2021 has just begun and it’s already time for new challenges for MagneticDays. The latest one is to face and conquer the US market of home and indoor training. The Italian company has expanded its horizons by opening a new branch in Tampa, FL. with a US based team. “Indoor cycling, especially in the States, has become an integral part of many training programs – says Marco Sbragi, MD CEO – and this is why we decided to invest in this market, selecting experienced personnel coming from the world of cycling and triathlon.”

MagneticDays has a brand new American website where you can get the smart trainer JARVIS (you can either purchase one or rent it for 3 or 6 months), but you can also find other neat things, like branded training mats, stabilizing roll bars, phone/tablet holders and a bunch of HTT (High Tech Training) training packages, which are all for sale on line.

“Seeing that the American market has responded to a ‘testa rossa without wheels’ with such enthusiasm gives us joy – says the US team – and we are happy to recognize that MagneticDays’ products have an incredible aesthetic and technological appeal. When we talk about ‘Made in Italy’, especially in the cycling world, we always refer to something that inspires feel-good emotions. We know that Americans love beautiful and well-made products, and MagneticDays means high technology combined with top Italian quality. This is why we are confident the US branch will develop exponentially. We, as US team, are ready and eager to contribute to boost the well-being and performance of each and every person who will decide to start using the indoor training system JARVIS.”

 

New official ANT+ Heart Rate Monitor and Cadence Sensor by MagneticDays are now available to buy on MD shop online. All of clients who want to access to the MagneticDays JARVIS smart bike trainer through one of the 5 available ways, will find these two accessories already equipped with batteries inside the iconic wooden box. And that’s not all! We will also add an additional pack of batteries (2 pieces, CR 2032 lithium model) in the package for free.

The compatibility of BLUETOOTH® 5.0 wireless technology and the presence of a sensor that will be used for future implementations of physiological studies and responses during indoor cycling, are among the main features of the new official ANT+ Heart Rate Monitor: “With our scientific and 100% customized methodology of training, we demonstrate to love science and innovation for training every day – the MD CEO Marco Sbragi said – walking side by side of specificity and scientific nature of our identity. Indeed, the future of our research is focused on the personal data collection for each user/athlete (in accordance with GDPR) aimed at favoring our research and experimentation on new training protocols.”

The use of special bike cranks for a workout that involves all the lower muscular districts is not yet a widespread practice among amateur athletes. But the FORZA PURA independent bike cranks are elevating the concept of pedaling to a higher level: it is not only fun but also a new technique aimed at improving efficiency and performance in the medium-long term. In fact, these new cranks, designed by MagneticDays in collaboration with the endurance champion Nico Valsesia, replace the classic crank system with a new one, which is “independent” from the bottom bracket. This offers the athletes a totally innovative way of perceiving not only the pedal stroke but also their own position on the bike.

With FORZA PURA bike cranks all muscle groups involved in the 4 phases of pedaling are trained selectively, in particular those which – in most cases – are almost never used. And speaking of Nico Valsesia, we reached him by phone to ask him three questions and to better understand both his personal use of the FORZA PURA independent bike cranks within a weekly training plan, and what benefits he is obtaining in cycling and running.

As a user of FORZA PURA bike cranks, what is your perception of load during a training session so far? And what benefits have you noticed in cycling and running?

Let me begin by saying that I use FORZA PURA bike cranks both indoor, on the JARVIS smart trainer, and outdoor. I would like to specify one thing: the initial issue is the load, and this is an aspect that should not be underestimated. The cranks are equipped with a Fast & Easy locking / unlocking system that allows you to switch easily, immediately and safely from the classic mode to the “independent” mode. It is clear that you need to gradually get used to a different work load which is, in some aspects, harder and more tiresome.

By completely unlocking the FORZA PURA bike cranks from the bottom bracket, specific workouts can be done on one leg or on both. This aims at improving pedaling efficiency and reducing the thrust-traction alternation that determines the oscillation of the power expressed on the pedal. Simply put, FORZA PURA forces the athlete to stay straight on the saddle without unbalancing, using mainly the core region with a better distribution of forces.

