Poll: What Are You Doing For Off-Season Training?
I have talked a lot lately about off-season training methods that will keep the endurance and strength alive during the cold months. With winter weather and decreased life in the sunlight, getting in rides can be harder than usual during this time of year, so keeping your muscles primed and ready can be difficult. What are you guys doing in the off-season to keep your riding muscles in shape and ready for the spring, sunny and 70 afternoons?
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Tags: cold weather mountain biking, mountain bike training, mountain biking, night riding, winter mountain biking
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Actually I live in SPAIN. Weather here is not a problem.
great web site / blog etc. I will shortly send you reviews on:
“Hope Ceramic BB shells”
“Rock Shox COIL revelations”
“Stans ZTR – Hope pro 3’s”
“kenda SB8 – Maxxis minion’s”
“Fashion – marketing hype why we should consider what we buy?”
FITNESS is all about NOT BEING LAZY! Get the garden sorted – do lots of DIY don’t veg out on endless BEER, Walk up the stairs avoid the lift in shopping malls etc etc its really not rocking science just be ACTIVE….Just get out & ride, if the weather is really crap ride on the road – go urban for a while!
Simon…you officially suck. It’s not fair to have perfect weather all of the time.
Looking forward to the reviews!
You are absolutely right…no one gets into shape sitting down watching TV.
Ride the trainer 4 times a week-which just blows every chimp in the primate house but has to be done. Use my road bike with the bigger gears. Then strength train. Then 2 mile run through snow-lotta work for me and the dog. Snowshoe when I get a chance.
Trainer-1up USA with my road bike. Pretty solid unit.
Strength training-squats, power cleans, a little upper body with bench, curls, abs, and stretching.
*Just* started James Wilson’s Ultimate MTB program yesterday. I would ride during the winter except I…hate…cold. In the midwest, the weather gets nasty and there’s no way you’re finding me on a bike at sub-zero temps. Not my cup ‘o tea.
Now, that said, if I was the guy in that picture I would be on my bike every freakin day!
I’ve been thinking about picking up a trainer, but like moishlashen stated, it’s a necessary evil and one that I’m just not ready to face.
My pain starts tonight. Time to get at it.
I have a weightlifting and yoga program that I continue year round. I still get out every other week on the trail (or road) if it’s not raining. Otherwise, I go to a spin class or ride the spin bike by myself once or twice a week. I’m even tossing in a run every now and then. Plenty of options available.
I still ride when I can but it definitely is less than in better weather months. The gym is where I take up the slack.
Oddly enough after three straight years of cycling and not walking more than a half mile at one time, I have found out that my legs no longer support me running. I get shin splints like you would not believe. Four months later, and I can jog 3/4 of a mile, but I have to cycle three or four miles before walking is tolerable again. I need to get back into constantly cross training so this doesn’t happen again next off-season.
My shins and knees can’t take the impact abuse. That is part of the reason I also use cycling to stay in shape. Running just really isn’t an option at this time. This article might help out some though…
http://mountain.bike198.com/how-to-run-and-walk-the-next-day/
Been lifting weights for training since we had over 30 straight days of below 32 F. Also about 10 days of skiing. Finally, got on a bike in the gym last week, I really miss spring and fall. Ya’ll come visit us in Fruita.