MTB Specific vs. The Crossfit Swing
By now almost every rider I talk to has seen or heard of kettlebell training. Even if they don't know the name everyone recognizes the funny looking weight that looks like a bowling ball with a handle welded to it from shows like The Biggest Loser. Heck, even Lance Armstrong has been pictured doing swings with a kettlebell and you can find them for sale in Wal-Mart.
However, while they get more popular I have also noticed some trends that show the potential dark side of kettlebell training as well.
First, I love training with kettlebells. It doesn't take long poking around on my site to figure that out and anyone who has been to my facility knows that I have more kettlebells than dumbbells. The unique benefits you get from them and the training methods used with them has really helped my riding and, through my MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Program, hundreds of other riders as well.
Problems arise, though, when you have mountain bikers following programs that are created by trainers who don't understand the movements behind the exercises and instead simply use kettlebell training to burn calories or build "work capacity". When you have someone who is just trying to lose fat or get in shape it doesn't matter as much how they move, they just need to move a lot. You end up becoming "fitter" in the gym (i.e. better at the workouts) but not much faster on the trail, which isn't the point of training.
As a mountain biker you need to make sure that you are doing each exercise in a way that will maximally transfer over to the movement patterns you need on your bike. Knowing what movements you are trying to train and how they are going to help you is the real key to lasting improvements. You need a program that addresses these movement needs in a systematic manner so that you can ride faster, longer and with more confidence on the trail.
In my experience, nothing exemplifies this more than using a "squatty" swing. The swing, when used correctly, is one of the most valuable exercises you can do as a rider…but only if you understand and practice how it applies to the bike.
On the bike proper body position hinges on your ability to minimize how much the knees bend and maximize the bend at the hips. In other words, instead of moving your center of gravity (a.k.a. your butt) up and down you need to learn how to move it forwards and backwards. This forward-backward movement and projection of energy keeps you balanced on the bike and sets you up better to bunny hop and manual your bike.
This is important to know because the swing should train this forward-backward movement, not an up-down movement commonly being passed off as a swing. If you "squat" your swings then you are simply reinforcing that movement habit and it is what you will apply to your bike as well. How you ride is simply an extension of how you train and how you want to move on the bike needs to be the focus of your training, not "work capacity"…whatever the hell that means anyways.
In this video I show you some of the common mistakes I see riders make, including the infamous "Crossfit Swing", and explain why doing your kettlebell swings that way will ultimately hold you back on the trail. I'll then show you a couple of swing fixes you can use to dial your swing in so it will give you maximum transfer to the trail.
-James Wilson-
MTB Strength Training Systems is the world leader in integrated performance training programs for the unique demands of mountain biking. As the strength and conditioning coach for World Cup Teams and 3 National Championships, his programs have been proven at the highest levels. James has helped thousands of riders just like you improve their speed, endurance and skills on the trail. Visit www.bikejames.com to sign up for the free Trail Rider Fundamentals Video Mini-Course.
Author Info:
Member since Feb 3, 2009
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
You're dumb
What you crossfit fanatics do not understand is that training isn't a "one size fits all" type of thing.
Crossfiters like what they do why do you hate on them?
In all honesty, whatever gets you fit is a good thing, but obsession, breeding competition, breeding injury simply isn't healthy.
Crossfit as a supplement to sports training is all well and good in theory.. but the core mentality of crossfitters doesn't really apply to that goal..
heaven forbid you might not want to join the caveman/paleo revolution either and you'll be cast out and tarred with feathers.
I've seen some excellent and fast results from friends at crossfit.. but I've also seen injury as a result as well as significant plateauing of improvement as well as members getting pushed into exercises/intensities that they simply should not be 'encouraged' into... but that's the cult mentality that you simply can't escape...
Training in a gym is still compliments it greatly though.
Also, anybody who trains will tell you that as you get tired and the clock is ticking (and your ego kicks in) even if you know how to do a textbook deadlift or whatever else, your form WILL go through the window.
By the way, intensity, in training terms, is how heavy (percentage) you lift compared to your 1rm. High intensity work is usually above 70%+ and needless to say, you do not achieve many reps at that level.
You're talking about volume which is "reps x load".
Ideally, everyone would focus on perfect form and then go for weight and speed, which is how I approach my WOD, but the truth is that people get focused on the wrong thing and let that fall to the wayside. Ideally, every mountain-biker should be able to trackstand as it's fundamentally how we balance on our bikes, but how many riders do you know that can't do that?
Add movements that require decades to master in a speed based competition setting... Recipe for injury. That's my main beef with crossfit.
who, by the way, can do more strict pullups than you.
Never went into a crossfit box because they charge 4x the price of a regular box around here. Quite a rip off considering everything you need is available in pretty much any other gym. Quite frankly, I have enough motivation on my own so I don't feel the need to be "part of something" to get the weights off the ground. Any serious weightlifter will tell you that you need to check your ego at the door if you want to get anywhere in the weightlifting game and I tend to agree with that so the whole competition vibe is not appealing to me. I actually stopped because I thought it was boring as hell and yielded very little results in the areas I was looking for.
You tell me that it isn't about competition and you end your post saying that your wife can do more pull ups than me... Do you even think before you type? Even if she does, what do I care anyway? Since when pull ups are a measure of anything? I probably can deadlift, squat, bench, row and shoulder press more than she does. Ride DH better too while we're at it! I also do muay thai and BJJ so I could probably beat the shit out of her if I wanted. Who cares? Congratulations on those sweet strict pull ups I guess. Keep up the good work!
Go work on some land for a few months running a chainsaw, hauling wood, running a shovel etc... (Better yet build some trail while you're at it.) best "cross fit" work out in the world and it doesn't cost a dime.
You don't think your bike seeming lighter and your body moving better would help you have more fun when riding?
We project the fun of riding on the gear that gets us there. Why not project the fun of riding on the training to achieve the same?
In both cases (or any other movement), the key to back safety is to keep your back straight, not which muscle you use.
.... and boy does it ever get boring if you do the same exercise program every day! (not to mention you only focus on certain muscles and neglect others.) Thank you James for posting these and adding variety to my exercise regimes.