Follow us on our journey from Joberg2c. Get daily updates as we train in preparation for the Joberg2C and then follow us from start to finish for 9 days on our 910km adventure on mountain bikes
Tip 2 - Eat something at least every hour during a long ride. This will prevent you from bonking ( Term used when your blood sugar levels drop and you get the shakes )
TIP 5 - Always carry a spare derailleur hanger and cable ties with you on a ride. You never know when you may need it. That goes for other spares like gators, tube, lube, tubeless valve, Multi tool and maybe a very small pair of long nose pliers
TIP 6 - Greet all people that you pass on your ride. It may be the landowner you are passing. If stopped, ask for permission to continue and explain that you are training for a seriously tough ride from joberg2c.
TIP 7 - Ensure that you have checked your break pads with all the mud and streams you may have been riding through. Break pads wear very quickly in the wet.
TIP 8 - Top 3 Exercises for XC/ Trail Riders by James Wilson. www.BikeJames.com.
1. Bulgarian Split Squat –One of the best things about this exercise is that, when done correctly, it serves as both a great uni-lateral leg exercise and a great hip flexor stretch. Prop your trail leg up on a bench behind you as if you were standing in the lunge position, make sure that you start with your torso completely upright with your shoulders and hips square. Lower yourself by bending your front leg, under control (don’t just turn the muscles off and drop) and make sure that you keep your torso upright and everything square on the way down.
You may notice a tendency to lean over as you lower yourself, indicating weak or inhibited glutes. Leaning over lets you use your low back to help you get back up and should be avoided in order to establish the movement pattern we are looking for. You may also notice that you want to let your hips open up as you come down as well. This indicates tight hip flexors and every effort should be made to keep the hips square in order to maximize the stretch on this area during the exercise. Just like everything else with your strength training, it’s not just about going through the motions, it’s about doing the movement pattern correctly in order to get everything we can out of our time investment.
2. Pull Ups/ Chin Ups & Variations – Most XC/ Trail riders are very weak in the upper body. This really takes its toll as the trail gets rougher and the ride gets longer. Having good upper body strength and strength endurance is vital to controlling your bike and manoeuvring down the trail. In fact, if more riders worried about getting stronger rather than how to shave a few pounds off their bikes they would be far better served.
Pull Ups, Chin Ups and their variations are a great way to strengthen the upper back and gain good body control. Let me clear up a few things – 1) it is not a chin/ pull up if you do not straighten your arms all the way at the bottom and allow your shoulders to come up by your ears as well. 2) Pull ups indicate that your palms are facing away from you and chin ups indicate that your palms are facing towards you. Both have their place in a program but I almost always start people out with chin ups as they are easier. 3) If you can do more than 8 reps in a set then strap some weight to yourself. Adding more reps will only start to work on short term strength endurance and we want to get stronger through strength training (imagine that). Strength endurance should be addressed in the overall program but not when we are looking to add real strength.
3. Standing Military Press – As I have already commented on, most MTB riders need some more upper body strength and the standing military press is one of the best exercises available for strengthening the pressing muscles. Over the last few decades there has been a real decline in the use of the standing military press in strength training programs. Most have shied away from it for injury concerns reasons (I think ego is more of a factor since you can bench far more than you can press over your head). This is extremely unfortunate since, when done correctly, the standing military press will not only add upper body strength, it will actually help injury proof the torso and shoulders as well.
TIP 9 - Warm down for a km or so after a training ride so that your body remembers the feeling of finishing the ride on a calmer note. If you burn it right to the end you will find it mentally more difficult to get on your bike for a traing ride the following day. Try it and test it!
TIP 11 - Avoiding that dreaded rut. Put as little weight on your front wheel when caught in a rut (Washed out single track). Keep your eyes on the path ahead of you and do not get distracted by fellow female cyclists. Ignoring this advice will certainly land you doing the splits over your handle bars
Tip 2 - Eat something at least every hour during a long ride. This will prevent you from bonking ( Term used when your blood sugar levels drop and you get the shakes )
ReplyDeleteTip 3 - To avoid going over your handle bars, keep your weight back when desending into a ditch or stream.
