vision! #3:Make adjustments along the way to your daily and weekly targets to keep you on track as progress is made and setbacks are overcome. Summary: At Big Wheel Coaching, our passion is helping Athletes achieve their goals… and beyond! We believe that you have untapped potential that is waiting to be unleashed and want to help you “get after it”. If you are looking to make your 2019 cycling season the best it can be and would like support and guidance to help you craft your vision, consider scheduling a consultation with a BWC Coach! We would be excited to help you draft a plan to help you achieve your 2019 vision! Link: https://www.bigwheelcoaching.com/coaching-consultation.html #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching |
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