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I used to get tired legs when descending, doing squats solved it surprisingly quickly for me.
I used to get tired legs when descending, doing squats solved it surprisingly quickly for me.
There’s hope for me yet then!
joebristol
If I hammer too much rocky stuff on the hardtail my right foot hurts – I injured it last year somehow (suspect trying to smash round Cwmcarn on the hardtail with xc spds and shoes on) and it’s not been quite the same since so I just need to balance that.
I'm the same pedalling with my knee... its kinda unpredicatable in that I can go and do 50k and not have much pain next day or I've set off bailed in the first 500m and then been in pain. I have at least narrowed it down to hard seated climbing...
A bit totally opposite in some ways especially since its uphill, seated and pedalling and I can mitigate it wearing clips but I get what you mean by balancing it.
Yeah it gets sore if I hammer too much rocky stuff at speed on the hardtail. I reckon I might have fractured a bone and it’s gradually repaired but it can aggravate it. I’ve ditched those pedals now so I’m not tempted to try them. I’ve got Nukeproof horizon clipless and Nano Evo flats and they are both more supportive.
Yeah it gets sore if I hammer too much rocky stuff at speed on the hardtail. I reckon I might have fractured a bone and it’s gradually repaired but it can aggravate it.
Not sure what the answer is but worth considering if this is what's up with the descending>
Are you favouring the other ankle because of this ???
Just sayin as something for you to consider - I fractured an ankle on a tiny drop - no idea how it just went crack audibly - luckily I guess it bothers me walking but not riding but might be worth seeing if you can get it checked??
I’ve ditched those pedals now so I’m not tempted to try them. I’ve got Nukeproof horizon clipless and Nano Evo flats and they are both more supportive.
I'm a big Nano/supportive fan (even though I'm only size 8 .. I'd have some Vaults but £££ and I'd need 3/4 sets) .. but clips I use the CB DH pedals (HT) or CB Enduro (on the XC bike mainly) ... took advice on here and went for the most supportive "feels like a flat" I could get and glad I did.
Another retrospective bonus really... I went with clips as most of my mates are on FS and local trails have a lot of "up-down-mid-gnar" by which I mean rooty enough to bounce the back wheel about but still needs to be pedalled hard.
TBH the clips still scare the daylights out of me (5 mo in) on bigger jumps and drops so the pedals get changed over for spicy stuff then I have to be extra careful with my knee climbing.
Funny thing is everyone I assumes I put the clips on for "pedalling efficiency" but the result is pretty much the opposite.. instead of using the most powerful part of the stroke I pull it round so I lose efficiency rather than gain it.
Body position has been mentioned but I've found it's not so much being 'weight back' that is the issue but more weight too low. I would always resort to a crouched ,'having a sh*t' position when things got steeper/, faster until someone told me to stand up a bit more. It made a massive difference to back leg burn. Work on your core (planks) to keep that position strong.
I find this can be as simple as a relaxation thing.
I normally get a bit of the old leg burn* on my first long descent.
Then once I've relaxed into things I'm ok for the rest of the day.
Well at least until I'm done and start feeling cramp creeping in.
*Always my right trailing leg.
Body position has been mentioned but I’ve found it’s not so much being ‘weight back’ that is the issue but more weight too low. I would always resort to a crouched ,’having a sh*t’ position when things got steeper/, faster until someone told me to stand up a bit more. It made a massive difference to back leg burn. Work on your core (planks) to keep that position strong.
That’s quite interesting - when being coached I’ve been told to keep some bend in the elbow / get low over the middle of the bike on tricky steep stuff. I guess that puts more strain on your upper legs. I feel way more in control of the bike in that position though. Perhaps I could stand up a bit taller on less tech stuff to ease the pressure on my legs a bit.
I find this can be as simple as a relaxation thing.
I normally get a bit of the old leg burn* on my first long descent.
Then once I’ve relaxed into things I’m ok for the rest of the day.
Well at least until I’m done and start feeling cramp creeping in.
*Always my right trailing leg.
Not sure on this - could be a bit I suppose. Last night I got a little bit just on one trail - the whole rest of the time I was fine. Although the descents were only just over a minute long in some local woods. I was seeking out some pbs (which I got on almost every descent) and pushing quite hard and some of the sections have cut up quite a lot with braking bumps - about 2/3rds of the way down I had to stand up tall to relieve a bit of tension / burn before attacking the rest of the trail.
My legs were a bit tired at the start though from leg weights Sunday / 5km run monday - I had a rest day Tuesday on the leg front (just did back / biceps weight training) - and a sweet spot turbo 45 min session Wednesday. Today is a total rest day from anything.
That’s quite interesting – when being coached I’ve been told to keep some bend in the elbow / get low over the middle of the bike on tricky steep stuff. I guess that puts more strain on your upper legs. I feel way more in control of the bike in that position though. Perhaps I could stand up a bit taller on less tech stuff to ease the pressure on my legs a bit.
I think bikenski is talking about straightening your legs a bit, not your arms. The natural fear response on a bike tends to been straight arms and bent legs, when what you really want to do it bend your arms and straighten (but not fully lock out) your legs.
I think there’s something in leg position - I did about 1000m of climbing and descending at Cwmcarn / Risca today. I found I do sit down / back a bit sometimes - especially at speed. Made the effort to stand up a bit straighter in the legs a few times and it eased the burn a bit. Going to keep concentrating on this as well as smashing out some extra leg weight training and running. Hopefully I’ll get to a good place for the end of June mtb trip 👌
Ben Cathro does a good video on body position. Around 5min20 is really useful.
Takes a while to get used to it if you're used to being low at the back, but it does mean that, with only a slight bend in the knees, that your legs are in the most effective position for suspension.
For lifts I would have said focus on deadlifts (a must, will strengthen legs, back and glutes) and back squats (less quad dominant + back squat will strengthen more of the posterior chain, plus more similar to bike position) primarily and then mix in good mornings, Romanian deads, hip thrusts, lunges and step ups. Would also do classic kettlebell swings (hip thrust not squat) and planks. Maybe some explosive exercises if you want to train explosive power, but I don't think that will really help with fatigue.
Wouldn't bother with calf raises, they will be worked sufficiently with the other exercises and shouldn't be a limiting factor anyway. Also wouldn't bother going over 8 reps for most exercises - strength is built with heavier weights and lower reps, endurance is built on the bike. Could do more reps with things like lunges, step ups and kettlebell swings however.