How To Build Strength For Mountain Biking?
Summers are here. It's time to dust off your mountain bikes and prepare for a happy summer ride. But first, let's make sure that your body is ready to slay the trails.
You can't hit the trails without some proper prep. A dynamic sport like mountain biking requires full-body engagement. There is no wrong in saying that mountain biking uses all sorts of muscles to various degrees, in addition to cranking up your fitness and health.
Spending a part of your daytime in the gym will help you stay stronger and injury-free. You have to make some efforts into building your core, upper body, and lower body strength.
This guide will help you in building overall body strength while choosing the best biking gear for your next bike adventure. So get stronger and more explosive on the trails with these strength exercises.
Walking lunges with twists
Hitting those tough trails with weak legs is simply not a biker's thing. Naturally, the legs which are powering your bike need to be strong.
Lunges are undoubtedly the go-to exercise for developing leg strength. Walking lunges challenge all the muscles used in cycling. This exercise further adds a twist that can help to activate your glutes.
You can also add weight while performing this exercise. Try to aim for 30 steps in the beginning. To control the rotation of the movement, maintain a tall, straight spine and turn your head with your shoulders.
Ball pushups
What about upper body muscle strength? Upper body strength is often considered a weak point for all mountain bikers. The best way to develop upper body strength is by performing ball pushup exercises.
In this exercise, you can add extra strength to your hands and shoulders. If you are a beginner, you can add this exercise to build better strength and muscles. You need to simply alternate the ball under one hand and then the other while doing a pushup.
You can start this exercise with ten reps. This upper body exercise is important for effective bike handling and to prevent injuries. So don't forget to add this exercise to your daily fitness regime.
Deadlifts
Isn't raw strength extremely important to hit those tough terrains? The deadlift is often considered the best exercise for developing power in your hamstrings.
The key to performing a deadlift is maintaining a good form, a straight back, hips behind the heels, and lifting from the hips. If you feel that your back is doing part of the lifting, review your technique until you can feel your hamstrings and glutes.
Side plank drops
Honestly, nobody likes to do core work, but it can make a noticeable difference to your riding.
Side plank is an ideal exercise to strengthen your core and shoulders. The muscles that you use in a side plank are the same that are activated as you lean into a corner.
Give it a try for four weeks and see a praiseworthy difference in your core strength.
Besides these exercises, there are certain ways to improve your overall body strength for mountain biking. You can adopt these practices to improve your overall strength for mountain biking.
Climbing
Some bikers may hate it, but every mountain biker has to climb at one point or another. Therefore, improving your climbing ability can pay dividends in the long run.
The best way to improve your climbing specifically is to perform interval training. It simply means alternating between the periods of work and rest, allowing you to perform total work rather than without any recovery at all.
Moreover, climbing also builds your core strength muscles. Therefore, engaging in a cycling-specific core strength routine a few times a week will have a significant impact on your abdominal strength and resilience.
Nutrition
Nutrition is another way to enhance your strength on challenging trials. Fueling your boy with the right nutrients is essential to conquering those impossible-looking tracks.
You need to eat right since your body will metabolize different macronutrients at different exercise intensities. Further, you should eat every 30-45 minutes during an endurance race to regain your strength.
Fitness tools
Fitness tools are an absolute necessity for improving your MTB fitness. They can help with positive reinforcement and tracking your progress. In addition, these tools work brilliantly behind the scenes in order to enhance your overall body fitness.
So what are you waiting for? Choose the best fitness accessories to improve your overall biking experience.
So, build your strength with these exercises when you take out your best mountain bike in Dubai . We hope you add these strength-building exercises to your routine and see a noticeable difference in your overall strength and power.
|