Winter Training tips from Ned Overend

Ok so the season is over, time to get off the bike and do something different, although Rod will tell me I'm just lazy. I found this and thought I would post it. I think it's pretty solid advice and the guy giving it did pretty well over the years. Enjoy Martin http://www.boure.com/wintertraining.html Winter Training Workouts That Build Strength and Enthusiasm for Each New Season. In mountain bike heaven we'll be riding endless singletrack all year round in perfect weather. But here on Earth we have winter. It gets dark before dinner and numbingly cold for those of us who live in northern regions. Trails get buried by snow. Even road riding is difficult because of frigid windchills and treacherous patches of ice. Yeah, it's tough being a bike rider from December to March.. I have a simple philosophy: Don't fight it. Winter is nature's way of making us take a break from routine riding, and that's good. Even heaven could get boring without some variety. My approach in the off-season is to reduce saddle time, and Durango's winters force me to. But even where it's warm in midwinter you should voluntarily cut back on cycling. The challenge then is to turn the off season into a positive period. We all love to ride and we're used to doing it every day. It's easy to feel deprived in winter. The key is to devise an alternative program that's fun and satisfying, and that will help you enter spring ready to ride or race even better than you did in the year just past. Done right, this training will be as refreshing for your head as it is productive for your body. A smart winter program also builds reserves. Here's how I think of it: Imagine you have a full tank of gas when you start the season. Gradually, through the year, you will use most of it. But after the last race is ridden, you must still have something left. I'm not talking only about physical energy. I also mean the motivation to continue riding and racing. If you've emptied your tank completely you'll be off to the side, unable to make it back to the station. Winter is where you refill your tank with enough gas to last until the next off season. Bikers Beware There's no doubt about the benefits of winter training, but before we go further I must warn you: It also can ruin your season. I've seen coaches prescribe intensive programs, and I've seen riders follow them enthusiastically. They go into the season absolutely flying. Then in July they're dead-physically and mentally burned out. They've been training hard since January. There's nothing left for the heart of the season. If you look at the winners of the Cactus Cup held early each spring in Arizona, you'll see that they are generally not winning the important races in July and August. Here's another example: I knew an Expert-level racer with lots of talent who trained enthusiastically in winter. He watched his diet, spent time in the weight room, and doggedly rode every day right through the gnarly Durango weather. He did intervals in February and was flying in April. Two months later, he actually retired from the sport. He's not the only one this has ever happened to. I see riders of all skill levels drain their tanks. The only solution is to stop riding long enough to recover and restart. But just try to convince anyone to take a week off. My winter approach is different. I train with weights to get overall body conditioning. I want to strengthen the muscles that mountain biking misses as well as the muscles it uses. I do other sports for fun, variety and their aerobic benefits. I take some casual rides to keep me accustomed to pedaling. Sometimes I ride indoors when the weather prohibits getting out on my bike for an extended period. But I don't force myself to follow a rigid program, and I make sure to get tired. Using this approach I feel refreshed and hungry for harder training when spring begins. In the early season I want to have good performances but not top performances. I want spring training and racing to be stepping stones toward great rides in mid to late summer when the most important events take place. On the other hand, when you're near top form early, you'll see only small increments in improvement as the summer progresses. The guys you were beating in May could start beating you in June. This can be very discouraging. You think it's your problem when actually it's they who are coming on strong. So you train harder, become overtrained, and really go backwards. It's much better for your enthusiasm and motivation if you can see significant progress all through the season. I'm a come-from-behind racer, and I guess you could say I'm a come- from-behind trainer, too. Complementary Sports In winter I like to crosstrain with running, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and swimming. All these sports, combined with some cycling, help maintain my cardiovascular system. Skiing and swimming have the added benefit of working my upper body. Snowshoeing, with its emphasis on the low back, quadriceps and glutes is probably the most complementary to cycling. It can be a real power workout on days you're feeling energetic. These sports can actually open new competitive opportunities. Now that I'm no longer racing full time as a pro cyclist, I've begun competing in the new multisport event called X-terra. This is like a traditional triathlon except the running and cycling take place off road. I've been doing well because most other competitors don't have my mountain biking background. They lose time to me riding the trails. I need this advantage because I usually give a few guys a lead in the water. In the run I rely on my background in track and cross- country. I can't run a 4:19 mile anymore like I did in high school, but I can hold my own. Except when competing, my main objective in these other sports is to enjoy the exercise. I'm not doing them specifically to improve my cycling, but of course they do help by keeping me fit through the winter. I like the way they work different muscles and rejuvenate my