As for the perception in terms of load, it is important to understand that during the first month of use you might get frustrated, but it is completely normal for those who have never used a product like this. As far as the perceived benefits in cycling and running I would say we are at 50/50, if not even something more in running, but the effects can be seen after about a month and a half of use, the time necessary to dispose of the loads. Obviously, the disposal time can also vary, as it depends on how each individual responds “physically” to a way of pedaling that really involves the whole the muscle groups involved.

What is your typical training day with FORZA PURA bike cranks?

As mentioned earlier, it is a good idea to have a gradual approach before planning a typical training day with FORZA PURA. This is to gradually stimulate muscles such as the hip flexor and femoral muscles which are normally little or not stimulated at all. When the loads are disposed of, after a month and a half or so, it is possible to start planning workouts within a weekly plan. FORZA PURA could be in fact considered as a “real gym” enclosed in a pair of bike cranks. It allows you to develop quality training not only in terms of pedaling but also in the abdominal and lumbar region, and this does not normally happen on a bike.

As far as the heart goes, the use of FORZA PURA bike cranks implies an increase of 10/15 beats. This is the reason why you have to proceed step by step and give your body time to recognize what is happening at the muscular level. In my experience, you should never stop using FORZA PURA, not even in the racing season. During the autumn-winter time, for example, or from the off season to the beginning of preparation, I would recommend 3 easy outings a week for the first month and a half, divided as follows:

• first 20 days: constrained mode for the first 15 minutes as a warm-up and then 15-20 minutes maximum in free mode;
  
• next 15 days: constrained mode for the first 10 minutes as a warm-up and then 25-30 minutes maximum in free mode;
• following 10 days: constrained mode for the first 5 minutes as a warm-up and then up to 40-45 minutes at most in free mode according to your needs and feedback.

When the racing season begins to approach, I would recommend two maintenance outings per week lasting 45 minutes, all in free mode. For example, if you have two races within 3 weeks, you could: 

• first two weeks: free mode for 45 minutes
• last week (pre-race): relaxed

Once the FORZA PURA bike cranks become part of the athlete’s life, or rather when that “muscular feeling” has been established, I recommend to perform 3 2-hour rides per month, always alternating the two modes of use. In fact, it is good to get used to the different sensations that are perceived when the cranks are locked to the bottom bracket (constrained mode) and when unlocked (free mode), just to understand how and how much the muscles involved in pedaling work. These outings, different in objective and intensity than those described above, could be organized as follows:

• warm-up phase in constrained mode for the first 15 minutes;
• work phase (exit) in free mode for 1 hour and 30 minutes;
• cool down (and return home) in constrained mode.

When and to whom do you recommend FORZA PURA bike cranks?

The best thing that you can do with them is to USE them: FORZA PURA bike cranks must be used. As I always say, you have to have the desire face a challenge. If there is no desire to work hard, there is no sense in using them. In the first month and a half it will be normal to be fatigued, but after disposing of the loads everything will become easier and more fun. It is a bit like tackling a climb by bike or running. The effort you feel is nothing compared to the joy of reaching the top. And speaking of fatigue, pedaling uphill with FORZA PURA in free mode is easier than on a flat land, because the strokes are less and the core supports the pedaling better, but at the same time it is even possible to feel all the muscles involved.

To whom do I recommend FORZA PURA? There are several “beneficiaries” of this simple but also totally innovative product. The first are those who want to struggle and improve. Then there are those whose legs have different strengths, due to a stop or recovery after an injury for example, or due to dysmetria. By using FORZA PURA, you can make the most of all the muscle groups involved in the pedaling phases.

And then there are the amateurs. In my opinion FORZA PURA is more suitable for two types of athletes: the triathlete and the runner. In triathlon, with FORZA PURA you work indirectly on reducing the impact in running, precisely because the triathlete gets used to the change in conditions between cycling and running. Without forgetting the aspect of balancing the position on the saddle and pedaling, which consequently allows less energy consumption. Therefore, even the pure runner can and must consider “alternative” training with FORZA PURA bike cranks.

Technique pills back in October! The MagneticDays Head Coach Simone Buracchi introduces another one fundamental cycling exercise of HTT Methodology of Training executed in two different ways but with a common goal: HOW TO INCREASE YOUR CYCLING WATTAGE.

