Gym 3-4 days a week for strength and endurance. Ride every day if possible. Control diet eat eggs and a slice of toast for breakfast and stick to lean meats and green veggies for lunch and dinner. Have an apple or some other fruit if you need a snack. I also supplement protein, BCAA, and creatine. When I have time off from work I ride and hit the gym every day splitting morning and evening. Rest days are just easy ride days with no gym. Every few weeks I'll take a day off.
I went from hardcore cardio training to mostly strength training, and it had a huge impact on my riding. I was able to get my average speed up substantially. I just started running too.
Martial arts training has great benefits towards cycling performance. It can boost core strength, balance and mental focus among other things. Learning how to fall properly in martial arts has translated directly into minimizing injury when things go wrong on the bike. And cycling helps martial arts performance in some of the same ways, especially with cardio fitness.
It's also interesting how mountain biking can change you. Mountain biking changed how I walk for example. My walking changed from normal walking to "active leg suspension 24/7". I didn't realize until someone asked me "How do you do it?" "Do what?" "Slipping on the ice, not falling and continue like nothing even happened while eating a sandwich"
Pullups, dips, push ups, hanging leg raises, hammer curls, shoulder press, row, bench, lateral raises. I mix and match according to what I did the day before. If its a work week Ill probably run a few miles every other day. I also ride as much as possible.
Rowing machine can simulate pulling handlebars. Feels good, too. Stand up paddle boarding helped my Nordic skiing helped my mountain biking. And yoga for my neck and shoulders!
Rest days have been an eye opener for me. It's counterintuitive but the body really does take days to truly recover and be ready to take on harder training.
that should be obvious…recovery is where the improvement happens. Every high level athlete has recovery as part of their routine. I can’t think of a single exercise program I’ve seen in the 40 years I’ve been paying attention that doesn’t emphasize proper recovery both for fitness gains and to avoid injury or burnout.
That’s a very motivational and encouraging video! For me, aside from the things Martyn mentioned, I do racket sports to improve cardio, endurance, vision, endurance and reflexes 🔥🔥🔥
Great mountain biking training advice , for me personally weight training, balance, stretching and attempting to keep weight off (toughest 😂) help with my mountain biking greatly, thanks for sharing Martin and Gmbn! 😁
core strength for sure I'm an injured alpine hiker sheared ligament and yes balance board and those half balloons is what they made me do since I hike on no mistakes allowed trails, equip protection as it boosts your confidence a lot if you don't have a knight armor because you're not a downhill beast don't hesitate to wear a small water bladder backpack it saved me from a painful landing after front flipping over the handlebar also proper gloves ! I fell once while hiking on dirt and rocks and landed on my palms not pleasant so now I always bring light leather gloves which changes you from thinking "if I try to grip this it's going to hurt my hand" which limits you sometimes dangerously to "the gloves will cushion it'll be fine" (buy real gloves not for looks city dweller smartphone gloves) for unexpected rock climbing during a hike it's a world of difference I grab sharp rocks that would be painful like it's nothing and I'm sure feeling protected helps you on a mountain bike too, it's one less hesitation when your reaction time is critical
Just get out ride and as for off bike exercise and workouts i work full-time cook,and remodeling my home so i dont have time to play in a gym love the content looking forward to more cheers gents
For core, strength and balance training, learn to unicycle. It doesn't take long. Also it isn't dangerous since falling off is more an "unscheduled dismount". It's fun too!
Strengthening sessions x3 per week, including one session with a professional trainer, daily flexibility..yoga etc. watch how much I eat. Have old injuries (replacement ankle joint & PCL destroyed plus other damage in R knee) plus an age problem being 77yrs...However, love of riding my Atherton AM130 makes me smile and I can still burn those trails fast enough to get the adrenalin flowing😄
One of the best videos you've done in a while. As a rider who's broken both collarbones from riding, flipping perception from "failure" to "what did I learn"? is powerful. For what it's worth, from both those crashes I learned: a) When jumping, don't look down to see how high you're going b) "Safe" familiar trails can be more hazardous due to complacency c) Braking traction changes drastically in the wet (sounds like a no brainer but I had to learn the hard way) I've probably also got better at falling in a way that doesn't break bones, or so I'd hope 😅
This may sound simple but from my experience underbiking has been great for building up skills and strength that would be hard to get on the perfect bike. Ive ridden my 90s fully rigid steel bike on single track which forced me to pick the perfect lines I might not have on my hardtail Also i used that bike for distance rides which are now a piece of cake now that i added a road bike to my collection
Great stuff for overall quality of life and longevity. Living better and longer equals riding better and longer. Poor Blake, stop visualizing crashes man! Hope the recovery is going well.
Like myself , you must be getting older :) Just when a positive statement is proclaimed , the brain goes , yeah .... except when .... Good video bloke.
