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Are your rides of pressure or fun or both guess I should ask? After always trying to get to the next level of fitness I feel I’m missing some of the pure fun of mountain biking. On a average , last month has been only one ride a week which is pressure in itself and now feel I shouldn’t put so much emphasis on heart rate, distance, obstacle accomplishments because of such limited ride time. It’s still all part of the sport but lately after a injury setback that has kept me off the bike for two weeks has made me evaluate the pressure I put on myself for really no reason. I feel I’m I’m almost always close to decent fitness so I want put more effort into just enjoying every moment I get to ride. Honing my playful skills will bring me back into check so going to take some pressure out and put some fun in.
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Go out and have fun.
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If you stay thin, eat healthy, avoid drugs, booze, smokes etc., sleep well, and ride for fun 3 or more times weekly, you would probably be fitter than 99% of the people. Maybe cross-train- jog, xc-ski, or hike some days. Also, try riding Road or Gravel, especially during the winter when your trails might be closed. Fitness is a holistic all-year endeavor. However, if you just go out and beat yourself to a pulp, you will probably just end up with injuries.
If you’re trying to obtain a highly competitive fitness, you need a specific training regimen with gradually increasing intensity. Check out some books on bike training or get a coach.
The most important thing is to just get out and ride/exercise. If you feel strong and fresh, go hard. If you feel tired and off your game, go easy.
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If you stay thin, eat healthy, avoid drugs, booze, smokes, etc., sleep well, and Mountainbike for fun 3 or more times weekly, you would probably be fitter than 99% of the people. Maybe cross-train – jog, xc-ski, or hike some days. Also, try riding Road or Gravel, especially during the winter when your trails might be closed. Fitness is a holistic all-year endeavor. However, if you just go out and beat yourself to a pulp, you will probably just end up with injuries and burnout.
If you’re trying to obtain a highly competitive fitness, you need a specific training regimen with gradually increasing intensity. Check out some books on bike training or get a coach.
The most important thing is to just get out and ride/exercise. If you feel strong and fresh, go hard. If you feel tired and off your game, go easy. If you just have 30 minutes, go ride. Exercising/riding doesn’t have to be an all-day epic adventure.
Keeping fitness fun, makes me want to keep working out. I like Mountainbiking so much because it’s so much fun. I get to go have fun and as a bonus, it keeps me fit.
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Made some good points. For me it has been a lot of pressure to ride harder and longer and have these ridiculous heart rates. I like the mentality with if it feels good let er rip and if it doesn’t take it easy and enjoy the scenery. Also about not being a all day event or everyday at that matter. Time to except the fact that I’m not keeping up with kids anymore and just stay fit and be happy I can even still do this sport. Maybe if I play it right I’ll be lucky enough to ride trails well into my senior years.
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Roger Bannister, who once ran the first sub-four minute mile, once stated, “The interesting thing about track is that when you are doing it, it seems like the most important thing in the world. When you’re not doing it, it has no importance whatsoever.” When asked what his greatest accomplishment was, he stated, unquestionably, the work he did as a neurologist.
In perspective for the vast majority of riders this is recreational. At a certain stage in life competition and improving fitness add to the pleasure and are very important. Later, for most of us, the focus is on having the most fun in the time we can devote to the hobby. Excessive attention to numbers and fitness can decrease the fun factor.
Alex Lowe, a very famous American mountain climber, was once asked who the best climber in the world was. His answer: “The guy having the most fun”.
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I agree with the sentiment of the statements here. It is about having fun. Most people don’t stick with an exercise regiment because it is mentally stressful. Riding a bike is fun. Even on days on I am tired or run down and I do chill on my ride, my heart still gets up and my muscles are taxed. Maybe not to the max but I am getting something. The next time I ride instead of some mental pressure or remembering how much I hurt from going hard last time, I am relaxed and excited to be on the bike. Enjoy the ride, fitness is this great bonus to riding.
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“Most people don’t stick with an exercise regiment because it is mentally stressful” m.krupp hit the nail on the head. I started mountain biking to exercise, I stuck with it because it was fun. I do try to improve my fitness and get faster, but mostly so I can have more fun and have more energy while riding.
Don’t be so hard on yourself that riding becomes added stress in your life. I have a stressful job with long hours and a lot of pressure. Mountain biking is my escape from those things. When I feel frustrated with not being fit or fast, I stop and look around and realize how lucky I am to be able to be out in beautiful places we get to see as mountain bikers.
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Ditto about pressure. MTBs and running are my pressure relief valves and while some rides are workouts (only on my personal trail) others are for the sheer joy of riding trails. When I’m on a new trail, I want to experience it; see it, feel it, touch it. No, I’m not riding idly along but I’m not running people off the trail because I’m on a Strava mission. Ultimately it’s what you want but when the thought of a ride puts pressure on you and makes you feel like you must hit a certain level for it to be successful, eventually you’ll stop riding. Just like you balance on a MTB, you balance your rides.
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- I am just getting back into MTB’ing, so my fitness is not at the level I want it right now, but working on it. The way I look at it the better fitness you have the more fun you are able to have. And if you feel like going hard, then go hard, if you don’t feel like it, go easy. Everything leads to having fun. And being on the trails for me is so fun, can clear your head, do some adrenaline boosting stuff, be with nature….etc. But, having solid fitness allows you to enjoy all that even more. If you compete, then do all the heartrate cadence stuff, if you are recreational like me, then the goal is to have the most fun you can.
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To me, this comes down to what your goals are. I think the vast majority of recreational riders do it for a mix of fun and fitness. (Highly) competitive people, however, may have additional motivations. I know people that race and they stick to a pretty hardcore training program. For that group, sometimes you just have to put the miles in or go hard certain days because that’s what your training plan requires. I’ve seen guys do hill intervals (and I can tell you it’s not fun). But even beyond the racers, I think it’s healthy to push yourself from time-to-time. The main thing I like about Strava is the ability to compete not as must against others but against your (younger) self. I wouldn’t necessarily consider it “pressure” but when you push your limits and take yourself out of your comfort zone you’ll get great satisfaction from the improvements you make.
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I enjoy both aspects. There is something rewarding about having specific measurable goals like PR on the local loop, a specific distance goal, a certain obstacle, etc. But it is critically important to make sure some of your rides are pure fun – no specific time or rate in mind, take in some scenery, stop for a beer, etc. Its why I prefer dirt vs strictly road rides.
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So cool to hear the input from all of you. I agree you have to push to gain the fitness you want or need to increase the fun. No doubt the better the fitness the easier it is to have fun and not suffer as much. I have always have had that competitive mind set through life so it drives me to just be better. A younger guy I ride with occasionally kind of keeps me in check with my fitness and sometimes I let my chasing him take some of the fun out of riding only of my own doing. On the other hand when I’m boosting small gaps, riding wheelies, pulling manuals ( I so badly want to master) I hope he sees the fun side of riding he might have lost some touch with. Guess there has to be enjoyable balance between the push and the fun. All of your comments certainly have helped me understand better the time and effort I put into riding.
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I like to push myself with speed, duration, gravity, etc. during a ride. I go into it pretty optimistic and pressure myself to see what I can do. I usually end up not meeting all my expectations, I am pretty drained and sometimes beat up when I am done. After a short recovery, I reflect on the ride and always feel satisfied, relaxed and have memories of a fun time. In other words, my fun factor is dependent on how much I challenge myself regardless of success or failure of the ride.
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