off-bike training

[MMelissa]

What do you do for off-bike training that you find improves your riding, whether it be stregnth or cardiovascular training?

I find it hard to ride often in winter with the short days and full-time work so the 5am gym sessions are the only way I seem to get fitness training in during the week.

I find that interval training (running) seems to improve my general fitness.

I also find that a session of weights each week helps with muscle stregnth and tone and that core stregnth training is great too.

Even though its technically a bike, I like taking spin classes a couple of mornings a week too.

 

[roxy12]

Well I just brave the winter weather but i also do 2-3 weight sessions per week.

Includeing various upper body exercises (chess press, tricep drops, chin ups, bicep/chest curl, 180 push ups and swiss ball crunches)

as well as lower body training (lunges, squats, hovers, walking lunges etc)

Do stair running twice per week, and some cross trainer work when i can be botherd.

do at least 2 xc rides dureing the week, plus one on the weekend, and dh the other day, or both depending on whats happening.

think thats it!

 

[MMelissa]

You must be one fit grrrl!

Stair running is a good one!! That'd be great for the leg stregnth.

You're lucky you can ride during the week during winter. I am not afraid of the cold, its just dark until 30 mins before I leave home in the morning and dark when I leave work. Looking forward to the longer days again!

 

[peep]

Darn winter - so little daylight!

I commute about 8k a day on my do-everything bike, but its not enough to keep the fitness level up. Running is great for cardio and stamina - stops my legs from burning half way down a track. I have been doing some core strength excercises as well which are awesome for keeping fitness levels up, not to mention helping with my puny upper body strength

Having a dog as a personal trainer helps too - I can't deal with the guilt trip if I dont go out!

 

[roxy12]

Darn winter - so little daylight!

I commute about 8k a day on my do-everything bike, but its not enough to keep the fitness level up. Running is great for cardio and stamina - stops my legs from burning half way down a track. I have been doing some core strength excercises as well which are awesome for keeping fitness levels up, not to mention helping with my puny upper body strength

Having a dog as a personal trainer helps too - I can't deal with the guilt trip if I dont go out!

haha I second that, my dogs a monster, people alwaays laugh at me when walking her as im always being dragged behind.

 

[MMelissa]

*note to self - get dog*

Its on the agenda as soon as I stop renting... which will be soon hopefully

 

[TerraNik]

I run... run.. and run some more!! I also do weights for my upper body. It's not necessarily to help with my mtn biking though - just something I also enjoy doing.

 

[yakinAway]

Hmmm
I have been slack at the mo but usually I:

• ride to uni and back each day (12km ish return with about 50% uphill)
• bike 2-3 times a week with mates (XC, BMX, Skate park, URBAN and DH)
• try to get 1 night ride in usually a extreme BMX or a fun easy DH run
• I go to the gym 3 times a week (the usual wights, carsio and Upper and lower body)
• I swim at the pool as much as possible
• and walk heaps to (usually 30+ mins each day x 2)

oh n this is in NZ in dunedin where it freezes in winter and snows... mmmm snow racing soon

 

[yakinAway]

I run... run.. and run some more!! I also do weights for my upper body. It's not necessarily to help with my mtn biking though - just something I also enjoy doing.

hmmm running and me don't agree.... your a nut NIK

 

[SCF]

You must be one fit grrrl!

Stair running is a good one!! That'd be great for the leg stregnth.

You're lucky you can ride during the week during winter. I am not afraid of the cold, its just dark until 30 mins before I leave home in the morning and dark when I leave work. Looking forward to the longer days again!

You need some lights girl!, night riding is great fun and improves the skills IMHO.

Come to think of it I need some new lights so I can head out on the night rides again too!.

 

[roxy12]

You need some lights girl!, night riding is great fun and improves the skills IMHO.

Come to think of it I need some new lights so I can head out on the night rides again too!.

agreed, i think its because the track completely changes at night, you have o be on full alert and your reactions become faster.

Im investing in some HID's i was blinded after a group of approaching cyclists forced us off the track because we couldnt see anything last night!

 

[SCF]

Yes indeed some HID's would be nice!

 

[MTB-ChiK]

hmmm running and me don't agree.... your a nut NIK

Likewise. Last year I took up my childhood sport of soccer again... man did i find out how unfit I was. Climbing sand dunes helps the strength in my knees & legs, which in turn makes the 'pushing up' the DH trail a bit more bearable! Other than that I'm just too lazy to work out.... Bad I know Age has gotten to me, LOL

 

[TerraNik]

Yah, I run because I am so unfit! Well, not so much anymore, but before I could only run for about 1 minute before feeling like I was going to die! So you can imagine how that impacted on my riding!!!!!!! Just LOOKING at a hill made me short of breath!

Now after 4 weeks of running I can go for 15 minutes non-stop and probably longer if I really wanted! I am trying to build up my endurance very slowly and hopefully it'll make me fitter on the bike, too!

 

[mega hurtz]

I row for school, so eight trainings a week, waking up at 4 every morning monday to friday then three afternon trainings as well. Each is three hours long. Three weight sessions, one session on the water at the moment (too cold to do any more) and four cardio sessions, which involve running, urgs, pushups, crunches, etc. and 10 minutes of streches before and after each session.
but i still have the bum i put on last term :'(

 

[raquellish]

im struggling with the keeping fit as well, but so far im riding every day, and as of monday ill be back to going to the gym as well, some rock climbing for strength training and swimming because it exhausts me and im trying to build endurance and strengthen my lungs......as for the night riding i just got an HID light and am keen to check out some riding.

Actually is there anyone in canberra who feels like a ride at sparrow hill, like now or this afternoon?

 

[Lizardskin]

I row for school, so eight trainings a week, waking up at 4 every morning monday to friday then three afternon trainings as well. Each is three hours long. Three weight sessions, one session on the water at the moment (too cold to do any more) and four cardio sessions, which involve running, urgs, pushups, crunches, etc. and 10 minutes of streches before and after each session.
but i still have the bum i put on last term :'(

Jesus, how do you get anything else done! (except sleep).

 

[MMelissa]

I'm feeling kinda lazy when I read all these posts!

 

[mcray]

Last year I decided to get into running from the recommendation of my physio. Her advice was 20mins running up hills can equal 2hrs riding up hills.... this was my incentive to get my wobbling bum in gear.

I know she is a very fit triathlete, so I'm sure her advice would apply to road riding, which I really can't comment on as I don't own a rode bike and with the exception of commuting don't do. So I'm thinking her theory has merit but.... I'm sure she would change her mind in a hurry if she rode around Mogo last weekend.

It maybe me put I found it tough all the climbing on the Saturday and Sunday races and I only did the 50k on Sunday; clearly I need to keep working off my bum wobble!

 

[yo mama]

i try and do a variety of activities. it is so tempting with a car to drive everywhere but driving somewhere where you could ride is a start.

i love running and that seems to be really good at getting the legs strong and the fitness up. surfing is great because it works your upper body and core and also helps your balance and stability.

if you go to the gym try and use a swiss ball for some of you excercises. for instance kneel on the swiss ball and do overhead pressess with dumbells.

swimming is good and it is also nice since it is non weight-bearing it gives you a workout while giving your body a bit of a rest.

other than that squats, lunges, push-ups, sit-ups....