Body Cranks

16/11/2025

So, how do you actually put hydration into practice as it heats up?

A few simple guidelines:

1. Head out topped up, not already behind.
2. For longer or hotter rides, use an electrolyte drink instead of just plain water – especially if you’re a heavy or salty sweater.
3. Drink small amounts regularly rather than smashing a whole bottle when you’re already thirsty.
4. After the ride, replace what you’ve lost – fluid and sodium are just as important as carbs and coffee (🤪) for recovery!

When you’re finishing rides with headaches, heavy legs, or feeling cooked for longer than you should be, it might not just be your fitness – your hydration strategy could do with a tune-up.

If you’re not sure what to use or how much you need, drop into the shop and we can help you sort out a basic hydration and electrolyte plan that fits your riding and the conditions you’re in and find the right supplement for your individual hydration needs!

13/11/2025

Why Movement Matters for Riders!

Think about it—if you can’t perform basic movements like touching your toes or hinging at the hips, you’ll struggle with essential biking skills.

Your Attack Position, manuals, and jumps all rely on these core patterns. Get your movements right to ride better!

Are you training with purpose to improve your movement patterns?

Ready to take your riding to the next level? Comment below or reach out to learn how Bodycranks can help you improve your movement skills and enhance your biking experience!

11/11/2025

Celebrating Women in Bike Racing!

What an incredible weekend! Not only did I get to enjoy the rush of racing my MTB, but I was also thrilled to see so many amazing women participating in the event!

It was wonderful to experience an atmosphere that was welcoming and non-intimidating. Here’s why I love events like this:

The number of women who raced showcased our growing community and the support we offer each other. It’s inspiring to see so many women embracing the challenge!

Events like these are designed to make everyone feel comfortable, regardless of skill level. It’s all about fun and camaraderie, not just competition.

Being around fellow female riders brought a sense of joy and solidarity. We cheered each other on throughout the course, making the experience even more memorable.

Let’s continue to lift each other up and encourage more women to join the sport!

How do you feel about the growth of women in cycling? Have you participated in any events that made you feel included?

11/11/2025

Hey riders! One key breakthrough to improve your biking is this: movement is the foundation of your skills.

Many riders often overlook this simple concept, but it can truly change the game. If you’re struggling with your bike handling, your movement skills might be what’s holding you back! Think about it—it's challenging to execute advanced techniques when your body isn't moving efficiently.

At Bodycranks, we focus on building these essential movement patterns to help you feel more comfortable and confident on your bike.

10/11/2025

Wow, what a weekend! I finally raced my MTB for the first time since March and loved the different pace and flow of this style of racing—so much fun, and so very different to road racing. It really reminded me how much I enjoy switching things up and challenging my body in new ways. If only the climbs were included in the timing 😆

Now comes the tricky part… recovery. I’ll be honest—I always struggle with this part of programming. My instinct is just to keep moving, but after a hard race, giving your body proper rest is key to really benefiting from all the effort you put in. Even a few easy spins, stretching, or complete rest can make a huge difference in how you feel for the next session.

How do you handle recovery after a big race? Do you love getting back on the bike straight away, or do you take a proper rest day?

09/11/2025

Hydration is one of those basics that’s easy to overlook – until it goes wrong.

As we head into the warmer months, it becomes even more important for not only athletes, but also everyday riders to think about not just water, but electrolytes as well.

When you sweat, you’re not only losing fluid – you’re also losing sodium and other electrolytes that help regulate blood volume, muscle contraction, and nerve function. Studies show that as little as ~3% body mass loss from dehydration can impair endurance performance, increase perceived effort, and affect thermoregulation.

If you only replace water, you can still end up feeling flat, crampy, and off your game, even if you’ve “drunk plenty.”

Why electrolytes matter:

They help maintain blood volume so your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to deliver oxygen in the heat.

They support normal muscle function and can help reduce the risk of cramping and premature fatigue, especially when sodium losses in sweat are high.

They help keep your brain sharp – dehydration and electrolyte imbalance can affect cognition, reaction time, and decision-making.

Goulet, E. (2012). Dehydration and endurance performance in competitive athletes. Nutrition Reviews, 70, S132-S136.

