Jacques is a cyclist who is steadily moving up in a Quebec circuit for seniors. I went to meet him at our Belœil/McMasterville gym, along with his trainer, Sébastien, and I discovered two men who are passionate about the sport and are visibly happy to train together.
Jacques’s physical training
Jacques’s training is mainly focused on cycling, especially muscle reinforcement and strength and power in the legs. Jacques explained that he had an imbalance in his legs for a number of years, because his quadriceps were stronger than his hamstring muscles. He worked on balancing it out with his trainer, Sébastien.
I asked Jacques why he had decided to get a trainer. He answered that he needed personalized training sessions to help improve his performance and to avoid the risk of injury, since he was recovering from a shoulder injury. He was then matched up with Sébastien. They train together once a week. Their chemistry is undeniable, to the point that they actually finish each other’s sentences. It’s also the first time that Jacques has chosen to train during his competition season and he really sees a difference in his performance!
A dream team!
“Jacques is my athlete,” says Sébastien, obviously proud. In order to meet Jacques’s specific needs, Sébastien stays on top of cycling performance research so that he can create training programs adapted to his goals. Is it paying off? Definitely! Jacques says that he not only feels he’s in excellent shape, but that he also recovers faster after his training sessions and competitions. “I had a competition last Saturday, and I was not sore at all; I was barely tired after the race!” In the past, my legs were completely finished, but that’s not the case anymore. “I even did another 80 km the next day!” Jacques even surpasses his teammates, who can’t believe how great his performance is at his age; he’ll soon be turning 60.
Jacques seems very proud of his performance, as does his trainer Sébastien, who is constantly encouraging him. “Together, we go beyond our comfort zones!”
