In this Episode:
- Introduction: Selene Yeager
- Evolution of Fitness: Training and Cycling
- Transition to Run and Bike
- Hamstring Tightness for Cyclists vs. Runners
- Managing Travel
- Nutrition
- Climbing: a Mental Approach
- Technology
- “What’s Doing it For You Right Now?”
- Conclusion
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Show Notes:
0:40 –
Introduction: Selene Yeager
- Author
- Co-host of “The Paceline Podcast”, which is released every Thursday
- “You always have to find what that motivation is, and that changes over time” – Selene
- “The Fit Chick”
- Selene always rode her bike growing up, but wasn’t really a cyclist
- Her dad was a bodybuilder, so he taught her how to lift
- “If I don’t do some measure of strength training my riding will suffer – especially mountain biking” – Selene
5:28 –
Evolution of Fitness: Training and Cycling
- “Very early on, endurance sports and strength training were oil and water” – Selene
- The model of lifting was body building and hypertrophy, which seemed unnecessary for cyclists
- Now cyclists typically lift
- “It’s about lifting to be strong – and lifting to be powerful and efficient” – Selene
- Now so many more women are lifting heavy as well
- You want myofibril/contractile hypertrophy
- “I feel like it’s a little scatter-shot still – there’s a lot of crossfitters” – Selene
- Not a lot of people do mobility exercises before lifting
- 3 warm-up exercises Selene likes:
- It depends!
- Right now: statue of liberty, long step walking-lunge with rotation, scorpions
- Scorpions: lay on stomach, hands out to side in a “T”, bend right leg and try and take it up and across to left hand, and vice versa
14:33 –
Transition to Run and Bike
- After every single bike ride she did, Selene’s coach would make her run
- Specificity and adaptation
- “Once you get over your personal threshold – it can become mentally overwhelming” – Selene
- You have to make a digestible goal
19:19 –
Hamstring Tightness for Cyclists vs. Runners
- Selene found “The Foundation” by Eric Goodman around this time
- She would watch an 11 minute video of his with exercises
- “A little bit is way better than nothing” – Selene
23:21 –
Managing Travel
- “I do a lot of body weight stuff” – Selene
- Push-ups, burpees, etc.
- “There’s a lot you can do with nothing” – Selene
- If there is a gym, then she’ll go
- She tends to take it day by day
- Pull-ups can come and go really quickly
- Swimming helps for pull-ups because of scapulo-thoracic rhythm
- “When I’m doing pull-ups consistently I feel that much stronger” – Selene
- This pull-up strength also translates into her mountain biking because she has a “reservoir of strength”
30:27 –
Nutrition
- Selene’s first book: “The Doctors Book of Food Remedies”
- Referenced by Chuck Norris on his website!
- “Roar” with Stacy Sims has a huge impact for women
- “My biggest strategy is just to have everything I need on hand” – Selene
- So simple and easy
- “It’s so important to make it as easy as you can on yourself” – Selene
- Selene roasts all her vegetables in her toaster oven
- “You just need some salt and pepper and olive oil – and your day is in good shape” – Selene
- “I feel like if you feed your body right – those problems go away” – Selene
- “Your brain wants some happy homeostasis, and if it can’t get it in a healthy way I think it gets it in an unhealthy way” – Selene
- Social connection, and a little bit of accountability is super important
39:00 –
Climbing: a Mental Approach
- “I love to climb, but I didn’t always” – Selene
- You have to give meaning to your climb
- Climbing gives you stability, space, and reward
- “The mental part is (100%) everything” – Selene
- You need to develop that mental capacity, and it is very hard to do on your own
- There’s a chapter on how to talk nicely to yourself – because it matters
54:04 –
Technology
- “I trained for Ironman with nothing except speed and time” – Selene
- Sometimes Selene uses stuff with power, but she prefers to go by feel
- Altitude is also important if necessary
- Managed her energy through perceived exertion
- “There’s too much data” – Menachem
1:02:54 –
“What’s Doing it For You Right Now?”
- “I find deadlifting to be magical” – Selene
- Helps her feel great on her bike
- Feeling at one with everything
- Dancing on the pedals
- “I am a good sleeper” – Selene
- She prioritizes her sleep and never gets less than 7 hours
- Selene is also good at managing her time and writing things down
- Checking things off
1:06:01 –
Conclusion
- Selene’s top 2 things to make it easy:
- Make it fun
- Fun is easy
- Make it digestible
- It’s so easy to get overwhelmed
- It’s okay to find the bare minimum that works for you
- Where can we find you?
- The Paceline Podcast
- Facebook: Fit Chick Selene Yeager
- “I put all my work there” – Selene
- Twitter: fitchick3
- Instagram: fitchick3
- Website: seleneyeager.com
- Pick up “Climb” before it sells out!
