A New Year that holds so much hope but also uncertainty. A time that we don’t have full control over. Therefore, this the second of our two part series will focus on challenges through exercise and sport during the coming year, taking into account COVID restrictions and those New Year Resolutions! Sport and exercise has played such an important role in supporting our Mental Health and Well Being and so let’s get that under control!
Last Time we Ventured through Swimming/Para-Swimming but part follows a different track.
Let’s get moving with Cycling!
The goal is to encompass the opportunity to participate in something new and different from beginner to advanced exercise to fuel your motivation through sport and exercise, with clear pathways to follow and an example of how one sport can match the desired outcomes of anyone with LTHC’s and Disabilities.
This is like a snakes and ladders board! There are clear rungs of progression on the ladders that you can follow and everyone will 'fit and fix’ at a starting point, but the unpredictability and accessibility may help or hinder the route/journey you take which may not be the favourable one.
Just like playing the game. There are ladders to climb which are our hopes and dreams but there will be times and days where the slippery slope and unpredictability of LTHC’s and Disabilities will mean a slide down the slimy snake. The important thing is to recognise that everyone's journey will be different. Plus we have the added pressure and potential anxiety and apprehensions around COVID to manage!
We also need to acknowledge that the tier system does still allow us access to the outdoors which is great, but we also want to consider the options for shielders who face once again a huge challenge and sacrifice. Levels of anxiety are bound to be higher and within this series we can build on our knowledge and understanding and make a start along that ladder. It may even be preparation and involve some long term goals but that in itself is a step in the right direction.
So let’s start basic and look at the barriers to cycling which can be either physical, emotional or both, how these can be overcome and the range of options that are available for people of all levels.
This article Overcoming The Barriers of Cycling With A Disability is based on a report in 2019 published by Sustrans and Arup and revealed that;
‘one third (33%) of disabled people in UK cities and towns would like to start cycling but 84% never do due to a number barriers preventing them. These include heightened safety concerns, lack of dedicated cycle infrastructure and the high cost of adapted cycles’.(https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/personal-stories/2019/personal-stories/how-a-handcycle-opened-up-the-world-of-cycling-to-me-tinas-story/)
Sustarns and Arup continue with;
‘Most of the physical barriers can be addressed by getting the right bike, equipment and the availability of safe cycling infrastructure.But the emotional barriers, such as trust and confidence, take time to develop and depend on the right support’.
Even more so in the uncertain times that we live in right now. It can be helpful to hear how other people have managed to navigate their way through and that is what Tina's Story is about. A great blog post that is inspirational and goes through her battle with Friedreich’s Ataxia, (a rare disorder which causes difficultly walking and limits sensations and strength to limbs) and how the use of a hand cycle transformed her life.
There are also numerous charities that can also help disabled people to access cycling in whichever way they wish to which will help with barriers that need to be broken down. There is a comprehensive list at the end of this report for you to refer to.
So now it’s time to climb!
As with the ladders of the games board there are different ones to climb depending on your health, disability, movement range, preference of indoor or outdoor and the level you want to reach. So for example if you are happy to get on your exercise bike at home or whether you wish to get give it a try or you want to get competitive. There will be some who could never manage to actually use a bike of any kind but there are other options and bikes available that enable people to benefit from the joy of being on a ‘bike’ but without actually having to cycle themselves.
Cycling At Home
If you are confident enough in cycling from home and this fits your goals and time constraints as well as your health there are plenty of options available to you. Using a standard or recumbent bike or simply a hand pedal or foot pedal bike would all be great as long as you understand the principles of exercise, have a coach from a club that you cannot train with currently, but who gives you advice or a structured programme from a reliable internet source would be fantastic. Also a great alternative to leisure centre/gym spinning and exercise programmes. To support you with these you could try some online virtual challenges and support programmes run by many companies to help you stay motivated. Or take it to the next level with a sign up to something more technical for those after a long term all inclusive exercise package. Some options include;
Race At Your Pace is always a great starting programme that you can access here. Simply sign up to complete a certain distance within a month. Or access the content of the blogs and print trackers for free. There are some sample exercise plans to be found such as Three Stationary Bike workouts.
Strava is a great Cycling (and running) App that you can download for free for both Apple and Android. Not only does it allow you to record data straight onto your phone but it also comes with a social network system to keep you connected with others. It encourages you to share with others and you can comment on others achievements and get feedback about your own progress, which is great motivation! It’s free to join but there is the opportunity to subscribe as well for £6.99 per month or yearly £4.00 per month. You can see all the benefits here. They include enhanced performance metrics, setting custom goals and presenting the analysis in greater detail.
