| Let me ask you a question - Do you want better | | | | This view that increased VO2Max or other markers |
| cardio? Or do you want to be able to ride harder, | | | | of cardio endurance will automatically equal better |
| faster and longer on the trail? Think these two goals | | | | specific endurance on the trail has had a very heavy |
| are the same thing? Perhaps not... | | | | influence on how mountain bikers in every discipline |
| One of the toughest things I face when bringing new | | | | have approached training. From the advice given to |
| and improved training concepts to the mountain biking | | | | newbies (if you want to get better then just ride your |
| world is trying to work around the large amount of | | | | bike more) to the advice given to world champs (base |
| confusion that surround certain terms. For example, | | | | miles are needed in the off season) it is readily |
| when you use the terms "aerobic training" and "cardio | | | | apparent that the cardio training mindset has taken |
| training" interchangeably then my call to avoid | | | | over our sport. Here is the problem with this approach, |
| excessive aerobic training seems odd. | | | | though - the fact is that there is much more to |
| Once I explain that aerobic training is just a specific | | | | mountain bike specific endurance on the trail than |
| type of cardio training and there are other ways to | | | | cardio capacity. Let me give you two examples to |
| work on your cardio then my suggestions make more | | | | illustrate my point... |
| sense. I've recently realized that it is time for me to | | | | First, consider what happened to Lance Armstrong |
| take on two new terms that need clarification on their | | | | when he ventured off his road bike. Lance is widely |
| real meaning - cardio training and endurance training. In | | | | considered to be one of the greatest endurance |
| most people's books these two terms mean the same | | | | athletes in history, boasting a VO2Max that is among |
| thing but once you understand the difference between | | | | the highest ever recorded. His domination of the Tour |
| them you'll start to see the impact it has on your | | | | de France speaks to his otherworldly cardio capacity, |
| training approach. Cardio training is any exercise that | | | | yet when he trained for and ran a marathon he got |
| increases your heart rate, gets you breathing heavier | | | | beaten. He did not get beaten by one or two world |
| and directly increases the strength of your | | | | class runners, either - he got beaten by a lot of |
| cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, blood vessels). | | | | "regular" people. If cardio capacity was the biggest |
| This type of training can consist of a variety of things, | | | | determining factor in sport specific endurance then |
| from short interval to long base mile workouts. Cardio | | | | why didn't he do better? |
| training focuses specifically on improving your | | | | Second, consider the opposite story of Mark Weir. |
| measurable markers of cardio capacity. While an | | | | Known around the world as one of the premier |
| important part of specific endurance training it is only | | | | endurance riders in our sport Mark had his VO2Max |
| part of the picture, though. | | | | tested and found out that it was rather ordinary. In fact, |
| Endurance training refers specifically to any training | | | | rumor has it he was told by the docs performing the |
| that allows you to "endure" longer on the trail. In other | | | | test that based on his results he would never be a |
| words, any type of training that results in you riding | | | | great endurance athlete. Instead of accepting it Mark |
| harder, faster and longer on your bike is endurance | | | | went on with his dream and the rest is history. If cardio |
| training. Endurance is also very specific to what and | | | | capacity is the biggest determining factor for mountain |
| how you ride - technical east coast cross country | | | | bike endurance then why is Mark able to excel despite |
| riding requires different specific endurance than | | | | his relatively low test results? The reason that Lance |
| bombing some SoCal downhill runs. As I've mentioned | | | | can't dominate every endurance sport he competes in |
| in my presentations of the MTB Performance Wheel, | | | | and that Mark can kick the tails of riders with better |
| cardio training is only one of eight training components | | | | "cardio" is because much more goes into mountain |
| that affect your specific endurance on the trail. I also | | | | bike specific endurance than one over emphasized |
| include Bike & Equipment Set up as a "spoke" on | | | | component. Your strength levels, technical skills, nutrition |
| the MTB Performance Wheel but since it is not a true | | | | and everything else I listed above goes into it as well. |
| training component I am not including it on this list: | | | | The real trick to consistent returns on your training time |
| 1. Strength | | | | is to identify the weakest of those eight training |
| 2. Power | | | | components and focus on it. While counterintuitive at |
| 3. Mobility | | | | times, the only way to strengthen a chain is to work |
| 4. Cardio | | | | on the weakest link - anything else will not result in a |
| 5. Nutrition/ Supplements | | | | stronger chain. |
| 6. Recovery | | | | The reason that it is important for us separate these |
| 7. Mindset | | | | terms is because it will have a major impact on your |
| 8. Technical Skills | | | | training paradigm. Remember that you do not want |
| As you can see, mountain bike endurance training | | | | better cardio; you want to be able to ride faster, |
| requires a much broader view of training than simply | | | | harder and longer on your bike. These are two |
| focusing on the cardio component. However, this is not | | | | different goals and need to be looked at as such. As |
| the approach that mountain bikers have been taught. | | | | long as your paradigm is influenced by the notion that |
| Because of the influence that road riding has had on | | | | unless you are emphasizing cardio training then you |
| our sport we have been told that working on cardio IS | | | | aren't working on your mountain bike specific |
| working on specific endurance and the other 7 training | | | | endurance you will struggle to fully understand what it |
| components are deemphasized or forgotten | | | | takes to be the best mountain bike rider you can. |
| altogether. | | | | |