[This is a guest blog by Jan Alexander. Jan is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. His athletic background includes running, cycling, triathlon, and basketball. He is currently taking part in the Athletic Lab Coaching Mentorship program.] In July of this year, news broke that Lebron James, yes the four time NBA, NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Champion with 18 all-star selections, had invested in Canyon bikes. Canyon is a global leader in cycling with a mission to be “the world’s most inspiring and innovative bike company.” In 2012 the media also learned of James’s habit of commuting to American Airlines Arena for Miami Heat home games by bike, and as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers he has talked about riding the bike trails around his new hometown with friends. While these specific outings aren’t designed to elicit any aerobic training adaptation, the benefits of aerobic conditioning, even for athletes competing in speed and power based sports, is proven beneficial. Whether your athlete enjoys cycling, running, or some other endurance pursuit such as cross country skiing; the ability to strategically implement aerobic training during an off season can raise an athlete’s ceiling in their chosen sport. There are several adaptations that result from aerobic exercise that include strengthening the heart, but one of the most fundamental adaptive responses to endurance training is an increase in the aerobic capacity of the trained musculature. This adaptation allows the athlete to perform a given absolute intensity of exercise with greater ease (Haff et al 2021). It has also been reported, or over-reported, that the benefits of exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis; provides a longer [...]