07/11/2025

Recovery Add-On: Cherry Juice

Over the past few weeks, I’ve started adding cherry juice into my post-race recovery — and I’ve genuinely noticed a difference in how quickly I bounce back after big efforts.

Cherry juice has been shown to reduce muscle damage and soreness after intense exercise, while also helping to maintain strength across consecutive days of hard training or racing. For me, it’s been the kind of small addition that adds up — less fatigue, less soreness, and a smoother turnaround between sessions.

Research supports this too. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2006) found that cherry juice can significantly reduce post-exercise muscular pain and loss of strength over multiple days of high-intensity work.

Like anything, it’s not magic — but it’s a great example of how small, consistent choices can support recovery when the basics (nutrition, sleep, and hydration) are already nailed down.

07/11/2025

Once you’ve ticked off the key components of good recovery — cool down, nutrition, and sleep — then it’s time to look at the extras.

There are plenty of recovery tools and techniques out there, and they can all play a role:
• Massage
• Stretching
• Compression
• Active recovery
• Foam rolling
• Meditation or reflection

All of these can support recovery in their own way — but it’s important to remember that they’re add-ons, not replacements.

If the basics aren’t covered, these won’t move the needle much.

Nail the fundamentals first — fuel properly, get enough rest, and cool down consistently — then layer in the extras to get the most benefit.

06/11/2025

Injury recovery isn’t just about waiting – it’s about what you do with that time.

Sports medicine research consistently points to a few key ideas:

– Early on, some rest is protective – short periods of reduced loading help limit damage and allow the repair phase to start properly
– Too much rest for too long slows recovery – prolonged complete rest is linked with poorer outcomes and longer return-to-sport times for most soft-tissue injuries
– Gradual, guided loading is what rebuilds capacity – reintroducing movement and strength work, matched to the stage of healing, helps tissue remodel and cope with load again instead of breaking down
– Rushing back increases re-injury risk – coming back to full training or racing before strength, range of motion and confidence are restored is where repeat injuries are common

So for me, this period is about respecting the healing process, then using smart, progressive loading to come back stronger and more resilient.

If you’re carrying a ni**le that never quite settles, or you keep cycling through the same injury, it might be less about toughness and more about giving your body the right mix of rest and structured rehab.

As someone who majored in rehabilitation, this is exactly the space I love working in. If you’re unsure what recovery and loading should look like for your riding, reach out and we can chat about how to adjust your training so you can return smarter, not just sooner.

04/11/2025

Once you’ve cooled down, the next step in recovery happens off the bike — and timing matters.

The first 45 minutes after finishing a session is what’s often called the “Golden Window.” During this time, your body is primed to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue. Think of it as your recovery opportunity — when the body is most responsive to what you put in.

Fueling within this window makes a big difference. A meal or shake with a mix of carbohydrates and protein helps restore energy and kickstart repair. Delay that fueling for a couple of hours, and glycogen synthesis can drop by as much as 50%.

So once you’ve spun out and stretched, make recovery part of your routine — refuel, rehydrate, and give your body what it needs to adapt and come back stronger.

Reference DOI:10.1007/s40279-025-02213-6

03/11/2025

Injury, rest and actually letting your body heal.

The last two weeks I’ve been doing something I’m not very good at: properly resting my injured foot.

It’s frustrating hitting pause on training, especially when you feel like you’re building momentum. But from a coaching and sports science point of view, giving an injury time to heal is one of the most important things you can do for long-term performance.

When you injure a tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament or bone), your body goes through a structured healing process – inflammation, repair, then remodelling. That repair phase can last from days to several weeks depending on the tissue and severity. If you keep loading the area too hard or too soon, you’re effectively asking half-healed tissue to do a full-time job. That’s where compensations, delayed healing and repeat injuries show up.

Right now, my focus is backing off, letting the foot calm down, and not pretending that “pushing through it” is a long-term strategy.

03/11/2025

Geelong Cycling Club Summer Crits!

Don't miss Race 1, kicking off this season’s Women’s Summer Spritz! 😁 It’s a fantastic series to motivate and support women’s racing!

Summer is coming in hot ! As is Geelongs favourite Criterium circuit Eastern Gardens! We are excited to be hosting 4 races this summer. Enter via entry boss. Our first race on the 15th November is also race 1 of the summer spritz series! So it’s gonna be HUGE.