Carbs aren't the best.. major fall off soon after eating.. dioaralyte in your water is my go to. Fantastic stuff. A good smoked mackerel and salad pickel gerkin, olives, blue cheese, balsamic vinegar! Fit for anyting untill lunch💚💚
weight training will improve everyone’s riding. It’s very easy to gain power without considerable weight gain, which makes you faster purely based on power to weight ratio. But it also makes rides less fatiguing, gives you better control of the bike, and even “injury proofs” you based on the additional stability you get in your joints and muscles to resist regular injuries encountered in crashes or from over use on the bike. Anyone who thinks simply “riding more” will yield great results is only right if you focus on specific aspects of your riding that need improvement. It’s beyond common for people who ride all the time to be crappy riders.
This is for guys only: Test your T, proper levels are important for your performance. Do not do something stupid like "supplementing it on your own", but make sure it is right value, if not, consult a medical specialist.
There is a reason that most of the local races are filled with mostly 50 year old men. I didn’t have any time for this when I was raising a family. Now I’m a widow and empty nester so I have lots of time to train after work. Most of the ladies in the races are 50+ as well.
What do you do off the bike that helps you on the bike? Let us know in the comments!
Everywhere i go i imagine how i can hit the dumbest, least ramp looking ramps or even how to jump over stuff on the bike
Gym 3-4 days a week for strength and endurance. Ride every day if possible. Control diet eat eggs and a slice of toast for breakfast and stick to lean meats and green veggies for lunch and dinner. Have an apple or some other fruit if you need a snack. I also supplement protein, BCAA, and creatine. When I have time off from work I ride and hit the gym every day splitting morning and evening. Rest days are just easy ride days with no gym. Every few weeks I'll take a day off.
@@andreinaf so true Andrei! The craziest funny ones the better
I went from hardcore cardio training to mostly strength training, and it had a huge impact on my riding. I was able to get my average speed up substantially. I just started running too.
Martial arts training has great benefits towards cycling performance. It can boost core strength, balance and mental focus among other things. Learning how to fall properly in martial arts has translated directly into minimizing injury when things go wrong on the bike. And cycling helps martial arts performance in some of the same ways, especially with cardio fitness.
In recent years, I feel I owe my 50 yr old body & 29 yrs on the bike, all to "Tai Chi Chuan and Cannabis Oil"!
Mountain biking is my alternative training for motorcycle racing. Especially in the off-season.
It's also interesting how mountain biking can change you. Mountain biking changed how I walk for example. My walking changed from normal walking to "active leg suspension 24/7". I didn't realize until someone asked me
"How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Slipping on the ice, not falling and continue like nothing even happened while eating a sandwich"
Pullups, dips, push ups, hanging leg raises, hammer curls, shoulder press, row, bench, lateral raises. I mix and match according to what I did the day before. If its a work week Ill probably run a few miles every other day. I also ride as much as possible.
Core strength is seriously a game changer. Also Blakey is hillarious ❤
I started kickboxing which has helped with strength, balance and endurance!!
For me, taking the DJ bike to the pump track is a fun full body workout
How about skate skiing... Great whole body exercise + lots of cardio + balance. I like it while the trails are under snow. ❄️
Rowing machine can simulate pulling handlebars. Feels good, too. Stand up paddle boarding helped my Nordic skiing helped my mountain biking. And yoga for my neck and shoulders!
Rest days have been an eye opener for me. It's counterintuitive but the body really does take days to truly recover and be ready to take on harder training.
that should be obvious…recovery is where the improvement happens. Every high level athlete has recovery as part of their routine. I can’t think of a single exercise program I’ve seen in the 40 years I’ve been paying attention that doesn’t emphasize proper recovery both for fitness gains and to avoid injury or burnout.
@SprSonik13 Absolutely and rest day doesn't mean doing nothing either. Active recovery is a major component to fitness.
That’s a very motivational and encouraging video! For me, aside from the things Martyn mentioned, I do racket sports to improve cardio, endurance, vision, endurance and reflexes 🔥🔥🔥
Bmx at indoor skatepark when weather is too bad, good workout trying to throw a bmx sbout.
and really good for improving bike handling skills!
Great mountain biking training advice , for me personally weight training, balance, stretching and attempting to keep weight off (toughest 😂) help with my mountain biking greatly, thanks for sharing Martin and Gmbn! 😁
Swimming and hydro therapy every week work for me
core strength for sure I'm an injured alpine hiker sheared ligament and yes balance board and those half balloons is what they made me do since I hike on no mistakes allowed trails, equip protection as it boosts your confidence a lot if you don't have a knight armor because you're not a downhill beast don't hesitate to wear a small water bladder backpack it saved me from a painful landing after front flipping over the handlebar also proper gloves ! I fell once while hiking on dirt and rocks and landed on my palms not pleasant so now I always bring light leather gloves which changes you from thinking "if I try to grip this it's going to hurt my hand" which limits you sometimes dangerously to "the gloves will cushion it'll be fine" (buy real gloves not for looks city dweller smartphone gloves) for unexpected rock climbing during a hike it's a world of difference I grab sharp rocks that would be painful like it's nothing and I'm sure feeling protected helps you on a mountain bike too, it's one less hesitation when your reaction time is critical
Great video Martin 👍. I started Mauy Thai last Thursday. ✌️❤️
Just get out ride and as for off bike exercise and workouts i work full-time cook,and remodeling my home so i dont have time to play in a gym love the content looking forward to more cheers gents
Spot on Martin! Core for the win! Especially as you get older … +50! Now I’m going to go brush my teeth while standing on 1 leg🤛🤛
I resistance train to help avoid soft tissue injuries when a sudden bike detachment happens. Bodyweight, dumbbells, and a cheap functional trainer.
