by hattenburrow | Apr 9, 2025 | Coaching
Here are five essential tips for cornering on a mountain bike, focusing on proper technique and control:
- Keep Your Head Up and Look Through the Corner
- Always keep your eyes up and look toward the exit of the corner. This helps you anticipate the trail ahead, choose the best line, and adjust your body position accordingly.
- Your head and shoulders should follow the direction you want to go, as this naturally aligns your body and bike with the turn.
- Brake Before Entering the Hardest Part of the Corner
- Perform all significant braking before entering the corner while your bike is upright. Braking mid-turn can disrupt balance, reduce traction, and cause instability.
- Use both front and rear brakes effectively but avoid locking up either wheel. This ensures smooth deceleration without compromising control.
- Maintain a Vertical Body Position While Leaning the Bike
- Keep your body upright and perpendicular to the ground while leaning your bike into the turn. This technique improves traction and allows better control over the bike’s movement.
- Push your outside foot down on the pedal for added stability, especially in flat or loose corners.
- Adopt a Low, Balanced Stance
- Lower your center of gravity by bending at the hips and keeping your elbows wide. This enhances stability and allows you to react quickly to changes in terrain.
- Keep your chin over the stem to stay centered between the wheels, ensuring even weight distribution for optimal grip.
- Follow a Smooth Line and Adjust Gradually
- Choose a consistent line through the corner and avoid sudden movements. Visualize an ideal path that keeps you balanced between the inner and outer edges of the trail.
- As you exit the corner, gradually straighten up and apply power smoothly to maintain momentum.
By practicing these techniques regularly, you’ll improve both speed and control while cornering on mountain bike trails.
by hattenburrow | Mar 17, 2025 | Training
Strength training can make you a better cyclist, but its effects on cycling performance are nuanced. While it may not directly lead to significant improvements in cycling performance, strength training offers several benefits that can indirectly enhance your cycling abilities.
Benefits of Strength Training for Cyclists
- Improved pedalling efficiency: Strength training increases your ability to apply force to the pedals, potentially allowing you to cover more distance with each pedal stroke.
- Injury prevention: Regular strength training can help cyclists become more resilient and reduce the risk of common cycling injuries.
- Overall health improvements: Strength training promotes better balance, coordination, flexibility, bone density, and muscle mass retention.
- Body composition: Cyclists who regularly perform strength training tend to have more fat-free mass and lower levels of body fat.
- Enhanced anaerobic capacity: Strength training can improve your ability to sprint, recover from sprints, and handle repeated accelerations.
Low bone mineral density and cyclists.
Andersen et al. (2018) looked at bone mineral density (BMD) in elite endurance athletes, comparing runners and cyclists. Not surprisingly they found that all cyclists had lower BMD at all sites compared to the runners, and 10 out of 19 cyclists were classified as having low BMD. This was despite them claiming to perform heavy resistance training at the lower extremities.
They reported that low BMD was site specific having occurred in the lumbar spine and femoral neck, and was not confined to females, but was related to cycling itself. In fact, one rider was classified as osteoporotic despite his young age and had suffered a spinal fracture previously. One of the conclusions from the study was that in some cases heavy lifting alone is not sufficient, as this was only performed for 2-4 months of the year (in the off-season). The recommendation is therefore to include things like running, sprinting, jumping and plyometrics (explosive jumps and landings) as well as strength training year-round.
Performance Impact
One of the top reasons that I recommend strength training to cyclists is injury prevention. Multiple studies have shown significant decreases in overuse injuries in cyclists who participate in regular strength training. Some studies showed up to 50% risk reduction from strength training.
It’s important to note that strength training should complement, not replace, your cycling training. The most significant benefits come when strength training is combined with a structured cycling plan. While you may not see dramatic improvements in your cycling performance solely from strength training, the overall health benefits and potential for injury prevention make it a valuable addition to your training regimen.
If you would like to know more about Velo Core, my app for cyclists that helps the improve their strength and power via off the bike workouts follow this link.