“We know well that athletes have the goal to increase their cycling wattage and performance. Today’s workout concerns in No 2 watt progressions executed in two different ways but with a common goal: how to increase cycling wattage. This progressions can help athletes to improve their Power in terms of Watt. In the watt progression No 1 (yellow circle) the increasing value is represented by the cadence (RPM), whereas the value of Newton (force applied on pedals) is fixed. This step will take effect on the cardiac effort and the value of wattage will increase only with the contribution of the cadence. In the second progression, instead, the increasing value is represented by Newton (lilac circle), whereas the value of RPM (cadence) is fixed. So, this step will take effect on the muscular effort. The combination of these progressions, repeated N times, allows the athlete to increase cycling wattage in the medium-long term.”

 

Amongst the latest news introduced by MagneticDays we discover the possibility for the athlete to write their own indoor cycling training sessions on the JARVIS smart trainer. This feature is exclusive of MagneticDays. Having received many requests, we want to tell you more about writing your own training sessions, and we’ll get into details about your personal indoor cycling training tables and how to transform a simple smart training session into a unique experience.

The HTT methodology for indoor cycling on smart trainers

The HTT methodology can guarantee a personalized indoor cycling training on smart trainers for anybody. It is, in fact, the only one that gives the coach a precise picture of the characteristics of each athlete at any given moment. The relationship between coach and athlete is fundamental. The coach has to understand the athlete’s needs and goals, and, at the same time, share their fears, dreams and ambitions. On the other hand, the athlete has to trust the knowledge and professional experience of the coach, who represents the added value to an already unique product as the JARVIS.  We decided to give our athletes the possibility to write their own workouts by offering a base framework which includes many of the writing options and tools that coaches use. Let’s see what it’s all about.

How to write an indoor training table for the smart trainer JARVIS

Every athlete who is registered on our website can write their own indoor cycling training table by accessing their MagneticDays account. Before this option was available (end of 2018) you needed to access the MD software downloaded on your PC to be able to write your own sessions. We figured it might be inconvenient at times, so we decided to add another option. Once you are logged on in your personal profile (user ID and password are the same as for the App) click on “write workout”. You will see a writing interface, as shown below.

How many, and what are the ways of writing workouts provided by MagneticDays?

There are two ways of writing workouts provided by MagneticDays: Standard Training and Frameworks. Here’s what they are in detail.

• Standard Training: this allows you to write workouts by inputting absolute values (for example: 90 Watts, 50 Newton, 100 RPM);
• Framework (fee): lets you use the functions that coaches use, including percentages and OFFSET of the threshold.

Writing workouts in “Standard Training” mode

In the “Standard Training” mode you can use the following parameters:

• AUTO WATT– the Watts are the fixed value, they do not change.
• AUTO NEWTON– only athletes who know their cadence value and Watts will use this step, specifically to train the force.
• WATTS PROGRESSION– classic Watts progression, for example, during warm up, in the middle of the training or as Watts regression during cool down.
• RPM PROGRESSION – classic RPM progression
• BPM– this parameter lets you chose the heart rate at which you want to execute each step*
• SLOPE – lets you write a course with a slope
• FIXED BRAKE – 30 brake positions, from 1 to 30, from lightest to heaviest**

*use this for long steps so that the heart rate can physiologically adapt

**to use synergically with the bycicle gears

 

Writing workouts in “Framework Training” mode

Framework training mode – after having purchased the plug-in on the our website- allows you to do the following steps:

• IDEAL RYTHMS – work step where the Watts is calibrated based on the set RPM (if you change the RPM the Watts will change as well)
• SPRINT – lets you accelerate (increasing the revolutions) keeping the brake in a fixed position.
• HIIT SPRINT – SPRINT function implemented for the HIIT  Training (High Intensity Interval Training)

And also talking about plug-in and writing capabilities, here is a list of steps that can be unblocked by purchasing the relative plug-in:

• NEWTON PROGRESSION – classic progression newton
• JOULE PROGRESSION – progression at constant work (by increasing the Watts the time will decrease)
• TEST PI – incremental power test (test 1:6)
• TEST JOULE – test incremental power at constant work
• STOP – this function is managed by the coach. During the recovery step the athlete should not move his legs (stop pedaling); the timer will keep going

