It’s Uncommon, But the ‘5 Muscle’ Hierarchy Builds the Perfect MTB Body (Riders 35+)
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- Getting fit for Mountainbiking is hard. This video keeps you from wasting years doing the wrong thing.
Mountain biking is more than just weights, stretching, and cardio.
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What is the area you want to improve in the most?
Core & legs
I'm a 45-year-old man from Sweden, trained in calisthenics for 5-6 years with gymnastic rings.
My grip strength is probably my greatest asset; I train it extensively. Currently, I'm engaged in a fierce battle of masculinity against my 25-year-old nephew to be the first to crush a walnut with my own manly fist, cheered on by invisible women with silent cheers. My chances of winning are slim, but the glory of trying is enough.
I'm new to mountain biking, having only done it for 2 years, mostly focusing on trail riding with some easy downhill once a week. I also have short sessions trying to learn track stands and similar skills.
My weaknesses:
FOCUS:
I've spent more time writing this than watching videos that could teach me something. Perhaps I'm harmlessly narcissistic, torturing people with text in hopes of gaining obscure internet glory in a smallish community. So, my focus may be lacking, but I build self-worth with text, and now I can pretend I'm important. Fellow narcissists, remember to like your own comments to show confidence.
EXPLOSIVENESS, POWER, SPEED:
I struggle with explosiveness. I can't recruit muscles quickly enough. I can do it once, like bunny hopping one obstacle, but I lose too much power to do another directly after. In my youth, I could probably do three in a row with most of my power. I either lack strength or just skill. My power endurance is lacking.
CORE:
Even though I can do L-sits and stuff, it doesn't help me much as I usually trained with my legs dead rigid, often straight, as in gymnastics practice. So, it doesn't help with mountain biking.
MBA suggestions with horse stance exercises have improved my skill training. This has led me to reevaluate what would help me in mountain biking. As a beginner, I've realized I don't know what will help, and I don't have time to try it all out for myself.
Improvements:
Yesterday, I slowly rolled down a 5-second, 45-degree slope that ended with a small fallen log, a transition that can send me over the handlebars. I could use my full body as a unit and get the front wheel to smoothly go over the log. It felt like I could control the bike instead of jerking it. Currently, this is the hardest section I encounter on my rides. However, I think a 10-second slope of this would make me crash, as I believe that is my limit.
Before, as mentioned in an earlier video from MBA, all my stabilizer muscles were just working together with my other big muscles to maintain a decent but rigid form. Also, I had to explode more to get the front wheel over the log in the transition. My body couldn't keep two halves together correctly. Resulting in a jarring experience, it took maximum effort to force my muscles to balance as I was too weak. It was enough to clear it, but not enough to guarantee avoiding a crash. Some might call it a risky move.
Difference in body awareness:
It's weird because when I wasn't keeping my upper/lower parts together, it felt like I did, probably because you exert so much force that you lose feeling where your body is. But now I feel like everything works like one unit. I feel the difference for me, like the handlebar and pedals were separate; now I feel like I am the connection between the handlebar and pedals. I couldn't see the difference because I had no contrast. I can now access this control, but I still have to concentrate. If I learn to do this without thinking, I think I'll take a step to leave the beginner stage.
Hahahaa the walnut comment crushed me lol
@@Sunesha I can't crush walnuts with my hands, but I like to crush apples with one hand for the same reasons you like to crush walnuts!
@@erichbachman7363 It would just be very satisfy.
I hope successive videos will include the workouts we should be doing. :)
I don't mountain bike but I do lift and skateboard and I can say this video is very well put together, especially thinking about the hierarchy. Specificity is the central principle of any athletic training but what is priority is less easy to find information about. My 'core' is strong from many years of weight training but my hip (and shoulder and ankle) mobility were complete dog shut. Improving my hip mobility has paid dividends.
Okay, so I stumbled across this video and thought I’d give it a try. I’m 47 and have been riding my whole life. Recently my riding went really down hill (no pun intended). I put this down to age and just life in general meaning I wasn’t getting out. I didn’t think working from home and sitting long hours would impact my riding. That said I tried the core exercises for just a week and on my next bike I was blown away. I was back! I felt like I was riding my bike and telling it where to go rather than the opposite. Confidence was up and when I got home and checked my Strava I had posted multiple PB’s. Some set over 5 years ago. I was sceptical but this worked for me. Thank you dude.
