Find New Proving Grounds

Water, a T12, and a Trail Map...All You Need!

Went out for another greenway ride this morning, which was very important to do after my near super duper wipe out the other day. Talked about it on Facebook and mentioned it on Twitter. It was pretty awesome and scary at the same time for me because I have never fallen. Nonetheless I was ready to get back out there. Took one day off to see if my muscles would revolt after all the twisting I did to maintain control of that near fall.

So, I'm out this morning and I decided to visit a trail I hadnt been to in many months. While there, I branched out further to previously uncharted spots on the length of it and happily discovered that it's really important to change where you ride! No matter what level you are, you've got to mix it up and challenge your body and mind! While I was quite pleased to head over hills that were difficult for me months ago, I also realized that it was great not to be familiar with every hill and valley that I encountered. For example, when I trikke the Tobacco Trail, I know it's going to be "this long" and the greatest work will come after "that turn," so I save my energy for that big ride on the way back. In this case, I just explored and let the trail try to beat me up!

Ok, it didnt kill me, but there were some challenging inclines in bunches that were difficult when they kept coming. I was a little peeved at myself. I was worn out after several hills, and couldn't make one, so I punished myself by running up it with the Trikke. I have these little head games that I play. When I first started Trikking I would allow myself to walk no more than "50 steps" and had to start back Trikking after that break no matter where I was or how tired I felt. Now, it's "Trikke Sprints," where if I can't make a hill , I have to run straight up it full speed with the Trikke. You get your workout no matter what in my world!

Still, I have found a new proving ground, and I will return to this trail. I was smiling today, looking at the hills, and seeing them as a challenge that I would overcome. I'll work on this trail, and when I feel like the inclines are bumps in the road, I'll move on. One of our group members once said about his journey to get over inclines, "I'm trying to make the road flatter." Exactly the way to see them!

The Strength-Technique Tandem

As we head into warmer days that beckon more time on the Trikke, we should also begin to recognize the important relationship between strength and technique. I remember trying to teach my daughter how to ride a bike without her training wheels. She was 4 at the time and determined to get it quickly and move on. At some point she became so frustrated that she actually picked it up and threw it in a ditch! What she couldn’t grasp was the need for her body to adjust to the balance and strength requirements rolling without training wheels called for. This makes me think about the exact moment that frustrates so many trikkers—when momentum shifts and an incline approaches and you just can’t make it! Patient adults become frustrated very quickly are are ready to call it quits!

Well it’s not an invincible incline. There’s no need to throw your Trikke in a ditch somewhere and stomp off. You have to understand strength, and you have to understand technique. One without the other and you’re going nowhere fast and you’ll never truly get the most out of the fitness part of trikking.

When it comes to strength, you don’t need to be a gym rat or a fitness guru. You simply need to consistently train your body to respond in a way that allows you to ride the Trikke. Men tend to be stronger in their upper body- women in their lower. Because we are a handle bar nation (bicycles, Bikes, etc) we focus on that. So, new trikkers and experienced ones who don't focus on technique tend to put all of their body into that handlebar, swinging away! But the trikke is a full body workout and unless you are legitimately compensating for a reason why your cannot use your lower body, you should engage both the upper and lower. Strength comes with consistent practice. If you are winded after 10 minutes of trikking, that’s fine. If you keep riding 10 minutes - 3 days a week you’ll get stronger! What I don’t want to see you do is ride for ten minutes when you could and should ride for 30! Consistent riding, at least 30-45 minutes at least once a week is only the beginning. You can't ride once a month and expect results anymore than you can go to the gym once a month and expect to get stronger and see results. Consider your Trikke your fitness machine. It's a pretty cool one at that!

At the same time that you are building your strength, you should be equally focused on your technique. Body builders will tell you that without proper form, it doesn’t matter how much you can lift because your body will pay a huge price in the end with potential injury. Same goes for trikking. Doesn’t matter how strong you are and how fast you think you can ride the trikke down or up that street. If you don’t’ have proper technique you risk injury and you waste valuable energy. To see a rider gliding down the road at a good clip is pure poetry. To see them sweating and grunting along with poor technique, busting veins is not very pretty and for the most part doesn’t have to be this way.

In the next few weeks we will be presenting videos of strength and technique building exercises for you to do on your trikke. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or a “strong" rider. These tips will help you reset your riding. To gain access to them, subscribe using the box in the upper left corner of the blog.

Live blogging on American Tobacco Trail!

This is a test. I hope to do this for the century ride so I'm testing how this goes. I'll be posting from todays ride. Perhaps every few miles?


1:46. Lots of bikes out today! Took all of 2 minutes after I unpacked Trikke to get a side remark. WHY?

2:27 going! Everybody pacing. Starting to sweat. I have a serious sweat gene. Ugh

2:35. Wheeee.! Slight downhill. First of the ride. This is when you check your technique. Don't just coast! Get it right when you don't have to and then you have when you do !


2:46. LOL! biker going by said. "swing that thing!!!!"


3:01. Lost a rider in a good way. He found his distance and turned back. Knowing when to say when. Important!!! The small pack is cooking at this point

3:33. Having a coke downtown Durham across from the ballpark. Great ride. Half way point!









3:41. Waitress at mellow mushroom is kicking us off the table since we only have cokes and didn't get seated through the restaurant. Guess it's time to head back before muscles get comfy anyway.

4:27. Done and drinking recovery drink. So we ran straight from half way out to the finish. 41 minutes. So if we hadn't stopped along the way and hung out half way I suppose we could have done it in 1 hour 20 or so?