body. It's essential to be able to run if you're a cross-country racer, so use winter to stay in condition for it. A good way to introduce running to your program is with uphill "slog jogs." The leg action is similar to pedaling, so it doesn't stress your muscles in unaccustomed ways like the long strides of regular running. Walk, don't run, down the hills or the pounding will have you hobbling the next day. Uphill running is the most common type you'll do in off-road racing. It's a great cardiovascular workout, too. Just be patient to start. Once your legs have adapted you'll be free to run in any terrain, but always go easy on descents to reduce stress on your knees. Other sports? Whatever you enjoy. Soccer can be a good workout and it's a lot of fun. Same for basketball. I also like sports such as table tennis that improve hand-eye coordination. That's a key talent in mountain biking. You encounter something with your eyes, then you react to it with your hands. The martial arts are good for this, too, and they'll improve your flexibility. Swimming is helpful because it teaches breath control. You expel all of your air underwater, than refill your lungs during the brief moment your head is turned. To improve in swimming you need to relax, and that's a good lesson for mountain biking. You can't have tense muscles and swim or ride your best. When we remember this while climbing, for instance, it's a big help. Swimming can give you a fine workout in 30 minutes if you're pressed for time. It's good exercise for the shoulders while being very gentle to the body overall. Give it a try even if you're a hacker in the water. After all, poor form makes it that much easier to get your heart rate up. Cycling Indoors and Out In winter I ride about three days a week. I say about because I don't force it. For instance, let's say I've planned a two-hour ride but it's snowing or 20 degrees with a hard wind blowing. That ride is going to be very unpleasant. I could do it, but the intensity will be so low that I wouldn't miss much by bundling up and skiing or running instead. Always remember: You want to enter spring hungry for riding. This won't happen if you force yourself to get on the bike in winter. Winter is an excellent time to improve technical mountain biking skills without feeling any pressure to get in a hard workout. I spend lots of time doing what I call "crash avoidance" drills, working on balancing, trackstands, unweighting, tight turns, clipping in and out of the pedals, etc. Even when you're snowed in, these skills can be practiced in the basement or garage. There's another cycling alternative, of course. You can clamp your bike into a resistance trainer and pedal indoors. I can't say I'm a big advocate-I'd much rather be doing outside-but I realize it's the only way that many people can fit cycling into their winter weekdays. But even if you're not forced indoors, a trainer does have some advantages. For example, let's say spring is approaching and you'll soon be increasing your on-bike training. Suddenly there's a spell of bad weather. Instead of missing rides or suffering in miserable conditions, you can use the trainer to stay on schedule. Many people (myself included) find riding indoors mentally difficult. The first pedal stroke is usually the hardest-climbing on the darn thing and getting started. It helps to listen to fast-paced music, watch a race video, keep changing your gears, cadence and effort, and limit workouts to an hour. Don't just sit there and grind at a steady pace. Nothing makes a clock run slower than that, and it won't do nearly as much for your fitness as interval- type workouts. If you use a trainer for your main aerobic activity in winter, don't overdo it. An hour every other day is as much as I would recommend. Remember the all-important refreshment you need. Use alternate days for weight training. Rollers are another option. I actually like them better than a trainer because they make you balance the bike. This gives you something else to think about. Rollers help develop a smooth, round pedal stroke, and this has carryover when you ride outside. I've spent some time on a CompuTrainer, too. This high-tech resistance trainer is probably the most effective device for riders who are either confined to indoor cycling for long periods or who actually prefer it. Among other benefits, a CompuTrainer simulates outdoor riding by automatically changing pedal resistance in synch with the terrain of courses displayed on your TV screen. You can get a very good workout by racing against the internal computer or your own best previous performance. Another feature, called Spin Scan, shows you how much pressure you're applying to the pedals all the way around each stroke. This helps you identify and correct poor technique and imbalances. A CompuTrainer makes indoor cycling about as interesting and effective as it can be. WEIGHT TRAINING Although I had trained with weights during much of my cycling career, I discovered I wasn't doing it well enough. Like many hard lessons, this one arrived in the form of a racing experience. I'll tell you about it. After our classic battle at the 1990 World Championship in Durango, Thomas Frischknecht and I were at it again in 1991 in Luca, Italy. Only this time we were fighting for the silver medal. John Tomac, who never climbed better than he did this day, was long gone and about to win his first rainbow jersey. This year Thomas turned the tables on me. When he dismounted to run up the steep hill in Durango, I stayed on my bike and beat him. In Luca we both had to run through a long section that torrential downpours had turned into a quagmire. Thomas is a strong, powerful guy who excels in cyclocross as well as mountain biking. I did my best, but it was no contest. Our bikes weighed a ton because of all the mud covering them. Thomas had the strength to hoist his awkward 35-pound piece of machinery and run like a deer. I felt more like a guy struggling in quicksand. As I watched him disappear it became clear how important