Video: Lower Body Fitness Fundamentals for Safe & Effective Training
In this 3 part series we take a look at fitness fundamentals for mountain bike riders and how understanding the basics of training your lower body will let you progress you as a rider and move safely whilst training well. Each video has the best tips for each level of rider with some options on reps and sets to get you started on your training journey.
PART 1 – BEGINNER
In part 1 we look at some simple and effective movements to really enhance your riding strength whilst using very little equipment, or in most cases, just body weight. Master the basics of these and you’ll be on the way to getting fitter, stronger, and faster.
PART 2 – INTERMEDIATE
let’s take things up a notch and increase the load on the movements from part 1. Increased load has obvious benefits, strength and power building… which will only compliment your riding long term.
PART 3 – ADVANCED
Part 3, top of the tree! We show you what to and what not to do (as in the thumbnail with a bad deadlift) to make the absolute most out of your training through training your lower body.
As with all training, we always stress the safety of the movements, good movement is always better than poor movement with a lot of the weight, so always remember to keep it safe, leave the ego at the door, and have a friend spot you if you can!
Take a look at our website for more awesome free workouts for mountain bikers - Fit4Racing
PART 1 – BEGINNER
In part 1 we look at some simple and effective movements to really enhance your riding strength whilst using very little equipment, or in most cases, just body weight. Master the basics of these and you’ll be on the way to getting fitter, stronger, and faster.
PART 2 – INTERMEDIATE
let’s take things up a notch and increase the load on the movements from part 1. Increased load has obvious benefits, strength and power building… which will only compliment your riding long term.
PART 3 – ADVANCED
Part 3, top of the tree! We show you what to and what not to do (as in the thumbnail with a bad deadlift) to make the absolute most out of your training through training your lower body.
As with all training, we always stress the safety of the movements, good movement is always better than poor movement with a lot of the weight, so always remember to keep it safe, leave the ego at the door, and have a friend spot you if you can!
Take a look at our website for more awesome free workouts for mountain bikers - Fit4Racing
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There's only a small bang for your buck in strengthening your hip extension in the sagittal plane when you're lying on your back, because the hip extensors have to decelerate both top down (upper body rotating forward towards the bars) and bottom up (posterior rotation of the thigh bone -knees coming up toward body).
Consider with this in mind, that half of ones weight is in the top half, and you can see that this bridge exercise leaves beginners with only half the neuro muscular stimulation and adaptation.
Better to practice the hinge and squat shapes which feel a lot more like standing on pedals.
The bridge is a beginner movement for those who aren’t confident in the hinge yet, as described in the video. It is an entry level movement with little to no risk.
We hope people choose the appropriate movements for themselves over all 3 videos.
Remember bones move, joints feel, muscles react.
Squatting with a heavy weight on my back is not functionally specific - yet for some reason all Pro XC / Enduro riders train that movement.
How is a squat not functionally specific to cycling?
Not all true beginners have no idea what a hinge is - it's impossible to say that (like saying there are no black swans - you can't prove that until you find a black swan), they probably just don't know it's called that.
Videos are tiring enough!!
@hardtailhowie: So how do you take an impact. Straight legs and puncture instead of helping out?
I'm not saying hinging is wrong just that you're talking about a completely different thing.