-- Posted from my iPhone on the go. www.CapitalTrikke.com


5:33 Ok. Back home in front of imac. Live blogging experiment went well. I have to learn how to get more pictures in from the iphone app but I'll get it. This will be a good way to keep everyone in the loop during the century ride. Should go well. As to our ride today, we really had a good ride. I feel I rode at a good clip for me. Rode the T12 comfortably. Nice training and endurance ride. Experiment closed!

Trikke Riding Tips....and the Beach Boys?

What do the Beach Boys and Trikking have in common? Well if you've ever taken a lesson with one of the trainers at Capital Trikke, or seen us try to teach the riding motion of the Trikke, you know that we use the chorus of the song "Good Vibrations" to demonstrate the importance of rhythm in Trikke riding. Rhythm is king on a Trikke! Not all of us are musically inclined but we all listen to music and enjoy it. I learned how to ride listening to music so to this day my style is fluid and rhythmic. Rarely do I ride without music playing and I purposely set up playlists for my riding moods because what I hear has an effect on how I ride the Trikke.

We typically begin our Level 1 lessons with 3 rules of thumb:

1. Know your Terrain: Paying attention to the approaching incline or curve in the road is exciting once you have your asanas in your "tool kit." Asanas are Trikke techniques, which we teach during level 2 and 3 lessons. Once you get them down you'll then be able to choose which asana technique will be the best choice for what's coming up in your ride.

2. Rhythm is king. Keep it steady. Keep it consistent. Keep your form. A faster rhythm creates speed BUT this does not mean that you are breaking the smoothness and basic rhythm you have. Think of it this way, a beat is still a beat even if it slower or faster. What you want is to develop a riding rhythm that even if you speed it up, your form "stays" the same. You don't start jerking or breaking down your form--you just take your core form and speed that up as your physical conditioning and riding ability allows you to!

3. Protect your momentum- remember that at all times, the Trikke is moving forward. Your body must learn to develop a rhythm that captures the moment of attack when the Trikke gains the most forward momentum by your body movement. If your body moves forward when the Trikke is naturally on the forward arch you gain momentum and speed and the ride becomes so much easier! Don't break your momentum by moving backwards or shifting weight in the opposite direction. Get attuned to the motion and harness that forward momentum!

If you have questions about getting the most out of your Trikke technique, check out our site at www.CapitalTrikke.com. Send us email questions, or come have a lesson with us. We'll help you get the most out your trikke to help you reach your fitness goals.

Hill-y Chapel Hill

The above footage was shot this past weekend at Chapel Hill's Meadowmont Trail. This trail is detailed in our local rides section of the blog. It has some challenging inclines for the avg rider but is a great place to practice building endurance and hill climbing skill/technique. It's very important to recognize that hill climbing is part conditioning and part technique. One doesn't work without the other. We all "Trikke Hiked" a bit around the trails, because the important thing to me about riding a Trikke is getting the most out of your ride and having fun. Sometimes this means knowing when you've given it all you can and its time to "pull over" and enjoy a chat with your fellow trikkers! I personally have no desire to crawl home and not be able to ride the next day because I was determined to make it up a hill 5 times--unless making it up that hill 5 times can be done without injury. If you understand the technique in your head, and then condition your body to recreate it, you'll be just fine and you'll find your limits. It'll be up to you whether you push beyond them or not!

Live Blogging Coming!

We have lots of events coming up. Fitness rides, workouts, and great road trips. Keep connected to the blog and you'll be right there with us. Stay tuned.


-- Posted From an iPhone on the go!

You've Got To MOVE It!

There are hundreds of workout programs, fitness machines, and so called intensive diets--all designed to get you into shape. Truth is the majority of them do work, but certainly a huge reason they fail is due to a lack of long term interest and commitment-- you become initially excited by the process and then lose interest before results occur. What would hold your interest? What would make you committed to a process of changing your physical self through physical activity? For one it has to be something that intrigues you and is challenging. Second, it has to not seem like you're doing it simply for the physical change. Few respond to the "work" of working out. That brings us to an important catalyst for long term commitment to altering your physical self--fun!

Riding a Trikke is all of these. It's intriguing--"how do I make it go?" It's challenging- "how do I keep it going and how long can I ride this time?" It's a workout without feeling like work-"No one is telling me to do this and that..this is my ride." It's fun--"What..how long was I riding? Whoo hooooo!"

But you've got to get one- you've got to get on it- and you've got to move it. Guaranteed you'll like to move it! In fact you'll love it. We at Capital Trikke are dedicated to fitness through Trikke riding. We are launching our summer "Get on a Trikke and Get Fit" initiative here on this blog and through our communities. Look for us. Come back to this blog often. Subscribe to the blog to have new workout posts sent to your email box. Workouts, riding tips, and fitness announcements will be made throughout the spring and hit hard throughout the summer. Whatever you have to do, make sure you watch us in the next months. We're going to get you moving!

http://www.CapitalTrikke.com

Time to Get on a Trikke and Get Fit!

I'm posting this on April 2 so you know it's no joke! Do you want to get in the best shape of your life, lose weight, tone up, and most incredibly have fun doing it? Everybody that has had a New Years fitness resolution should take note. New Years is typically the coldest and dreariest time of the year. Its really hard to shine positively when the sun isn't shining with you! But spring is arriving slowly but surely and now is the time to Get on a Trikke and Get Fit! Over the next weeks and months, Capital Trikke will be guiding you through ideas, workouts, and support to help you get in the best shape of your life! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and on our site at http://www.CapitalTrikke.com. We'll be having our regular local and regional rides, but in addition we'll be using our training experience to assist you in creating a Trikke riding mentality designed to get you stronger, technically sharper, and of course-super toned and fit! If you have questions about your Trikke, contact us at rides@capitaltrikke.com or post them to Facebook . Don't have a Trikke? We are authorized Trikke sales. Go to our site and find the best one for you and place your secure order. Ready? Let's Go!