We’re delighted that James Wilson from MTB Strength Training Systems (www.bikejames.com), has today provided us with an excellent interview article regarding Mountain Biking and Fitness and how to improve yourself as a biker. If you’ve been searching the web to improve as a Mountain Biker and you haven’t heard of Bikejames.com then you’re definitely using the wrong Search engine! James writes articles for both Pinkbike.com and also Decline Magazine and has trained World Cup racers and Bikers all over the world. If you get a chance definitely check out his website www.bikejames.com and also his facebook page for some great posts.

(1) Background on yourself, how long the site has been active and the famous bikers you have advised/trained? 

I’ve been riding mountain bikes for almost 12 years. I bought my first mountain bike to ride to work and I started to jump off curbs and ride down staircases along the way. I got bored one weekend and rode up and down a fire road and was instantly hooked on the duality of mountain biking – lung pounding runners high on the way up and adrenaline fueled flirting with gravity on the way down. I soon found the singletrack and I’ve been trying to take my riding up a notch every year since.

I just so happen to be a strength coach and have been working out since high school. I ran track and knew from experience what strength training could do for your performance. When I started riding I looked for resources to help me develop a strength training plan for mountain biking but I quickly realized that it was all bodybuilding influenced bull shit. I knew from my experience and study that athletes trained much differently than what mountain bikers were being told and I started to develop my own training strategies.

After a few years I started training a couple of riding buddies and they got great results from the workouts I was doing. It dawned on me that riders everywhere could benefit from the ride changing power of strength training and MTB Strength Training Systems was born.

Since staring up in 2005 I have worked with hundreds of riders around the world through my online training programs. I also own and run a training facility, working with riders to help develop my unique training programs. My goal is to make strength and mobility training a central part of a mountain bikers training program since it helps develop skills, cardio and strength in one package.

I’ve worked with several top riders, most notably with Aaron Gwin. I’ve worked with the Yeti Cycles/ Fox Racing Shox World Cup Team and write for Decline Magazine and Pinkbike.com.

(2) Tell us a bit about the area you live in and the Mountain Biking Scene there, Ever been in Ireland?

Never been to Ireland. The riding here is pretty rugged and intense. Lots of short, steep, technical climbs and descents. Lots of rocks. Lots of exposure. Lots of fun.

(3) Have you any simple tips or tricks for a beginner Mountain Biker to start looking at straight away?

Don’t switch to clipless pedals right off the bat. Gain the skills and confidence that you get from flats while you learn to shift, brake and basically navigate the trail. Don’t arrest your development by riding scared of your pedals.

Learn to ride a simple bike at first, preferably a hardtail. Don’t rely on technology too soon and learn to rely on your body and not the bike. Besides that, have fun and don’t let anyone take the fun out of it for you.

(4) Most Bikers would think that if they get out on the Mountain Bike and clock up as many miles as they can that this is the way to go, would you agree?

Even golfers see the need to do more than just play their sport. The truth is that there are types of strength and fitness you need on the trail that you don’t use enough during a ride to appreciably increase. You have to use strength and cardio training to target them so you can increase them on the trail.

For example, the type of cardio and strength you need to crest a tough, technical climb is something you need but don’t use more than a few times a ride, if that. You’ll never appreciably increase your ability to attack that climb and recover from it if all you do is ride. Using strength training to increase the strength and power of the movements behind the pedal stroke the energy systems used for that type of effort will let you improve your “engine” and you’ll be able to hammer up stuff and down much more efficiently.

(5) Pre-ride meal ideas? Post-ride meal ideas? Would you agree with Gels?

The advice I got from the Precision Nutrition team was that for rides less than 4 hours you shouldn’t need any sort of elaborate pre-ride meal or nutrition strategy during the ride. Taking some gels in case you have a blood sugar crash is fine but you shouldn’t need to major re-fueling during a ride that short. Fueling your average ride is more about what you do the other 6 days of the week.

Beyond that I’d refer rider to the www.precisionnutrition.com website, its their realm of expertise.

(6) Clip-Ins or Flats? How do you find people react to clips ins physically when switching from flats – does it take time for their hamstrings to adjust?

Flats force you to learn how to develop a more natural pedal stroke and technique. The best riders in the world can ride flats almost as efficiently as clipless pedals. This means two things – 1) clipless pedals are faster and 2) if you can’t ride flats almost as good as clipless pedals then you are relying on the attachment point for a less efficient movement pattern.

Our legs are made to push, not pull, and flats force you to develop a pushing pedaling style. Once you have that down do what you like, just don’t tell me that clipless are “better” or that you can’t bunny hop without being attached to your pedals. Leave your ego at the door and learn to ride flats – you’ll be a much better rider for it in the long run and your knees and low back will thank you.

(7) We have a Canadian member of our club who raves about 29ers…No-one in our club is listening  Whats your views?

Overrated for the most part. They are a lot like clipless pedals – they can be better but they can also be used to make up for a lack of fitness and skill. Wear out your regular bike and then worry about it. Too many riders are looking for that “magic bullet” and the bike industry is more than willing to cash in on this by selling big wheel bikes to riders who simply need to do some kettlebell swings and take a skills clinic.

(8) whats your thoughts on traditional low-rep strength training with compound exercises for improving overall biking ability?

I use primarily compound exercise in my programs. I also like low reps – its called “strength training” for a reason. However, you also have to spend some time emphasizing higher rep bodyweight calisthenics.  The book Convict Conditioning totally changed my view of bodyweight training and I am now making sure that I am working on both ends of the spectrum. However, in general anything you can do to get stronger will help you on the trail.

(9) We’re possibly having a race now over the Xmas break. For riders that decide to take part in this, what would you recommend in the next few weeks training? The race will cover a distance of about 10KM over old mountain roads.

You can’t make up for a lack of long term training in a few weeks so the best thing to do would be to not worry about training for that race but instead start a long term program right away and train through the race. You don’t have to “peak” for every race and just getting going on something like the free bodyweight training program you can get at my www.bikejames.com blog will make an impact in just a few weeks.

(10) any other topics you can think on that we’ve missed?

No, I think we’ve hit them all…