Do you Mountain Bike? Whether you are a brand new rider or have been riding for a while, the following are some basic tips to help you get more from your ride and increase your fitness.
Assuming that you have a few bike hours under your belt and know the basics, the first way to increase your fitness for riding is to put the hours in on the bike. The only way to get used to the saddle and long rides is to spend the time on the track. Another mountain bike training tip is to include some form of interval training which can be done off road, on a road bike or alternatively on a spin bike. As well as interval training, practice on all types of off-road tracks in all conditions.
To really be able to gauge how hard you are working and to increase your fitness levels, try using a heart rate monitor. To get your Maximum Heart Rate, an easy guide is 220 minus your age. To get a more accurate reading you could try The Karvonen Method. To increase your speed and fitness try to keep your HR at around 80-85% of your Maximum Heart Rate.
When doing your interval training off road, make sure that it is a track that you know where you can safely put in extra effort to increase your strength and speed. If you are going to do your interval training on the road, ensure that there a plenty of hills on your course to really power up and also long straight stretches where you can put in the speed. Working out on a Spin bike is another good form of interval training. Spinning allows you to control the intervals, and the level of intensity thereby increasing your quadriceps strength for the tracks. Another advantage of a Spin bike is that you have to work it (that is pedal) the whole time, no coasting just full on hard work.
When practising on off road tracks to enhance your skills, ensure that you are riding over all kinds of terrain in different conditions. Try rides in sand, gravel, small stones and larger rocks, uphill and downhill on dirt and grass, as well as riding through mud and shallow creeks. By riding in all conditions, you will soon master the skills you need to make you a better and fitter rider.
Some skills to master are:
- Downhill braking techniques
- Climbing skills
- Speed
- Getting over obstacles
- Cornering like a Pro
- Tackling the different surfaces
