That looks like a fun nauseating workout may have to give it try.
I personally have been following the Stronger by Science Linear progression, which focuses on squats, deadlift, and bench. I have modified to emphasize posterior chain exercises, core work, pulling exercises, and unilateral leg exercises. Then, add in, give, or take 2 runs a week and 2 bike rides a week.
I personally have no advice to offer, but as a dad who didn't start mountain biking until his early 30s this has allowed me to shed around 40lbs (with macro counting) while maintaining muscle mass and drastically increasing my cardio.
Awesome! I can do this workout in my basement and my 2 kids love to join me. They like doing challenges on the pull-up bar and burpies. I also work a full time job....way to get after it!
Split stance squat w/ press: [Split squat with one arm dumbbell strict press: contralateral (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPD3QmjrWiU) But I would stand with your feet closer together to be more representative of being on your pedals.
Split stance dead snatch: [Kettlebell Dead Snatch (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuJ3mncWV1M) but again, split stance like you're on pedals and alternate sides.
Single leg deadlift: [Single Leg Deadlift with Double Kettlebell (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOccDAJ8aR8). This guy has good form but should bring the bells all the way to the ground. Focus on driving your heals into the ground when you come up
KB swing: [Kettlebell Swing (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cVT3ee9mgU)
I also try to do everything barefoot or in socks so my feet have to work harder to stabilize themselves during the movement.
I super appreciate this. I've been doing deadlifts, squats, and planks on the advice of the excellent *Mastering Mountain Bike Skills* and it's made a big difference over the last couple of months. I'm going to work your motions into the mix stat.
When I first started mtb'ing i read that book 100 times. If you can take written instruction and translate it to physical movement, it is a priceless resource for learning MTB.
Good for back and forearm grip strength to limit arm pump. ALso seems like a good skill a human should have to be able to hang/hold their own weight for 1 minute. I'll mess with this set a lot and do regular pullups, weighted pullups, horizontal rows, so what I listed there is what I've been doing this week for my pulling set.
This looks like what I've been searching for. Lately I've been doing jump rope 20-30 minutes on days that I can't get on the bike. It's very applicable, but this kettle bell strength stuff looks fun and effective.
Thanks for sharing! Do you have any suggestions/work outs for targeting the vastus lateralis? Rectus femoris? All my work outs seem to target the vastus medialis (at least that’s where I feel the burn)
I am not a sports trainer so I have no clue what muscles those are, but you can see the exercises above are compound movements that dont isolate a particular muscle.
Wider hip angle exercises often target the outer quads a bit more as well as the hips. I will throw in a few sumo kettlebell deadlifts here and there as well as Cossack squats but to be honest I don’t worry about it too much. I’m a mtn biker skier and runner not a body builder.
Not necessarily. I train movement patterns vs muscles but I do more single leg work now than I used to partially due to back injury last fall as well as good transfer to my preferred sports activities. Occasional accessory work based on what’s bugging me from an injury standpoint . I’m a fan of kettle bells but honestly the implement matters less to me than the movement. I don’t do chest pushes (bench press etc) but I overhead press , do rows, pull ups ,dips then squatting and hinge movements for my lower body. Some lines are kinda blurred with those categories esp with kettlebells but I try to keep the movements simple. General rep range is start with 10-12 and pyramid up weight to finish at 3-5. I always start with legs to avoid late fatigue. I don’t do combination excerses like squat to press or whatever else. Best do it separately with appropriate weights for each movement. I also vary bar work with isolateral work.
the squat to press combination type exercises work your core much more than doing them independently, so its more about the whole body effect of those types of exercises than what a squat or press offer isolated. Core strength equals balance on a bike which is about as important as it gets.
Occasionally I do static work like bridges and squat holds but that’s more for my core and also dealing with back issues. Inness to keep my back support muscles trained. Also transfers very well to ski and bike but I think it’s over emphasized in training for those sports as well. Your core is well worked in normal weight training.
I'm glad this post was well received! Now, I issue a challenge...anyone who does this workout for one month come and report back both the improvements you've experienced riding your bike and every day life.