extra strength can be in mountain biking, When all else is equal, the guy with the stronger body has the advantage. Balance and Flexibility As important as strength is, there's another key benefit to weight training: muscle balance. The problem with riding a bike is that it builds some muscles very well while ignoring others. Weight training turns cyclists into whole athletes again. For instance, pushing on the pedals is great for developing the quadriceps on the front of the thigh but it does nearly nothing for the hamstrings on the back of the thigh. Leg curls will improve the balance and reduce the risk of hamstring tightness and injury. In a similar way, cycling stresses your lower back much more than your stomach, so it's important to do crunchers to strengthen the abdominal muscles. An uncorrected imbalance can result in low-back pain and poor posture. Flexibility is a third benefit. Although traditional weight lifting can shorten muscles, my approach of many repetitions with moderate resistance tends to stretch muscles and keep them supple and elastic. When riding, this helps me move all over the bike for better control, and it reduces the risk of muscle pulls during crashes. In this sense, weight training is a way to prevent injuries. To develop flexibility (and prevent getting hurt in the weight room) you need to do the exercises with proper form and full range of motion. Toned muscles also protect you in a way that's often overlooked. When muscles are larger and denser, they put more tissue between your bones and whatever you're crashing on. A bruised muscle heals a lot faster than a broken bone. Think about football players. They don't bulk up in the weight room just to be stronger. They know how muscles give protection in a contact sport. Exercises My program includes about 20 different exercises. That's a lot, but I go to a well-equipped health club so I make the most of it. You don't need to do so many. There's a lot of redundancy in the muscle groups strengthened by weight training once you get past the basic lifts. Depending on the equipment available, design a routine that gives some work to everything. If you're unsure, there are many books on the subject. Even better, get advice from a professional instructor where you work out. He or she also can coach you on proper lifting form-crucial for maximizing results while minimizing the risk of injury. A good upper-body routine for mountain bikers will include crunchers, back extensions, bench presses, military presses, bent rows, upright rows, lat pulldowns, dumbbell flies, triceps extensions and curls. For the legs, include hamstring curls, short-arc leg extensions, calf raises and leg presses (or squats if you have a rack and spotter). I also like to use the abductor/adductor machine to strengthen groin muscles and expand my legs' range of motion. This exercise and some of the others won't necessarily help you ride the bike better, but they develop lateral strength that can counteract twisting forces in a crash. If you have access to the equipment, seated rows are a great cycling-specific exercise for the upper body. I do them two ways. First, I position my hands and arms like I'm holding handlebar grips and pull straight back to my chest. Then I turn my arms to the position they're in when gripping bar-ends. I'm careful to space my hands the same as they are on my bike's handlebar. These rows develop strength for climbing and lofting the front wheel. Schedule Hit the weight room two or three times a week, always with at least one recovery day between workouts. I warm up for about 15 minutes on a stationary bike until I break a sweat, then begin. I use the circuit training technique of moving directly from exercise to exercise without rest between. I alternate upper- and lower-body exercises so half my body is recovering while the other is working. This brisk pace is intended to make efficient use of time, not to turn weight training into an aerobic workout. My goal is to be in and out in an hour. Most cyclists are beyond the fitness level where hustling through a circuit workout will give them any cardiovascular benefit. In my experience, cyclists get a good balance of strength and safety by using moderate resistance that allows two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions in each exercise. I go through one complete set, then go through again. This gives me about 30 total reps for muscles throughout my body. This high-rep approach tones muscles without adding lots of bulk. Strength is good, but more body weight isn't desirable for hilly cross-country racing. On the other hand, power-oriented riders such as downhillers, trackies and road sprinters don't have to worry about a few extra pounds. They bulk up with greater resistance and fewer reps to maximize strength. There are two other reasons to use less weight and more reps. One is injury prevention. I've learned first-hand how easy it is to get hurt at the health club. If you're not lifting year round, you run a high risk of muscle strains and pulls early in a weight program. Shoulders and hamstrings are particularly vulnerable. Lighter weights reduce the danger. The second benefit is psychological. It's a mental as well as physical strain to use heavy poundage. You know each exercise is going to be very stressful. It won't be long before workouts become distasteful. Then you quit. Remember, our sport is mountain biking, not power lifting. I've learned over the years to start each winter program like Pee-Wee rather than Arnold. You need to swallow your pride in the weight room. When that 100-pound woman gets off the machine, reduce the weight before you take over. Machismo will only get you injured. Err on the side of using a bit less weight than you can handle rather than too much. I'll admit this isn't the way to get absolute maximum benefits, but it's fine for our needs as cross-country riders. Continue with 12-15 reps in upper-body exercises throughout the winter. Increase weight only enough to continue making yourself push