Weightlifting and biking

[MTB_Strength_Coach]

The best way to avoid the “too sore all the time” problem is to avoid the bodybuilding influenced programs. Using body part splits (where you train different body parts on different days) and using a lot of different exercises to “attack the muscle from different angles” are tactics that bodybuilders use but really have limited use for mountain bikers.

Doing total body training splits where you train an upper body pulling, upper body pushing and lower body exercise in the same routine is a good way to go. You can not do as many set and reps per exercise this way which will keep the overall volume low and limit how sore you are the next day.

Excessive muscle soreness is caused by doing too many different exercises and too many sets and reps on one body part/ movement pattern. If you are too sore then do a little less. If your weight lifting causes you to be too sore to ride well then it is not helping your riding.

A routine like this would work well -

Workout A: Push Up/ Cable Row/ Deadlift 4 X 6 reps each

Workout B: DB Shoulder Press/ Chin Up/ Single Leg Squat 4 X 6 reps each

Do this as a circuit and you’ll get a decent cardio effect as well. Just alternate these two workouts as often as you lift each week (I recommend 2-4 days per week) and you’ll find you’re not as sore and you will get much stronger on the trail.

BTW, weight lifting is a MUST for mountain biking. We can debate whether it impacts performance on the trail (which it does) but you can not escape the fact that mountain biking causes strength imbalances in the body. These imbalances will result in overuse injuries over the years so if longevity is important to you then you need to do some strength training to help restore and maintain the balance your body needs to function properly.

Hope this helps…

Ride Strong,

James Wilson
www.bikejames.com

[cujo]

I work out and mt bike, sometimes both in the same day. I weightlift 3 times a week but not to get bigger, just to maintain at near 40 years old. I bench over 300 and that's good enough for me. Lifting heavy is tough on the shoulders so I don't get too carried away. I do find it difficult to work my legs in because they end up too tight and it hurts my riding. I try to ride 3 times a week and I love both riding and lifting. They make me feel good and keep me feeling young. I'm 5'9" and 240lbs. but not fat. I could stand to lose a little weight but I like my sweets so that makes it tough.

[BetterRide]

I was going to recommend James Wilson but he has already posted some good info. As a pro racer with 21 years of mountain bike riding, training and racing I haven't met anyone with the grasp of how to strength train for mountain biking as James has. Definitely check out his programs.
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[dauw]

[SaiyanFury]

Hey guys, I've been weightlifting for about 6 months on my Bowflex Power Pro, and I can bench about 170 pounds. I'm up to 200 pounds on my legs. Is there anything I should be doing to supplement my diet to further muscle enhancement? Nothing drug related, I mean as it pertains to my regular diet. I eat no fast food. My regular diet includes a breakfast of white Japanese rice with a couple of steamed pork buns. My typical lunch is also white rice, with a can of lean Chunky soup poured over it which typically can hold me for the rest of the day. I'm a night owl, so I eat my lunch around 9pm. I go to sleep around 7:30am. Is there anything I should include in my diet? I regularly eat apples, and I drink V8 Fusion for a vegetable and fruit supplement as well as ingesting multivitamins and Omega-3 complex. I also eat 3 slices of high fibre bread before I go to sleep. If anyone here can add anything or suggest something different, I'm very open. Thanks in advance!

[ChiliPepper]