Patras has a long history in Greek cycling, with big names and a historic cycling club, the Patras cycling club. The Voukelatos brothers are also part of this story . Now the three of them combine strengths and experiences in a full- fledged bicycle shop, the Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop !
The store, located at 242 Panepistimiou Street in Patras , went from theory to practice overnight
How it all started
For Dimitris, the second brother of the family, this project was a dream that was to come true at some point. Expatriated in recent years to the United Arab Emirates, he was constantly receiving stimuli from the flourishing of cycling there and envisioned putting his own little stone to improve Greek cycling.
With the help of Panagiotis and Nikos, they created and “run” a model space for Greek data.
What makes the Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop special?
In addition to a spacious, complete bicycle shop with a wide range of products, nutritional supplements and reliable service, the Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop has two massage rooms and a state-of-the-art hypoxia chamber for altitude simulation.
In this way, the Voukelatos brothers manage to provide their customers with a high level of services, starting from quality equipment and clothing, to the improvement of the athlete’s physical condition.
From theory to practice
With the store in its third month of operation, I visited the Voukelatos BrosBike Shop in May to get a closer look at the work of three cyclists since 1996. It was then that my older brother, Panagiotis, started cycling to arrived twelve years later, in 2008, to represent Greece in the team sprint at the Beijing Olympics , in the track cycling race.
Entering the store, I came across a comfortable space with a wide range of products and a clean, tidy workshop. A little further in, opposite the checkout, I found the most comfortable bike-friendy lounge for relaxation, racing and endless cycling chit chat.
Right behind, some innovations for the Greek data were waiting for me. Two massage parlors with specialized staff and a hypoxia chamber, for simulation of altitude training.
This is a complete sports package, since the interested party finds in the same store at least four basic services: purchase, service, improvement of sports performance and rehabilitation.
The experience of hypoxia
A simple test in the chamber is not enough to see positive results in your performance. It needs at least a monthly protocol with visits three times a week so that the body can adapt to the new conditions. This does not mean that the athlete should train exclusively in the hypoxic chamber, as long as he starts his training there, as long as his body is relaxed and after a session of 45 to 60 minutes he can continue his training outside. Besides, from the Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop there are countless escape options both to the coast of Aigio overlooking the waters of the Corinthian Sea, and to the enchanting mountainous Achaia.
Wanting to get a strong dose of altitude, I immediately entered the “deep”, at an altitude of 2700 meters – the correct simulation can start at 1500m and go up depending on the adjustments up to 3000m, with some more “talented” organizations to make adjustments even at 4000m.
The feeling of hypoxia
The feeling of hypoxia, when no work is produced, may not be felt by some. As I adjusted the Tacx Neo Bike Smart of the store, I felt every breath coming out a little more consciously than usual. I went up and started at 65% of my FTP to see how I was feeling at a calm pace. At this volume I should have spoken comfortably, but I was having a hard time. As if I was climbing at an intense pace. This sensation can not always be perceived by the oscilloscope, which in this case showed that the heart was still working at a rate of relaxed endurance. But the breaths were not there.
After warming up well and getting used to my breathing – no need to adjust, just the nervous system began to understand that up here this feeling was inevitable – I tried a three minute effort at 93% FTP. The burden on my respiratory tract was intense and my oxygen saturation fell below 88%, indicating a severe state of hypoxia. A structured hypoxic training protocol would help me get to the point where I can perform such exercises without oxygen deficiency. This is also the big weapon of the Colombian riders that flood the professional cycling teams . As they ascend to higher altitudes, they are able to work without deficit in a state of hypoxia.
Back to sea level
After experiencing the feeling of high intensity in hypoxia, we gradually lowered the altitude of the chamber to a level of 1000 meters. The difference was chaotic. Without realizing it, I started to communicate more easily and discuss my experience with Dimitris and Nikos, who were with me all the time and helped me with advice. Now, working on 65% of FTP was a game again and the breath came out untouched. This was the power of hypoxia and I could not understand it without experiencing it.
Who does hypoxic training help?
It is important to know if you can benefit from hypoxic training, but also to know how to achieve this. The Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop hypoxia room can accommodate three cyclists at the same time, while there is also a comfortable treadmill for runners and other athletes who want to train in hypoxia – the cabin can of course accommodate two cyclists with an athlete on the treadmill. If the reason is that positive results in performance from hypoxia training can be seen by every athlete, in sprint or endurance race. Research 1 has shown that following the IHT (Intermittent Hypoxic Training) protocol with medium and high intensity tracks of medium duration, are achieved increase maximal oxygen uptake and aerobic capacity.
Also, following a Repeated Sprint in Hypoxia (RSH) 2 protocol , it seems that an athlete who during a race requires from his body repeated sprints, such as soccer player, track cycling athlete, basketball player, short distance runner with many races in a short time and many others, after training in hypoxia can achieve greater repetition in its maximum effort.
After an injury?
Finally, because hypoxia training puts more strain on the respiratory and circulatory systems and less on the musculature (bones, cartilage, joints), it can be especially helpful in preparing athletes who are recovering from an injury, both cycling and more aggravating. sports, such as track and field. As for the training plan to be followed by an athlete who chooses to improve through hypoxic training, the Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop works with a specialized trainer, who will either work out a plan in agreement with the athlete’s coach, or give full training guidance.
The recovery
Another innovative element of the patron shop is the two massage parlors. One can take advantage of the waiting time for a service, with a massage appointment in the same place. After all, massage is one of the most important ways to recover from a workout. Two separate areas are available in the store for decongestion and greater flexibility in appointments.
The dessert
After a full tour of the Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop, we pedaled with the trio of Voukelatos brothers and climbed a little above the settlement of Agios Vassilios, in the hairpins of the climb to Sella. Within ten minutes we had left behind the University store and we are face to face with the foothills of the imposing, green at this time, Mount Panacheikos. Behind us, the Corinthian and the famous bridge of Rio-Antirio softened the sense of inclination, which gradually took us away from sea level.
The Voukelatos Bros Bike Shop has managed to offer services unprecedented for the Greek data, while it is located in a key training point, graphic and demanding for those who seek to improve performance.
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