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by hattenburrow | Mar 12, 2025 | Mountain Bike Racing
Earlier this year, Dave (a.k.a @boney_88_ ) took part in the @clublasantaraces a four day mountain bike races. Dave has been coming to Pilates for a number of years with us.
Here is his race report:
Lanzarote 2025 offered some challenging conditions with gale force winds to deal with this year.
Going into stage one i found good legs and managed to keep myself up the sharp end through the multiple stages.
I suffered a bit in the open power sections especially in the strong winds but made up time in the technical deep sand sections and single track.
I probably used i bit to much energy on the 3rd stage and suffered alot on the final stage but managed to hold 3rd place overall in masters 30+
3rd stage 1
4th stage 2
4th stage 3
6th stage 4
3rd overall M30+
Coming 3rd overall feels brilliant, this race has been one of my goals for years and to make the podium shows all the hard work is worth it.
by hattenburrow | Mar 6, 2025 | Training
The cycling off-season is a crucial period of rest for cyclists, typically lasting between 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the rider’s training intensity and racing schedule. This break allows both the body and mind to recover from the demands of cycling, preventing burnout and overtraining.
For most cyclists, a two-week break from the bike is considered the sweet spot for the off-season. This duration is usually sufficient to recharge mentally and physically while maintaining a desire to return to cycling. However, the ideal length of the off-season can vary based on individual circumstances:
- Cyclists training 1-4 hours per week: 5-7 days off the bike
- Those training 5-8 hours per week: 1-2 weeks off
- Riders training 9-14 hours per week: 2 weeks off
- Athletes training 14-20+ hours per week: 2-4 weeks off
The off-season typically begins after the last major event of the year, if you are racing, often in Autumn (September or October) for road, mountain, and gravel cyclists. This timing allows for adequate recovery before building fitness for the next season.
Benefits of the Off-Season
- Mental rejuvenation: Provides a break from the stress of training and competition
- Physical recovery: Allows the body to heal from the demands of cycling
- Prevents burnout: Helps maintain long-term motivation and enthusiasm for the sport
- Improved performance: A well-timed off-season can lead to stronger performances in the following season
Considerations for Off-Season Planning
- Listen to your body: If you still lack motivation after the planned break, consider extending your time off
- Stay active: Engage in light, unstructured activities to maintain general fitness
- Gradual return: When resuming training, start with easier rides and gradually increase intensity
- Strength training: Incorporate 2-4 days of strength work per week during the off-season to complement endurance training
Remember that while you may experience some fitness loss during the off-season, this is normal and can be quickly regained once you resume structured training. The benefits of a proper off-season often outweigh the temporary decrease in fitness, setting the stage for improved performance in the long run.
If you would like to know more about Velo Core, my app for cyclists that helps the improve their strength and power via off the bike workouts follow this link.
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by hattenburrow | Feb 20, 2025 | Training
Indoor cycling is primarily considered a cardiovascular exercise, but it does offer some strength-building benefits, particularly for the lower body. However, it should not be considered a replacement for dedicated strength training.
While indoor cycling engages muscles in the legs, glutes, and core, it doesn’t provide the same level of resistance and muscle overload that traditional strength training does. The resistance levels on indoor bikes allow for some muscle engagement and development, especially for beginners or those starting with low muscle mass.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Indoor cycling is an excellent form of cardio exercise that:
- Improves heart health and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Enhances aerobic capacity and VO2 max
- Burns calories and can aid in weight loss
Strength-Building Aspects
Although not a substitute for strength training, indoor cycling can:
- Develop leg muscles, particularly quads, hamstrings, and calves
- Engage core muscles, especially during standing portions of the ride
- Improve muscular endurance
For optimal fitness results, it’s recommended to combine indoor cycling with dedicated strength training exercises, where you can build not only muscle but bone density too!
If you would like to know more about Velo Core, my app for cyclists that helps the improve their strength and power via off the bike workouts follow this link.
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