I quit daily consumption of caffeine five years ago. Was probably the hardest habit to break. I'll tell you what, not having any kind of regular tolerance, even the low end of dosage feels like a huge boost if I have caffeine.
I only have one espresso in the morning around an hour after getting up (machine takes at least 20 minutes to warm up anyway). I would only have a second one around 10-20 minutes before a race. Works for me, still get the buzz and it doesn't affect my sleep. Timing and dosage is important. If you cramp up in races, it could be too much caffeine as not only does it make you go harder than you're potentially used to, it also depletes your magnesium needed for muscle function and relaxation.
That might explain what happened during my last race. Blew up around 2/3 of the race and had caffein products before and right after the start. Something I should take a look into and restrict caffein way more than I thought I had to. Thanks for sharing this Steph and Cam. Cheers
Cam. I really enjoy your videos. Really top notch. What sets them apart is the quality of your guest experts. They really know their stuff. Keep the quality content coming.
I do 3/4 cup brewed coffee (no sugar) add 1 tsp unsalted butter + 1 tsp mct for a zone 2 training 3hours max. Then I bring 1 pack of trail mix and consume little by little for the entire ride including my 700ml water bottle (1/2 water +1/2 pocari sweat). It works for me a low budget supplement 🙂
Quit caffeine and sleep improved considerably. Was never a bad sleeper to begin with, but you don't realise how much better it can be 'til you quit this stuff. Recovery - and by extension, performance - improved markedly.
I agree. Loved my coffee for many years but now I have high blood pressure and caffeine is a No No. I've opted to treat my condition with natural foods which is a lot harder than just taking a pill but it works and I feel like I'm living a better life. I tend to stay away from supplements because there is no real science to prove they work. All I know is the supplements that claimed to lower blood pressure didn't work for me. You just have to eat the right foods to be at your best. Oh, and get the proper sleep.
Go with caffeine on the lower range of her scale, but also try beta alanine (preload for 30 days), and beet juice concentrate (beta red by enduro), only when riding.
@@roadcyclingacademy when using the caffeine, also experiment with 30-60mg pseudoephedrine. Additionally, visit a sports doctor and get tested for EIB exercise induced bronchospasm, and see if you can get on an albuterol inhaler. Everyone has the issue to an extent (before/after spirometer testing will reveal) and all albuterol will do is get you to the same 100% as everyone else, not extra.
Caffeine impacts sleep quality and recovery for sure. These are valid arguments. Nevertheless, I don't see any effect on my sleep, not sure about recovery. I guess there may be different patterns of response to coffee, thus, there may be more than one category of athletes. At least from my personal experience in sleep. It is worth noting that FEELING better about sleep may not necessarily means having a better sleep! The ARCHITECTURE of sleep may be disturbed, as it is disturbed by cold medicines and most (not all) sleep pills.
Red bull gives me wings. 80mg per can. I flatten it a tad and have a bit pre race and then the rest strategically during the race (usually last hour).Fuelled by beta fuel though.
Can you do a video on electrolytes and muscle cramping? I can't seem to get my dosing right. Some days on the bike I survive and other days I'm cramping 20kms into a 70km ride.
I was one with cramps, more after rides and during sleeping at night. You must very low in magnesium like I was. I started taking magnesium bisglycinate supplements and instantly no more cramps. I take the new roots brand 200mg. I take 2 in the morning with breakfast and 2 after my ride. No more problems. You can take up to 900mg a day from whay i was told. Happy future no cramping
@@lucberthelotte6196 I THINK I finally solved it. Still a work in progress but so far so good. Managed to do 210km Around The Bay without cramping. Yes I take in electrolytes and take magnesium but what I found was my morning routines before heading out to bike. I would share it but you're not going to want to hear it and it probably only affects me.
I have had to quit caffeine (espresso) as it causes my heart to sky rocket to over 200 bpm on particularly hard rides. It does come down but it takes 10-15 min to do so. I do ok without it, but i do miss the single shot. Just a cautionary comment for your viewers.
People are very different. For me at 25, I've been getting jumped up on caffeine before and on rides for nearly 6 years now. I've never seen my HR go above 189, and then I'm struggling to get above 182 on a normal ride. My FTP was only 320 watts the last time I checked in March, but my peak power is over 2500 watts. Maybe my history of Powerlifting increased the stroke volume so much so I don't get 195+ peak heart rates? Too much caffeine gives me shivers.
