MTB training - how do you?

[martelpypie]

You may have been riding for a few years now, but it seems that you are not really getting faster and stronger on the MTB. How do you improve from a "Joe Average" to a top 5 -10  finisher in your age category. Any secret training programs/methods  that you want to share with us?

[mrmed]

Find easy races and /or have your own races and only invite you 9 fattest buddies.

 

Otherwise:

 

Lots of time on the bike (more than you competitors), interval training, eating right, etc, etc.

 

 I'd rather be a slightly above average Joe.

[PPWTF]

The only sound advice is to follow the passage of open access publically available information to the door of Joe Friel et al, read and inwardly digest what is being passed on. Then, test and adjust - everyone responds differently. These are the pearls of wisdom which have made weekend rides in to age group winners and national champions into international riders of note. And yet, even they will tell you that:

 

The first 'secret' is to have a formal training plan

The second 'secret' is to understand that the plan is not set in stone - listen to your body and learn to better understand what it is telling you... far from easy when all you wanna do is train but all your body wants you to do is rest

 

The third 'secret' is to rest more than you train..... recovery is the single most important phase of training, and has the single biggest impact upon your fitness levels

 

The forth 'secret' is that there realy is no secret to training for improved performance, no magic bullet, just repetative, analytical almost obsesive focus on your training. Keep stoking your desire and putting in a focused effort day by day.

 

Only thing you definitely must not do: follow the training plans of pro riders, the kind routinely published in international magazines. A sure fire way to injury and burnout if ever there was one.....

 

Life is long, research changes our understanding of the human body on a monthly basis. If you wanna keep up, never stop learning and stay inquisitive. The internet now means that a new paper on exercise physiology is available to the public almost as soon as it is writen, much less published - On the Hub the originator and competition even debate the results before a peer review of the findings has taken place.... Knowledge at source if ever there was :-)

 

In short, and if your finances can cover it, get a coach. We pay for the professional opinion of qualified people in every  other walk of life, compare the abilities and past performance..... why not in sport / recreation?

 

Alternatively read like crazy, evaluate all you've read from the reputable sources, and coach yourself.

 

Think about it this way: If all it took to improve performance was to go to the gym 3 or 4 times a week, gyms the world over would be full of world and Olympic champions. But they're not. It requires more than simply putting in the time, doing the same workouts day in day out without engaging brain or thinking about the reasoning behind varying the workout. The more time you can dedicate to learning about how to get the best from your body, the better your body will respond.

 

PPWTF2008-05-17 10:37:05

[PPWTF]

 

 

This a passion of mine which may well become a line of future full time education, but I've already written to much so will shut up now.....

PPWTF2008-05-17 10:36:20

[SwissVan]

You may have been riding for a few years now' date=' but it seems that you are not really getting faster and stronger on the MTB. How do you improve from a "Joe Average" to a top 5 -10  finisher in your age category. Any secret training programs/methods  that you want to share with us? [/quote']

 

Secret sessions not really other wise it wouldn't be a secret anymore hmmm....

 

Try these, always warm up before and cool down after wards 

 

? = amount of minutes per set dependant on your fitness and how used you are to this type of training, the fitter or more used you get to these efforts the longer they can be (dont go longer than a total of 25 minutes each) and the recovery time in between each set can also increase up to about 15 minutes. If doing these for the first time perhaps do only 5 minutes per set. These are best done on an indoor trainer where you can concentrate on staying at the right intensity the whole time.

 

3 x " ? " minutes at an intensity = to a few beats (2-3 beats) below your lactic threshold. Recover for 10 minutes at your easy to meduim pace between each set.

For the last set you can go up to or a few beats above LT

 

Enjoy

 

 

 

[Racer X]

Contact CVANC on the hub. He is a Coach, not too shabby at that.

[_Daemon_]

Buy a roadbike

[Red Zone]

Improve your technical skills, the guys I see doing better than average at cross country racing are those guys that can ride technical uphills, not have to slow down through rocky / rooty sections and bomb the downhills, Its all about flow and keeping a fast rhythm

[Underachiever]

 

The third 'secret' is to rest more than you train..... recovery is the single most important phase of training' date=' and has the single biggest impact upon your fitness levels

 

 

[/quote']

 

Ja, I've tried that, I train one day a week and the other six I rest!!  Did wonders for my fitness

[Marius]

The Secret is TIME. - well it as to be, I've tried just about everything else. Train Train Train for a few YEARS! Nothing less than 5years on a structured plan is going to get you there. 10 Years of Cycling and you might start winning Mtb races imho...<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Marius2008-05-19 08:00:47

[Canaris]

Why do you want to finish first?  Is there some unresolved issue in your youth?

 

The first secret is to actually spend time, lots of time, on your bike.

The second secret is to stop eating cr@p and drinking alcohol.

THe third secret is to tell all your loved ones that they are not as important as winning.

 

After that you will not only do better but also have the same attitude as the "winners". 

 

But then again if winning was FUN, you would be on a roadbike anyway.

 

SENSELESS QUESTION

[SwissVan]

The Secret is TIME. - well it as to be' date=' I've tried just about everything else. Train Train Train for a few YEARS! Nothing less than 5years on a structured plan is going to get you there. 10 Years of Cycling and you might start winning Mtb races imho...<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

[/quote']

 

Maybe you need a new coach  - time she is not on our side (us working class peeps).

 

 

[nochain]

Why do you want to finish first?  Is there some unresolved issue in your youth?

 

The first secret is to actually spend time' date=' lots of time, on your bike.

The second secret is to stop eating cr@p and drinking alcohol.

THe third secret is to tell all your loved ones that they are not as important as winning.

 

After that you will not only do better but also have the same attitude as the "winners". 

 

But then again if winning was FUN, you would be on a roadbike anyway.

 

SENSELESS QUESTION

[/quote']

 

Senseless Question????Just because you don't have a competitive bone in your body and don't understand what it takes to be there??

Your Third secret is the biggest load of Cr#p and worst advise I have seen anybody give on the HUB!!!!!

[Canaris]

Why do you want to finish first?  Is there some unresolved issue in your youth?

 

The first secret is to actually spend time' date=' lots of time, on your bike.

The second secret is to stop eating cr@p and drinking alcohol.

THe third secret is to tell all your loved ones that they are not as important as winning.

 

After that you will not only do better but also have the same attitude as the "winners". 

 

But then again if winning was FUN, you would be on a roadbike anyway.

 

SENSELESS QUESTION

[/quote']

 

Senseless Question????Just because you don't have a competitive bone in your body and don't understand what it takes to be there??

Your Third secret is the biggest load of Cr#p and worst advise I have seen anybody give on the HUB!!!!!

 

I can be competitive when needed, but I don't need to win a silly race to prove anything.  I have more important things to worry about.

[Daft Vader]

The desire to position oneself in a race is directly proportional to the size of one's ego.... 

[Alien Racer]

Well u can start off by doing races in smaller towns that has a lot less top riders in them, if u get a podium position there it will give ure convidince a great boost and u will feel the adrenalin rush to ride at the front with a bunch off riders chasing u.Then u get a good training routine wich includes endurance,speed,interval and technical rides .

 

Then u can start doing better in the longer Mtb races 70km-90km.

I try and do cross training like running,swimming and road racing helps my overall body strength.So get riding long endurance rides on weekends and do ure speed and interval training during the week.

Good luck and hope to c u on the podium soon.

Are u maybee going to do the Imvello MTB classic 7th of June in Swaziland?