The secret is that it’s in your body - our natural athleticism is really a gift! Proud of you
What probably happened was you got a spike in your T levels. That made you ride faster. The working out raised your T.
How are you able to do the things talked about the video already for a week, when your comment is posted within a day of the video being posted?
Probably because they tried something from another video. I talked about some core and balance stuff in other places
Wow! I am so happy I found this video, I am only 17 but I can feel the sincerity in you. I don’t want my future to look like that so I will take your words to heart. Thank you so much for sharing you knowledge!
Epic- glad this resonated. Self leadership comes first before leading others, good work getting a head start 💪🏻
Thanks for sharing, this makes great sense.
Thanks man. I feel the truth on you, truly motivating. Men simply do not talk to other men with such candor and concern anymore. Thanks for bringing it. I'm improving by listening to you week upon week.
No doubt!
Man, I wish I only had to sit for 6 hours a day. I love this focus on mobility and core engagement. So important.
Ive always wondered what types of exercise were beneficial for MTB so I'm glad i came across this. I already have some experience in the gym but this video was useful for narrowing it down specifically. Its unfortunate that biking is mostly core (ugh) but I had some lower back pain after riding long inclines and had a PT'er tell me i have zero core. But it now makes sense as that's what glues everything together. Thanks for motivation too, I will start those early morning workouts again like i did back in college :)
I'm with you. I remember my first day of baseball practice in 6th grade. I was skinny as a twig and couldn't do a leg raise - I remember hating it haha. I had both a PT and a yogi/personal trainer tell me I had no core.
I've spent about 3 years working on it, and my PT now says I have about an average core, which is a huge improvement. I'm planning by end of this year to finally get close to a press handstand.
Just know I'm out there with ya! (won't be early morning because I take my kids to school) I usually work out mid-afternoon.
Some of the best advice in this video. Coming off a herniated disc just over a year ago I can confirm that all this is true. I came to all of these similar conclusions and prioritized building my body back up in the same way. I went from not even being able to walk to getting back on my bike and a stronger rider than I even was before. Not a single crash yet either! Subbed 🤟💪
Thanks Aaron!
Perfect balance for me racing enduro is 2-3hrs of strength training and ~6 hrs of riding per week. Most being z2 with some z4 intervals in the way of going for strava times. This keeps riding fun for me, I have a 6 pack and can pretty much eat what I want. Win win win win
Thank you for this video. As an almost-forty, former competitive powerlifter, I found the transition to be way more difficult than I would have thought. I tried applying all my knowledge of strength and conditioning to prep for each season, only to be unable to spend long hours on the bike due to discomfort and experienced many, many crashes. I thought I was going hard, but then I got strava and realized I was slowwwww. Now that I have laid off the pure strength training, lost some excess lean mass, and can spend more time on the bike, I find that I don't crash as much and can ride harder. It also has made me think differently about the type of bike I preferred as being more mobile I can rock a 120mm "xc" ish bike like a trail ninja instead of feeling like I need an enduro tank just to survive. I look forward to working on some of this stuff, because having strong parts that don't work together is super frustrating. Happy riding!
For sure! I hear this a TON from the riders in athlete accelerator (my flagship program)
Good news is you’re active, you have a goal, and you aren’t weak lol
Seriously though it can and will get better - keep at it friend
Wow, a commone sense approach to MTB workouts. Well done. Thumbs up.
I started yoga and that has helped with core strength and flexibility. 🧘♂️ 🚲
Great info and suggestions!
Glad it was helpful! Had fun making it
I’m 36, Ive ridden since I was 13, played rugby, football & on/off gym my whole life.
My main riding buddy did none of these things and is reluctant to even throw a few press ups & planks in a week.
Although I’m a faster, gnarlier rider, he crashes & hurts himself twice as often as I do.
He just spent £1500 on a Zeb & Coil, making his bike even faster 😂
So glad you've got that background. Definitely helps doesn't it?