@@lukeschmidtaa with all due respect i highly doubt the over 2500W peak power. if you have that you should go for guineas book of records. one spinning bike showed me 1900W peak power once. noway on earth do i have that power. 950-1100W for 3s is more likely.
@Senia T Kittel isn't a track sprinter. I've squat 270kg. I can push 1250 for 30+ seconds, I'm literally trying to make GB atm. So yea, 2500 is high - and it's higher than Kittel's. I can push 2k+ after 2 hours of Z2, but my ftp is only 320 watts. Different cyclists.
I have had the same issue but it is only on occasion and if I take in a lot of caffeine. What I have started doing and I train early in the am is if I did not sleep well I may have a small amount before the workout and a little more maybe before harder efforts. Slipping the caffeine dosage has worked for me
Interesting she doesn't touch on the detrimental effect that caffeine can have on sleep performance, which hinders recovery and looses watts. I think you should be able to make it through key training sessions without taking stimulants and trashing your sleep quality.
Caffeine is a quick crutch for poor training / eating / hydrating / recovery / sleeping habits, and makes all of them worse for a very short boost. Not to mention that it's also a strong diuretic and aperient / mild laxative - generally bad news, and worse if you intend to ride a bike.
interestign , thanks, there was a passing mention about drinking liquid with the caffeine (gel?) of about 200-300ml....would appreciate a little more on that - if your're taking a hit of caffeine rather than drip feeding it, should the liquid also be taken like that? i.e take the gel and then third/half a bottle of water? seems a lot.
No, typically it’s for that ride, event, session, basically per day. You can break it up into multiple doses. A hard max ceiling of 400mg per day is a good guide regardless of body weight.
Since when do we need a plant neuro toxin to perform? What a odd notion. Plus she is unaware how much caffeine is wrecking so many of us thru overstimulation of the nervous system, a prolonged catabolic state, disrupted sleep etc. My health and performance greatly improved since coming of coffee. It makes you wonder what dieticians truly know, if they can tell difference between nutritious food and human fodder.
Each to their own here I feel. We appreciate caffeine doesn't work for some people. Not sure if you watched our last guest (Pete Jacobs), but he doesn't like it either. However, there is a lot of research in favour of it too. So we appreciate where Steph is coming from. Cam
Like every pro cyclist is a caffeine nut, even the very best ones. You think the 20 people on each team working on optimizing their performance wouldn't realize if caffeine was so terrible?
I do 3/4 cup brewed coffee (no sugar) add 1 tsp unsalted butter + 1 tsp mct for a zone 2 training 3hours max. Then I bring 1 pack of trail mix and consume little by little for the entire ride including my 700ml water bottle (1/2 water +1/2 pocari sweat). It works for me a low budget supplement 🙂
I quit daily consumption of caffeine five years ago. Was probably the hardest habit to break. I'll tell you what, not having any kind of regular tolerance, even the low end of dosage feels like a huge boost if I have caffeine.
Thanks for sharing on the thread. You've done well to give it up. Is life still as good? haha, Cam.
I only have one espresso in the morning around an hour after getting up (machine takes at least 20 minutes to warm up anyway). I would only have a second one around 10-20 minutes before a race. Works for me, still get the buzz and it doesn't affect my sleep. Timing and dosage is important. If you cramp up in races, it could be too much caffeine as not only does it make you go harder than you're potentially used to, it also depletes your magnesium needed for muscle function and relaxation.
That might explain what happened during my last race. Blew up around 2/3 of the race and had caffein products before and right after the start. Something I should take a look into and restrict caffein way more than I thought I had to. Thanks for sharing this Steph and Cam. Cheers
Yes, that would be worthwhile looking into Chrissi. Maybe something we can explore in training too. Cam
@@roadcyclingacademy Yo, let's dive into it - although I will say, that I might be getting angry not having my morning cup of Joe ;-)
Cam. I really enjoy your videos. Really top notch. What sets them apart is the quality of your guest experts. They really know their stuff. Keep the quality content coming.
