FOUR STEPS TO
SUPERCHARGED MOUNTAIN BIKING
THE FOUR STEP PROGRAM TO MOUNTAIN BIKING POWER

As the snow melts off the trails, its time to think about powering up hills and flying over our fantastic trails. The Methow Valley has a wide variety of terrain: hills, singletrack, forest service roads etc. I've put together four steps that will give you an early start to enjoying all the Valley has to offer on a bike. The principles of power cycling are gleaned from the same strategies used in all elite sport programs: Focus, Intensity, and Recovery. The four steps have distilled the essence of peak performance without Finnish blood thinners or French EPO. I do recommend colorful socks to quicken the feet.

These steps can be used by anyone, if fact they help the Chronologically Impaired the most! When you have limited time on the trails due to work or family, this program makes the most of every minute. To keep in this spirit, the program is shortened from the usual 10 or 12 steps in many programs since this writer is also busy with work and kids. You have already saved at least 60 percent in time or effort using this program, what a deal! The following framework can be used in almost any sport from trail running to biking.

STEP ONE: THE CARROT
Face it, your best efforts come when you have set a goal for yourself. Nothing feels better than to run or ski your first marathon that you've been training for all season. Goals focus attention on our everyday activities, helping to motivate necessary daily training. Goals have a direct relationship to performance in many activities whether they be work or play. But not all goals are created equal. Research has shown that the most optimal goals have the following characteristics:
1. They are set by the individual, not given to them by someone else.
2. The goals are challenging.
3. They require high skill level.
4. There's constant feedback and review on the attainment of the goal.
5. The goal is very specific in content leaving little room for interpretation.
6. Task goals lead to outcome goals. While an outcome goal such as "reaching the finals of the downhill race " is challenging and requires a high skill level, it is the task goal of "I will perform five intervals of three minutes at level 4 intensity this week " that ultimately leads to peak performance.

STEP TWO: WHEN YOU REST, YOU ROT
If your goal is to increase speed, ride that hill without getting off your bike, or win that race, then you'll have to increase your power output. In order to get fast, you have to train fast. The trick is in how much of this fast training to do, and at what intensity.

There is a bewildering array of magazine articles describing different workouts using intensities and heart rates in zones that we can only guess at. I am more than happy to add to this confusion. I have selected an interval workout that will help improve your cycling this season. It involves a six minute hill climb test that then sets the distance and intensity for the three minute interval workout.

The Six Minute Hill Climb Test:
1. Choose a hill that you can cycle for at least six minutes on.
2. After a 20 to 30 minute warmup that includes short sprints to elevate the heart rate you're ready to begin the test.
3. In an all-out effort, ride for six minutes up the hill noting the location of your three minute mark. Stay seated in the saddle during the test and give it your best effort.

Next, the workout:
With this simple test, you can now perform the three minute interval workout. After a 20 minute warmup, perform 3 - 5 intervals of your three minute distance achieved during your six minute hill climb test. Rest for three minutes between intervals. Doing this workout one to two times per week will supercharge your bike riding. French researchers have shown this workout to be ideal for increasing your maximal oxygen utilization, and ability to tolerate lactic acid. No wonder the French are kicking our butts in cross-country and downhill on the World Cup.

STEP THREE: MYOTATIC UNIT ELONGATION TRAINING
I knew you would skip this step if I didn't call it something more interesting than stretching. The fact of the matter is that as we age, we get stiffer. That is one reason why we get injured at the same training loads that we used to do in earlier years. We no longer have the elasticity in our muscles to accommodate for the miles and intensities of our recreational pursuits. Endurance training does nothing for flexibility, you must supplement with some stretching to prevent injury and increase power. Yes, stretching will increase the ability of muscles to contract forcefully and provide power. I can't think of a better reason to stretch than the ability to help ride longer and faster! Stretching for cycling should concentrate of the hip, hamstring, and thigh muscles. I recommend three stretches of 1 minute for maximum effect. Stretching should be done lying on the floor and not while standing, this prevents the muscle from relaxing. Stretching is also one of the best activities for relaxation and stress reduction.

STEP FOUR: CORE STABILIZATION
Core stabilization refers to strengthening of your stomach and back. It enhances the ability to apply force through your legs by providing a stable base, or core, to move from. This is also beneficial in balance activities such as riding a technical singletrack. Since bicycling is a very repetitive movement, core stabilization training provides some balance in strength across your back and stomach that simply riding won't provide. A demanding core exercise is called the TV watcher. Assume a modified pushup position on your toes, a slightly flexed hip, and with the forearms (instead of your hands) on the floor. Keep this position for 30-60 seconds without wriggling and repeat 3 times. High achievers can increase difficulty by raising a foot and performing small circles in the air with the raised leg during the minute.

The ability to utilize focus, intensity, and recovery will benefit all your sport activities in the Methow. I hope you have many great rides this season on the fantastic trails we have in the Valley.

Peter Dickinson MS, PT, SCS

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