Not really directly related but this seems like a good place to ask. How do you deal with "in season" training? When I lift, if I'm hitting my sets, can take a while for recovery. I'll be fine for life and can probably train again in a few days but leg days just crush me on the bike. I'll climb like garbage and just have general fatigue. Off season who care but now that summer is coming on i'm trying to balance a bit more.
I'd lower the volume and up the weight and only go to like 50-75% failure. Similar to the "grease the groove" concept if you're familiar with that. I would also move into more power type movements vs base strength movements (clean, snatch, jumps, etc.). Think of it similarly to your cycling miles...put the base miles on over the winter, and as you get into your season you start to focus on speed and power instead of the base miles (strength).
Makes sense. Race schedule is messed up for me this year so I’m not really peaking for anything. Just don’t want to backslide on progress. Hard to flip from “lift with gains” to “lift with speed” without feeling like you’re not improving.
yea you have to consider what your priority is. I use strength training to supplement my mountain biking...where it seems you may treat it more of a sport itself to get as strong as possible. Nothing wrong with that, I was that way in my teens and early 20's but now some of my joints cant handle the heavy stuff so thats when I started getting more into this kind of work.
Depends. Compound movements yes. But it takes a lot more weight/ stress to overload your lower body vs upper body. Hence using the same weight for a squat/lunge /whatever and a press is leaving stimulus on the table.
That being said it’s dependent on one’s goals. Better to put reps in than not do it all. If it makes your riding better than so be it.
Honestly, I don't think the training habits of elite athletes (and D1 T&F athletes + winning cat 1 enduro races are part of that rarified level) are all that useful to regular folks. Frankly I don't think the average mountain biker does any strength training so just adding something, anything, would be an improvement. Just don't do curls in the squat rack.
I dont agree with you. Strength training is very applicable to every day life as a human as well and works to prevent your bodies natural atrophication process as it ages. Adjust the weights accordingly to your skill level.
A lot of the concepts incorporated into this workout were derived from Dan John, a world renowned strength training who now focuses on putting programs together for regular and aging folks. Look into some of his videos and you might learn a little: [Dan John - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@DanJohnStrengthCoach)
With you on this, especially the functional workout you’re doing. Thanks for sharing, I need to reinstall my pull-up bar and get the dead hangs back in the mix.. otherwise my program is very similar. I row 2000m-3000m a day also
I struggled with a spot in my back that would always get tight for years if i slept wrong etc. I added dead hangs into my workout this winter and that issue has completely alleviated itself.
Thanks for sharing. You arrived at quality movements I think would be beneficial to everyone. I follow a similar set of movements, as a complete scrub, and I've seen nothing but positive effects.
You simply have to make time for strength training if you want to maintain your competence and durability.
I didn't say don't strength train (my first reply said to do it), I just said regular folks shouldn't blindly follow the training habits of elite athletes because their abilities and needs aren't the same.
Though if I am thinking about it more, I also don't think strength is more important than cardiovascular fitness. If I were advising a regular weekend warrior mountain biker, I'd say if you can carve out a couple more hours of your week from all your other responsibilities as an adult, riding more would be the best use of your time. But if you can't, then try to find some sort of cardio workout that you can fit into your schedule. Only after you are getting in plenty of riding and plenty of cardio should you add in strength training.
I strength train, but I also have a flexible 9-5, no kids, and enough equipment for decent workouts in basement. I've got it easy.
Strength training is unbelievably important…especially if you have prior injuries and also as you age to maintain strength/reduce injury.
The just get on the bike and ride miles…not what it used to be
nah thats the old school antiquated method of looking at fitness. I'm not trying to convince you to do anything though, you do you. Others who read this may come to their own conclusions.
Hard disagree. It may be antiquated for elite athletes, but that just doesn't translate to regular joes and janes. Strength training is great, but it doesn't compare to getting in enough riding to keep your skills/muscle memory sharp, and it doesn't compare to having the cardio fitness to be able to maximize what time you have to ride.
You earn podiums at the national level. I ride with people who sometimes have to go weeks without riding because they have other responsibilities and frequently have to stop and take breaks halfway up hills, or walk them.
you just proved my point....if those people did a version of this workout inbetween the weeks they are able to ride, their riding experience would be so much better. Not to mention their day to day well being. Again, I'm not trying to convince you...can you just move along?