Cheers Marc, thanks for the kind words. Cam
I do 3/4 cup brewed coffee (no sugar) add 1 tsp unsalted butter + 1 tsp mct for a zone 2 training 3hours max. Then I bring 1 pack of trail mix and consume little by little for the entire ride including my 700ml water bottle (1/2 water +1/2 pocari sweat). It works for me a low budget supplement 🙂
YAY!! Another super video with Steph! Always loaded with great info! 👍
Quit caffeine and sleep improved considerably. Was never a bad sleeper to begin with, but you don't realise how much better it can be 'til you quit this stuff. Recovery - and by extension, performance - improved markedly.
Interesting to hear, thanks for sharing on the thread Mikey. Cam
I agree. Loved my coffee for many years but now I have high blood pressure and caffeine is a No No. I've opted to treat my condition with natural foods which is a lot harder than just taking a pill but it works and I feel like I'm living a better life. I tend to stay away from supplements because there is no real science to prove they work. All I know is the supplements that claimed to lower blood pressure didn't work for me. You just have to eat the right foods to be at your best. Oh, and get the proper sleep.
Go with caffeine on the lower range of her scale, but also try beta alanine (preload for 30 days), and beet juice concentrate (beta red by enduro), only when riding.
Beta Alanine really works! I am with you there. Cam
@@roadcyclingacademy when using the caffeine, also experiment with 30-60mg pseudoephedrine. Additionally, visit a sports doctor and get tested for EIB exercise induced bronchospasm, and see if you can get on an albuterol inhaler. Everyone has the issue to an extent (before/after spirometer testing will reveal) and all albuterol will do is get you to the same 100% as everyone else, not extra.
Caffine pre ride can be a very iffy subject for me. Tend to have stomach issues if I consume to much.
Interesting to hear, thanks for sharing on the thread Brian
Yes i am very carefull with caffeine consumption quantity, i never go above 400mg/day
Caffeine impacts sleep quality and recovery for sure. These are valid arguments. Nevertheless, I don't see any effect on my sleep, not sure about recovery. I guess there may be different patterns of response to coffee, thus, there may be more than one category of athletes. At least from my personal experience in sleep.
It is worth noting that FEELING better about sleep may not necessarily means having a better sleep! The ARCHITECTURE of sleep may be disturbed, as it is disturbed by cold medicines and most (not all) sleep pills.
Thanks for sharing on the thread. I agree, it feels like it disrupts sleep but life is better with it! Cam
Caffeine is magic. I love it.
Red bull gives me wings. 80mg per can. I flatten it a tad and have a bit pre race and then the rest strategically during the race (usually last hour).Fuelled by beta fuel though.
Can you do a video on electrolytes and muscle cramping? I can't seem to get my dosing right. Some days on the bike I survive and other days I'm cramping 20kms into a 70km ride.
Yes, we have a video coming in these sequence of sweat rate, which should answer many of your questions
Look up precision hydration ..
I was one with cramps, more after rides and during sleeping at night. You must very low in magnesium like I was. I started taking magnesium bisglycinate supplements and instantly no more cramps. I take the new roots brand 200mg. I take 2 in the morning with breakfast and 2 after my ride. No more problems. You can take up to 900mg a day from whay i was told. Happy future no cramping
@@lucberthelotte6196 I THINK I finally solved it. Still a work in progress but so far so good. Managed to do 210km Around The Bay without cramping. Yes I take in electrolytes and take magnesium but what I found was my morning routines before heading out to bike. I would share it but you're not going to want to hear it and it probably only affects me.
To reduce stress, add L-theanine to the caffeine.
I have had to quit caffeine (espresso) as it causes my heart to sky rocket to over 200 bpm on particularly hard rides. It does come down but it takes 10-15 min to do so.
I do ok without it, but i do miss the single shot. Just a cautionary comment for your viewers.
People are very different. For me at 25, I've been getting jumped up on caffeine before and on rides for nearly 6 years now. I've never seen my HR go above 189, and then I'm struggling to get above 182 on a normal ride. My FTP was only 320 watts the last time I checked in March, but my peak power is over 2500 watts. Maybe my history of Powerlifting increased the stroke volume so much so I don't get 195+ peak heart rates?
Too much caffeine gives me shivers.
@@lukeschmidtaa with all due respect i highly doubt the over 2500W peak power. if you have that you should go for guineas book of records.
one spinning bike showed me 1900W peak power once. noway on earth do i have that power. 950-1100W for 3s is more likely.
