Mountain Biking - Exercises for the off season

With the races in my area finished for the year, and cold snowy weather looming I am about to hibernate my bike for the year. I have a month and a half max left. I generally hole up in the gym for the winter and I am wondering what exercises you guys use to benefit your riding in the spring (past the obvious air bike or cycling machines).

The gym bikes suck compared to the real thing but I still try to turn in about 30 miles a week on them. I generall build my core, and arms in the winter and my legs and cardio suffer for it. The cardio end is an obvious fix, but I am interested in leg exercises that will keep me close to riding form for the spring.

i bought a treadmill for my wife a year or so ago and we haven't used it much. i'm thinking this winter i'm going to start running just to try to keep up the cardio and stay in some sort of shape. either that or i'll try to get some studded tires, a set of lights and have a go at winter trail riding... we'll see. most likely though, i'll probably just get lazy and fat again this winter. hah.

I kickbox for exercise. I've been doing this for a few years and find it to be the best cardio/strength exercise I have ever done. I don't compete as I'm not looking to pummel or be pummeled, but do enjoy this quite a bit.

Don't put the bike away or get a bike for the winter and bike all year long! Winter cycling is awesome!

Kickboxing is awesome. I once went to a Kickboxing aerobic class and it really kicked my a$$. The women in that class were amazing and from outward appearances they did very well... some even looked overweight.

They went the full hour with a 5 min break and me - I suck... I couldn't keep up.

Anyhow, I'm going to try some winter trails and I might get some lights as I want to eventually do a 24 or 48 hour endurance Adventure race.... I might even try some early morning rides in the dark.

The 7 hour sprint races are okay but I want to go long and hard.

Kickboxing is awesome. I once went to a Kickboxing aerobic class and it really kicked my a$$. The women in that class were amazing and from outward appearances they did very well... some even looked overweight.

They went the full hour with a 5 min break and me - I suck... I couldn't keep up.
. . .

My kickboxing master holds an aerobic Tae Bo style class twice a week and refers that as his "Barbie Class". Those classes are predominantly women. However, the regular kickboxing class has more than 50% women.

For reference, my cardio increases significantly while I kickbox and I actually gain muscle mass weight.

The roads leading to my traills are narrow, windy, and untended in the winter and I can't really justify wrecking a $20,000 truck to get to the trailhead. Riding on slick, curvy, icy roads to get to the trailheads is asking to be killed. The trails for the most part run over steep mountains or along high ridge lines, and a fall off a highwall would be fatal if you were lucky.

I usually get back to the trails in april and I can ride until late october to early november. I stick strictly to the gym, as it is better for my well being in more than one way. I will check back and see if anybody has any biking specific exercises.

ETA: a quick glance through the yellow pages and no kickboxing academies are in my area.

Well, If you absolutely possitively can't ride.

trail running/ snowshoe running (the latter being the most difficult exercise I have ever tried)

XC Skiing

Do some downhill skiing too. Bump repeats with a high speed lift with wear you out (assuming no lift lines)

Swimming laps at the local YMCA

Weight lifting with an Eye towards keeping the heart rate up (high reps with little rest )

Drinking copious amounts of Beer and or wine

Get a pugsley (http://www.surlybikes.com/pugsley.html) and ride the local snowmobile trails.

Get a trainer for your bike. boring but effective

Sometimes, even if you can ride, it is nice to try different things.

I would suggest talking with a trainer or staff member at your local gym. Often times they can design a routine that is specific to the type of activities you are into. They may be able to balance your workout between weights and cardio to put you in the best shape come the next biking season.

Lets try it this way. Which muscle groups would you guys consider most important. To me it would seem to be the glutes and the quads, followed by the calfs and lastly the hamstrings right? I know the proper excercises, I just want to make sure I keep the right muscles in shape.

Find places where there is snow but it's packed. Ride around. It's a lot harder, but learning how to turn in snow is basically like turning on trails, but you learn how to lean a lot better, falling doesn't hurt as much and powersliding is fun as well. The amount of energy you dispense while snow riding is amazing. 300 M of riding on ice and snow wore me out more than 2 hours of trail riding.

wvxc - do you race the WVMBA series? If so what class. I race in the WVMBA sport class.