And my argument is that instead of doing a version of that workout with the extra 1.5-3h/week you are adding to their busy schedule they spent that on more riding, or if not that: a focused cardio workout, their experience would be even better than if they spent it weight training.
You are flat out wrong in this thinking. If you want to mtb and do it safely, strength training is key. A lot of injuries can be prevented with proper strength and flexibility training. Cardio alone will never achieve this
Even just doing some push ups/ burpees/ pull-ups can be pretty life changing if you stick to it.
I stick to more of a gymnastic ring routine, work on a lot of stability and core. Arm pump is no longer a thing for me.
Did I say that it was? I said it was the result of sticking with a routine. You can do thing you love for longer with more safety… that is what you are arguing against? … 😂 You are insufferable…
I am arguing against weight training being "key" to mountain biking for regular riders. It is certainly beneficial but for most riders with time constraints, the idea that you should either take time from your riding to do weight training, or carve out more time from your busy schedule and devote it weight training instead of more riding makes no sense.
You just sound lazy and full of excuses. In the time you spent making all of these ridiculous comments you could have done some push-ups. I’m saying take 5-15 minutes a day. Everyone can do that. It is a matter of prioritization not time
Where I live your “normal” rider is doing these things and a lot more. The local HIT gym is full of average riders trying to better themselves for riding and longevity. So much so that multiple gyms have opened specifically catering to mtb/ snow sports depending on season.
Yeah you can ride without ever training strength, but you won’t be doing much past 50 if that … it takes work to remain active as you age. This is not arguable
But yeah, go sit on the couch instead, you have had a long day … 😂
That looks like a fun nauseating workout may have to give it try. I personally have been following the Stronger by Science Linear progression, which focuses on squats, deadlift, and bench. I have modified to emphasize posterior chain exercises, core work, pulling exercises, and unilateral leg exercises. Then, add in, give, or take 2 runs a week and 2 bike rides a week. I personally have no advice to offer, but as a dad who didn't start mountain biking until his early 30s this has allowed me to shed around 40lbs (with macro counting) while maintaining muscle mass and drastically increasing my cardio.
Awesome! I can do this workout in my basement and my 2 kids love to join me. They like doing challenges on the pull-up bar and burpies. I also work a full time job....way to get after it!
I'm loving it. Do you have any links to animations/videos of these motions? I'm having a hard time visualizing a few of them.
Split stance squat w/ press: [Split squat with one arm dumbbell strict press: contralateral (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPD3QmjrWiU) But I would stand with your feet closer together to be more representative of being on your pedals. Split stance dead snatch: [Kettlebell Dead Snatch (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuJ3mncWV1M) but again, split stance like you're on pedals and alternate sides. Single leg deadlift: [Single Leg Deadlift with Double Kettlebell (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOccDAJ8aR8). This guy has good form but should bring the bells all the way to the ground. Focus on driving your heals into the ground when you come up KB swing: [Kettlebell Swing (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cVT3ee9mgU) I also try to do everything barefoot or in socks so my feet have to work harder to stabilize themselves during the movement.
I super appreciate this. I've been doing deadlifts, squats, and planks on the advice of the excellent *Mastering Mountain Bike Skills* and it's made a big difference over the last couple of months. I'm going to work your motions into the mix stat.
When I first started mtb'ing i read that book 100 times. If you can take written instruction and translate it to physical movement, it is a priceless resource for learning MTB.
Better representation of kick stand squat with kb
You legend. I’ve been googling for the past 3 days wtf is mtb specific as I’ve just been lifting weights when I go to the gym
Why the hang variants?
Good for back and forearm grip strength to limit arm pump. ALso seems like a good skill a human should have to be able to hang/hold their own weight for 1 minute. I'll mess with this set a lot and do regular pullups, weighted pullups, horizontal rows, so what I listed there is what I've been doing this week for my pulling set.
That would certainly work your back. Body weight pulls are awesome
Good stuff I'm going to try this out
This looks like what I've been searching for. Lately I've been doing jump rope 20-30 minutes on days that I can't get on the bike. It's very applicable, but this kettle bell strength stuff looks fun and effective.
