Here is a video demo I just shot on how to do a single arm DB snatch. This is a great exercise that lets us get some of the power developing benefits of Olympic style lifts without having to spend a lot of time on the technical aspects of the traditional snatch and clean.
Power development is crucial for mountain bikers. This exercise will help you pedal harder and bunny hop higher on the trail.
Check out my new article on arm pump over at VitalMTB.com. Arm pump on the trail a subject I have gotten a lot of questions on lately and I got a chance to get Aaron Gwin to demo the exercises on the video. He even gave some input on what he thinks it takes to get rid of arm pump on your mountain bike.
One of the more interesting exercises I saw being used at Mike Boyle’s facility was the cheat curl to shoulder press. The idea behind it is that it will force you into a position that gets all the right areas strong for a shoulder press, particularly the glutes, core and upper back.
Mike said that they started using it and got some great feedback from people who had previously experienced shoulder pain while doing shoulder presses – it basically made the pain go away. I have been trying it and like how it gets some also works in some good hip explosiveness which is something all riders need.
Here is a video demo on how to perform this exercise and how to advance it. I recommend using a weight that is tough for you to just curl up and really try to make the dumbbells float up to your shoulders, otherwise you are missing the point of the first part of the exercise.
I was going through my YouTube videos and found this one that never got posted here. It is a great video demo on how to squat properly – more importantly, it shows you how to avoid putting excessive stress on the knees during squats.
If you feel that you can not squat or that excessive squats kill your knees then watch this video! It will help you get more drive out of your hips, which will not only feel better but help you get more leg drive on the trail.
Split stance exercises are some of the most important for us as mountain bikers. The stance gives us a very unique core training effect that is also very specific to riding a mountain bike.
Here is a video demo of the Split Stance Shoulder Press and several variations you can use. It is one of my favorite upper body exercises for mountain biking.
Being able to keep your shoulder blades stabilized is very important for shoulder strength, health and function. On our bikes, being able to resist the “hunched shoulder” posture is important for keeping the tension out of your neck. In addition, being able to have your upper back in a flat, strong position gives you better control of the bike and balance on the trail.
The wall slide is a staple exercise in my facility to counteract the effects of riding posture, which also happens to be desk posture and sitting in your car posture. Do 2 sets of 10 reps a few times a week and watch what happens to your posture and shoulder health.