The 2020 edition of Rimini Bike Festival was the occasion to introduce the new colors of JARVIS smart trainer (avaliable for the 2020/2021 season) to the participants and journalists: “The choice to create three new colors – the MD CEO Marco Sbragi said – is not the result of chance, because colors say a lot about brand identity and strong points and uniqueness of products. And our history bears witness to this. Inspired by the latest trends in the automotive industry (to which we refer), we wanted to renew the chromatic selection of JARVIS smart trainer with three new colors: Smoky Grey, Silver and Twist (a mix of both). These new colors blend perfectly with the most important processing phase called anodizing, an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts and resistance to corrosion and wear.”

On the occasion of the Italian Bike Festival a few days ago, several celebrities from the world of sports visited the MagneticDays stand to get together with the whole team and have a chat about indoor training, winter cycling preparation and seasonal events for  2020/2021. Among them was Alessandro Vanotti, Italian former professional cyclist with 9 Giri d’Italia, 5 Tour de France, 5 Vuelta de Espana and 1 World Championship, and today Coach and testimonial for MD.  This gathering was an occasion to fine-tune the last details of the Vanotti Bicycle Camp 2020/2021: the project, dedicated to amateurs, offers the magic adventure of a professional team’s retreat on the road, combined with the experience of an active cycling vacation: “Training with quality is possible – said Vanotti – and this is what I try to transfer every day to all those who ride with me. That’s why I joined the MD family and this team; I saw a very high level both on the technical preparation and the human factor, two ingredients that will certainly bring value to my project.”

MD Coach Luca Bianchini – who will support Alessandro Vanotti during the camps – wanted to go into more detail about some aspects of the Vanotti Bicycle Camp. Here are some key points of their conversation.

The Vanotti Bicycle Camp will start soon and I will come give you my support. How will the individual stages be organized?

Your support and that of MagneticDays will be invaluable. In fact, you and I will welcome customers as MD staff and together we will evaluate their physical condition at that precise moment. The aim of this is building a work base for the following days by dividing the group according to each individual’s need and workload / volume. This will allow us to have excellent data to start from (Watt, Newton and specific RPM), so that we will be able to plan “perfect” road rides, that is to say calibrated, “tailored” rides. Thanks to MD, in fact, we have unbelievable data available right before starting the work with the group, who is therefore in the best condition to live a quality cycling experience.

So not just a division into a group based on one’s abilities but also aimed at the projection of the various paths to be structured?

Of course. Based on the data that we will collect during the incremental test, we will have both the possibility of arranging two types of routes or of riding the same route in two different groups according to current condition of the participants. This in order to ensure everyone can have fun, stay together and finish the course in an optimal manner and be satisfied with the work done. Furthermore, I will be present and up close in all the outings to give technical suggestions, and help everyone improve their riding. This is because everyone is different and has a distinctive response, and the goal is to work well, grow together and team up, just like in a real professional team.

What do you want athletes to bring home after having lived your bicycle camp?

First of all a unique experience, where everyone feels part of a real team and feels a bit like a professional athlete. I don’t mean in terms of performance, but in terms of approach to the type of work behind, for example, a World Tour team that comes together to prepare a great competition.

Cycling, especially today, is not just pedaling but much more. What’s your point of view?

I agree. The Vanotti Bicycle camp’s objective is the 360-degree cyclist, considered not individually but within a team. Your support at the camp will be precisely for this reason, with specific evening training sessions dedicated to the MagneticDays indoor personalized training methodology. In addition to passion, we try to give something more with gatherings dedicated to training, in this specific case thanks to your experience as an MD Coach. The ultimate goal is to be able to accurately capture all the needs of the group regarding the day spent together. Vanotti Bicycle Camp together with MagneticDays are the difference that makes the difference!

Technique pills back in September! The MagneticDays Head Coach Simone Buracchi introduces another one fundamental cycling exercise of HTT Methodology of Training: WATT PROGRESSION AROUND THE THRESHOLD.

