GIVE ME STRENGTH: A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING MTB POWER

Hands up who wants to be a strong mountain biker who is resilient to injury and able to ride as much as possible as they get older?

I’m guessing that’s all of us, so read on for some ideas of what to do in the gym when you can’t get out on the trails. Strength training will not only help with your riding, but also your lifestyle.

Bone Mass

Everyone, males and females, loses bone density as they age. Most people will reach their peak bone density between 25-30 years old. However, by the time we reach 40 we slowly begin to lose bone mass at about 1% per year.

The good news is that strength training can help build bone mass.

There is concern that non-weight bearing sports such as cycling do not benefit bone health. The biomechanics of cycling (body weight mostly supported by the bike, and the repetitive lower intensity pedalling motion) may not adequately stimulate bone formation, especially at the spine and hip.

However, this is where adding some strength training to your program can help to build bone mass.

Lean muscle mass

There is a general consensus that