pretty hard as you do the last two reps. As when interval training on your bike, stop one rep short of absolute maximum. Always pushing to the limit in each exercise raises the risk of injury if your form breaks down. You're using too much weight if you can't reach 12 reps on the second set, or if the effort is causing bad form. It's different for leg exercises. After your muscles have adapted, begin adding weight and decreasing reps as a way to build power and strength. Don't go overboard, though. The weight should never be so much that you can't do at least ten reps. The one leg exercise I really emphasize is hamstring curls. The hamstrings are developed much less than the quads by cycling, so this is a potential injury area. Once you can do 15 curls, add weight and build toward 15 again. Keep this up throughout the winter. TRANSITION TO SPRING As the season gets closer, I reduce or eliminate redundant upper-body exercises, especially those that aren't cycling specific. Something has to give when riding increases because there's only so much time and energy for training. I spend what's left of my weight sessions on exercises for my legs, such as step-ups, lunges, hamstring curls and leg presses. I also continue to do crunchers and back extensions. In fact, I do them daily year-round. They're essential for the body's core support system-the balance between the low back and abdominal muscles. Do this maintenance program twice a week throughout the season. You need it to retain the strength and flexibility built in winter. During some weeks of hard training or racing you may have only enough energy to hit the weights once, and that's OK. Just don't stop weight workouts completely. Back on the Bike After enjoying other sports from December into February, start to rebuild your cycling base. A great way is by taking social rides with your buddies. Don't go hard, and don't worry about going long if you live in a cold climate. It's tough to do three-hour rides in freezing temperatures. Your legs will feel like wood. Consider using your mountain bike until the air gets warmer. It's slower than a road bike so windchill is reduced. This is also the time to increase what I call the body's "support mechanism." As you start to ride more there's more stress, which means more chance you'll get sick. To fight this keep your immune system strong with sleep, good nutrition and plenty of fluids. And if you start to come down with something, back off. I once made the mistake of trying to train through a cold and it turned into a nasty sinus infection. Now I always back off. The same goes for a tight muscle or sore tendon. Reduce riding and treat it with ice and massage. It's a juggling act. Although you're trying to train more, you need to combat all the little things that go wrong. By the end of February I'm riding the road or trails five or six days a week. March is usually my biggest training month in terms of time spent on the bike. The main goals are overall conditioning and stamina. I put in 15 to 18 hours a week, which is a lot-and a lot more than recreational racers need to do. There's still no forced intensity. Sometimes the pace gets a little faster if I'm riding with other guys, but there are no jumps or hard efforts. It would be different if there were an important race in March, but my schedule is aimed at good performances in May, June and July. Traditionally I've made the Iron Horse Classic, held in Durango on Memorial Day, my first serious race of the season. Training intensity increases in the form of minor races at the end of March. I use these to start my speed work for the season. Racing is a great way to get going because you don't have to motivate yourself. When you're chasing guys or guys are bearing down on you, you just go. You learn real quick what your weaknesses are so you can begin to work on the right things. April's training is pretty specific. The quantity is down a bit from March, but the quality is higher. Now I'm interval training, climbing, doing fast group rides, and sharpening bike-handling skills. This month finishes my foundation work. In May I start traveling to races and this reduces training time. I back off from endurance and emphasize power. In June and beyond I'm circling the dates of big races and training specifically to do well in them. If I'm riding up to my potential in August and September, my season has been a success. Winding Down Autumn is a beautiful time to be on a mountain bike, so I make the most of it. All the major championships are over, but there are still a few races and festivals. Festivals are great because they take you back to the reasons why mountain biking is so much fun. I look forward to riding at them. By October I've had it with the physical and mental stresses of hard training, so I rely on my residual fitness and the events themselves to keep me performing respectably. The only intervals I'm interested in are the ones between where I'm staying and the restaurants. I also begin the transition into crosstraining. I'll do some trail running to enjoy the fact that snow has yet to cover the ground. If I feel like a total break, I'll take it. A couple of weeks off in November or early December puts closure to the season and makes me really want to get started again. By training this way I know I'll keep my enthusiasm for years to come. I hope you will, too. Equipment Tip Because I travel a lot it's hard to maintain my weight-training schedule. Perhaps you're in the same situation, or maybe you occasionally get stuck at home or work on a day you're scheduled to be at the gym. My physical therapist turned me on to a neat product that has saved my workout many times. It's called the Sport Cord. It's a simple length of elastic with handles and a hook that you can fasten to a door. It lets you perform various resistance exercises in a motel room or wherever you're stuck. Add some crunchers, pushups and lunges or step-ups for a workout that you can feel good about.

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