The fastest and most effective way to get bike fit is to ride as hard as possible as often as possible, with recovery periods in between. But you can’t always do that, so here’s a selection of bike-free exercises that can shortcut and complement strength and fitness gains.
Make gains off the bike
1. Press-up
If you struggle on rough ground or long descents, it could be due to a weak upper body. With your hands just outside shoulder width, keep your body straight and extend your arms, pivoting from your toes. Lower yourself back down until your upper arms are parallel with the floor.
2. Side bridge with leg raise
Want a torso and glutes of steel? This is the one for you! Start by supporting yourself on your elbow and foot, straight and strong from head to heel. Then draw in a deep breath, fill your belly and, as you exhale,lift your top leg as high as you can.
3. Squat
With feet just over shoulder width apart and chest upright, ease your hips down as if sitting on a chair until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Push back up slowly.
4. Bunnyhop
Stand in a jump position, engage your core, sink to a quarter-squat, then push up through the balls of your feet with max force. Absorb and control the landing.
5. One-leg squat
Stand on one leg with the other leg slightly in front and off the floor. Keep your chest upright and core engaged, and bend the supporting leg, keeping the other straight.
6. Plank
With your feet as close together as possible, and only your toes and forearms in contact with the floor, hold the rest of your body off the ground, in a straight line.
7. ‘V’ sit-up
Lie flat, with both of your hands above your head. Sit up and raise one leg straight up so that you touch your ankle with both hands. Repeat with the other leg.
8. Crunch
Raise your feet, with hips and knees at 90 degrees. With fingers on head, chin tucked in and legs still, engage your core muscles to bring your elbows to your knees.
9. Close-arm press-up
Put your hands under the centre of your chest. Keep your body straight and extend your arms, pivoting from your toes. Lower yourself back down until your chest touches your hands.
10. Dip
Put your hands on a step or a low table, with your fingers facing forwards. Bend at the elbows, lowering your body, back straight and chest upright. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and then return.
11. Lunge
Standing tall, with your shoulders back and core engaged, step forward and lower your body, under control, until both knees are flexed to 90 degrees, then return to the start position. Repeat on the other leg.
Pre-ride preparation
Four must-do warm-ups
It’s a good idea to warm up before you hit the trail, in order to raise your body/muscle temperature, activate your central nervous and muscular system, and also mobilise your joints. The following moves cover all the bases…
1. Star Jump
Simple and effective – get warm, improve ankle mobility and fire up your central nervous system! Do 20 or more reps. Star jumps are ideal for doing in the car park, before hitting the trail, while waiting for your mates to finish faffing about.
2. Windmill
Hip mobility and control are crucial for mountain biking. Start with your feet shoulder width apart, shift your hips to one side, keeping your knees straight, and rotate your upper body so you’re looking up to the extended arm and touching the ground with the other. Reset and repeat on the other side.
3. Lunge with Twist
Lunge backwards, catch your weight and lower yourself down, making sure all of your lower limbs are at right angles. Twist your upper body toward the supportingleg, with arms bent and elbows raised.
4. Slow to Fast Push-Up
Getting your big upper body muscles ready for shredding is often overlooked. Get yourself into a strong push-up position with your upper arms about 25 degrees from your torso. Lower yourself for a count of four then push back up as fast as possible. Aim for 10 reps each side, unless stated otherwise.
Tone up on the bike
Four ways your muscles are working while riding – and how to get better results, faster!
1. Legs
Improve your leg strength by hitting uphills hard in a slightly harder gear than normal – this is called over-gearing. Aim for about 60 pedal revolutions per minute and stay in the saddle for maximum effect. It’ll be harder than spinning at a normal rate but you’ll gain leg strength in no time. Alternate between normal and over-gearing on your next ride.
2. Arms
Though your legs are generating the power and doing most of the work while riding, your arms are also getting a decent workout. On the trail you have to be dynamic and move the bike around, so the muscles in your arms are constantly contracting and relaxing. To work them more, try standing up on a climb or do short sprints out of the saddle when on the flat.
3. Abs
You aren’t going to get a six-pack from riding alone – sorry! But the key to riding a bike well is balance and power. When standing out of the saddle on downhill trails, your balance and power comes from your core, which is constantly making minor adjustments. These tiny contractions (and large ones, if you corner properly) all add up by the time you finish your ride.
4. Heart
Research suggests that to improve your heart health you should exercise at varied intensities. As a mountain biker, this couldn’t be any more simple – just hit the trail. The intensity is constantly changing when you ride up or downhill or power through technical sections – you’d actually be surprised at how hard you’re working without thinking about it.
