| Like marathon running, you need to acclimatize your | | | | Ride a Rigid Bike |
| body to the pounding your body will experience during | | | | If you race on a suspension bike then ride a fully rigid |
| a 24 hour mountain bike race. Along with pushing the | | | | bike a few times a week on the trails. You will get |
| pedals for a full day, the repetitive bumps are one of | | | | more bumping which over time the body will build a |
| the biggest causes of fatigue during a 24 hour solo. | | | | toughness that will make it seem easy when you ride |
| Even with suspension you will still be getting thousands | | | | your suspension bike. During the lead up to your big |
| of jolts of various sizes during your race. With the right | | | | event do an enduro or 8 hour mountain bike race on |
| training you can train the body to tolerate the pounding | | | | your rigid bike. I can't over state this one. I do most of |
| with less fatigue. Think of the bumps as body shots in | | | | my mountain biking on a fully rigid single speed and it |
| boxing. One isn't going to knock you out but thousands | | | | has really improved over all body toughness and ability |
| of them will certainly take the wind out of your sails. | | | | to resist fatigue both on and off road. A bonus is that |
| Just as a boxer has to toughen their body for those | | | | your bike handling skills will improve as well as you |
| blows, the cyclist need to toughen up for the pounding | | | | need to ride cleaner on a rigid bike. |
| we receive. | | | | Plyometrics |
| Here are three ways to improve your bodies fatigue | | | | Bounding, jumping and tumbling. Plyopmetrics are |
| tolerance to bumpy terrain. | | | | explosive movements such as box jumps and clapping |
| Cross Training | | | | pushups. The goal it to increase maximal speed and |
| You need to ride of course but cross training with | | | | toughen up the joints. Try doing two legged broad |
| Crossfit circuit workouts, trail running and punching a | | | | jumps for the length of a football field or doing pushups |
| heavy bag will all help toughen up the joints and | | | | up a stair case (move hands up in a jumping |
| muscles. Not only will it help you with the fatigue from | | | | movement and then walk you feet up the next step). |
| bumps but you will also perform better as cross | | | | The impact has to be built slowly but your body will |
| training will strengthen the core and upper body | | | | adapt with stronger bones and joints. |
| muscles that don't get hit much on the bike. | | | | |