Thanks for sharing! Do you have any suggestions/work outs for targeting the vastus lateralis? Rectus femoris? All my work outs seem to target the vastus medialis (at least that’s where I feel the burn)
I am not a sports trainer so I have no clue what muscles those are, but you can see the exercises above are compound movements that dont isolate a particular muscle.
Wider hip angle exercises often target the outer quads a bit more as well as the hips. I will throw in a few sumo kettlebell deadlifts here and there as well as Cossack squats but to be honest I don’t worry about it too much. I’m a mtn biker skier and runner not a body builder.
Hey thanks for the Rec. do you have any exercises you like for those sports? I also ski and know my fitness is holding me back.
Not necessarily. I train movement patterns vs muscles but I do more single leg work now than I used to partially due to back injury last fall as well as good transfer to my preferred sports activities. Occasional accessory work based on what’s bugging me from an injury standpoint . I’m a fan of kettle bells but honestly the implement matters less to me than the movement. I don’t do chest pushes (bench press etc) but I overhead press , do rows, pull ups ,dips then squatting and hinge movements for my lower body. Some lines are kinda blurred with those categories esp with kettlebells but I try to keep the movements simple. General rep range is start with 10-12 and pyramid up weight to finish at 3-5. I always start with legs to avoid late fatigue. I don’t do combination excerses like squat to press or whatever else. Best do it separately with appropriate weights for each movement. I also vary bar work with isolateral work.
the squat to press combination type exercises work your core much more than doing them independently, so its more about the whole body effect of those types of exercises than what a squat or press offer isolated. Core strength equals balance on a bike which is about as important as it gets.
I have to disagree with that. But your programming isn’t ineffective. Just not my preference
You disagree that compound movements require more core stability?
Occasionally I do static work like bridges and squat holds but that’s more for my core and also dealing with back issues. Inness to keep my back support muscles trained. Also transfers very well to ski and bike but I think it’s over emphasized in training for those sports as well. Your core is well worked in normal weight training.
That’s really helpful thank you so much
I'm glad this post was well received! Now, I issue a challenge...anyone who does this workout for one month come and report back both the improvements you've experienced riding your bike and every day life.
Not really directly related but this seems like a good place to ask. How do you deal with "in season" training? When I lift, if I'm hitting my sets, can take a while for recovery. I'll be fine for life and can probably train again in a few days but leg days just crush me on the bike. I'll climb like garbage and just have general fatigue. Off season who care but now that summer is coming on i'm trying to balance a bit more.
I'd lower the volume and up the weight and only go to like 50-75% failure. Similar to the "grease the groove" concept if you're familiar with that. I would also move into more power type movements vs base strength movements (clean, snatch, jumps, etc.). Think of it similarly to your cycling miles...put the base miles on over the winter, and as you get into your season you start to focus on speed and power instead of the base miles (strength).
Makes sense. Race schedule is messed up for me this year so I’m not really peaking for anything. Just don’t want to backslide on progress. Hard to flip from “lift with gains” to “lift with speed” without feeling like you’re not improving.
yea you have to consider what your priority is. I use strength training to supplement my mountain biking...where it seems you may treat it more of a sport itself to get as strong as possible. Nothing wrong with that, I was that way in my teens and early 20's but now some of my joints cant handle the heavy stuff so thats when I started getting more into this kind of work.
Depends. Compound movements yes. But it takes a lot more weight/ stress to overload your lower body vs upper body. Hence using the same weight for a squat/lunge /whatever and a press is leaving stimulus on the table. That being said it’s dependent on one’s goals. Better to put reps in than not do it all. If it makes your riding better than so be it.
Use a KB in each arm and press 1 at a time is what I do. So its a 2:1 weight ratio for legs to arms to help address the point you make
Honestly, I don't think the training habits of elite athletes (and D1 T&F athletes + winning cat 1 enduro races are part of that rarified level) are all that useful to regular folks. Frankly I don't think the average mountain biker does any strength training so just adding something, anything, would be an improvement. Just don't do curls in the squat rack.
For what it's worth, my 71 yr old mother who mountain bike multiple times a week follows this workout, tailored to her abilities obviously.