“Today’s workout concerns in No 4 watt progressions around the threshold – starting from 80% and reaching 105% – with the same ratio of 1 watt / 3 seconds for each progression. What is the difference? The method of execution is the key. In the watt progression No 1 (yellow circle) the cadence is chosen by the athlete. In the second, instead, cadence increases with the wattage according to the ideal rhythms (purple circle). The progression No3 (red circle), is performed on the basis of strength, i.e. always using a cadence of 10 RPM lower than the athlete’s ideal one. The last progression (blue circle) is performed in agility, at a higher cadence than the athlete’s ideal. The goal of these progressions is twofold: on the one hand they stimulate HR zones that are “sensitive” to the improvement of cardiac output, on the other hand, these progressions are used that enhance strength and oxygen consumption.”

From 2020, July 27 MagneticDays has obtained the CE certification for J-BIKE as a medical device for rehabilitation purposes in dry conditions, intended for rehab use under medical supervision and/or health professionals. The J-BIKE Bio is different in terms of functions and applications than the classic one, but it maintains all the performance characteristics of JARVIS training system: “The Bio MagneticDays Project brings JARVIS smart trainer to be an instrument that satisfy both the needs of scientific research and medical rehabilitation – CEO MD Marco Sbragi said – starting from the study of dry mechanics.”

The Bio MagneticDays Project includes a work model for the rehabilitation in water and this is the result of a partnership companies from different but synergic industries (precision mechanics, aerospace and railway mechanics, electronics and medicine) with the active collaboration of Pisa University(Faculty of Medicine and Department of Cardiology) regarding the incremental test protocols, collection of data and its scientific validation: “The aquatic environment have characteristic features as anti-gravity and water pressure (that improves with the profundity) – CEO MD continues – so we also developed W-BIKE (Water-Bike), an exerimental model for the rehabilitation in water that represent the best solution for the obese persons and all of who are strongly obstructed to face any workload – in dry condition – with continuity.”

J-BIKE Bio by MagneticDays is the new indoor cycle bike CE certified for medical rehab. It represents a new frontier in cycling for rehabilitation purposes used only by healthcare professionals authorized to practice cycling training protocols for medical and physical rehabilitation. The use of the J-BIKE Bio is recommended for patients who have metabolic and/or vascular problems (in whom controlled physical activity promotes the gradual recovery of normal metabolic and physiological functions), and all of who have undergone trauma or injuries of various kinds to the lower limbs and geriatric ones with limited motor functions.

The MagneticDays Head Coach Simone Buracchi introduces another one fundamental cycling exercise of HTT Methodology of Training: STEP NEWTON-BASED WORKOUT WITHOUT RECOVERY.

“Today’s workout concerns in two equal Newton-based steps (as shown in the yellow circle) without recovery. The goal is to reach the predetermineted value of Watt. In both cases the athlete uses the same cadence (athlete’s cadence at the threshold) but a different value of Newton (force applied to the pedals): with OFFSET equal to -5 (compared to the value of Newton at the threshold), then -3 and finally 0 (at the threshold) as shown in the pink circle. Playing with different values of Newtons and times of exposure to cycling exercise, the athlete can reach the desiderable value of Watts with a partial recovery of the muscle stimuli. The goal of these steps workout, indeed, is to learn how to overcome the resistant forces that gradually become more important.”

 

The MagneticDays Head Coach Simone Buracchi introduces another one fundamental cycling exercise of HTT Methodology of Training: STEP WORKOUT WITH VARIABLE VALUE OF RPM AND FIXED VALUE OF NEWTON.

“This exercise – fixed Newton based – uses cadence (rhythm) as a Watt modulator. A constant value of Newton (yellow circles) represent a step workout with variable value of cadence (and Watt) as shown in the red circles. So, the training stimulus mainly depends on the cardio-respiratory system and the muscular system is constantly stimulated on the basis of the Coach’s choice of Newton value. This value will not change during the cycling exercise; in other words, whatever the cadence applied to the pedals by the athlete, Newton’s value (and therefore the strength) will not vary. This exercise is only possible on JARVIS smart trainer, because it allows to work on Watt, RPM and Newton in a separately and specifically way.”