Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World's Fastest Cyclists Paperback – May 22, 2014

I originally thought that this book was just another cycling training guide that would lead the reader through various workouts and drills to get faster. But it's not, and for that I am grateful.Instead, Faster is a fantastic exploration of the many techniques used throughout the years to help top-level cyclists gain critical seconds and an explanation of the scientific reasoning behind them, as well as an explanation of what works and what doesn't.Unlike a normal training book, Faster repeatedly points out that the methods described probably won't be of much use to amateur cyclists, since many of the methods are effective for elite level athletes only and even then yield very small gains. That still didn't stop me from being engrossed in the descriptions Michael offers of beet juice, ice baths, altitude tents and dietary supplements, among other things. These are all discussed in very informal language with only glimpses of the complex science underlying them. And each chapter is interspersed with descriptions of Michael's own impressive pro cycling career and what he attempted and where he failed, but filled with self-deprecating humor and modest descriptions of Michael's phenomenal speed.One might think that a book discussing VO2 max ratios and the different muscle fiber types, as well as wind yaw as it relates to wind tunnel testing would be unbelievably dry, but Hutchinson writes with a very easy-going style and manages to include quite a few humorous quotes and examples of the famous British dry wit. Some of my favorite quotes include:"It's a waste of time drinking organic cherry juice if you're using it to wash down a Big Mac""I wrote my first book because of the sitting about. I thought it was either that or learn the guitar, and I thought the book would annoy people less""For years there was an unkind rumor that at my first national squad lab assessment, after I'd done the sprint test the coach said 'Yes, just like that, but actually sprint this time'""Pig racing happens in several US states, generally in areas where the audience hasn't been tempted away by subsidized opera"So even though the ideas presented in this book probably won't make the average amateur rider any faster, it's still a very interesting read and gives a glimpse of the lengths that professional riders will go to achieve marginal gains. I would highly recommend to anyone who's a cycling fan or any cyclist who has ever wondered just what it would take to make themselves into the next Bradley Wiggins or Chris Froome.

But an inspirational read can make you get back on and ride until you can't ride anymore,so just buy it and read.Or buy it and let it sit on your shelf....as long as you ride.

The book represents a consolidation of training plan tips with practical outcome examples that most enthusiastic riders are informed about, but such consolidation makes this book worth to get and read. Don't forget the highlighting and commenting features of Kindle reader - you'll most probably need to using those. as in my case.Please don't forget to double-check with the results of most recent studies those advises you are decided to follow. Just include the word "pubmed", so the web search engine brings the references to the original publications on top of the search result list(s).Also, for the Kindle version of the book, the author, in my opinion, had to put the updates about the doping usage under so called "therapeutic use exception" and particularly state what presented in the book as "clean" cyclist Bradley Wiggins was in reality using heavy potent steroids without informing the competitors.Anyway, the book is the Must read to help making your cycling knowledge and training plans comprehensive

Very interesting look at cycling training - past, present and possibly future, but very little to take away and apply today. Mr. Hutchinson's preaching by personal experience is akin to a reformed alcoholic or drug user saying "It was fun, at times horrible - I don't regret it, but don't do what I did". There is a note of sour grapes as well, that despite his hard work and dedication he was no better than he was - in fact the whole book could be a witch hunt for the explanation of his underwhelming professional career. His adoration for the British cycling elite and their recent success is a bit boring - as if the Brits have developed the Manhattan Project of successful cycling - seriously? Clearly "Sir" Wiggins and Froome and the rest of team Sky are doing something no one else is doing, but we have seen that before in the history of pro cycling teams. His lack of insight into other teams, other coaches, other training methods - beyond the British, leaves one thinking perhaps all great cyclists are prodigies and the rest of the peloton is cannon fodder. Decidedly discouraging.

Obsession should replace speed in the title. In this very readable book covering Michael's cycling career it is clear that he and his elite cycling friends are obsessed. Often almost comic, like when he contacted his doctor about breaking his collar bone in an effort to have more aerodynamic shoulders. No he didn't do it but he did ask!Lots of science, lots of great inside info on the sport and many interesting anecdotes.IF you are an intellectual fan of cycling (and fancy yourself a rider of any sort) I recommend this book. Has a great start, a little slow in the middle with a great sprint in the end.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this latest book from Michael. Being a Brit and ex time trialist I always wondered how on earth Mr Hutchinson got to be so fast. This books explains some of the why and also the how and has some nice anecdotal work from the 2012 Olympic teams' run up to the games, plus Michael's sometimes bizarre and hilarious attempts to knock a fraction of a second off his own best times. Mr H manages to keep the dull parts to a minimum and even though not quite a page turner I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I just need to find that altitude tent for the bedroom....

If you're a runner, a triathlete, or especially a cyclist, this is the book for you. The legendary Dr Hutch walks us through the art and science of producing a world class cyclist, with frequent references both to the author's own experience as the dominant athlete in domestic time trialling in the UK for many years and to the extraordinarily successful British Cycling approach which scooped almost all the Olympic track medals, a good proportion of the road medals and a couple of Tours de France over the last few years. For a book about the science of training this is amazingly easy to read, and the authors self-deprecating sense of humour really shines through as he takes us through the basic biology of performance, training, nutrition, coaching, psychology and genetics.This isn't really a book on how to train, or a sports science book. It's really an overview of how the whole fits together, and an explanation of the philosophy that's been so successful for the GB cyclists, often contrasted entertainingly with the author's own home grown attempts to do similar things. You won't come away from this book knowing what to eat and which interval sessions to do three weeks before your A race, but you will have a much better understanding of why you need to think about these things and how they contribute to your overall performance.If you are interested in endurance sport, or in how to make a faster cyclist from a slower one, you should read this book, if only so that there are fewer people who annoy me by talking rubbish about lactic acid.

Well written, stuffed with information, funny and informative. I've never been a competitive cyclist but still found the contents really interesting. There is information on training, diet, motivation, race technique and much more. There are also lessons for life: 'It's not being the best, it's being my best'. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed "The Hour" by Michael and as i have always wondered why some riders can just ride fast so i thought i would give it a go! Its well written and is not over technical or scientific which i prefer and has certainly made me review my coaching advice. It also answers the questions that we all have when reviewing the results board after an event. Having been caught in time trials by Michael a few times over the years and also by many top riders over the years i realized long ago that i was not equipped to be able to ride at "49" pace and now i know why.Its a lottery and you either have it or you dont have it but good training and diet coupled with determination will take you a long way but if you don't possess all the ace cards you are not going to win any Olympic gold medals. Thanks Michael for a very interesting read and mi now reading it again.

We should count ourselves lucky - a thoughtful athletes with exceptional physiology but lacking enough not to be caught by pro salaries but can use this frustration and his intelligent wit to write about it.I loved The Hour, and this is a slightly more mature (less directly funny but more consistent) book along the same lines. Dr Hutch can look back at the path his life has taken and seeks to answer why he did not break into the pro ranksIt should be remembered that this is not an above average wannabe - he is revered in the cycling world as an exceptional athletes who has won many titles

Some really good and funny anecdotes in this book, but someone who does write very nicely (and was a superb cyclist in his own right). And some really useful information for those wanting to go faster on a cycle. However, I did find the second half of the book not as entertaining as the first, so it falls away from a five star for me. Definitely worth reading, but would I read it again? Not sure.