vino7peter

I don't care how light a helmet is. How much protection can a super light helmet offer? Maybe its just marketing hype, but I like the MIPS technology that POC and Scott offer.

James Wilson has an amazing youtube channel which shows almost all the exercises I listed. He also has many of the shoulder exercises I had in mind. http://www.youtube.com/user/mtbstrengthcoach James, seriously..that channel is an absolute gem to the MTB community. Thanks

To wrap up the lower body: Always remember, we want to keep the muscles opposite to one another in the ratio they were meant to be. Ex: Quad vs. hammy. Your strength gains are limited if you ignore this basic rule, and your path to injury is an abbreviated one. Balance is also key. Invest in a wobble board, BOSU ball, or maybe even get into slacklining. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2257099706867686425# I may write about upper body latter if people request it. Much more complicated area to explain, the scapula is an amazing piece of our anatomy and has to be fully understood. Thanks for reading..hope the info was easy to understand. -Pete A.

Hamstrings: To achieve balance in reference to overly developed quad muscles, and to align the pelvis. A strong hamstring will also prevent certain knee, hip, and lower back conditions from arising. Lets also remember the quads can only grow in proportion to the hamstring, so no matter how much squatting you do, your quads will only get so far. Note: The following exercises are body weight. A common misconception is "body weight exercises wont make me stronger, but will just increase muscle endurance". WRONG. They are a great way to make strength gains in a safe and effective manner. 1) Swiss Ball Hamstring Exercises. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czf-1snzG2c One of the most neglected: Hip/Leg Abductors + Adductors: Cycling is a "single plane" activity. Ignoring the muscles which control sideways movements (like running sideways or the side to side agility ladders rugby/football players use) will open one up to certain hip, lower back, and knee problems. A strong hip will facilitate proper direction to the forces we endure while cycling. This translates to less degenerative action over the years. The hip muscles are smaller than the larger leg muscles, and if they lack stamina, no benefit will come from the extra leg training you do. Ex: If you find that during long climbs, your hip muscles tire out before your legs, building your abductors would be very beneficial to improve stamina. 1) Monster Walks (Abduction) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dOzNG6keS8&feature=related 2) Adduction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQqRq4hVP9w

James, Great ideas and clear explanations. And in response to Rob B...I think James made it pretty clear the exercises shown are intended to improve awareness while riding. They are great exercises for that. Rob!..I do agree with you about the injury prevention component of cross training, very much so. These exercises, other than the inverted rows and lateral fallout, don't train the muscles which are IGNORED/seldom used in cycling. Just as your stepfather has told you, training the muscles that are secondary to the primary muscles used in cycling is the ultimate training component. Keeping that in mind, during the cycling season and throughout your off season, incorporate these muscle groups/exercises into your routine: Starting w/ CORE/TRUNK: in order to build a stable base. 1) Planks- dont allow your lower back to sag down beyond its normal curvature! Always draw in your abdomen muscles to help support your lower back. This will ensure you are not placing unnecessary strain on the lumbar region. Hold for 15-30 seconds, maintaining that drawn in and flexed abdominal position. FYI- your friend who claims he/she can do a 3 min. plank is most likely not doing it correctly. Pelvic Tilts- an overly easy exercise, but thats not the point. The point is gaining awareness of pelvic rotation when doing exercises like the plank. This exercise is about learning how to engage the transverse abdominis (which can be applied to the plank) as well as building the neuromuscular connection with the pelvic floor muscles. Training these muscles is not about building them up, but gaining an understanding of how they operate so they can be utilized for stabilization. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN80hWJ7Au4&feature=related 3) Obliques on a Swiss Ball aka Side Bend http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XHzwSxn5V4 Look Down v v