One Peleton is a bike programme which are an expensive buy but the opportunities that they offer are incredible. You may well have seen the adverts on TV! Being part of live sessions also requires a subscriptions but you get a lot for your money and if home exercising is for you then this is definitely a great option. It covers all your goals and targets and live sessions with instructor feedback. Literally like being in a leisure centre and of course if you have a bigger household it will get used even more! Additionally, they have all body fitness including core work, yoga and more to help you improve further. You can spin live or on demand to match your schedule.If you are competitive then there are leaderboards as well.
Zwift is a companion of One Peloton but also has its own app. This blog Zwift Cycling Tips To Get You Started makes an interesting read. Essentially it’s a blend between a video game and some serious cycling training! It comprises over 1,000 exercise workouts produced by high level coaches. You can climb up mountains, ride round New York or fly over deserts! The choice is all yours!
Cycling outside & An Introduction to Para-Cycling
The same article referred to above can be found here and will also help us with the introductory small ladder! So the first step is going to be working out which bike you can use and where to get it! The options that Sustarns and Arup suggest are;
Tandoms
Wheelchair Tandems
E-bikes
Trikes
Handcycles
About Para-Cycling with British Cycling gives an overview of cycling but is focused on ‘Actual Bikes’ and recommends HSBC Disability Cycling Hubs as a great way to get started and help you build up the confidence, fitness and skills that you may need to get yourself going. They have a range of bikes on site that you can try, whilst meeting others and getting a real taste for what you can realistically achieve. There are 11 hub sites around the UK and all sessions are delivered by Go Ride Coaches.
Next up we have the British Cycling Lauched Sportive Grading programme. This ladder has five steps to it;
Moderate
Challenging
Difficult
Hard
Very hard
Each level takes into consideration the ascents, descents, distance and flat level of the course. Each step up is a progression and not a huge leap so you can be certain that you enter the right event. These events are run by Sportives .You can search for events nearby or venture a little further (Please remember to check the Tier Level for each area based on the Corona Virus Guidance).
Aspiring to compete in Disability Cycling
In order to compete in Para-Cycling either on the road or track you must meet the minimum impairment requirements set out by British Cycling (International Cycling Guidelines). There are 8 different types of impairments which must by permanent and caused by an underlying health condition;
Impaired muscle power
Impaired passive range of movement
Limb Deficiency
Leg Length Difference
Hypertonia
Ataxia
Athetosis
Vision Impairment
You must submit a pre-classification form and then a medical document before being offered an opportunity to be assessed for a classification. Forms can be downloaded here.This can be a challenging process and you can contact British Cycling to ask any questions at; classification@britishcycling.org.uk. This is an ideal thing to do right now so that you can hit the road straight away when CORONA allows.
Top Level Performance
Now we head towards the highest ladder of all! This level is for those who have an ambitions to compete at elite level. As with all disability sports there is a performance pathway designed to support those riders who show potential and do everything possible to help turn them into medal winning athletes. There is obviously a process ladder for this complicated scenario!
A rider who has impressed at a disability hub
Impressed at a talent identification day
Progression onto the Paralympic Development Programme
Then the Academy Programme
Next is the Podium Programme
The target here is being able to win medals in major competitions such as world championships and Paralympic Games.
The Slippery Slope and how to react/manage.
In situations where health and well being varies so much it can be hard not to push yourself on a bad day and then demoralising when things go wrong and you end up feeling worse. Although somedays if you are struggling mentally then actually pushing yourself a little more may be helpful. Finding a balance to keep on a consistent level is crucial. Finding that can be hard to manage so let’s look at some key factors that are worth considering and question the barriers and how to avoid the nasty snake like falls that we face in our battle to improve our health and well being.
1.Fatigue Management
For anyone this can be a challenging thing to do, but having a LTHC or disability can make it even tougher. Trying to exercise at different times of the day, writing down how you feel both before and after, what you achieve, what kind of day it was and then analysing it over a period of a few weeks will be helpful to start with. Making small increases in distance and time that you are exercising for can produce marginal gains more effectively. Something important to discuss with your medical team.
2.Medication
Some conditions require participants to take additional medication when exercising or drinks with additional nutrients that may be required to ensure a safe and effective workout can take place. It’s Important to discuss this with your medical team if it applies to you as everyone will be different. The same condition is going to be unique to each individual just like your actual training programme. It’s just an additional area to consider, trial and analyse. Ensure that you have a medical professional who supports you with this so your confidence is improved. A good coach will also wish to know as much as possible so they can ensure you are safe and health is supported.