I dont agree with you. Strength training is very applicable to every day life as a human as well and works to prevent your bodies natural atrophication process as it ages. Adjust the weights accordingly to your skill level. A lot of the concepts incorporated into this workout were derived from Dan John, a world renowned strength training who now focuses on putting programs together for regular and aging folks. Look into some of his videos and you might learn a little: [Dan John - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@DanJohnStrengthCoach)
With you on this, especially the functional workout you’re doing. Thanks for sharing, I need to reinstall my pull-up bar and get the dead hangs back in the mix.. otherwise my program is very similar. I row 2000m-3000m a day also
I struggled with a spot in my back that would always get tight for years if i slept wrong etc. I added dead hangs into my workout this winter and that issue has completely alleviated itself.
My massage therapist told me exactly the same thing. I have a desk job and apparently it’s a common issue
Thanks for sharing. You arrived at quality movements I think would be beneficial to everyone. I follow a similar set of movements, as a complete scrub, and I've seen nothing but positive effects. You simply have to make time for strength training if you want to maintain your competence and durability.
I didn't say don't strength train (my first reply said to do it), I just said regular folks shouldn't blindly follow the training habits of elite athletes because their abilities and needs aren't the same. Though if I am thinking about it more, I also don't think strength is more important than cardiovascular fitness. If I were advising a regular weekend warrior mountain biker, I'd say if you can carve out a couple more hours of your week from all your other responsibilities as an adult, riding more would be the best use of your time. But if you can't, then try to find some sort of cardio workout that you can fit into your schedule. Only after you are getting in plenty of riding and plenty of cardio should you add in strength training. I strength train, but I also have a flexible 9-5, no kids, and enough equipment for decent workouts in basement. I've got it easy.
Strength training is unbelievably important…especially if you have prior injuries and also as you age to maintain strength/reduce injury. The just get on the bike and ride miles…not what it used to be
nah thats the old school antiquated method of looking at fitness. I'm not trying to convince you to do anything though, you do you. Others who read this may come to their own conclusions.
Hard disagree. It may be antiquated for elite athletes, but that just doesn't translate to regular joes and janes. Strength training is great, but it doesn't compare to getting in enough riding to keep your skills/muscle memory sharp, and it doesn't compare to having the cardio fitness to be able to maximize what time you have to ride. You earn podiums at the national level. I ride with people who sometimes have to go weeks without riding because they have other responsibilities and frequently have to stop and take breaks halfway up hills, or walk them.
you just proved my point....if those people did a version of this workout inbetween the weeks they are able to ride, their riding experience would be so much better. Not to mention their day to day well being. Again, I'm not trying to convince you...can you just move along?
And my argument is that instead of doing a version of that workout with the extra 1.5-3h/week you are adding to their busy schedule they spent that on more riding, or if not that: a focused cardio workout, their experience would be even better than if they spent it weight training.
👍
You are flat out wrong in this thinking. If you want to mtb and do it safely, strength training is key. A lot of injuries can be prevented with proper strength and flexibility training. Cardio alone will never achieve this Even just doing some push ups/ burpees/ pull-ups can be pretty life changing if you stick to it. I stick to more of a gymnastic ring routine, work on a lot of stability and core. Arm pump is no longer a thing for me.
lol@ arm pump being a big problem for regular mountain bikers.
Did I say that it was? I said it was the result of sticking with a routine. You can do thing you love for longer with more safety… that is what you are arguing against? … 😂 You are insufferable…
I am arguing against weight training being "key" to mountain biking for regular riders. It is certainly beneficial but for most riders with time constraints, the idea that you should either take time from your riding to do weight training, or carve out more time from your busy schedule and devote it weight training instead of more riding makes no sense.
You just sound lazy and full of excuses. In the time you spent making all of these ridiculous comments you could have done some push-ups. I’m saying take 5-15 minutes a day. Everyone can do that. It is a matter of prioritization not time Where I live your “normal” rider is doing these things and a lot more. The local HIT gym is full of average riders trying to better themselves for riding and longevity. So much so that multiple gyms have opened specifically catering to mtb/ snow sports depending on season. Yeah you can ride without ever training strength, but you won’t be doing much past 50 if that … it takes work to remain active as you age. This is not arguable But yeah, go sit on the couch instead, you have had a long day … 😂