MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING

Mountain bike riding is an excellent method to obtain cardiovascular
fitness. The ideal situation is to become fit enough to maintain your
target aerobic zone for two hours of bike riding. The ideal target
aerobic zone is 80 percent of your maximum heart rate.

To begin your bike ride, warm up with a 10-minute stretching session
and a five-minute heart warm-up ride on level ground. For the first 10
minutes of your ride, keep your heart rate within ten beats of your
target heart rate. Work up to 30-45 minute sessions, three to four
times a week. Do not increase your time and intensity too quickly.
Start on level ground for the first several weeks before you begin any
hill work. The key is to allow your body to condition itself at its
own rate. Listen to the signs and signals it's giving you. Give
yourself at least six weeks to see an improvement in energy, stamina,
and strength. Always reverse your warm-up for a cool-down at the end
of your ride. Remember: You're conditioning the cardiovascular system
to be more efficient and training your body to burn fat--and this
takes many sessions.

A term used in cycling is spinning, the number of revolutions of the
wheel per minute. The number of RPMs for mountain biking is around
60-80. This is the optimal cadence, but you need to establish a
cadence that you can sustain during your ride. Your cadence will
change as you go up and down hills and come to full stops and starts.
Your cadence must be one you can return to after changes.

It's important to understand the basics of shifting gears. You must be
able to shift into a gear that is comfortable and efficient to pedal
in. If you're pedaling too slowly, you're wasting energy; pedaling too
fast results in aerobic/endurance fatigue.

To improve your fitness through hill work, start on short hills. Most
cyclists will move up the hill by taking it easy on the first part and
pushing on the last part. However, some will go hard on the first part
and take it easy the rest of the way up the hill. You must determine
the method easiest for you.

A jump is a short, fast burst of speed (a sprint). Interval training
using jumps is one way to improve fitness. On one of the days during
the week, do five to seven jumps. Find a flat stretch of land and
simply stand up out of the seat and increase your speed until you
reach full speed. Keep it up for 10-15 seconds and then return to your
regular speed. Don't lower your speed below your regular pace. Repeat
this several times during the course of an hour or better ride.

Here are some tips to get the most from your mountain biking
experience:
 -   Don't lock your elbows. Locking the elbows will lead to sore neck
muscles. Beginning riders often lock the elbows in order to take
stress off the back. However, locked elbows will cause the arms and
shoulders to become rigid, which results in sore neck muscles.
-   Take frequent breaks. If you're not used to riding in a bent
position, take breaks to stretch your back and neck muscles.
-   Use your gears. You want your cadence to be right for you. You
don't want to go too fast or too slow. Use your gears to maintain a
consistent cadence that you can handle.
-   Scan the terrain when riding off-road. Keep your attention on what
is coming up ahead and directly in front of your front tire.
-   Use a crouch position for downhill riding. This is the basic,
off-the-saddle position when going downhill or over an obstacle.
-   Wear gloves. Gloves will protect you from cuts from a fall. In
addition, gel-padded gloves will protect you from the bike's constant
vibration, which can cause injury to the nerves of the hands and arms.