Those whistler injury stats were scary
Aren’t they though?
Right?! I never realised how common it is to get paralyzed or worse, die from a crash.
Another great video!!
Appreciate it
Every time you said core, I listened to it in my head like marine core haha. Many older riders would benefit from kettle bell swings. Having a screwed scapula (broke it into 3 pieces), mobility is an issue, but I still manage to shred hard. Just done 15 laps at Fort William sweeping the world cup at 49 years old.
I’m 18 but this stuff is so so good. Definitely implementing this stuff In my life.
Thanks this came at the perfect time. I am 45 try to ride 1 or 2 times a week. I drive 6 - 8 hrs a day. My back is really starting to feel it due to me not activating my core.I do yoga and weight train but keep injuring my back..time to re-evaluate my training.
Man I’m glad this helps!
great info! thx you !
i find it helpful to train while watching mx/dh riding videos 😁 shoutouts to foundation training😍
Oh for sure!
I always tell people to learn how to crash. Aikido is a good sport to help you avoid injury when crashing.
AIKIDO flow 🤙🏾
I have to be careful encouraging this of course but strangely I found aikido to be helpful too!
Crashing is a skill that can be learned! Ask anyone who rides BMX or skateboards lol an opinion of mine is that clipping in can cause more severe crashes on certain instances.
I do that squat similar to you but with a large exercise ball against the wall to help support my back. I also do squats with weights and bought a balance pad. Riding has improved like if I had bought a $10k bike.
What kind of balance pad do you use? I stick to flat ground, slackline, and plyometric drills but I’m looking to get into more.
@@mountainbikeacademy AIREX. Recommended by the PT I was using when I was in rehab for a shoulder injury I encountered due to a blown Rockshox air bladder. Thank you Rockshox.
coming from a Doctor of Physical Therapy- this is the very Best MTB CZcams video ever..
Grateful you took the time to say this!
Interesting insights around the core and lengthening the spine. I've started doing the horse squat thing, 45 seconds is my PB so far. 35 year old mountain biker, generally fit & healthy but recovering from an auto immune condition.
Curious why the stick in the lap, is it for balance? Really enjoying your content btw 😊❤
the stick on the thighs is to signal that you are low enough in the squat. If your thighs are not parallel to the ground, or lower, then the stick will roll off.
Man. I’ve been struggling with a workout/ride happy medium. I do agree that when I workout it completely translates to being on the bike. Now it’s time to shore up the nutrition part.
Nutrition is incredibly important. Mines always been good, I saw a picture of me 2 years ago and frankly I look less healthy and bloated than now. Didn’t even change much.
Seems like good info. is there more vids on this coming?
Trying to make as many as possible! Yes
Great video, im 20 and i need to pay attention to this stuff before its too late
If I could do it again I’d hire a physical therapist before I got injured. I had some high school injuries that manifested as poor movement patterns later in life. Just because you’re healed and not hurting doesn’t mean you’re 100 percent.
Another thing is you could follow my bro in law on IG @themovementjourney. He does all the programming for our top athletes.
@@mountainbikeacademyDoes he have a youtube channel? IG&tiktok are not a nice place to be
The Vit D you recommend should only be taken with Vit K, so as not to clog your arteries!
Creatine, Trimethyl Glycine (aka betaine), Citrulline, and caffeine are also important for sports performance. Creatine also helps prevent and treat head injuries.
Also you generally don't want to supplement mire than 2,000 iu vit D imo
READ BEFORE WATCHING: Does not cover any exercises, only shares general observations.
Yeah, because looking into his eyes, hearing his sincerity, and listening to a pro is excellent. You already know what to do. Take some advice.
I use to work out very generally.
Now that I train to ride:-
Lots of press up variations.
Lots of own weight core exercise.
I do isolate my shoulders and bi/tri’s too, but I think that’s vanity.
Legend. I owe you 12minutes of my life
Uh oh I already watched it, what do I do now?
