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Mountain Bike Training
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Published: October 12, 2006
Training for any sport is essential and mountain biking is no exception. Before taking on steep downhill sprints or rough dirt trails that stretch on for miles, it is important to train and work your way up to the proper riding level. Attempting advanced riding without the appropriate training could lead to problems either right away, or down the road, so take into consideration the following aspects of training when riding a mountain bike.
Stretching
Stretching is critical to keeping your form and making the ride more comfortable.
Although the body's movement seems limited when riding a mountain bike, many muscles are at work and can take serious damage without being properly stretched first. Be sure to take at least five minutes to stretch before starting. When riding, you should take a break to stretch about once every hour in order to keep your body relaxed. You want to be sure to keep your shoulders from shrugging and have your elbows bent. Stretching after a ride is important as well. Without letting the muscles cool down properly, you could end up injuring them before your next ride.
Keeping Your Body in Check
While stretching is important in keeping your body in the right shape for mountain biking, there are many other considerations to take during a ride. The body needs to warm up before taking on heavier riding, so don't attempt a hard sprint or steep climb right off the bat. Instead, begin with a nice easy ride that will allow the muscles to loosen up and prepare for the approaching workout. You shouldn't start pushing yourself until you have begun to sweat.
If you are not able to ride every day, don't try to make up for missed days by riding twice as hard. It is much better to progress gradually when training. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to fatigue and weaken the immune system, which will just add more setbacks to your riding.
Be sure to keep your body in the right zone. If you take too easy of a ride, you will never increase your riding strength or fitness. However, should you give yourself a ride that is too hard, you will wear your body down too quickly and give it less of a chance to improve. If you exert yourself during a mountain bike ride, your muscles drain the energy stored in glucose and glycogen in order to keep moving. Should the glucose and glycogen levels drop, you will become very fatigued, making what was a hard ride become almost impossible. It's important to keep these levels up during training, by ingesting both amino acids and complex carbohydrates.
Staying Hydrated
Another important concern during a ride is hydration. Be sure to drink plenty of water ahead of the ride, as well as carry a water bottle with you. The body sweats out a lot of water during a mountain bike ride, so drink a lot, even if you are not thirsty.
Your health and fitness is extremely important when training to ride a mountain bike. Gradually progressing while increasing your fitness and strength leads to better results than working too hard or too fast. Be sure to stretch and keep yourself safe and healthy in order to avoid any hindrances in your training.
Mountain Biking: Fitness, Training and Racing. 2006. About, Inc. 11 October 2006. http://mountainbike.about.com/od/fitnesstrainingra cing/
Common Training Traps. 16 April 2004. Mountain Bike Action. 11 October 2006. http://www.mbaction.com/detail.asp?id=937
Vaughan, William. Cycling Training Tips from GU. 7 June 2001. Katabak, Inc. 2006. 11 October 2006. http://www.dirtworld.com/TipsAndTricks/TipsStory.a sp?id=377
Stretching
Stretching is critical to keeping your form and making the ride more comfortable.
Related Articles
Keeping Your Body in Check
While stretching is important in keeping your body in the right shape for mountain biking, there are many other considerations to take during a ride. The body needs to warm up before taking on heavier riding, so don't attempt a hard sprint or steep climb right off the bat. Instead, begin with a nice easy ride that will allow the muscles to loosen up and prepare for the approaching workout. You shouldn't start pushing yourself until you have begun to sweat.
If you are not able to ride every day, don't try to make up for missed days by riding twice as hard. It is much better to progress gradually when training. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to fatigue and weaken the immune system, which will just add more setbacks to your riding.
Be sure to keep your body in the right zone. If you take too easy of a ride, you will never increase your riding strength or fitness. However, should you give yourself a ride that is too hard, you will wear your body down too quickly and give it less of a chance to improve. If you exert yourself during a mountain bike ride, your muscles drain the energy stored in glucose and glycogen in order to keep moving. Should the glucose and glycogen levels drop, you will become very fatigued, making what was a hard ride become almost impossible. It's important to keep these levels up during training, by ingesting both amino acids and complex carbohydrates.
Staying Hydrated
Another important concern during a ride is hydration. Be sure to drink plenty of water ahead of the ride, as well as carry a water bottle with you. The body sweats out a lot of water during a mountain bike ride, so drink a lot, even if you are not thirsty.
Your health and fitness is extremely important when training to ride a mountain bike. Gradually progressing while increasing your fitness and strength leads to better results than working too hard or too fast. Be sure to stretch and keep yourself safe and healthy in order to avoid any hindrances in your training.
Mountain Biking: Fitness, Training and Racing. 2006. About, Inc. 11 October 2006. http://mountainbike.about.com/od/fitnesstrainingra cing/
Common Training Traps. 16 April 2004. Mountain Bike Action. 11 October 2006. http://www.mbaction.com/detail.asp?id=937
Vaughan, William. Cycling Training Tips from GU. 7 June 2001. Katabak, Inc. 2006. 11 October 2006. http://www.dirtworld.com/TipsAndTricks/TipsStory.a sp?id=377
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