3.Pain
Knowing when to exercise and when to rest are two entirely different skills to learn. Listening to your body and focusing on doing the best you can manage that particular day can be frustrating. Everyone will make mistakes here and it is a case of trial and error to see what works for you. Analysis of your goals is clearly important here. Pushing too hard and ending up in more pain is likely to affect your mental health and your adherence to your exercise programme.
4.Realistic Goals & Progression.
Starting off slowly is especially important for those at the introductory stage of participation. Heart Rate Zone Basics From Polar is a great place to start. This will enable you to work out your maximum heart rate zone and at what level you need to be in order to work at the correct intensity level. This will range from very light up to maximum levels. Working out your goals will be essential if you want to make progress and change the level that you are able to work at. Initially these may be as simple as riding your own bike a short distance in order to build up your stamina and Heart Rate levels gradually which in turn will lead to improved your strength and stamina. If you want to progress then support from a personal trainer, physiotherapist or coach will be essential. There are numerous online opportunities as well that will be covered in subsequent posts.
5. Weather
If participating in outdoor cycling opportunities then of course the weather can have a significant impact, especially for people with conditions affecting the lungs, joints and circulation. Looking ahead to weather forecasts and utilising cross training may be essential at times to avoid intensifying your symptoms. If you are an Elite athlete or you participate/wish to participate in outdoor cycling events then alterations may be needed but with race days being held whatever the weather then adapting training with or without a coach will be essential so you can feel confident in being able to perform well/complete your race with the desired outcomes.
6. Charitable Organisations
Below are some charitable organisations that can support people who wish to get into cycling in differing ways. These include riding without the need to cycle and events running all over the country that you can engage with.
Cycling without age; ‘is a movement started in 2012 by Ole Kassow. Ole wanted to help the elders get back on their bicycles, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility. The answer was a trishaw and he started offering free bike rides to the local nursing home residents’.
They now have programmes in 50 different countries working with numerous councils, community groups and care homes to deliver their goals. https://cyclingwithoutage.org
The Wheels for All initiative; is a nationally recognised programme that embraces all children and adults with disabilities and differing needs, to engage in a quality cycling activity providing fun and stimulating cycling across the UK. https://cycling.org.uk/wheels-for-all
Get Cycling; There are two parts to this programme. Firstly the; ‘not-for-profit Community Interest Company (Get Cycling CIC) specialises in the sale, repair and hire of standard and inclusive cycles: both new and refurbished’. Secondly the; ‘Charitable Community Benefit Society (Get Cycling CBS) has a separate fleet of remarkable cycles and provides innovative cycling events, loan programmes, training courses and publications for the public and private sector. Both organisations operate from the same premises and are mutually supportive’. (https://www.getcycling.org.uk) https://www.getcycling.org.uk
To conclude, it is important to remember that whatever you manage each day, as long as you have picked the correct step on the ladder, completed your session to the best of your ability, then you have succeeded in achieving the best performance for you that day. It might not be the outcome that you desired or it could be above and beyond what you thought would happen when you woke up that day. If you have taken all of this into consideration and analysed and seen what went well, what wasn’t what you hoped for, how focused you were, whether you had extra stress to bear or your mind was simply distracted then you have still succeeded. The next time you can learn from your experience in the same way you learn to manage your LTHC’s and disabilities on a daily basis. Failure can sometimes ignite a strong feeling of determination and we cannot make even marginal gains in everything that we do. That is not what this is about.
So as always, stay well, stay safe, find your step on a ladder, identify the snakes, get analysing and do what is right for you….
Helpful Links used in the text of the document for printing purposes.
Disability Sports Hubs Run By British Cycling and HSBC
Cycling Events Taking Place Across The Country
UK Cycling Events
Barriers To Cycling and How to Overcome Them
Race At Your Pace For Challenges, Blog Posts and Distance Tracking Forms
Strava Cycling & Running App Subscription
Coming up next week….
What’s Your Challenge - Part 3 - Virtual Events & Challenges For Individuals or Teams
This blog builds on the previous post series based on the Snakes and Ladders theme and enables you to set goals through virtual challenges and events that are available to fuel your motivation and get you on the right road to participation in events that can be completed at home or in your local community. It’s based around getting your chosen activity running, finding where you sit on the ladder and setting clear goals with challenges that recognise the unpredictability of managing LTHC’s and disabilities.