Has anyone of experience got a good plan recommendation for strength & core improvement I can refer to for MTB riding and racing please?
Also, I’d like to know if I need to suck up the cost of a local non-chain Gym for the correct equipment, or I can adequately use the 2 x 16kg Kettlebells I already have and see improvements.
Thanks
BikeJames has lots of good KB workouts with an MTB based purpose. The most effective workout programme is one you'll do consistently.
“The most effective workout programme is one you’ll do consistently.”
This! If you can exercise at home without distractions or interference getting in the way, then the home will be fine. It doesn’t work for me at this point in my life.
I am not an expert.
But I have added some overall conditioning/strength exercises to my routine lately. I mix up core, upperbody and legs, with 2 x 10kg Dumbells, and spend 15 minutes a day for 5 days a week. I also do some bodyweight exercises - like pull-ups, push-ups, crunches etc... All done at home in gaps between daily life.
I have seen plenty of change and improvement in the last 1-2 years.
Consistency is key and I think those 2 x 16kg Kettlebells will be fine.
Awesome thanks, as I suspected the KB's and suggested workouts work for me because yes, working out from home is less of a commitment and also I spend time in Hotels for work, so I can stick those in the car and use some dead time in a Hotel room.
It's been a while, so I can start immediately with a single 12KG which I also have and work the form back up, eventually incorporating both 16kg as a hinged deadlift for example
Not MTB specific but I have been using this app: https://fiit.tv/
I started doing the bodyweight ones, the bought a couple of dumbells. I'm quite enjoying it, finding it easier than planning and motivating my own workouts.
Mick
One of the most effective core strength exercises is a hollow body hold, requires zero equipment....
Looks so easy, yet it's really not..
5 x 1min holds fully extended would be a good target.
Once you master that, try the Baby Shark Ab routine..
Other, highly irritating songs are available 😉
If you can get past the macho title and writing style then the 'simple and sinister' programme by Pavel Tsatsouline is really good. It is very quick to complete a workout, offers progression, is simple (hence the name), trains the basic movement patterns and produces 'what the hell?' type responses when you follow it for a while (which is the 'sinister' bit). For example, I did nothing but this for a few months then easily broke my leg press personal best when I did go to a gym.
It really is very basic but provides a great foundation for strength and mobility.
Recently came across a video about better options than hollow body holds (there's always someone shouting STOP DOING THIS isn't there?)
Planks aren't a bad place to start as part of a warm up. I started with 30s hold time for each of, 1 x long front plank (hands out in front far enough that 30s is a challenge). 2 x Side plank with leg raises, 1 x front plank tapping shoulders with alternating hands. Some sessions with straight arms hands on floor, some on bent arms forearms on floor. Engage core, squeeze glutes, remain straight, push into floor, you're a plank act like one! Straight arms planks make it slightly easier on the core, bent arm planks make it slightly easier on the shoulders/arms. Or elevate your feet to get more for the core with straight arm planks. I found side planks with leg raises really difficult to begin with, struggled to even get a single leg raise when I began due to inability to remain stable and feeling like the other leg would collapse.
Google Doug McGuff’s ‘body by science’ it’s hard though. Only 12 mins a week, since recovery is vital. Doug represented the US in BMX so it does work for riding.
You’ll be totally knackered the first few weeks.
5 exercises. “The big 5”
90 sec. each (to momentary failure)
Experience -
I doubled my leg press in the first 10 weeks (so that’s 15 min total of time under load). I’d consider that to be an amazing result.
As it’s superslow it’s really hard to get injured - which can’t be said for chucking about kettlebells. (They can be effective but also risky).
Worth looking at the Congruent Exercise protocol of Bill DeSimone to keep the movements safe.
Ps. There is an isometric (no weights) version - Doug did a video.
Goof grief, I just completed the CRC 20 mins "KB for Cyclists" workout with 12KG. I found it very hard with a 8/10 failure on a reverse left leg lunge, going to be a while getting used to it and gaining some strength.