IMO vanity makes you 17pwrcemt more likely to send a worthy jump
Great video! I am sure you can get closer to the camera next time! I was not scared enough! :D
lol sorry
I’m a 66 year old athlete, my go to sports are skiing and riding MTB/road riding. At 5’8” and 150lbs I work at my fitness every day, watch my diet and focus my mental outlook on gratitude and positive vibes. My prime objective is to avoid injury at all costs while honoring my lifelong passion for sending it for the last 50 or so years. I train to be the best I can because strong skills and strong legs and core translates to fewer injuries. In my sixties I injure more easily and recover slower and running my lawn mowing business requires me to mow up to 50 lawns per week so whatever pain I receive, I work with all week. My body is function before “bueaty”, trust me wrinkles show up EVERYWHERE!
“I am a lucky man”. Everyday I get out there on the mountain my goal is to live to ride another day.
Very lucky indeed!
What you say makes a lot of sense. I believe that having a more muscular body than average the average 50 almost 60 years olds has helped. I definitely have had plenty of injuries but feel the additional muscles have helped prevent worse injuries. But as you say, the goal is to not crash and build functional infrastructure for mountain biking.
As a lifelong Registered Nurse that works admin with population health. You basically outline a syllabus for people to understand before they end up with a chronic illness and regret that they never took the initiative to prioritize their health. You can’t reverse a lifetime of health neglect, no matter what you think or have been told.
Yeah muscle mass is definitely helpful. Glad this looked good to ya.
@@mountainbikeacademy you are very insightful and obviously very knowledgeable from your perspective as a person who loves mountain biking and sees the benefits of thinking about wholistic health. I personally use tech since I have been a user of heart rate monitors and power meters since pre-Apple watches and Strava APPs.
Now analytics of my heart rate , sleep,activity and diet is just routine for me
Yes - I use whoop. Not into massive amounts of data- just what’s the data that matters to me :) good work
@@mountainbikeacademy You see people everywhere with Apple Watches and iPhones 📲 yet they don’t use any of the APPS or if they do they still seem to be unable to understand the basic information that you touched on. Core,Cardio,Strength,hydration,nutrition,supplements,flexibility, rest,recovery and CONSISTENCY!
When you have goals you are more focused on consistency.
Fail to Plan then you Plan to Fail.
Fault to plan you plan to fail = underrated philosophy
Weak people break, strong people bounce.
Dynamic power.
Dragon flies, front lever and leg raises off a pull up bar. The only stuff youll need for absolute core strength. Get the added bonus of grip strength, this was what killed arm pump for me!
We're all capable. Do we want it enough?
Horse stance is brutal as . We had to do that in Kung fu for over 20 minutes . And that was after 100 push ups and a 100 tigers pushes lol . Honestly almost felt like crying . Then Se fu is like we are going for a 3 k run . Couldn't manage that shit at 44 . You are right move it or lose it . I started doing horse stance again , it does get easier the more you do it .
Do you have a breathing technique when you doing the stance???
@@Rikson_27 Through the nose and out the mouth . Never walk around with ya mouth open , it makes you look stupid rofl . I can't remember but that's what they told us to do back then . Those guys were so nasty . They will make quite few out there cry I recon . If you want to get ultra fit take up Kung fu . I couldn't handle it now , I have arthritis on my wrists and hands . Makes trying to a push up almost impossible . I lost 20 kgs in about 3 weeks lol . Because you are just sweating like mad for over 3 hours each time you go . I use to go like 3 times a week . You had the choice of not going one day a week , but I didn't want to come across as soft lol . I was doing this Outdoor pursuit class and I came back from my holiday and everyone's like you look so strong , I said it's the kung fu lol . They don't fck around , that's for real . I saw so many people give up and say to me this shit is way too hard lol . I was like yeah that is the half the point . You want to be one tough as mofo , ya going to have to work for it lol . What they are doing is teaching you to handle pain . I got punched in a fight a few times and just laughed my ass off . Your pain threshold is so much more after doing that stuff . Can't imagine the shit Bruce lee put himself through , looks super nasty . I just did it to feel more confident about myself , it sure does work in that way .
Dantian breathing
@@Rikson_27 Through the mouth and out the nose . That's what we were told . I quite often forget to breath lol .
Thanks for sharing! If I could add one more thing, it would be conscious and proper breathing. Not only on the bike.