Great video! Thanks!
For core, strength and balance training, learn to unicycle. It doesn't take long. Also it isn't dangerous since falling off is more an "unscheduled dismount". It's fun too!
Strengthening sessions x3 per week, including one session with a professional trainer, daily flexibility..yoga etc. watch how much I eat. Have old injuries (replacement ankle joint & PCL destroyed plus other damage in R knee) plus an age problem being 77yrs...However, love of riding my Atherton AM130 makes me smile and I can still burn those trails fast enough to get the adrenalin flowing😄
Blake! 👍😂
One of the best videos you've done in a while. As a rider who's broken both collarbones from riding, flipping perception from "failure" to "what did I learn"? is powerful. For what it's worth, from both those crashes I learned:
a) When jumping, don't look down to see how high you're going
b) "Safe" familiar trails can be more hazardous due to complacency
c) Braking traction changes drastically in the wet (sounds like a no brainer but I had to learn the hard way)
I've probably also got better at falling in a way that doesn't break bones, or so I'd hope 😅
Some well learnt lessons there!
This may sound simple but from my experience underbiking has been great for building up skills and strength that would be hard to get on the perfect bike. Ive ridden my 90s fully rigid steel bike on single track which forced me to pick the perfect lines I might not have on my hardtail
Also i used that bike for distance rides which are now a piece of cake now that i added a road bike to my collection
Great stuff for overall quality of life and longevity. Living better and longer equals riding better and longer. Poor Blake, stop visualizing crashes man! Hope the recovery is going well.
Great way to look at it!
I do 20 min planks. You can divide it in 2 min planks intervals or 5 min intervals and work your way up to 20 min
You must have abs of steel 💪
Like myself , you must be getting older :)
Just when a positive statement is proclaimed , the brain goes , yeah .... except when ....
Good video bloke.
MTB + gaming are such complementary hobbies, i can recommend. Just dont get stuck in gaming for too long :)
Carbs aren't the best.. major fall off soon after eating.. dioaralyte in your water is my go to. Fantastic stuff. A good smoked mackerel and salad pickel gerkin, olives, blue cheese, balsamic vinegar! Fit for anyting untill lunch💚💚
weight training will improve everyone’s riding. It’s very easy to gain power without considerable weight gain, which makes you faster purely based on power to weight ratio. But it also makes rides less fatiguing, gives you better control of the bike, and even “injury proofs” you based on the additional stability you get in your joints and muscles to resist regular injuries encountered in crashes or from over use on the bike. Anyone who thinks simply “riding more” will yield great results is only right if you focus on specific aspects of your riding that need improvement. It’s beyond common for people who ride all the time to be crappy riders.
This is for guys only: Test your T, proper levels are important for your performance. Do not do something stupid like "supplementing it on your own", but make sure it is right value, if not, consult a medical specialist.
Blake could audition to be a comedian actor..😂😅
I was an aggressive inline skater athlete for 30 years n it has influence in mountain biking (agility n resilient)
this must have helped a lot with your balance!
I eye up some weights pretty vigorously for about 30 seconds, three times a day 😉 (ebike owner)
Have a good hard think about lifting them? 😅
I started nodding off halfway through this 😂😴
Hello, I’m 35, I ride often I can make couple jumps, but from this age do you things guys that can I improve a bit more ???
very entertaining.... love the cameos by Blake... but tripods though are never wobbly
“Blake might seem simple, but he’s deceptively challenging”
Sorry wait… it says Planks
Lee McCormack has been saying this for years.
Just bike more!
This!
Biking more is half the equation. The other half is hitting the gym for strength.
Some of us are under a few meters of snow 7 months a year.
@@IdrisFashan So 7 months of endurance training while shoveling snow to get to the bike shop for a new bike 🤣
@ and shovelling cars out of the ditch… 😜 Fat bikes don’t have that problem.
And then when should I work, clean, cook and raise a child...?
Never mind, let's go for a ride. 😂
There is a reason that most of the local races are filled with mostly 50 year old men. I didn’t have any time for this when I was raising a family. Now I’m a widow and empty nester so I have lots of time to train after work. Most of the ladies in the races are 50+ as well.
3rd Comments! Nice content!
So.... you're telling me that buying a more expensive bike isnt going to make me a better rider!?
Not entirely! 😅
1. Afford a bike
...