Developing a well-rounded muscular base will help you hold on and power through rough sections of trails, rocks, jumps, and roots. It’s also essential for injury prevention.
A mountain biker’s in-season strength and conditioning program presents some unique challenges to design and implement. The strength sessions must keep energy stores dedicated to on-bike training and competition.
Squat Jumps
Mountain bikers need a lot of power from the legs and keep their feet on the pedals in rough terrain and over jumps. Strength training can help riders develop these muscles to ride faster, stay upright, and be safe.
One of the best ways to build leg power is to work with plyometric exercises. These are explosive movements that help build muscle power quickly.
For your Mountain Bike Training, these movements are a terrific warm-up for the legs, hips, and core. As you gain strength, start with a modest load and gradually increase the resistance. Give yourself a 2-4 minute rest between 3-6 repetitions sets.
Pushups
Pushups are a traditional Strength training for mountain bikers that will help you build the muscles you need to maintain a secure riding position and increase stability. They can be done independently as a strength-training workout or mixed into any training session for general conditioning. There are many variations on the pushup available to accommodate any fitness level. From starting on your knees to putting your hands together for ‘diamond pushups’ to engage more triceps or going even wider to do a ‘plank pushup.’
Start with a few sets of three good pushups to fatigue (the burn!) and build up from there. Do these early in your workout so you’re energized by the time you get to them. Ideally, do them right after your warm-up to keep the muscles fresh.
Side Plank
The side plank is an essential part of any core program and works to strengthen the muscles that support your body when you are on the bike. This position activates the muscles necessary to stabilize your body while riding on rough terrain, allowing you to ride longer and harder without injury.
Mountain bikers shift their weight forward to climb up over large boulders, steep hills and back to descend the same obstacles. This movement requires solid and stable back, neck, and abs muscles.
The workout starts hard, simulating the start of a race, levels off into threshold intensity, and incorporates recovery intervals and surges to mimic the course you’ll be racing on.
Forearm Plank
The shoulders and arms generate a lot of power while riding, but they also need to stabilize and control the body during dynamic sections of the trail. Forearm planks target these muscles when prone by creating a flat surface across the upper back (rhomboids, serratus anterior, and teres major).
The quads do most of the work when pushing up a mountain bike peak, but it’s crucial to strengthen and stabilize the single leg. It is especially true if you ride steep trail sections that lead into singletrack.
Perform a set of intervals on the road followed by a singletrack climb to simulate the start of a mountain bike race and train for the high intensity that starts with a sprint up gravel before transitioning into the flow of the trail.
Shoulder Press
While mountain biking is mainly legs-powered, the arms and core must also work hard to stay balanced over the handlebars. Strengthening these muscles can improve arm position and overall bike handling.
The shoulder press is an effective bodyweight exercise for strengthening the muscles required for a confident riding position. This movement strengthens the rotator cuff, improving power transfer in your pedal stroke.
To do this exercise, stand on an exercise band with your feet slightly apart, squat down, and grab the band with palms facing upwards and elbows in front. Then, while maintaining this position, drive your shoulders forward and backward with the band. It is an excellent exercise for the upper back and shoulder muscles. This workout works for three different muscle groups simultaneously, so it is an excellent way to warm up and prepare for higher-intensity exercises.