Yes - covered this in the other vid I just made! czcams.com/video/JNX-ekgIHf0/video.html
respect
I think that also being fit and having good control of your body helps to avoid injuries when crashing, or then I am just lucky :D I have seen so many times people starting to ride mountain bikes and then they have first minor crash and break bones on something that seasoned riders would just brush off.
I would still give more credits to strength training, nobody is going to squat even something like 4 plates with too weak core for mountain biking. It's way harder to get up with that much weight on your back than roll over some pumps on the forest :D Only negative side of being strong is the time spent on the gym.
And 10 hours of sleep is just stupid. Latest 7-9 hours is ideal according to studies, latest ones say that 7 hours might be the best and something like 10 hours is usually result of poor health.
10 hours of sleep is what many olympians / elite athletes do. Mostly they get naps to bridge the 7-8 to 9-10 hour gap. For MOST people who aren’t elite athletes 10 hours is stupid lol
Not rocket science, but excellent advice - thank you.
9/10 rocket scientists agree
😅 lol thank you
Can we hope for the video with exact exercises? Thank you anyway.
told yah
gotta carry the bike
*proof in the thumbnail
more effective on uphill though
This one’s for you lol
Always there for me hahaha
learned a lot from your videos, everybody just tells you to do this and that but never really consider other factors such as physical well-being which is more emphasized only in your channel.
Otherwise just get a season pass in the alpes ($300 in les Portes du Soleil/ Morgins/Chatel/Les Gets/Champery/Morzine if you are a local) and slowly build your strenght and take it easy at the beginning, i try to do pumptrack twice per week 1-2 months before the biking season.
Pump track is money
Well, im ahead of the game, turning wrenches for a living, not much sitting around in my shop fortunately.
Forearms probably very strong then :) helps with dh
Just for your information, there are actually people that doesn't sit down in front of a desk all day. But maybe they usually can't afford a mountainbike.
Yeah I know lol but lots of hard working people can too even if they don’t sit at a desk
60 percent of jobs in USA are clerical or similar.
I'm 40 just back from a ride with my son and friends, they all think I have stem cells therapy or something. "Oh you have so much energy" yeah right I just never stop moving 😉
Yup - have you found it true that the more you move the more energy you have?
Where can we get the exercices we should perform to build that core?
This would be a good place to start: czcams.com/video/iWYspNCBjgo/video.html
James Wilson has a ton of MTB-centered strength and mobility content on CZcams: www.youtube.com/@mtbstrengthcoach
Wilson's teachings are well-aligned with Mountain Bike Academy's. I've purchased a few of Wilson's programs. I think that they are well worth their price is money, time, and effort.
interesting injury stats. when i get hurt in a smash up, it's always the same... ribs
Never hurt my ribs knock on wood it’s almost always twisted joints for me
@@mountainbikeacademy both minor injuries this year have been bruised ribs did the right then the left side
I'd argue that not just riding proactively, but also learning how to bail/crash safely is the most important to avoid injury. In particular tucking in your neck and rolling to take impact on your upper back/shoulder is much safer than putting out your hand but hard to do instinctively. Virtually all the Whistler injuries you showed can be attributed to an outstretched hand and/or looking ahead rather than tucking
Agreed, however I'm crossing into dangerous territory by recommending how to crash IMO. Tucked necks are the reason for broken necks if you f up and miss.
@@mountainbikeacademy thanks, but I'm afraid you're not quite correct. Neck hyperextension is associated with more severe spinal injuries than hyperflexion . If I told you I was going to violently pull your neck and you could choose whether it's chin to chest (extension where your chin limits the movement) or back the way (flexion until your neck snaps) then we both know what you'd choose. Hyperextension is a big issue with full face helmets, hence the inclusion of neck braces in DH race rules, and why is generally consider trying to roll if you're being bucked over the bars is probably a better approach. Obviously if it's a Gee Atherton style 90ft cliff crash then you're in serious trouble regardless but most of us thankfully won't be in that boat.
And yeah... You definitely shouldn't make a "These 5 tips will prevent injuries in a crash" video and open yourself up to all forms of litigation
I once fell to the side. I pulled my arm in to protect it. When I hit the ground I rolled. But the side of my abdomen landed on my forearm, knocked the wind out of me, broke a rib, and tweaked my spine. That led to thoracic spine mobility problems which in turn led to shoulder and neck pain and months of painful therapy.
