Posts
460
Joined
5/27/2019
Location
Claremont, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
8/21/2019 11:19am
Long time listener here, but first time caller. I’ve Been dealing with something weird the last month or so. When I’m out riding My arms and upper body will be dead tired after only a few laps (different feeling than arm pump) yet the rest of my body and my legs feel awesome and are ready to go. I’ll be riding on the balls of my feet and I’m able to grip the bike yet when it’s time to come into a corner hard after some breaking bumps or pull up in some whoops/rollers my arms and hands are done and I feel
like I’m gonna die if I keep riding. I ride my mountain bike 14-20 miles a week and try to do about four ab wheel rolls a day. I thought about adding push ups to my schedule but I thought that would make the situation even worse. Should I maybe try a drink mix like CytoMax for my Motos and workouts? All I want is to enjoy my riding days again and hit some races this year
like I’m gonna die if I keep riding. I ride my mountain bike 14-20 miles a week and try to do about four ab wheel rolls a day. I thought about adding push ups to my schedule but I thought that would make the situation even worse. Should I maybe try a drink mix like CytoMax for my Motos and workouts? All I want is to enjoy my riding days again and hit some races this year
Edit: you're gonna be sore and tired for a while diving into weight lifting but it will get better the more you do it. Just have to power through it and make sure you're eating right. Eating right is the most important part.
The Shop
Steg Pegs put all the effort of holding yourself up/forward, onto the legs.
Ride more and you should loosen up grip with confidence....once a week is minimal, the more the better. I have similar issue in spring every year, Living in the great north it takes me a month or more of riding to get comfortable and reduce arm fatigue.
Make sure you "warm up" by riding few sessions before you start pushing it in a race.. Makes a big difference for muscles and vascular system.
Bars and mounts can make big difference what gets transferred to your upper body. Stay away from cross bar type bars. Rubber mounts help reduce shock.
Fork setup is also a big factor. Too stiff of setup or air forks that are less compliant on small stuff transfer more to arms and upper body.
Pit Row
Have you changed your riding style? Got lazy with your positioning? Started wearing new neckbrace or helmet?
It sounds like maybe you're not in "your usual" position and therefore fatiguing quickly but not to the point of failure (cus you feel ok afterwards) Get a friend or spouse to film you and compare it to any of the good online coaching videos on youtube. You might find a simple fix.
I ride once a week. Gym 2-4 times a week. 30 minutes of cardio every time at the gym. I can still fatigue while riding but it gets better each ride the stronger I get and the more I focus on my technique. I started making myself ride slower so I can do thing correct and I’ve gotten a lot faster.
Also a good thing to note as well is a good diet. Eating the right food will help with energy and fatigue levels.
I was in the same boat as you not too long ago. First thing I did was make sure my suspension was set up right and I was using all the travel my RM-Z has to offer. Make sure your bars are aligned with the angle of your forks....this has helped me a lot as well. But it sounds like your body position, levers, and bars are already comfortable for you
Second, eating right and hydrating A LOT. Drink lots of water even if that means having to pee 10 times a day while at work. And if you sit in a desk all day for work, get up and walk around every 30-45 minutes.
Third, I would incorporate core workouts into your daily exercise routine. Mountain biking is great especially if you're getting your heart rate up but your body needs core strength too. Doing a 10 minute core workout a day will go a long ways especially if you do it consistently. Lots of people will do a workout and think "I'm good for a few days". But consistency is key. Every body is different, but I'll share the core workouts I've been doing consistently the last month and a half.....eating right and doing the following workouts everyday has helped me so much and I am able to ride 20 minute motos without feeling dead. I also lost about 10lbs.
First workout is - [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcgZHKNaYis[/url]. It's a 10 min runners core workout.....45 seconds of working out and 15 seconds rest, then onto the next exercise. After that video is done, rest 90 seconds. Then start the next workout video immediately - [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JN8Nque1Sc [/url]. It's a Manny Pacquiao ab workout. About 10 minutes long, again. You can change a few of the exercises in the video to your liking and/or incorporate weights. Total workout about 20 minutes!
Hope this helps!
Albert
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