@@RevoltingRudi you're welcome to come to a session at Lee Valley and get on my bike 😂
@Senia T Kittel isn't a track sprinter. I've squat 270kg. I can push 1250 for 30+ seconds, I'm literally trying to make GB atm. So yea, 2500 is high - and it's higher than Kittel's. I can push 2k+ after 2 hours of Z2, but my ftp is only 320 watts. Different cyclists.
I have had the same issue but it is only on occasion and if I take in a lot of caffeine. What I have started doing and I train early in the am is if I did not sleep well I may have a small amount before the workout and a little more maybe before harder efforts. Slipping the caffeine dosage has worked for me
Caffein is a wonder drug for me. Can't use it every single ride though. This woman is extremely healthy looking! 💘
Thanks for sharing Donald, I personally love my coffee before every ride because of it! Trying to get out of the habit but it's... hard! Cam
Been off caffeine for four years, scared to go back to it even for sports. What is the recommendation for folk who have quit caffeine?
Interesting she doesn't touch on the detrimental effect that caffeine can have on sleep performance, which hinders recovery and looses watts. I think you should be able to make it through key training sessions without taking stimulants and trashing your sleep quality.
Caffeine is a quick crutch for poor training / eating / hydrating / recovery / sleeping habits, and makes all of them worse for a very short boost. Not to mention that it's also a strong diuretic and aperient / mild laxative - generally bad news, and worse if you intend to ride a bike.
I agree... While caffeine does have its benefits and merits.. it's also not without it's negatives. Double edged sword.
@@pmcmpc dead on.!
interestign , thanks, there was a passing mention about drinking liquid with the caffeine (gel?) of about 200-300ml....would appreciate a little more on that - if your're taking a hit of caffeine rather than drip feeding it, should the liquid also be taken like that? i.e take the gel and then third/half a bottle of water? seems a lot.
It's more so relating to the volume of carbs that comes with the Gel. Check out this video: ua-cam.com/video/qDjLrulcPB0/v-deo.html Cam
What I like before training and I mean like an hour plus before is beetroot. Would like to know what people's thoughts are
We had a LIVE Q&A event before this sit down and RCA members asked Steph about this. You can watch it here, vimeo.com/744024927/8bcc380700
I love beet juice before my training.
Caffeine the Great!
Don't drink coffee, or have caffeine in races. Maybe that's my problem lol
When Steph was saying 1-5 mg per kg of body weight, am I correct in assuming that was per hour? Tx
No, typically it’s for that ride, event, session, basically per day. You can break it up into multiple doses. A hard max ceiling of 400mg per day is a good guide regardless of body weight.
Have you entered the dirtywarrny yet cammo?
haha, I don't have a gravel bike Mark. I need to re-go the road Warnie first too.
Sports Dietitian's Number One Supplement (& how to use it)
Red wine?
Doesn't give you energy?...perhaps not, but caffeine is literally a stimulant - same category as cocaine.
Caffeine is like low grade meth. Over time, any stimulant reduces performance.
Since when do we need a plant neuro toxin to perform? What a odd notion. Plus she is unaware how much caffeine is wrecking so many of us thru overstimulation of the nervous system, a prolonged catabolic state, disrupted sleep etc. My health and performance greatly improved since coming of coffee. It makes you wonder what dieticians truly know, if they can tell difference between nutritious food and human fodder.
Each to their own here I feel. We appreciate caffeine doesn't work for some people. Not sure if you watched our last guest (Pete Jacobs), but he doesn't like it either. However, there is a lot of research in favour of it too. So we appreciate where Steph is coming from. Cam
How did your performance i improve? Better sleep?
People's been using stimulants since prehistory to perform beyond their natural limits
Maybe a bit of caffeine would help you comment more politely.
Like every pro cyclist is a caffeine nut, even the very best ones. You think the 20 people on each team working on optimizing their performance wouldn't realize if caffeine was so terrible?
Cyclists+coffee= inseparable
Didn’t expect that 😂
Just about to finish my August challenge to have max 1 coffee per day 🫡
I do 3/4 cup brewed coffee (no sugar) add 1 tsp unsalted butter + 1 tsp mct for a zone 2 training 3hours max. Then I bring 1 pack of trail mix and consume little by little for the entire ride including my 700ml water bottle (1/2 water +1/2 pocari sweat). It works for me a low budget supplement 🙂