Strength Training For Mountain Biking – Mountain Bike Strength Training Plan

Whether your a seasoned mountain biker or just starting, strength training for mountain biking is an integral part of your daily training structure. Adding strength training into your riding plan can not only help you produce more power but also prevent fatigue when we ride.

When putting together strength training for mountain biking, it is vital to periodize in a similar way to putting together a mountain bike training plan. Below we look at the basic phases of implementing mountain bike strength training into your mountain bike training.

Mountain Bike Strength Training Plan – Adaption Phase

When you start your strength training for mountain biking, it is important to run through a transitional phase to allow the body to adapt to lifting and other exercises

Adaptation – 3 weeks
During the adaption phase, it helps to prepare the muscles and tendons for the stress of training with weights. During this time you should include 3-5 sets of each exercise. Do these at around 40-60% of max and try to include 20-30 repeats of each exercise.
Between each set allow 1-2 minutes of recovery and finish all sets before moving onto another exercise.

Transitional phase – 4 weeks
The transitional period is when you transition from high repetition to low repetition and onto low repetition to high repetition. Doing so will lower your total repetitions to 10-15 per set. Focus now of 2-3 sets of each exercise and recovery between 2-3 minutes between each set. Remember to complete all sets before moving onto the next exercise.

Mountain Bike Strength Training Plan – Endurance Phase

During this stage of the training, we look into more specific intensities and loading. This is where you start to see greater improvements in strength and endurance.

Muscular Endurance – 4 weeks
The muscular endurance phase of your strength training for mountain biking provides fatigue resistance. You should focus on loading 30-50% of your maximum weight while doing 1-2 sets of 40-60 repetitions. Recovery between each set for 1-2 minutes, this can also be implemented as circuit training which allows you to rotate between your upper and lower body.

Power Endurance – 4 weeks
The power endurance phase allows you to develop sport-specific power by combining speed and force. The loading should be around 40-60% of your maximum where you focus on 10-15 repetitions of each exercise. Focus on 2-3 sets and recover 1-3 minutes between each set. This can also be implemented as circuit training alternating between your lower and upper body.

Mountain Bike Maximum Strength Phase

This is the phase of your strength training for mountain biking that produces the greatest results. The overall load is increased and the number of repetitions is reduced.

Maximum Strength – 3 weeks
This is one of the phases which are most critical to enhancing your performance. The maximum strength phase in your strength training for mountain biking plan develops strength and maximum force capabilities of muscles and tendons. During this phase, it is vital to focus on the loading of 80-95% and 3-5 sets. Each set should contain a maximum of 3-6 repetitions with a recovery time of 2-4 minutes. After 3-5 workouts try to increase the load by 5%.

Strength Maintenance – Through to the end of the season.
This is the period of maintenance during your season. We lower the total load to 60-70% of maximum. It is also possible to increase the weight on the last set of each exercise to 80-85%. Focus on three sets per exercise and recover 2-3 minutes between each exercise.