Not sure where to start really – but I’ve decided I want build some more upper body strength in general, grip strength, cardiovascular fitness based on short sharp springs, core strength, thigh strength for reducing fatigue on long downhill runs and neck strength to perhaps reduce rotational forces to the brain and lessen the chance of a cervical injury during a crash?

I want to be able to get more out of my weekend rides away and generally bounce a bit more instead of winding up a crumpled heap.

Any advice would be appreciated, and yes, I know how to crash. 😛

I want to be able to get more out of my weekend

They going out on a Friday night.

To knackered from work these days to be drinking, will ruin my weekends. I’d rather ruin my work days with a hangover. 😆

Kind of tired of going out anyway, too many people in cities and I spend all day around bloody people at work.

Also, best forum user name…ever.

Some good info here;
http://simonchilcott.com/2015/07/24/performance-training-design-your-own-program/

Cheers Wrecker. Gwins build seems to be purpose built for MX and Downhill (scurries off to google Gwins training regime).

Smash it, pump it, you know you’ve still got it….and then have to be carried from your bed by your younger, fitter brother in a crumpled state to a warm bath so that you can return to your normal standing, functional
state.

Or take your time

Do a few circuit classes to begin with; pressups, shoulder presses etc. Get some bodylastics bands for when you cannot get to the gym. Then pullups etc at the gym

Big compound exercises…they’re tough but will achieve the required results quicker than anything else…

Dead Lift
Squat
Bench Press
Military Press
Pull Up

Get your form right from the get go, loads of workouts online of how to mix and match these exercises and load of vids on You Tube to show you the move and correct form.

Forget isolated moves they’re just for show not building the solid core strength you desire.

Watching youtube vids to observe form seconded. I’d suggest doing core training along with free weights (not machines). Don’t get sucked into the macho BS and push too hard too early. I’ve found doing core stuff on the matt and doing free weights (heavier, less repetitions) works for me.

start easy build up, invest in one of the books that shows you what exercises use what muscle. Like Mens Health big book of exercises – very helpful http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mens-Health-Big-Book-Exercises/dp/1905744692

take music, warm up on tread mill and rowing machine or do an hour on road first

for strength try reps of 6 to 8, 6 or 8 times gives you 36 – 68. Improves strength not bulk. Weight should be 75 – 80% of your max.

Start light, use good form not jerking. Slow controled movement improves quality of exercise.

Warm up say 15mins, then alternate arms with core etc. If you cycle a lot maybe dont bother with leg exercise. YOu shouldnt need to do more that 45mins with a break of 2 to 3 days between sessions

I’ve been doing more basics like pull ups and squats at home but I’m a little worried that if I hit the gym and I don’t work hard on my cardio as well, I’ll just end up with bigger forearms that will end up causing compartment syndrome.

Cheers for the posts :), lots of useful info! 🙂

I’d quite like to find a nice balance between mass and strength as well, the more mass I pile on the bigger the head injury is going to be if I hit a tree. I don’t want to pile on needless pounds – basically sensible and well thought out gains with biking in mind.

or strength try reps of 6 to 8, 6 or 8 times gives you 36 – 68. Improves strength not bulk.

Tom_W1987 try this for exercise, strength not bulk.

I often do a quick hour on the road, then warm up in gym 10 – 15 mins then 35 – 45 min gym exercise is a good overal workout.

Don’t panic you won’t become Arnie over the matter of a few months!! 😉

ha ha ha, dont foget to buy one of those supplement drink bottles, fingerless gloves, vest

Avoid joining gyms after Xmas – their packed until about mid Jan 😀

For building strength and addressing weaknesses without adding too much bulk google Dan Johns ‘Even Easier Strength’ or Weidler 5-3-1. Both are good programs and don’t beat you up too much and detract from your riding. With Even easier strength you are supposed to take 5 minutes in between sets of the main lifts, the is where you do all the corrective exercises or address weaknesses, so for me thats looking after separated shoulder and 2 bulging disc time and adding in anything I feel is a weakness

Ive joined and left gyms on countless occasions as I get mind-numbingly bored, but what has worked for me is group classes. I try to get in 2 or 3 a week and the time flies by compared to working out on your own.

Have a look at MTB Strength Factory on Facebook… he seems to know his shit.

go out on a friday night; pick up and carry girls between the pubs. Great core work out, plus you get to touch girls (which is the main reason for having a muscular physique anywaY).

I love strength and weights posts on STW. Funny as.

They probably look a lot like mountain bike threads on T-Nation.

Avoid joining gyms after Xmas – their packed until about mid Jan

😀

Don’t forget the post-Easter rush, either.

The exercises nwill1 recommended are great for mtb, put perhaps add some loaded carries (farmers walk) and turkish get-ups. Intervals on the bike too.

Not sure where to start really – but I’ve decided

Quite a list!

I want build some more upper body strength in general,

There are a lot of muscles in the upper body! Bench press for chest, rows for upper back, deadlift for pretty much everything.

grip strength

This is fairly easy, anything that involves lifting a heavy bar will help this, so farmers walks or deadlifts would be ideal. Any kettle bell work will also help.

, cardiovascular fitness based on short sharp springs,

High intensity intervals on a rower?

core strength,

Rather nebulous, lots of full body exercises develop your core e.g. squats, deadlifts, Kettle bell swings.

thigh strength for reducing fatigue on long downhill runs

Squats would be a good starting point. If you go for Front squats you’ll also get better core development than back squats as it’s takes a lot of extra effort of stay upright in the front rack position esp under heavy load.

and neck strength to perhaps reduce rotational forces to the brain and lessen the chance of a cervical injury during a crash?