I fell to the side again, but this time I reached out to save from landing on my head. That broke my wrist, forcing me to have surgery and a year of painful therapy. It also led to trigger finger which took almost an entire additional year of therapy to resolve.
Both of those injuries were preferable over head and neck impact trauma.
A factor in both wrecks is that my saddle was extended to max height, which prevented me from dismounting safely.
Draw your own moral to this parable.
Kettlebells - specifically Dan John’s ABC and Yoga has worked well for me.
Kettlebell workouts look medieval. I love it.
Cleans presses and front racked squats with a couple of heavy bells hit your hierarchy pretty well 👍🏻
Combine Surfers body with MTB body, then riding becomes truely awesome.
Im 40 and been riding for last 10 years, I really love mtb. I can tell you that I have found my self in many comments you have mentioned in this video. Im sitting a lot on job (work in bank), im stiff, doing weight lifting, etc...
Thank you for this video. I will save it for reminder.
Greetings from Serbia 👍
Your videos spend so much time on explaining the reasons and background but I'm struggling to find the bits that say "here are the x number of exercises you can do without needing a gym".
Maybe it's intentional? Seems like you have something to offer. Maybe chapters in the video would help. Maybe a summary at the end for people to get started?
Different format here for sure. I mentioned “no specific exercises” in this video.
There are millions of exercises you can do and a number of combinations that are optimal and sub-optimal (and a few dangerous) for you. I definitely sell a version that works extremely well for most.
Stay tuned I’ll have more specific type content too!
man I work straight nights and fitness on the bike has been a struggle these last few years
It's tough I feel ya - couple times I had 80 hour/week jobs plus traffic (ATL, medical devices for example) it was ROUGH. I did night rides and my fitness suffered greatly.
Im 60 fit but could be stronger
Had a bad over the handle bar accident start of a good season end badly
Always ck your fork pressure
Very good tip! Thanks for sharing
Functional Patterns workouts have done wonders for my mountain biking
One of the secrets^
Been doing FP for couple of years and my MTBiking skills and performance did improve drastically. I’m the pilot of my bike for sure, not the passenger anymore.
Great video 🤙
3:02 So true the most important muscle when biking is having a strong core.....
so true!
You are not actually David Davidson, right? 😅
Nah it’s worse I’m David davidson jr - dead serious. Grandpa is Jack davidson. They liked the name David and my dad wanted a mini-me.
I bought e-mtb, I dont have to go to gym anymore :)
Yaj or buy your own weights. You just need to do 3 workouts and many sets as you want. Youll be surprised how strong you are! I did my training on a intermediate trails with alot ascending and technical here in Arizona 😊
If you can squat 300 pounds your core is activated 😂
Probably
@@mountainbikeacademyI just think it’s more about consistency than exercise selection - also athletic talent iow genetics play a major role in mobility potential
I certainly agree - however genetics is laughably far from the constraint I’ve seen (based on creating thousands of custom workouts for athletes 40+)
I don’t create the workouts my bro in law is the movement coach for Mtb academy. Good point though- and I super appreciate your comment!
Frankly, If every rider did a meh workout consistently we would all be far better off! 💪🏻
Same with a proper deadlift. But for people who dont lift a ton they might not even be bracing.
damn, i'm 20, what u mean 30 😂
Some guys on the trails are deceptive. Beer gut and all, but they can ride their ass off lol.
Absolutely true. Respect.
You know what's odd? I do core exercise every time I'm pooping. You just make sure your ass is almost touching the toilet seat. Basically, a squat... It's definitely harder when I'm constipated. 🤣🤣
That is odd haha
imma do the poop stance at work. in front of the cameras
that's weird but hey whatever it takes to ride your bike better
@@mountainbikeacademy lmfao
get buff, size down your bike. It works for Richie Rude hes around 200lbs.
27% is his forearms
True
The best money invested is to hire a personal trainer.
Same
Too much eye contact.
Haha sorry
i absolty love destroying my last 25 years :D
too slim
They call me slim shreddy