For all the weight lifters / conditioners + MTBers

For me these days, that's all it's about!

 

Haha, I am very inflexible, no matter how much I stretch. Maybe time to start yoga.
I dont lift to try bulk up, im that way genetically , so might as well roll with it.
do what you love, life is short-sooo true. I love outdoors time so much, havent been inside my gym in months (theyre wierd places haha), winter/spring is the season for fresh air!
I do my weight training before or after work. Never waste a day off on it unless weather sucks.

 

You prefer a GYN, hey...to each his/her own
Preach it Gary, I’m with you 100%! Dirt time is the best therapy #optoutside #getdirty #natureisfree

 

haha, oops that wasnt meant to be in my reply to your post was gonna post that earlier on its own but didnt but the draft got worked into my reply

 

Thought id point out my own typo!

 

I was inspired to try it after dating a climber for a couple of months, but my fear of heights got in the way. After riding White Line in Sedona, I can't use that excuse anymore

One of my good MTB friends is a serious climber. He is teaching me the ropes (pun intended, even if I'm a former sailor) with the goal of being able to competently climb outside. That means: more time outside!

Then again, I am only ever "home" to sleep

I read the question as someone who is looking for activities to do in order to pursue being better on a bike. If you take personal offense at my level of riding, then go right ahead. I'd like to think I have a certain level of expertise on the matter when it comes to bike fitness, specifically mountain biking. I don't mind sharing my methods at getting to where I am, as I don't mind watching other people improve (and perhaps, surpass me).

For virtually every single one of us on this board, myself included, the best way to get better on the bike is to ride more. My goal is to have fun.

 

I haven't done free weights since high school football and I'm the farthest thing from an expert but I can tell you from perusing MTB websites and magazines over the years....deadlifts, squats & kettle balls are what I see commonly mentioned along with core strength floor exercises (sometimes with a kettle bell or medicine ball). I personally just bought a set/rack of dumbbells for at home use as I want to start in on some basic stuff at home. Now getting motivated to use them religiously is the next step

 

^^^ This! Pros are fun to watch and you can get ideas, but none of us will ever be there... Hell, most of us are closer to AARP age than pro status. And most of us don't want to be. But we can still get better and stronger. And there are things that will boost your stamina and strength in a short amount of time.

I can already tell that @Demetrio GQ is way past where I started. 5 flat miles were a 1/2 day adventure. I'd say I've improved more than anyone I know... Started from zero.

 

Played many years of basketball, eschewed gyms since and my upper body reflects the omission. Have had the pleasure of riding an average of four times a week for many years and pretty much loved every minute. When I did intervals, it was thirty seconds in as high a gear as possible up an incline like Big Red in Peter's, one minute rest, three times, then a three minute rest, three to five sets. Brutal for me, but I think it got me into the best riding shape possible at that time. If I had it to do again, this supplementary training would be excluded.

 

The only thing I can add to your initial post is that adding yet another activity with all that you do already is you have a solid healthy nutrition plan to fuel your insanity, and quality of sleep to recover and build back what you tear down is paramount! If you are already practicing this regimen than you are golden. We tend to forget that rest is so important! It’s like forcing yourself to drink enough water during the day, take a couple days off and enjoy the other things in life that are important for wellness. Sometimes I have to force myself to do either! When you are as active as you are it is all quite the managing balancing act!

 

I like your viewpoint- always have. But I put you in the same bucket as the pros I watch... I take a bit here and a bit there from what you accomplish, and file it away to see what's applicable to an old fat guy. Every now and then something works...

One of the cooler moments this year was seeing you come down Boy Scout in the WW50 as we were heading up. I'll never be there, but it was cool to see and I was genuinely excited that you had the gap you did over the #2. I started counting time as soon as you passed to see the time differential...

 

BTW IMO which has already been mentioned is what ties it all together is your core, so don’t let that be a weak link!

 

My only advice.... don’t get married and have kids! Ask @DangerDirtyD why. You can kiss 99.9% of your ME time goodbye.

 

Just don’t do the having kids part!

 

LOL, the humor in your post not lost on me. Actually you can, all a part of this balance thing, it just may come a little later? With a lot of discipline and commitment, and don’t forget luck, isn’t that the underlying thing we are talking about here?

 

What??? You're not trying to go faster? Shave time? Ride longer? Jump farther?

I'll have to agree. A MTB success story if there ever was one.

 

Orrrrrr

Have kids, start em off early...Then look forward to the day where going out with the kids means hitting the trail with them also @Cyclotourist and @Grego

 

I’m waiting a long time in a short line at the LA County Registrar’s office...it’s a far cry from archaeology near the Owens Valley, but fieldwork is fieldwork I suppose.

 

But they’re soooo cuuuuute!

 

That would be me.

 

They go from "really cute" to "blood sucking vultures" overnight... Your turn will come!

But then you get to ride more...

 

Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom™

 

^^^^^^ TRUTH!!!

 

!

 

This little nugget is tucked away safe inside my back pocket. In the mean time, we’ll try to keep the poopies in the potty.

 

I'd have been better off just not doing the "getting married" part.

 

My boys are somewhere in between. They have the stoke to ride.... until the trail points uphill.

 

Lots of great stuff! I used to do Yoga but then I got too busy with my previous job and stopped. I only went once a week for therapeutic restorative yoga (basically lower back stretches) and it was so worth it. I might just start that again. Too many posts to reference but I am in agreement if the activity is that fun for you, find time to do it. I dont mind losing a day of weight lifting to ride more.

I am HUGE on rest. I always make myself get 7 hours of sleep minimum. Try not to sleep more than 8. Anyways, really cool reading what you fine people do for fitness aside from MTB.

 

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