Deadlifts will build up your traps which help support the neck. A boxer would do a lot of neck specific training using weights hanging off a head strap to build up neck strength for impact resistance.

Have you considered hiring a personal trainer? He or she would ha able to design a program for you that will meet your needs. Good for motivation too.

I love strength and weights posts on STW. Funny as.

Anything to do with actually riding on singletrack is funny. 😉

Thanks for the well considered post footflaps.

Have you considered hiring a personal trainer? He or she would ha able to design a program for you that will meet your needs. Good for motivation too.

Maybe, as there is a good, well equipped university gym with physios and trainers etc… two minutes walk from my new flat 🙂

I need some advice too…

…I’ve recently joined the gym at my local leisure centre. So how does a 47 yr old bloke avoid looking like a letch when they’re sat on the pec-deck machine and there’s a stunning young lady thrusting themselves towards you a few feet away! I don’t know where to put my eyes during that minute you wait between sets! 😀

Worth a look I have been using his programs and the improvement in fitness but also bike handling skills has been massive:

http://www.bikejames.com/

I don’t know where to put my eyes during that minute you wait between sets!

You mean like this:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwu4TwUrI-Q&list=RDdL-t_eTl0Ls&index=3[/video]

I think the thing that gets forgotten with this sort of thing is that it has to be sustainable; something you can slot into your life and keep up, continuing into older age. Obviously the diet is important and again has to be sustainable otherwise it’s worthless. No one gets massive by accident – it takes lots of food and isolation stuff which is pretty boring IMO. Calisthenics are good because you can do most stuff without a gym, though a pull up bar is always a good addition. Bands are okay and easily stashed away but they’re not quite the same as lifting weights, instead the movements become progressive as the band stretches.

Skipping is always good for improving stamina – my recent favourite addition to my workout.

Don’t forget to warm up to avoid injury. A bit of yoga – downward and upward dog etc. would be a good start as are a few warm up movements for your shoulders if you intend doing lots of heavy presses. Pay attention to form or you’ll regret it later. Don’t push through injury if it’s severe – it won’t get better*.

They probably look a lot like mountain bike threads on T-Nation.

I chuckled at that. I stumbled across T-Nation a few months back – it’s all a bit too inflated for my liking; must be a right pain to lug about when, say, crossing a road at speed, though it probably wouldn’t matter if a car hit you as it’d end up worse off… 😉

*I write that but have recently improved an injury by using an agonistic approach – a pike press to heal a shoulder/elbow injury.

I chuckled at that. I stumbled across T-Nation a few months back – it’s all a bit too inflated for my liking; must be a right pain to lug about when, say, crossing a road at speed, though it probably wouldn’t matter if a car hit you as it’d end up worse off…

I chuckled at this! A lot of those guys/girls are at the extreme end of things – agreed.

This is my way of thinking about it: Mountain bike magazines are full of stories, training advice, etc, from pro’s who’s skills and ability are freaklike compared to the average rider. Most people don’t have the will and ability to take it that far, but doesn’t make it bad advice.

For sure. Both pro cyclist and pro bodybuilders have muscles in places I don’t even have places.

But derailing this thread a little further… My mind keeps wandering back to my initial thoughts of some of the potential threads on the TN forum concerning bikes and stuff, as inspired by your wonderful analogy…

Brand new frame cracked at seat tube/top tube just by looking at it. by High Pains Lifter

Cranks that don’t snap after three rides – what’s available? by Large Calfuker

Frame snapped…again! by Ti Kneepenis

Which tyres for a growing lad at 330lbs? by Sulkin’ Hulk

Does anyone make a cutaway saddle with solid titanium rails? by Rectal Prolapse

…and so on.

Best camelbak for protein shakes?

will cycling kill my gainz?

Best sleeveless cycling top?

Gaggia or aeropress?

Some things are a universal language.

Oh, and on the weights thing…

One thing I’ve learnt over the years?

Everything works.

Some work better, some less, but if you’re lifting big lumps of iron up in various ways, everything works.

Consistency, hard work and progression are bigger hurdles than the specific programme.

They all work. Do one. See how it was. Do another. Eat protein. Repeat.

I need some advice too…

…I’ve recently joined the gym at my local leisure centre. So how does a 47 yr old bloke avoid looking like a letch when they’re sat on the pec-deck machine and there’s a stunning young lady thrusting themselves towards you a few feet away! I don’t know where to put my eyes during that minute you wait between sets!

Well if your anything like Me, I just go into a daydream and find myself zoned out into the lady’s body parts. The embarrassing bit is when another lady has to nudge you out if the way when you are in a circuit class as you have not heard the Personal Trainer telling you to move on…….

I go to the 9.30 am class which is full of lady’s having just done the School run. The owner of the Gym calls it the ” cougar class ” 😀

Ive joined and left gyms on countless occasions as I get mind-numbingly bored, but what has worked for me is group classes. I try to get in 2 or 3 a week and the time flies by compared to working out on your own.

This. It’s hard to find decent classes sometimes – branded classes (eg Let Mills Grit) do at least have to justify their cost so work you hard. General gym classes depend on the instructor. If you’re in Sheffield The Fitness Club is excellent, but be prepared to hurt.

There’s also a huge difference between the same class in the same gym but with different instructors – spinning with a good monitor is an excellent workout, but with a crap one is a waste of time. Apart from time spent letching the eye candy, of course 😈