ReplyDeleteTip 4 - Avoid distractions of the female variety as they can cause you to have a nasty fall. Keep your eyes on the track in front of you.
ReplyDeleteTIP 5 - Always carry a spare derailleur hanger and cable ties with you on a ride. You never know when you may need it. That goes for other spares like gators, tube, lube, tubeless valve, Multi tool and maybe a very small pair of long nose pliers
ReplyDeleteTIP 6 - Greet all people that you pass on your ride. It may be the landowner you are passing. If stopped, ask for permission to continue and explain that you are training for a seriously tough ride from joberg2c.
ReplyDeleteTIP 7 - Ensure that you have checked your break pads with all the mud and streams you may have been riding through. Break pads wear very quickly in the wet.
ReplyDeleteTIP 8 - Top 3 Exercises for XC/ Trail Riders by James Wilson. www.BikeJames.com.
ReplyDelete1. Bulgarian Split Squat –One of the best things about this exercise is that, when done correctly, it serves as both a great uni-lateral leg exercise and a great hip flexor stretch. Prop your trail leg up on a bench behind you as if you were standing in the lunge position, make sure that you start with your torso completely upright with your shoulders and hips square. Lower yourself by bending your front leg, under control (don’t just turn the muscles off and drop) and make sure that you keep your torso upright and everything square on the way down.
You may notice a tendency to lean over as you lower yourself, indicating weak or inhibited glutes. Leaning over lets you use your low back to help you get back up and should be avoided in order to establish the movement pattern we are looking for. You may also notice that you want to let your hips open up as you come down as well. This indicates tight hip flexors and every effort should be made to keep the hips square in order to maximize the stretch on this area during the exercise. Just like everything else with your strength training, it’s not just about going through the motions, it’s about doing the movement pattern correctly in order to get everything we can out of our time investment.
2. Pull Ups/ Chin Ups & Variations – Most XC/ Trail riders are very weak in the upper body. This really takes its toll as the trail gets rougher and the ride gets longer. Having good upper body strength and strength endurance is vital to controlling your bike and manoeuvring down the trail. In fact, if more riders worried about getting stronger rather than how to shave a few pounds off their bikes they would be far better served.
Pull Ups, Chin Ups and their variations are a great way to strengthen the upper back and gain good body control. Let me clear up a few things – 1) it is not a chin/ pull up if you do not straighten your arms all the way at the bottom and allow your shoulders to come up by your ears as well. 2) Pull ups indicate that your palms are facing away from you and chin ups indicate that your palms are facing towards you. Both have their place in a program but I almost always start people out with chin ups as they are easier. 3) If you can do more than 8 reps in a set then strap some weight to yourself. Adding more reps will only start to work on short term strength endurance and we want to get stronger through strength training (imagine that). Strength endurance should be addressed in the overall program but not when we are looking to add real strength.
3. Standing Military Press – As I have already commented on, most MTB riders need some more upper body strength and the standing military press is one of the best exercises available for strengthening the pressing muscles. Over the last few decades there has been a real decline in the use of the standing military press in strength training programs. Most have shied away from it for injury concerns reasons (I think ego is more of a factor since you can bench far more than you can press over your head). This is extremely unfortunate since, when done correctly, the standing military press will not only add upper body strength, it will actually help injury proof the torso and shoulders as well.
TIP 9 - Warm down for a km or so after a training ride so that your body remembers the feeling of finishing the ride on a calmer note. If you burn it right to the end you will find it mentally more difficult to get on your bike for a traing ride the following day. Try it and test it!
ReplyDeleteTIP 10 - Extending the life of your socks can easily be achieved by keeping your toe nails short
ReplyDeleteTIP 11 - Avoiding that dreaded rut. Put as little weight on your front wheel when caught in a rut (Washed out single track). Keep your eyes on the path ahead of you and do not get distracted by fellow female cyclists. Ignoring this advice will certainly land you doing the splits over your handle bars
ReplyDelete