Fitness Inspiration: Jamis/Hagens Berman Pro Cycling Presented by Sutter Home

Sutter Home is excited that Jamis/Hagens Berman Pro Cycling Presented by Sutter Home will soon be whizzing through our Napa neighborhood! As one of the 16 professional cycling teams to compete in the Amgen Tour of California, taking place May 12-19^th, the team will start in Escondido and wind 800 miles up California to end in Santa Rosa.

Obviously, the guys selected to participate in the Amgen Tour of California are professional cyclists that spend hours upon hours training and building their endurance. But, seeing how fit and healthy these cyclists are and how much fun they have as a team, motivated us to learn about how a novice can get into the sport and what health benefits there are.

Cycling Tips:

• Get the Fit: Make sure your bike, saddle, and gear all fit to your body. Ask your local bike shop to help you pick the right bike and help adjust your seat.
• Gather a Team: No one needs to be a pro but riding with a group can motivate you and keep everyone accountable to a riding schedule.
• Explore New Places: Breaking out the bike can be a fantastic way to explore places in your city you haven’t seen before. Take a Saturday to hop on your bike, try a new brunch spot and view the blooming spring flowers.
• Build Your Endurance: Try doing some interval trainings so you’re ready for whatever the road brings. Bicycling Magazine suggests trying the following set twice, and building up the repetitions as you train:
• 2 minutes hard
• 2 minutes easy
• 1 minute hard
• 1 minute easy
• 30 seconds hard
• 30 seconds easy
• 15 second sprint
• 5 minutes easy

Cycling provides a lower impact form of exercise compared to running and can provide a huge boost in calories burned compared to walking, according to Women’s Health Magazine a 135-pound woman can burn 488 calories in an hour if pedaling 12-14 mph!

So, when will you get on a bike