I am already hitting the gym about two days a week. I recently acquired Jacob Fetty as a coach and that is what he is telling me to do. Right now I am doing three sets with 30 reps per set of squats, leg presses, leg raises, leg squeeze's (not sure of the right name), leg reverse squeeze things, crunches, lower back machine, rows, bench presses and fly's.

i run indoor and outdoor track, and i am starting on cross country running. it is a real workout for your legs.

squats are good for you legs, and that thing that you lift up with your legs(not sure of the proper term)

i cant wait to ride on snow, it sounds realy fun

What off season? BIKE IN THE RAIN AND MUD!!!!! oh ya but dry it off when you get home :)

What off season? BIKE IN THE RAIN AND MUD!!!!! oh ya but dry it off when you get home :)

My offseason involves very little rain and mud although members of my club do tell me they go out in the snow for some rides. I'll have to try it out.

http://www.oegugin.com/Montreal/images/2004-12-NeigeEnFevrier.jpg

What off season? BIKE IN THE RAIN AND MUD!!!!! oh ya but dry it off when you get home :)

Just so you know riding the trails in the mud is the best way to ruin the trails and get bikes banned from those trails.

wvxc - do you race the WVMBA series? If so what class. I race in the WVMBA sport class.

I am already hitting the gym about two days a week. I recently acquired Jacob Fetty as a coach and that is what he is telling me to do. Right now I am doing three sets with 30 reps per set of squats, leg presses, leg raises, leg squeeze's (not sure of the right name), leg reverse squeeze things, crunches, lower back machine, rows, bench presses and fly's.

I was out of town or at work for most all races this year. I'll definately be at the Ace Adventure Center race in Oak Hill next fall, and hopefully the race in the Kanawha State Forest. I would like to get up to the Coopers Rock Race, but it is doubtful because it is so close to the Oak Hill Race. I'll be in the sport class. I'm just outside of Beckley, maybe we can get together for a ride.

I was only able to do nine races this year myself. I did pipestem, mountwood, big bear, winterplace, spencer, race the trace, appalachian classic, and the white oak challenge. I was also able to race in the 24 hours of big bear. I had to work during the rest of the races.

Are you off work on Monday for Columbus day? If so I am planning about a 3 hour or so ride at Kanawha State Forest. You are welcome to join. I'll pm you my phone number if you want give me a call to set something up. I would say just respond on here but I will be away from the computer for the rest of the weekend working. :(

Lets try it this way. Which muscle groups would you guys consider most important. To me it would seem to be the glutes and the quads, followed by the calfs and lastly the hamstrings right? I know the proper excercises, I just want to make sure I keep the right muscles in shape.

I tend to focus more on the hamstrings and glutes more than the rest. I feel they get neglected by me throughout the bicycling season. Everyone has a different physiology, but my quads are huge :D and my hammies are wimpy :(

Stiff legged deadlifts
Lunges
Leg curls

I stick mainly with the first two. The last requires a machine or some kind. I do all workouts at home gym with freeweights only.

Form is all important of course. You would be amazed at the results of these exercises performed with little or no weight. Actually, I would suggest, if you started doing them, to try for the first couple of weeks to do it just with a bar or no weights to get your form in order.

Don't put the bike away or get a bike for the winter and bike all year long! Winter cycling is awesome!
I have to second that motion. Some of my best rides have been during the winter.
Just make sure the trail is frozen so you don't do a bunch-o-damage. It's totally different with snow on the ground. And studded tires kick ass on ice.

I'm going to try to regularly workout aerobically. I'll try an aerobic workout video and some old "Tie-Bow"(sp?) kickboxing/punching videos, seriously. As well, I might add in a balance ball stretch workout. My girls does the balance ball and it seems like some good stretching.

Any thoughts?

Don't put the bike away or get a bike for the winter and bike all year long! Winter cycling is awesome!

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You've got the right idea Man !!!!

I ride all year, even in 3-4 " of snow....

The temperature don't matter either. I rode last Winter in 18º F temps. With the wind chill @ -24º F.

These other guys/gals must be "Fair Weather Pansy's".... :p

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You've got the right idea Man !!!!

I ride all year, even in 3-4 " of snow....

The temperature don't matter either. I rode last Winter in 18º F temps. With the wind chill @ -24º F.

These other guys/gals must be "Fair Weather Pansy's".... :p
:rolleyes: