Learn why standing up on your bike is way better for your performance and fun than sitting down. The 4...
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Toxic Goals vs. Positive Goals
James Wilson
December 26, 2019
Goals are important but knowing how to set the right goals is important. Some goals can push you in the...
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Applying Engineering to the Pedal Stroke
James Wilson
December 25, 2019
How would an engineer approach solving the problem of creating a strong pedal stroke? The answer may surprise you...
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Study Shows E-Bikes Have Same Fitness Benefits…Or Does It?
A recent study showed that riding an e-bike had similar fitness benefits compared to a regular bike, but is there...
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History of the Ball of the Foot Pedaling Position
James Wilson
December 23, 2019
Do you know the history of the ball of the foot position on your pedals? Most riders don't, which is...
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MTB KB Conditioning v3 Black Friday Special
James Wilson
November 29, 2019
Attention MTB Riders: It’s Time To Talk About Effective Training And The MISTAKES That Most Riders Make. Let’s Start With...
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Isometric Holds for Better Strength
James Wilson
November 28, 2019
How to perform an Isometric Hold to improve your strength. Isometrics are the fastest and safest way to get stronger...
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Specificity and Physical Qualities
James Wilson
November 27, 2019
Not all physical qualities are equal when it comes to how they should be trained.
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Trail Skills vs Show Off Skills
Learn the difference between a Trail Skill and a Show Off Skill and how knowing this can help you prioritize...
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The 4 Quadrants of Tension
This is the MOST IMPORTANT concept I've ever come across in my 30 years of strength training. It has changed...
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Is Drilling for Muscle Memory a Waste of Time
James Wilson
November 14, 2019
In this video, I share why drilling to create muscle memory is a waste of time for improving your MTB...
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Sleep Coaching with Nick Lambe – New BikeJames Podcast
Have you ever heard the saying that “to achieve what others can’t, you must be willing to do what others...
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The Off-Season Starts Now – New Workout of the Month For You to Download
James Wilson
November 4, 2019
For some riders, the term “off season” is a dirty word. They scoff at the idea of taking time off...
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MTB Stability Push Up – The Best MTB Specific Push Up You Can Do
James Wilson
October 28, 2019
On your bike you have to do a push up type movement, making the Push Up one of the best...
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Primal Skills Camp Recap: 3 Lessons to Help You In The Gym and On The Bike
James Wilson
October 21, 2019
In this episode of the BikeJames Podcast, I recap the 3 lessons I took away over the course of the...
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Jumps & Drops: How Your Hand Position Affects Your Ability to Absorb Energy on the Bike
shilosmama
October 14, 2019
Over the past few weeks I’ve posted several things about how having your hands wider than you need affects things...
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Next Level Soft Tissue Strategies – Interview with Chris Duffin from Kabuki Strength
Last week I posted a review of a new soft tissue tool I’ve been using called the Boomstick. At roughly...
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New Workout of the Month – Download Now for Free
shilosmama
October 7, 2019
This last month was a busy one for me with MTB Strength Training Systems. Besides getting a new website done...
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Beyond Foam Rolling – The Boomstick from Kabuki Strength
Your ability to recover plays a big role in your results. The more training and riding you can recover from...
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The Underground Skills Training Handbook
Over the last few months I’ve been secretly working on a project that has been long overdue. I call it...
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New Podcast – Bioforce Coaches Seminar Recap
James Wilson
September 23, 2019
In the book Sapiens - which I highly recommend BTW - the author talks about the superpowers that separate humans...
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BikeJames Podcast – Balance Training, Clipless Pedal Injury Studies and Foot Position in Corners and Descents
James Wilson
September 9, 2019
By the time you get this podcast I’ll be on my way back from a seminar in Seattle. It’s hosted...
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New KB/ DB Workouts Added to the WOM – Download Now
James Wilson
September 2, 2019
A new month means it’s time for a new Workout of the Month. And this time I’ve got some exciting...
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How To Get Over Ledges On Climbs – A Case Study From the Trail
James Wilson
August 19, 2019
Navigating ledges is an important part of mountain biking. While bigger wheels and better suspension have made it easier to...
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Do wide handlebars make it harder to lean your bike?
James Wilson
August 18, 2019
Do wide handlebars make it harder to lean your bike? If you would have asked me yesterday I probably would...
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New Podcast – Finding the right problem is the first part of the solution.
James Wilson
August 14, 2019
One of the recurring themes in my life lately is the need to identify the right problem before you can...
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New Workout of the Month – Download Now
James Wilson
August 5, 2019
I can’t believe another month has passed and it’s time for another Workout of the Month. Hell, I can’t believe...
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Using Wedges for Better Cornering and Cockpit Control
James Wilson
July 29, 2019
The human body is an amazing “machine” that can create a wide variety of movements. One of the reasons that...
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Using Wedges for Better Cornering and Cockpit Control
James Wilson
July 29, 2019
The human body is an amazing “machine” that can create a wide variety of movements. One of the reasons that...
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Will I See You In September?
James Wilson
July 22, 2019
Over the last few weeks I’ve talked about the opening of my new MTB performance training facility, The Catalyst Training...
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Will I See You In September?
James Wilson
July 22, 2019
Over the last few weeks I’ve talked about the opening of my new MTB performance training facility, The Catalyst Training...
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How to Pedal Through Rocks – A Case Study From the Trail
James Wilson
July 15, 2019
They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions and the longer I’m alive the more I...
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How to Pedal Through Rocks – A Case Study From the Trail
James Wilson
July 15, 2019
They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions and the longer I’m alive the more I...
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New Podcast – Deadlift Strength, Science of a Good Rider, Mixed vs. Regular Cardio & Cockpit Control
James Wilson
July 8, 2019
Hope you had a great holiday weekend. I had a good one myself, getting some riding in with Aka the...
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New Podcast – Deadlift Strength, Science of a Good Rider, Mixed vs. Regular Cardio & Cockpit Control
James Wilson
July 8, 2019
Hope you had a great holiday weekend. I had a good one myself, getting some riding in with Aka the...
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This Month’s Free Workout – Download Now
James Wilson
July 1, 2019
This past month has been pretty busy with the opening of my new training facility in Fruita CO. I call...
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This Month’s Free Workout – Download Now
James Wilson
July 1, 2019
This past month has been pretty busy with the opening of my new training facility in Fruita CO. I call...
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3 Programs to Help You Decrease Pain for Only $19
James Wilson
June 24, 2019
Nothing kills the momentum of your riding season like getting hurt. And while some injuries are unavoidable, a lot of...
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3 Programs to Help You Decrease Pain for Only $19
James Wilson
June 24, 2019
Nothing kills the momentum of your riding season like getting hurt. And while some injuries are unavoidable, a lot of...
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New Podcast – Speed vs. Power, Handlebar Width and Emotions in Training
James Wilson
June 19, 2019
This week I’ve got a new BikeJames Podcast for you. A lot has happened since the last one and I...
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New Podcast – Speed vs. Power, Handlebar Width and Emotions in Training
James Wilson
June 19, 2019
This week I’ve got a new BikeJames Podcast for you. A lot has happened since the last one and I...
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Your Handlebars Are Too Wide – A case study
James Wilson
June 10, 2019
One of the most disheartening things I’ve seen over the last few years is the popularity of wide handlebars. Almost...
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Your Handlebars Are Too Wide – A case study
James Wilson
June 10, 2019
One of the most disheartening things I’ve seen over the last few years is the popularity of wide handlebars. Almost...
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Free Workout of the Month – Download Now
James Wilson
June 3, 2019
You hear a lot of people talk about “flow” and trying to find it on the bike, but what does...
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Free Workout of the Month – Download Now
James Wilson
June 3, 2019
You hear a lot of people talk about “flow” and trying to find it on the bike, but what does...
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Save 25% on any program this Memorial Day.
James Wilson
May 27, 2019
I hope your having a great Memorial Day weekend filled with riding, friends and family. We’ve got epic conditions for...
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How to Jump Your Bike: Hips vs. Stomp
James Wilson
May 20, 2019
One of my proudest achievements as a rider was hitting the 40 foot gap jump we had up at The...
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New Podcast: Knee Stomp vs. Hip Stomp for Jumping, History of the TGU and Isometric Bro Science
James Wilson
May 13, 2019
This week I’ve got a new podcast to share with you. Instead of a single topic, I had a few...
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Free Workout of the Month – Download Now
James Wilson
May 6, 2019
May is a lot of fun here in the Grand Valley. While every month is great to be a rider...
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3 Surprising Reasons You Need Isometric Training
James Wilson
April 29, 2019
Over the last 18 months I’ve become an evangelist for isometric training. If someone wants to talk training then the...
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FREE WORKOUT – In-Season Training to Help Your Riding
James Wilson
April 17, 2019
On Monday I sent out an email sharing a study I had found on the impact of in-season strength training...
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BikeJames Podcast: Recovery Posture & Low Carb Diets
James Wilson
April 8, 2019
In this episode of the BikeJames Podcast I look at two recent studies and their application to mountain biking and...
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Feel Better With This 5-Minute Wrist & Shoulder Mobility Routine
James Wilson
April 1, 2019
Few things take a beating on our bike like our wrists and shoulders. Almost everything you do on the bike...
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Plyometrics for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
March 25, 2019
In the world of strength training few things have taken on the mythical status that plyometrics have. Seen as the...
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Attention 40+ Year Old Riders – Save 50% on the only program made for you
James Wilson
March 18, 2019
As a kid I remember that I could see myself being 30-something but 40 seemed pretty old, almost like life...
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The Importance of Being an Optimist for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
March 11, 2019
Want to know the #1 thing that can make a difference in your mountain biking journey? While the physical stuff...
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Get the only “P-90X Workout for Mountain Bikers” and let the power of a follow-along workout program help you succeed.
James Wilson
February 18, 2019
Let me ask you a questions - Do you struggle to stick with a training program? Despite your best intentions,does...
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Why Police Officers on Bikes Benefit From Catalyst Pedals.
James Wilson
January 28, 2019
When I first came up with the idea for the Catalyst Pedal I never realized how many types of riders...
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I get interviewed by the B1KER Bar…
James Wilson
January 21, 2019
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of being interviewed by B1KER Bar, where I had the chance to...
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Squat vs. Vertical Jump – What They Tell Us About Foot Position on the Bike
James Wilson
January 14, 2019
As the creator of the Catalyst Pedals I get asked a lot about foot position. And this is to be...
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Ways to Improve Your Hip Hinge On and Off Your Bike.
James Wilson
December 20, 2018
While it seems like common knowledge now, there was a time not too long ago when the words "Hip Hinge"...
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Shin Box Mobility Routine for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
December 10, 2018
I’ve been working with mountain bikers since 2005, which means that I’ve seen a few trends over that time. Seeing...
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What A Wobble Board Can Teach You About The Best Foot Position On Your Bike.
James Wilson
December 3, 2018
One thing that we take for granted is how much balance plays a role in our performance on the bike....
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How to Use Your Shoulders When Cornering Your Mountain Bike.
James Wilson
November 26, 2018
Improving your cornering skills is usually at the top of most rider's wish lists. It is a skill that can...
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Podcast – Overtraining: What It Is and How To Avoid It
James Wilson
November 19, 2018
Everyone knows that training hard is part of getting better. If you don't push your body past what it did...
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3 Reasons Getting Stronger This Off Season Will Make You Faster
James Wilson
November 12, 2018
Spending some time getting stronger is one of the best things you can do to improve your performance on the...
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The Best Training Tool to Train Your Manual, Pumping and Jumping.
James Wilson
November 5, 2018
A few weeks ago I shared one of my favorite blog posts I’ve done over the years where I broke...
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Riding for a Lifetime – Interview on the Singletracks Podcast
James Wilson
October 29, 2018
A few weeks ago I was contacted by the Singletracks.com website to see if I would be interested in coming...
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Stick Mobility for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
October 22, 2018
In this video I share some great new mobility moves I’ve been using in my program. Inspired by the Mobility...
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Are Your Hands the Key to Great Body Position on Your Bike?
James Wilson
October 15, 2018
When you break it down to its most basic element, riding a mountain bike comes down to the interplay between...
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Enduro Race Training – BikeJames Podcast
James Wilson
October 8, 2018
In this new episode of the BikeJames Podcast I share my thoughts on Enduro Racing and how to approach training...
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What My Little Boy Z Taught Me About Perspective and Motivation
James Wilson
October 1, 2018
When my little boy Z was a baby he was like a ninja crawling on the ground. When something caught...
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Steel Mace Basics Webinar: How to Safely Get the Most Out of Your Mace Training
James Wilson
September 24, 2018
While it is one of the oldest training tools in the world the Steel Mace finds itself in an interesting...
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Compression vs. Leverage Based Tension: Why you aren’t seeing the results your looking for from your program.
Ever since I was a teenager running track in high school I’ve been fascinated with how to manipulate the human...
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The “Perfect” Swing for Hip Function and Power?
James Wilson
September 10, 2018
Over the last 5 years few exercises have gotten as popular as Kettlebell Swings. With it's blend of hip power,...
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Podcast – Recap and Lessons From the Perform Better Functional Training Summit.
James Wilson
September 3, 2018
In this episode of the BikeJames Podcast I recap the insights and lessons I took from the recent Perform Better...
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The Skill of Creating Tension – Why Ramping Isometrics are the missing piece of your training program.
James Wilson
August 31, 2018
I wanted to wrap up this week by explaining in more detail exactly why Ramping Isometrics are a key part...
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Top 3 Benefits of Ramping Isometrics for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
August 29, 2018
Getting better at mountain biking is never easy. It’s a tough sport that requires a different breed of person to...
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New Ramping Isometrics for MTB Program now available.
James Wilson
August 27, 2018
Ramping Isometrics are the most effective training technique I’ve found for the unique demands of mountain biking. Able to increase...
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3 Ways to Eliminate Cycling Related Low Back Pain
James Wilson
August 20, 2018
For a lot of cyclists, low back pain is just a part of riding their bike. Whether it hurts before,...
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The Biggest Gimmick in Cycling? Clipless Pedals.
James Wilson
August 13, 2018
Warning: Do not listen to this podcast if your identity as a rider is tied up in your clipless pedals...
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Free August Workout of the Month
James Wilson
August 6, 2018
Sometimes you have to stop and ask yourself “why am I choosing to do this?”, especially when it comes to...
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BikeJames Podcast – The BPTM System – 4 Steps to Improving Your Performance
Over the last couple of years I've been introduced to some things that have made me re-think how I approach...
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Ramping Up Your Planks for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
July 25, 2018
The plank is one of the most popular core training exercises being used today. It is a great way to...
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Top 3 Ramping Isometric Exercises for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
July 23, 2018
As I lay on the ground trying to get my legs to stop shaking I was dumbfounded at what had...
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Why Being On The Ball Of The Foot Is Bad Your Knees.
James Wilson
July 16, 2018
One of the biggest myths in the cycling world is the need to be on the ball of the foot...
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Indian Club Swing for Mountain Biking – Are They Better Than Kettlebell Swings?
James Wilson
July 9, 2018
One of the only constancies in life is change. While I’ve been a huge proponent for Kettlebell Swings I’ve come...
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Free 30 Day Steel Mace for MTB Workout Program
James Wilson
July 2, 2018
Welcome to the world of Steel Mace Training. Based on the ancient Gada, the Steel Mace is the modern version...
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Free Program to Improve Your Standing Pedaling
James Wilson
June 11, 2018
If you want to quickly improve your riding you need to work on your standing pedaling power and endurance. When...
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Why You Need Heel Pressure From Your Pedals.
James Wilson
May 21, 2018
As a mountain bike coach I often wondered why there seemed to be a disconnect between foot position on the...
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5 Tools to Combat Foot Pain When Riding
Foot pain is something that almost every rider deals with at some point. And while the cycling industry has given...
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My (New) Top 3 MTB Core Training Exercises
James Wilson
April 17, 2018
Everybody loves a good core training exercise. A strong core can help you perform better and stay injury resistant, something...
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New Podcast: Flats vs. Clipless Pedals and The Truth About Foot Position
James Wilson
April 10, 2018
It’s been a crazy last few months with Pedaling Innovations. We were accepted into a business accelerator group earlier this...
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Is Your Foot Position Hurting You?
James Wilson
January 26, 2018
Something I get asked a lot when it comes to foot position and pedal stroke is why do I care...
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Catalyst Pedals Winning Presentation at BOW Venture Out Conference
James Wilson
December 13, 2017
In October I had the chance to go to Bend Oregon for the Bend Outdoor Worx Venture Out Conference to...
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December Workout of the Month – Download Now for Free
James Wilson
December 4, 2017
The only thing more abundant than "pumpkin spice" flavored stuff this time of year are excuses not to train. Whether...
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Podcast – Isometric Training: How Not Moving Can Help You Ride Faster
James Wilson
November 29, 2017
Every once in a while I have a lightbulb moment that makes me realize that I have been missing something...
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BikeJames Podcast – Foot Health and Cycling with NaturalFootGear.com
James Wilson
November 20, 2017
So, right off the bat I want to let you know why this may be one of the most important...
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November Workout of the Month – Download Now for Free
James Wilson
November 6, 2017
A lot of people wonder where I get the motivation to workout. Usually they are looking for something to make...
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Pedaling Innovations Wins Bend Outdoor Worx Conference
James Wilson
November 3, 2017
A few weeks ago I got the chance to go to Bend Oregon to present at the Venture Out Conference....
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If you can’t do this you shouldn’t be riding your bike…
James Wilson
October 30, 2017
I know that this isn’t popular to say but the truth is that mountain biking isn’t for everyone. At least,...
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A Great Way to Stay In Shape While Traveling
James Wilson
October 16, 2017
I’m kind of a home-body. I mean, I’ve got everything I need at home. My family, my dog, my bike...
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New BikeJames Podcast: Conversation with Ryan Leech
James Wilson
October 9, 2017
Well, it’s official - Ryan Leech is one of my favorite people on planet Earth. Rarely does someone live up...
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October’s Workout of the Month – Download Now for FREE
James Wilson
October 2, 2017
When I first started MTB Strength Training Systems in 2005 my main goal was to help other mountain bikers discover...
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Catalyst Pedals 2 Year Anniversary Podcast & Limited-Edition Pedal
James Wilson
September 18, 2017
This month marks a big milestone for me - it’s the 2-year anniversary of the Catalyst Pedals! That’s right, it’s...
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BikeJames Podcast: Applying the Specificity Spectrum to Mountain Biking
James Wilson
September 11, 2017
In this episode of the BikeJames Podcast I go over the 4 basic physical qualities that make up your physical...
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3 Simple Assessments That Can Change Your Riding
James Wilson
August 7, 2017
As riders we are taught to take good care of our bikes. After all, we are relying on them to...
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Rowing Exercises to Improve Your Cornering Skills.
James Wilson
July 31, 2017
Over the last couple of years working with the Steel Mace I’ve been introduced to how important it is to...
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How Your Foot Position Affects Your Balance and Body Position on the Bike.
James Wilson
July 19, 2017
On Monday I sent posted a new podcast covering the science and the movement principles behind the mid-foot position and...
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The Mid-Foot Position Manifesto: The science and movement principles behind the best foot position for you on the bike.
James Wilson
July 17, 2017
Some people may wonder why I care so much about foot position on the bike. I mean, does it really...
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Turning Skeptics Into Believers – Long Term Catalyst Pedal Review from Singletracks.com.
James Wilson
July 12, 2017
While the Catalyst Pedals continue to become more and more popular among riders who have actually tried them, not everyone...
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New In-Season Bodyweight Program to Help You Ride Strong All Season.
James Wilson
July 7, 2017
I’ve noticed something over the last 12+ years working with hundreds of riders around the world - what you do...
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Top 3 In-Season Training Tactics – How to stay riding strong all season long
James Wilson
July 5, 2017
One of the hardest things for me about the riding season is finding the time and energy for all the...
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Crawling – The Best Core Training for MTB and How to Get Started
James Wilson
July 3, 2017
While mountain biking has a lot of positive benefits, one thing it isn’t good for is your core. That’s right, this...
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Leg Raises – Why You Need Strong Hip Flexors for Mountain Biking.
James Wilson
June 26, 2017
One of the biggest mistakes I made early on with my core training for mountain biking was avoiding exercises that...
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New Podcast – 5 Reasons You Should Be Doing 5 Reps or Less When Strength Training
James Wilson
June 12, 2017
A persistent myth with mountain bike strength training is that because it is an “endurance sport” then you need to...
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Join me for a live Bike Chat on Wednesday evening… and bring your questions!
James Wilson
June 5, 2017
I’d like to invite you to join me as I get interviewed as part of the first live Regular Guy...
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The Best Piece of Training Equipment You Haven’t Heard of Yet – RAMRoller for MTB Review and Free 30 Day Workout
James Wilson
May 29, 2017
I’ll admit that I am a more than a bit skeptical when it comes to new pieces of training equipment....
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3 Reasons That “Elbows Out” Leads to Bad Body Position on Your Mountain Bike
James Wilson
May 24, 2017
One of the more interesting things for me as a coach to see is the over-use and misunderstanding of the coaching...
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Fight for the Forgotten – Help me change 175 lives with gift of clean water.
James Wilson
May 22, 2017
Something I take very seriously is the platform I have been given to help people. I am very blessed to...
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Why Clipless Pedals are Bad for Your Knees and How to Stay Planted on Flats
James Wilson
May 15, 2017
A few weeks ago I had someone tag me in a discussion in the Ryan Leech Connection FB Group regarding his...
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BikeJames Podcast with Ryan Leech – How to Assess Risk, the Downside of Social Media and Why Flat Pedals Rule.
James Wilson
May 8, 2017
In this episode of the BikeJames Podcast I catch up with longtime friend of the show Ryan Leech. I’ve had...
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Study Shows In-Season Strength Training Improves Performance
James Wilson
April 24, 2017
Last week I was looking around online and came across an interesting study published in the Journal of Science and...
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New Outside Online Article – 3 Stretches You Need To Do Every Day
James Wilson
April 17, 2017
Check out this new article I was interviewed for by Outside Magazine's website called The 3 Stretches Every Outdoor Athlete Should...
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What the Broad Jump Tells Us About Foot Position on the Bike.
James Wilson
April 10, 2017
One of the most common misconceptions about foot position on the bike is the need to be on the ball...
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Winners of the New Kettlebell Swings for MTB Virtual Workshop
James Wilson
April 7, 2017
First, I want to say thanks to everyone that entered the contest. We got a lot of great comments and...
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Kettlebell Swings for Mountain Biking Virtual Workshop – Learn the Secrets to Getting More Results Out of Every Rep
James Wilson
April 7, 2017
If you are a mountain biker - and if you are reading this I assume you are - then Kettlebell...
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Win a free copy of my new KB Swings for MTB Virtual Workshop
James Wilson
April 5, 2017
On Friday I will be releasing a new product that represents a new education-based direction for MTB Strength Training Systems...
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Stretching, Walking and Throwing Rocks – I Get Interviewed by The Regular Guy Mountain Biking Show
James Wilson
March 31, 2017
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of talking with Gene Arnold on his Bike Chat, which is part of...
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5 Tips to Improve Your Kettlebell Swing for Mountain Biking
Since 2005 I’ve been using Kettlebell Swings in my own program and to help my clients ride faster, longer and...
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The Attack vs. Throne Position: What is the best body position to use on your mountain bike?
James Wilson
March 20, 2017
Body position on the bike is the foundation for everything else you do on the trail. From pedaling to cornering...
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The Best Balance Training Method for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
March 13, 2017
“Balance good, karate good. Balance bad, may as well go home.” - Mr. Miyagi in the original Karate Kid While...
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A Case for Ambidexterity…or Why You Should be Able to Ride Switchfoot
James Wilson
March 6, 2017
This is another guest post from Jukka Maennena, a Finnish coach I've had on my podcast and blog before. He's a...
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Podcast: Why the Trackstand is an Essential Skill for Every Mountain Biker
James Wilson
February 27, 2017
In this new podcast I talk about the Trackstand and why it is an important skill for every rider to...
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The Best Cardio Workout for Mountain Biking You’ve Never Done…
James Wilson
February 13, 2017
Cardio is one of those topics that I could write about every day and some people still couldn’t get enough....
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Top 3 Exercises to Improve Your Mountain Bike Skills
James Wilson
February 6, 2017
Earlier this month I shared a couple of posts about what you can learn from some other sports, specifically Brazilian...
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New Program Improves Your Manuals and Bunny Hopping in just 4 Weeks
James Wilson
February 2, 2017
Do you want to improve your ability to Manual and Bunny Hop your bike? Well, if you do then you’re...
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Top 3 Exercises to Build Explosive Manualing & Bunny Hopping Strength for MTB
James Wilson
January 31, 2017
For most of us, moving with speed and power on the trails isn’t something that comes naturally. At first trying...
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I get interviewed by The Angry Mountain Biker Podcast
James Wilson
January 30, 2017
Last week I had the privileged of being on the Angry Mountain Biker Podcast, which is a podcast run by...
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Three Things Mountain Bike Riders Can Learn from BMX Racers
James Wilson
January 23, 2017
This is a guest post from Jukka Mäennenä, a Finnish cycling coach who specializes in BMX and Mountain Bike training....
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Why One Clipless Pedal Convert Loves the Catalyst Pedals.
James Wilson
January 16, 2017
When I talk to people about the Catalyst Pedal I tell them that it isn't a product as much as...
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Make Riding RAD Again
James Wilson
January 9, 2017
Like a lot of you I grew up riding a BMX bike. I never raced or anything but cruising around...
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Last Chance – Save over 50% off the new Ultimate MTB Workout Program and get 5 bonus workouts.
James Wilson
January 2, 2017
I hope you had a good New Years’ Eve and 2017 is off to a great start for you. I...
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Winners of the comment contest and save 50% off the new UMWP v7.
James Wilson
December 30, 2016
I want to say thanks to everyone who entered the comment contest, it was really cool to see so many...
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Want to win a free copy of the new Ultimate MTB Workout Program?
James Wilson
December 28, 2016
I hope you had a great Christmas weekend and you got some cool stuff from Santa. I must have been...
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Top 5 Exercises to Improve Your Flat Pedal Performance
James Wilson
December 19, 2016
Something a lot of riders don’t realize is that keeping your feet grounded on flat pedals is a skill. And...
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I get interviewed for the Sports Adventure Podcast
Last week I had the chance to talk with fellow coach Rod Bucton for his Sports Adventure Podcast. Located out...
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Can the Catalyst Pedals Help Your Knee Pain?
James Wilson
December 14, 2016
For a lot of riders it can be tough to really enjoy mountain biking. I’ve met and talked to a...
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Why Regular Periodization Won’t Work for You…and What to Do Instead.
James Wilson
December 12, 2016
Heading into the off season you’ll probably start to hear more about the importance of Periodization. Really just a fancy...
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Carving Faster Corners with the Stick and KB Windmill
James Wilson
December 5, 2016
Few things separate great riders from mearly good riders like the ability to carve through a corner. We’ve all had...
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Last Chance! Save 40% off my new Bodyweight Program and get $334 in FREE bonuses
James Wilson
November 28, 2016
I hope you had a good holiday weekend, I spent a lot of it playing video games with my little...
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Black Friday Special – Save 40% off my new Bodyweight Training Program and get 6 FREE bonuses.
James Wilson
November 25, 2016
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and got to spend it with some people you’re thankful for. My whole...
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Be More Like a Spartan and Don’t Make These Bodyweight Training Mistakes
James Wilson
November 21, 2016
One of my favorite images from history is when the Persian king Xerxes faces off with the famous 300 Spartans...
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Steel Mace and Bodyweight Training in Long Beach – A recap of the Rik Brown and Amir Solsky seminar
James Wilson
November 14, 2016
As I drove across the dark desert staring at the small patch of ground lit up by my headlights I...
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BikeJames Podcast – Why everyone SHOULD start on a hardtail.
James Wilson
November 7, 2016
I’m not sure if you have noticed but the mountain biking world has an addiction to technology. And like most...
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Let me be your coach with my Group Coaching Program – now just $9 a month.
James Wilson
November 2, 2016
I’m emailing you today is because I’m opening up off-season registration for my popular Group Coaching Program this week. It...
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BikeJames Podcast – The Fat Optimized MTB Athlete
James Wilson
October 24, 2016
I still remember as a little kid having a bowl of white sugar sitting at the breakfast table. My mom...
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BikeJames Podcast – How to Deal With Low Back Pain
James Wilson
October 17, 2016
One of the most common complaints I hear about from riders is that their lower back gives them problems. It...
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Which foot position is better? Why motocross isn’t the place to look for the answer…
James Wilson
October 10, 2016
I recently had a rider post a question about the need for the mid-foot position that I advocate. What made...
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Mobility Flows to Maximize Your Results – Warm Up and Decompress from your workouts
James Wilson
October 3, 2016
The biggest change between my training now and when I first started training is the emphasis I now have on...
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Sore, Achy Joints From Mountain Biking? Vitamin K2 May Be the Answer You’re Looking For.
James Wilson
September 26, 2016
If you are a 40+ year old mountain biker then odds are you suffer from some type of joint pain,...
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The 3 W’s of Nutrition
James Wilson
September 19, 2016
If you ever want to clear a room of mountain bikers either tell them you are out of beer or,...
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Bike James Podcast – Interview with Kona Factory Team Rider Connor Fearon
James Wilson
September 14, 2016
Connor Fearon is a young man living his dream. As a kid in Australia, he was inspired by guys like...
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The 6 Movements You Need as a Mountain Biker
James Wilson
September 12, 2016
While riding your bike can look and feel like an elegant dance between you and the bike (or maybe not...
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Ditch the Clipless for These Flats – New Catalyst Pedal Review Posted on the Shoulders of Giants Website.
James Wilson
September 7, 2016
While I love to talk about the Catalyst Pedals and how they can improve your performance, confidence and overall...
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CARs – All-in-One Package for Mobility and Joint Health
James Wilson
September 2, 2016
Earlier this week I shared a podcast interview I did with Finnish MTB coach Jukka Mäennenä. During the interview, we...
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BikeJames Podcast – Interview with Finnish MTB coach Jukka Mäennenä
James Wilson
August 31, 2016
One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to meet and talk with other coaches who work with...
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Can the Catalyst Pedals keep your feet from bouncing off the pedals?
James Wilson
August 15, 2016
For a flat pedal rider there is nothing worse than having your feet get blown off the of the pedals...
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The 3 Worst Mountain Biking Tips – New Article Posted on Shoulders of Giants
James Wilson
August 12, 2016
One thing that you’ll notice when you first start mountain biking is that almost everyone has some advice for you....
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A Blueprint for Your In-Season Strength Training Program
James Wilson
August 8, 2016
One of the biggest challenges I face during the riding season is balancing my training and riding. I know that...
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More proof that flats are better than clipless pedals?
James Wilson
August 1, 2016
Well, it’s happened again. Einstein once defined insanity as “trying the same thing over and over, expecting a different result”...
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Why You Need to Crawl Like a Baby to Ride Like a Man (or Woman)
James Wilson
July 25, 2016
While mountain biking has a lot of positive benefits, one thing it isn’t good for is your core. That’s right,...
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Podcast – BMX and MTB Training with Jake Stephenitch
James Wilson
July 19, 2016
My colleague Jake Stephenitch is a strength and conditioning coach based in the Chicago area who specializes in programs for...
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Last chance to save 25% off the ride-changing MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Program
James Wilson
July 17, 2016
I hope you’re having a great weekend so far and got the chance to get some good rides in. I...
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Contest Winners plus get 25% off the new KB Conditioning Program v3
James Wilson
July 15, 2016
First, I want to say thanks to everyone who entered the comment contest. It was inspiring to see how many...
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The 3 Best Kettlebell Exercises for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
July 13, 2016
Most riders I talk to tell me that they face three big obstacles when it comes to starting a training...
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Win a free copy of my new KB Conditioning Program
James Wilson
July 11, 2016
I'll admit that I didn't really think much of kettlebells when I first saw them. Maybe it was the over-the-top...
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Why you should add running to your MTB training program.
James Wilson
July 6, 2016
Sports training is a delicate balancing act between several opposing factors. For example, specificity and health - while you need...
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6 Skills to Learn Before Considering a Switch to Clipless Pedals
James Wilson
July 4, 2016
There comes a time in every rider’s life when they have to decide if clipless pedals are something that they...
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When should kids start using clipless pedals?
James Wilson
June 30, 2016
A great indicator of the health of a sport is how many kids are participating in it. Little athletes grow...
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My Interview on The New Standard Podcast
James Wilson
June 27, 2016
I hope you had a great weekend and got some good rides in. I had the chance to try out...
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Does “elbows out” actually make it harder to corner your bike?
James Wilson
June 22, 2016
A couple of weeks ago I posted the replay from my webinar on the Top 3 MTB Skills Training Myths,...
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40+ Rider Training Secrets Webinar Replay and Podcast
James Wilson
June 13, 2016
As a kid I remember that I could see myself being 30-something but 40 seemed pretty old, almost like life...
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Top 3 MTB Skills Training Myths Webinar Replay & Podcast
James Wilson
June 6, 2016
One of the things I love about mountain biking is the blending of fitness and skill it requires. I’ve often...
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Want to check out all of my training programs for FREE?
James Wilson
May 23, 2016
Let’s face it – we’d rather have it all than have to choose. As kids we hated to have to...
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Symptoms vs. Causes – Why knowing this is the most important thing for your mountain bike skills training.
James Wilson
April 25, 2016
Tomorrow I'm hosting another free webinar, this time going over the Top 3 Skills Training Myths. As always, I'm excited...
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Top 3 MTB Skills Training Myths – Free Webinar Registration
One of the things I love about mountain biking is the blending of fitness and skill it requires. I’ve often...
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An Easy Way to Add Crawling to Your Mountain Bike Training Program
James Wilson
April 8, 2016
Crawling is also some of the best core training you can do and works your body in ways that nothing...
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Why I’m really excited about tomorrow.
James Wilson
March 28, 2016
So yeah, I’m really excited about tomorrow. With over 700 people registered so far, the upcoming How to Ride Strong Into...
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Are you a 40+ year old rider? Free webinar shows how to keep riding strong
James Wilson
March 22, 2016
I know I’ve mentioned it before but last December I turned 40 years old. As a kid I remember that...
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Inside the Steel Mace Certification at the ONNIT Academy
James Wilson
March 14, 2016
A few months ago I started training with the Steel Mace, a tool that has a long history and has...
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Upper Body Cardio for Mountain Biking: Old School Tools for Modern Mountain Bike Training
James Wilson
March 8, 2016
One of the things that gets lost in the “cardio training” conversation is that cardio is very specific to how...
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Mace Training in Austin…and no, not that kind of mace.
James Wilson
March 4, 2016
This morning I’m flying to Austin to attend a Mace Training Certification this weekend. I’m really excited to go to...
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Shugyo – Applying Martial Arts Wisdom To Mountain Bike Training
James Wilson
February 29, 2016
I’ve always had a fascination with the martial arts. Maybe it was growing up watching characters like Storm Shadow on...
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Breaking down the World Champs workout
James Wilson
February 19, 2016
Yesterday I was asked about a new Hunt for Glory video highlighting a strength training sessions from World XC Champ Nino...
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Top 5 MTB Exercises – Webinar Replay
James Wilson
February 15, 2016
When I first got serious about started strength training I did what most people do – I found as many...
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What the Thundercats can teach us about mountain biking.
James Wilson
February 10, 2016
One of the best parts of having a little boy is getting to find and watch all of the old...
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Free Webinar – How to improve your Upper Body Cardio
James Wilson
February 7, 2016
One of the things that gets lost in the “cardio training” conversation is that cardio is very specific to how...
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Is Pro Cycling just like Pro Bodybuilding?
James Wilson
February 3, 2016
I’ve been into strength training for a long time. While I remember doing some bench presses and curls with an...
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I get interviewed by a guy dressed like bacon…kind of.
James Wilson
February 1, 2016
I love bacon. You can use it for breakfast, lunch or dinner and it tastes great. Plus, it can be...
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Why is this a dirty word in mountain biking?
James Wilson
January 28, 2016
Every group has it’s “dirty words”. You know, those words you aren’t supposed to say or subjects that everyone knows...
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Is seated pedaling like doing a bong hit of crack?
James Wilson
January 26, 2016
The other day I was watching television and a commercial came on for a desk that doubles as a standing...
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How I can help you succeed in only 90 days.
James Wilson
January 22, 2016
Look, I really want to see you succeed. I’ve been seen way too many riders who just accept where they...
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Imagine if you could Manual and Bunny Hop this easily…
James Wilson
January 21, 2016
I want you to take a moment and imagine something for me. What would be different for you if you...
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Why don’t more riders know about this simple system?
James Wilson
January 20, 2016
I know how you feel – it can be hard to believe that you can dramatically improve your skills and...
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Why I’m really just a selfish person…
James Wilson
January 19, 2016
Want to learn how to improve your skills and fitness without spending hours in the gym, on a trainer or...
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Check out our review on Pinkbike!
James Wilson
January 15, 2016
The Catalyst Pedal has been getting in more and more rider’s hands and I’ve been hearing a lot of great...
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Building an Enduro Program with Legos?
James Wilson
January 11, 2016
I love Legos. I loved them as a kid and I love playing with them now (of course, I use...
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My Top 5 Lessons from 2015
James Wilson
January 4, 2016
So last week was the end of 2015 and the start of a new year. Like a lot of people,...
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Happy 2016!!! Here are the Top 10 Posts from 2015
James Wilson
January 1, 2016
Happy New Year! I hope you had a great 2015 and that 2016 treats you even better. I also know...
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Merry Christmas! Here is a gift for you…
James Wilson
December 25, 2015
Since today is Christmas I wanted to give you a special gift. A couple of years ago I had the privilege...
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Winners of the comment contest and a special deal on the new UMWP v6.
James Wilson
December 18, 2015
I want to say thanks to everyone who entered the comment contest, it was really cool to see how many...
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Want to win a free copy of my best workout program?
James Wilson
December 16, 2015
First, I wanted to say that I had a lot of fun during the webinar yesterday. I got the chance...
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Top 5 MTB Exercises You Must Use This Off Season – Free Webinar
James Wilson
December 13, 2015
When I first got serious about started strength training I did what most people do – I found as many...
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How wide should your handlebars be? Try this test to find out…
James Wilson
November 30, 2015
A lot of things have changed since I first started riding mountain bikes over 15 years ago. Bigger wheel sizes,...
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Get 25% off the MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Program plus $234 in free bonuses this Black Friday Weekend.
James Wilson
November 27, 2015
Look around and you’ll notice that kettlebells are one of the hottest trends in fitness training today. Everyone from the...
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FPI System of Program Design – Webinar Replay
James Wilson
November 25, 2015
Getting better at mountain biking is one of the harder things to do in the sports world. Unlike most sports...
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3 Steps to Designing Your Perfect Off Season Plan
James Wilson
November 23, 2015
Something that I love to do is to write a training program. I’ve actually had a fascination with program design...
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Why Flats Are Better Than Clipless for Off Season Training
James Wilson
November 16, 2015
What if I told you that I had a training tool that was guaranteed to improve the efficiency of your...
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Why I learned to throw knives.
James Wilson
November 6, 2015
Did you know that humans are the only creature on the planet that can throw with power and accuracy? Oh...
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Register Now for the 2015 Off Season Group Coaching Program
James Wilson
November 4, 2015
Would you like the help of a professional coach without having to pay hundreds of dollars a month? Let me help...
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BioPower Hacks – Make Your Endurance Training Easier & More Effective
James Wilson
November 2, 2015
I have a confession to make...this may surprise you to hear but the truth is that I am kind of...
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Can you train your brain like a dog?
James Wilson
October 28, 2015
This morning I shot a short video asking a couple of simple questions - what is the most important part...
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The real secret to improving your endurance is…
James Wilson
October 26, 2015
You are at the end of a hard ride at your local trails. Your muscles are burning and you’re breathing...
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Mace Training for Mountain Biking: Using Hindu Warrior Training for the Trail
James Wilson
October 19, 2015
A few months ago I ordered a steel mace. Now, if you have never seen a steel mace it is...
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Avoid this critical foot position mistake and improve your agility on the bike.
James Wilson
October 12, 2015
Humans love metaphors. You know, where you compare something you know about to something you don’t know about, which makes...
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How to Tap Into Your Wild Side with Abel James
James Wilson
October 7, 2015
Abel James isn’t your usual fitness expert. Or at least, he certainly didn’t set out to be one. But for...
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I’m sure you have some questions about…
James Wilson
October 2, 2015
When I came home from a ride and started to sketch out some ideas for a new type of flat...
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Catalyst Pedal Webinar Replay/ Slides and how to get yours for only $99.
James Wilson
September 30, 2015
So this is it…the moment I’ve been working towards for over 14 months. After a lot of work the Catalyst...
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Winners of the free Catalyst Pedals and when you can order yours (if you didn’t win).
James Wilson
September 28, 2015
I’m a bit late getting this posted today, I’ve been swamped trying to get things ready to launch the Catalyst...
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I need your help…
James Wilson
September 25, 2015
A little over a year ago I was sitting on the trail pissed off at the lack of support I...
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Stuff I Found at InterBike: Things to help you get more out of riding and training.
James Wilson
September 23, 2015
Las Vegas is an interesting place. While it is a great place to visit, the truth is that when you...
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The best cardio workout you’ve never done.
James Wilson
September 21, 2015
Cardio is one of those topics that I could write about every day and some people still couldn’t get enough....
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Free Webinar: The Wild Diet with Abel James – Learn how to naturally fuel your training and life.
James Wilson
September 14, 2015
If you held a gun to my head and made me pick what “diet” I recommend I’d have to lean...
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Why I’ve switched to an oval chainring.
James Wilson
September 8, 2015
I’ll admit that I wanted to hate it. When the Absolute Black oval chainring actually showed up in the mail...
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Advanced Mountain Bike Core Training
James Wilson
August 31, 2015
Last week I held a webinar going over Advanced Mountain Bike Core Training and how you can use specific exercises...
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Join me for a free webinar – Advanced Core Training for MTB
James Wilson
August 24, 2015
Core training is always a hot topic. Improving your core strength is supposed to improve your performance and decrease your...
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Banded Traction – The best joint stress relief method that you aren’t using
James Wilson
August 17, 2015
If you ride long enough – or just live life long enough really – you are going to start running...
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3 lessons that MTB could learn from BJJ
James Wilson
August 10, 2015
If you’ve been a reader of this blog for a while then you probably know that I’ve been training Brazilian...
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In his own words – One rider’s experience with trying flat pedals.
James Wilson
August 3, 2015
Sometimes the best person to tell you the story about how flats can change your perspective and improve your mountain...
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Last chance to get the 15 Minute Trail Rider Tune Up Workouts plus 2 bonuses for just $19.
James Wilson
July 31, 2015
As someone who follows my blog I know that you appreciate the value of a full strength and conditioning program....
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Use this 15 minute workout if life has you held prisoner.
James Wilson
July 27, 2015
Last week I shared the Prisoner’s Dilemma with you, a question that was meant to help you focus your training...
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How to focus your training by answering the Prisoner’s Dilemma.
James Wilson
July 20, 2015
Sometimes the hardest part about training to ride faster, longer and with more confidence on the trail is knowing how...
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The Bent Press for MTB – How this forgotten exercise can improve your riding.
James Wilson
July 13, 2015
I’ve been reading a lot of books written by old time strongmen lately and the lessons and insights in them...
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Are we misapplying “Light Hands-Heavy Feet” to mountain biking?
James Wilson
July 6, 2015
So I know that this one might catch some flak. If so, I’ll admit that part of it is going...
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New Podcast Interview with the Strength Matters Podcast.
James Wilson
June 29, 2015
A few months ago I got the chance to attend a really cool event put on by Strength Matters. It...
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Would you like a free 30 day dumbbell training program?
James Wilson
June 26, 2015
Dumbbells are one of those training tools that we tend to take for granted. Almost everyone who has spent some...
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Comment Contest Winners Plus a Special Deal on the new DB Combos Program v5
James Wilson
June 24, 2015
First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who took the time to enter the comment contest. There...
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Your chance to win a FREE copy of the new DB Combos Program v5!
James Wilson
June 22, 2015
When I released the DB Combos program several ago I did not realize that it would gain the popularity and...
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What does the term “sport specific” really mean for mountain bikers?
James Wilson
June 15, 2015
One of the most confusing terms in training is the moniker “sport specific”. While we can all agree that it...
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Does improvement come from testing your limits or expanding your comfort zone?
James Wilson
June 8, 2015
A few years ago I was sitting around after a ride BS’ing with my riding buddies about our ride. While...
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Join me for a FREE MTB Skills & Fitness webinar on Wednesday
James Wilson
June 2, 2015
Register now for a free webinar I’m doing at 9am MDT on Wednesday, June 3rd covering what you need to...
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Podcast: Learning to Wheelie in 30 Days with Ryan Leech
James Wilson
June 1, 2015
Riding a wheelie can be a tough thing to learn for a lot of riders. I mean, if you don’t...
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6 Skills to Learn Before Considering a Switch to Clipless Pedals
There comes a time in every rider’s life when they have to decide if clipless pedals are something that they...
Read More
Using a Reality Based Suspension Set Up
James Wilson
May 18, 2015
Getting your suspension set up properly can really help how well you can ride on the trail. This is why...
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The Science of Going Downhill Faster
James Wilson
May 11, 2015
While it doesn’t happen very often, sometimes the sports science world turns its eye on real mountain biking. Most studies...
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Turkish Get Up Tips
James Wilson
May 6, 2015
I admit it, I have an unhealthy infatuation with the Turkish Get Up. I'm always looking for tips and coaching...
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Are you up for the Baby-Man Challenge?
James Wilson
May 4, 2015
A few weeks ago I got the chance to attend a workshop by Steve Maxwell. Steve is a very interesting...
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Avoid a season of frustration with my new In-Season Group Coaching Program.
James Wilson
April 27, 2015
Its been a long, cold winter for a lot of us and being able to hit the trails and feel...
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In-Season Training Strategies #3 – Mobility Training
James Wilson
April 24, 2015
This week I’ve been going over the 3 parts of your training program and how you should adjust each to...
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In-Season Training Strategies #2: Strength Training
James Wilson
April 22, 2015
For a lot of us, riding season is getting into full swing, so this week I wanted to share some...
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In-Season Training Strategies #1 – Cardio Training
James Wilson
April 20, 2015
Everyone knows that in order to keep riding strong all season long you need to have a good in-season training...
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Health vs. Fitness: Why being fit to ride a bike doesn’t mean you are healthy.
James Wilson
April 13, 2015
Last week I sent out an email linking to an article I had written about why I thought that mountain...
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The Goal is to Keep the Goal the Goal.
James Wilson
April 6, 2015
If there could be one line to sum up what I took away from the intensive two days I spent...
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New Podcast – Strength Matters Recap: Big toes, crawling and heavy swings.
James Wilson
March 29, 2015
Last weekend I had the chance to attend a new fitness event, the Strength Matters Summit. Headlined by the likes...
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5 Reasons You Need to be Able to Ride Switchfoot and 3 Tips to Help You Do It
James Wilson
March 23, 2015
One of the more controversial pieces of advice I give surrounds your pedals…and no, I’m not talking about flats or...
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Get 33% off the No Gym No Problem Bodyweight Program plus $117 in FREE bonuses.
James Wilson
March 20, 2015
This weekend I’ll be attending the Strength Matters seminar in San Diego. It will be a great chance to learn...
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Why Pulling Up Doesn’t “Add” to Your Pedal Stroke Power.
James Wilson
March 16, 2015
When looking at improving your performance on your bike one of the most important things you can look at is...
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How to ensure your success by focusing on the right set and rep ranges for your goals.
James Wilson
March 9, 2015
When you look at a strength training program, what is the first thing you focus in on? Out of all...
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Is it really bad for your knees to travel over your toes when squatting?
James Wilson
March 2, 2015
A common bit of advice given to people in the strength training world is that you don’t want to let...
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Use this Escalating Density Training workout to improve your Strength Endurance.
James Wilson
February 23, 2015
The hardest thing about designing a program for mountain biking is finding the right balance between strength and endurance. While...
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Save your riding season with this special deal on the MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Program.
James Wilson
February 20, 2015
So here’s the deal…this is your last chance to set yourself up for the best riding possible next season. That’s...
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The #1 reason why Standing Pedaling is actually better for your knees than Seated Pedaling.
One of the most persistent and damaging rumors about the best way to ride your bike is the advice to...
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5 Kettlebell Swing Variations to Help Your Mountain Biking
James Wilson
February 9, 2015
There are few exercises I like as much as a good kettlebell swing. For a mountain biker, few exercises can...
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Newly Updated Flat Pedal Revolution Manifesto – The Science and Logic of Using Flats to Improve Your Riding.
James Wilson
February 2, 2015
It is hard to believe that it has been over two years since I first put together the original Flat...
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Do you need to focus on strength goals for mountain biking?
James Wilson
January 26, 2015
As a strength coach I get asked a lot of questions about how “strong” someone needs to be. They usually...
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More movement tips to help your cornering – Using the rear leg to steer the bike.
James Wilson
January 21, 2015
Something I’ve learned over the years of trying to become more proficient at cornering my mountain bike is that there...
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A lesson in Hubris…
James Wilson
January 19, 2015
Yesterday I got a great lesson in hubris that we all have to learn from time to time. I had...
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How to get rid of pedal bob while standing up to pedal.
James Wilson
January 14, 2015
Last week I shared a video showing how standing pedaling can be just as efficient as seated pedaling. In the...
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Is Standing Pedaling really better than Seated Pedaling?
James Wilson
January 5, 2015
You know, I’m really starting to like these guys at Global Cycling Network. This is twice now that they have...
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Why I love to Train and Play but hate to Work Out.
James Wilson
January 2, 2015
I love to train and I love to play but I hate to workout. Confused by that statement? According to...
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Happy almost 2015! Best posts of 2014…
James Wilson
December 31, 2014
While we still have one more day left this year I’m pretty pumped to see what next year brings. I’ve...
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Merry Christmas! Here’s my free gift to you…
James Wilson
December 24, 2014
Since tomorrow is Christmas I wanted to give you a special gift. A couple of years ago I had the...
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Kneeling Inch Worm – A Unique Core Training Exercise for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
December 22, 2014
They say that desperation is the mother of invention and I totally agree. For example, a while back I ran...
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Two ways that misusing clipless pedals can screw up your pedal stroke.
Improving your pedal stroke should be a major goal of every mountain biker. The better your pedal stroke is the...
Read More
How to “optimize your reality” to get the most out of your training program.
James Wilson
December 8, 2014
I have a saying that I use a lot when working with riders. I use it a lot because the...
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Park Bench vs. Bus Bench Workouts – Which is best for you?
James Wilson
December 1, 2014
One of my favorite guys to follow to in the strength training world is Dan John. I’ve written a lot...
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The easiest way to make sure you don’t train like a roadie this off-season.
James Wilson
November 28, 2014
One of the big things that separate road riding from mountain biking is the amount of tension needed for each...
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Get a special Black Friday deal on the DB Combos Program plus $107 in free workouts.
James Wilson
November 26, 2014
While I know that the Ultimate MTB Workout Program is the best mountain bike training program available today, I also...
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How to use your fitness program to improve your Skills Training for Mountain Biking..
James Wilson
November 24, 2014
I’ve been around long enough to see a real change in the way most riders think about Skills Training. When...
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Endurance Training for Mountain Biking
Endurance Training is by far the favorite subject of mountain bikers everywhere. No matter what they ride or where they...
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Speed Training for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
November 17, 2014
Speed Training is an interesting topic for mountain biking because it isn’t really a part of many programs. Early on...
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How to practice a bio-mechanical breathing match during strength training.
James Wilson
November 12, 2014
A few years ago I went through the RKC Kettlebell course (before Pavel split to start Strong First) and it...
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Winning or Learning, Learning or Winning…Lessons from my BJJ tournament.
James Wilson
November 10, 2014
This last weekend I did something I haven’t done in over a year – I went to compete in a...
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Does this video really prove that flats are more efficient than clipless pedals?
In case you missed it last week, a video showing a rider pedaling more efficiently on flat pedals than on...
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Let me be your coach this off-season with my new Group Coaching Program.
James Wilson
November 3, 2014
With Halloween behind us and the holidays right around the corner, our off-season training time is starting to tick away....
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Why Strength Training is an important part of improving your endurance.
James Wilson
October 31, 2014
Strength Training has a long and interesting history in the world of sports. It wasn’t long after people started competing...
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How to use Flexibility Training to improve your performance.
James Wilson
October 29, 2014
Flexibility Training is probably the least understood out of all of the 5 Essential Elements of MTB Training. It is...
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Does your training plan cover all 5 Essential Elements of MTB Training?
James Wilson
October 27, 2014
Yesterday I got out with some of my buddies for a mid-morning ride. It was the kind of morning that...
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Do you want a high performance brain?
James Wilson
October 22, 2014
If you are like most people then you probably answered "yes" to that question. I mean, who doesn't want a...
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Some tips to help you maximize your off-season training plan
James Wilson
October 20, 2014
With the end of the riding season fast approaching it is time to start thinking about your plans for this...
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Why is Trek putting an Anti-Flats sticker on their mountain bikes?
James Wilson
October 13, 2014
So what would you say if I told you that a major bike manufacturer was shipping all of their mountain...
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And the best way to improve your cardio and endurance is…
James Wilson
October 6, 2014
Every rider I’ve ever talked to wants better cardio and endurance on the trail. It seems like one of those...
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Why you don’t want to push through the ball of your foot when pedaling.
James Wilson
October 1, 2014
A few months ago I wrote an article outlining why you don’t want to push through the ball of your...
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How the 40+ year old rider can keep kicking butt on the trail.
James Wilson
September 29, 2014
As much as we like to pretend that we’re all just a bunch of kids riding mountain bikes, the truth...
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Why pedaling efficiency has nothing to do with your pedals.
James Wilson
September 26, 2014
Pedaling efficiency is one of those terms that gets thrown around a lot, especially when the discussion turns to flats...
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Want to know my recovery strategy for riding 8 days in a row?
James Wilson
September 24, 2014
This last weekend I got back from a 10 day road trip to Bend Oregon. I had a buddy from...
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How clipless pedals really work, why they are just like a “weight belt for your feet” and why you shouldn’t rely on them every time you ride.
James Wilson
September 3, 2014
One of the hardest things to overcome when having a discussion about the value and role of both flat and...
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Why you can’t create a mountain biker on the road or in the gym.
James Wilson
August 27, 2014
This weekend I got to see one of the original and strongest influences on my training programs present at a...
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How Pallet City helped me gain the confidence to try new things on the trail.
James Wilson
August 20, 2014
I got this e-mail from a rider last week and it brought up a very interesting question - how do...
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When “getting stronger” is the worst thing you can do.
James Wilson
August 18, 2014
Last week I had a couple of riders ask me about how to “strengthen” an area that was hurting them....
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When to Forge the Blade and when to Sharpen the Edge
James Wilson
August 13, 2014
Last week I took my family to Glenwood Springs, which is a small town in the mountains about an hour...
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Review of the book Cooked and how it might change your life for the better.
James Wilson
August 11, 2014
One of my favorite scenes in the movie Fight Club is where Tyler Durden and Ed Norton’s character are talking...
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Road Trip Recap – Winter Park and Keystone
James Wilson
August 1, 2014
Last week I packed up my ’97 Honda Passport with my newly equipped Cove G-Spot for a couple days of...
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Cardio Training vs Pacing Development Strategy – A better way to look at improving your fitness.
James Wilson
July 30, 2014
I recently read a book called The Science of Running and it had a lot of great cutting edge info...
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Why Style, Grace and Arete are important for your riding.
James Wilson
July 25, 2014
Over the last few blog posts I’ve been talking a lot about skills training and how it can help your...
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Why cornering your mountain bike is NOT like cornering a motorcycle.
James Wilson
July 23, 2014
I don’t know about you but I find no skill as hard to master as cornering. Even with the same...
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Get my new 30 Day Body Position Program plus $117 in FREE workouts
James Wilson
July 21, 2014
Last week on my blog I shared some of my thoughts on how to use strength and mobility training to...
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How to Improve Your Balance and Body Position on Your Mountain Bike.
James Wilson
July 16, 2014
On the trail everything boils down to one thing – balance. The better balanced you are the faster you can...
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3 Reasons You Must Improve Your Skills…and the 1 Thing That Will Make It Much Easier
James Wilson
July 14, 2014
One of the things that makes mountain biking so much fun is the technical skill aspect of it. The number...
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How to improve your Strength Endurance with the Swing-Push Up Countdowns
James Wilson
July 7, 2014
It doesn’t take long on the trail to realize that mountain biking is a total body sport. Unlike a lot...
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Why you don’t want to push through the ball of your foot when you pedal.
James Wilson
June 30, 2014
Your feet are an important contact point with the bike. Without your feet being in the right place you will...
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Improve your posture and cardio with the Bat Wings
James Wilson
June 23, 2014
One of the things I try to get across to riders who are looking to improve their cardio and endurance...
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Is your shoulder position restricting your cardio and skills on the trail?
James Wilson
June 20, 2014
A while back I got an email asking a very interesting question. This rider had noticed that there was a...
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How to use your wrists to Bunny Hop with flat pedals
James Wilson
June 18, 2014
While most riders can start to get down the basics of body position, cornering and even manualing, one skill still...
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Answer the most important question of the riding season with the new In-Season Training Bundle
James Wilson
June 16, 2014
I hope post finds your riding season going well so far. I’ve been having a bast hitting the trails on...
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In-Season Training Strategies #3 – Mobility Training
James Wilson
June 13, 2014
This week I’ve been going over the 3 parts of your training program and how you should adjust each to...
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In-Season Training Strategies #2: Strength Training
James Wilson
June 11, 2014
Riding season is in full swing and so this week I wanted to share some insights into an in-season training...
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In-Season Training Strategies #1 – Cardio Training
James Wilson
June 9, 2014
Everyone knows that in order to keep riding strong all season long you need to have a good in-season training...
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Do you want a free kettlebell workout program?
James Wilson
June 4, 2014
I’ve been training with kettlebells for a long time. Since about 2004, to be exact. I love kettlebells because they...
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Perception Drives Movement Function And Movement Function Drives Perception
James Wilson
June 2, 2014
One of my favorite guys to hear speak in the fitness industry is Gray Cook, one of the guys behind...
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Why Riding To Get Faster And Riding To Improve Your Cardio Are Not The Same Thing
James Wilson
May 28, 2014
Last week I posted an article sharing a couple of the lessons I took away from my experience as a...
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3 lessons every mountain biker should learn from how track athletes train.
James Wilson
May 19, 2014
One of the reasons that I have a different view on how to approach mountain biking training is because I...
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Why you are not a “cyclist”…and why it is the stupidest term in sports training.
James Wilson
May 12, 2014
I think that one of the stupidest terms in the sports training world is “cyclist”. I mean, while it makes...
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New ride video from MoJo’s in Fruita CO with my trail mutt Aka
James Wilson
May 9, 2014
A few weeks ago I shared a GoPro video of me riding the PBR trail in Fruita with my trail...
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How to fix the real cause of Low Back Pain from mountain biking.
James Wilson
May 5, 2014
Over the last decade or so of working with mountain bikers at every level, I have heard one question more...
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How to get better traction when standing up to climb than you can get sitting down.
James Wilson
May 2, 2014
Yesterday I went for a ride with my trusty trail mutt Aka and my riding buddy Pete. We hit Butter...
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Strengthen your buns and thighs with the Butt Blaster 4000
James Wilson
April 28, 2014
Welcome to Pumping Up with Hans and Franz, we’re here to pump you up! Today we come at you with...
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Everything you need to know about nutrition for mountain biking
James Wilson
April 23, 2014
Nutrition is a funny subject – we all know that it can make a big impact on our results and...
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What the Underpants Gnomes can tell you about endurance training.
James Wilson
April 21, 2014
I recently posted a video on Facebook from Pavel Tsatsouline (the guy who re-introduced kettlebells to the fitness world in...
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Improve your Body Position with Bulgarian Goat Bag Swings
James Wilson
April 16, 2014
In my experience one of the hardest things to teach riders is how to get into good body position when...
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Improve your cornering speed and balance with the Stick Windmill
James Wilson
April 9, 2014
Last week I wrote a blog post about what I learned at a Dan John seminar I had the chance...
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What a pillow can tell you about your mobility and other lessons from Dan John’s seminar.
James Wilson
April 2, 2014
Last Saturday I got the chance to attend a seminar by Dan John. Dan is one of the brightest strength...
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New Podcast – Talking with Coach Al Painter about using strength training with endurance athletes.
James Wilson
March 31, 2014
One of the things I love about strength training is that it has such a powerful affect on every type...
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Ride video from the PBR trail in Fruita with Aka and Uncle Steeze
James Wilson
March 26, 2014
Last weekend I went out to the 18 Road Trail near Fruita with my dog and another riding buddy to...
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Can 64% of your results really come from just 4% of your efforts?
James Wilson
March 24, 2014
The 80-20 Principles tells us that with anything in the world, it is the small causes that have big results....
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Use this simple workout to get stronger and quickly improve your endurance on the trail.
James Wilson
March 17, 2014
A lot of riders waste time trying to “ride themselves into shape” after an off-season of either doing nothing or...
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Everything you need to know to improve your Standing Pedaling
James Wilson
March 10, 2014
As you probably know I have some different views on mountain biking compared to most “experts”. From the value of...
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Do you need to keep training your legs as you ride more?
James Wilson
March 7, 2014
I was talking with one of my private coaching clients yesterday and we were talking about how to adjust their...
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Some riding pics and video with Aka the Trail Mutt
James Wilson
March 5, 2014
I don’t know why but it seems like dogs and trail riding were meant to go together. A good trail...
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Winners of the new UMWP v5 with Enduro, XC and DH Specific versions.
James Wilson
March 3, 2014
All I can say is “wow”…I was pretty speechless at the response I got to my comment contest I held...
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Take a minute to answer this question and you could win $200 worth of my best workouts.
James Wilson
February 28, 2014
I have to say that I forgot how sensitive the hard core Crossfit crowd is when I sent out my...
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Ride pics from Moab
James Wilson
February 24, 2014
I'm a little late getting a blog post up today because I've been working like mad on updating the Ultimate...
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The real secret to better cardio on the trail…
James Wilson
February 17, 2014
I think that people sometimes get the impression that I don’t think that pedaling your bike is important for being...
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Top 3 Tips for Improving Your Enduro Racing Training Program
James Wilson
February 10, 2014
This off-season I’ve noticed a marked trend with the riders I work with via my Distance Coaching service. While I...
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Modulating the power of your pedal stroke for better standing pedaling traction.
James Wilson
February 7, 2014
One of the most common complaints I hear when I suggest that riders should stand up more to pedal is...
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Is Cardio Training Overrated for Mountain Biking Training?
James Wilson
February 3, 2014
Most of us realize pretty quickly that it takes more than just riding to get better at mountain biking. Gassing...
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Is seated pedaling really “more efficient”?
James Wilson
January 29, 2014
One of the things that really separates strong riders from everyone else is the ability to stand and hammer on...
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Can you be “too strong” for mountain biking?
James Wilson
January 27, 2014
The other day I got a great question on my Facebook Fanpage asking if is there a point at which...
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The Crow Stand for improved wrist mobility and forearm strength.
James Wilson
January 22, 2014
Let's face it – our wrists take a beating on the trail. From the pounding they take simply holding onto...
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My most controversial podcast interview ever?
James Wilson
January 20, 2014
Late last year I had the honor of being interviewed by one of my mountain biking heroes Ryan Leech. I've...
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Hip Hinge vs. Squatting – The most important lower body training video you’ll ever see.
James Wilson
January 15, 2014
In my videos and articles I talk a lot about the “hip hinge” and how important it is for us...
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Is mobility training more important than cardio training?
James Wilson
January 13, 2014
I know that “mobility” isn’t as exciting as cardio and power training but it is the basis for everything you...
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Is your bike shop “over-prescribing” bike technologies?
James Wilson
January 6, 2014
This morning I was reading the book Anti-Fragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, which is by far the best book I’ve...
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A Bold Way to Start 2014…Are You In?
James Wilson
January 2, 2014
Alright, so 2014 is here and I’m sure you’ve made some sort of promise to yourself about your training and/...
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Podcast: Lessons and Takeaways from 2013
James Wilson
December 30, 2013
Well, this is it…the last blog post for 2013. Since I usually use the last post of the year to...
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How to instantly improve your hip strength with the Core Activated Glute Bridge.
James Wilson
December 27, 2013
Few movements are as important to us on the bike as having a good hip hinge. Being able to shift...
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Don’t make this mistake with your cardio training program…
James Wilson
December 23, 2013
One of the hardest parts about creating a cardio training program is knowing the value of numbers. A lot of...
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Rider Q&A: What is the difference between Flexibility, Mobility and Stability?
James Wilson
December 20, 2013
You’ll notice that I use the word “mobility” a lot when talking about important qualities for a good rider. However,...
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Podcast: How to make an exercise harder without adding reps or weight plus tips on climbing
James Wilson
December 18, 2013
In this podcast I go over some ways to increase the difficulty of an exercise without adding sets and reps....
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Why you want to avoid the “Crossfit Swing” if you want to be a better mountain biker.
James Wilson
December 16, 2013
I love training with kettlebells. It doesn't take long poking around on my site to figure that out and anyone...
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How to fix wrist pain and hand numbness on the bike.
James Wilson
December 13, 2013
I hear from a lot of riders who suffer from reoccurring wrist pain and hand numbness when mountain biking. This...
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How to squat even if you have “bad knees”…
James Wilson
December 11, 2013
Having "bad knees" is one of the most common complaints I hear about from riders who have concerns about incorporating...
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Are bike fits overrated for mountain biking?
James Wilson
December 9, 2013
Bike fits are a funny subject because while I know that they have a time and place for some riders,...
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How to quickly improve your mountain bike cardio with Combo Drills
James Wilson
December 6, 2013
One of the biggest concerns I get from mountain bikers about adding strength training into their regimen is that they...
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Isolated Normalcy, Challenging vs. Difficult and how Specificity can kill Logic…
James Wilson
December 4, 2013
Few books have changed my perspective on training like Gray Cook's book Movement. In it he does a masterful job...
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Clipless pedals are NOT the problem, the lies told to sell them are…
We’re all born being “cursed” in certain ways. While I know that you can make significant changes with some focused...
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How to use Rep Ladders to increase your strength without feeling sore and tired on the trail.
James Wilson
November 29, 2013
One of the paradoxes of strength training for mountain biking is that in order to get strong you need to...
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Happy Thanksgiving
James Wilson
November 28, 2013
Thank you for the continued support! *This great image is from the team at Mission Bicycle Company!
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Podcast – Understanding the 2 Levels of Cross Training to become a better rider.
James Wilson
November 27, 2013
Riders that engage in Cross Training tend to perform better and incur fewer injuries, making it a popular subject for...
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Comment Contest Winners plus a Special Deal on my New Dumbbell Follow-Along Workouts.
James Wilson
November 25, 2013
First, I want to say thanks to all of the riders who took the time to post a comment and...
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Win a FREE copy of the new Dumbbell Version of the Time Crunched Trail Rider Solution.
James Wilson
November 22, 2013
Let me ask you a quick question – are you being as consistent with your training as you would like...
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What to do when you’re too busy to train…
James Wilson
November 20, 2013
Let me tell you a little secret to improving your fitness and skills on the trail when things get busy....
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Some new Combination Exercises using Loaded Carries…
James Wilson
November 18, 2013
A few weeks ago I posted a video showing you how you can use Loaded Carries to improve your core...
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How to improve your reaction time on the trail…
James Wilson
November 15, 2013
One of the things that I don’t think a lot of people realize about my approach to training for mountain...
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How focusing on breathing and posture can instantly improve your performance on the trail.
James Wilson
November 13, 2013
One of the most overlooked aspect of improving your performance on the trail is breathing and posture. Stuff like heat...
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Is your Physical Confidence holding back your Mental Confidence?
James Wilson
November 11, 2013
Have you ever heard that little voice in the back of your head that told you that you should or...
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Using the DB Push Press to improve your Standing Pedaling Power.
James Wilson
November 8, 2013
When it comes to power training exercises for mountain biking the Push Press is rarely seen. Since it looks like...
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TRX Exercises to improve your fitness and skills on the trail.
An important part of becoming a better rider is understanding how certain movements connect to the skills you need on...
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Cardio Training for Mountain Biking: More than Heart Rate and Power Zones
James Wilson
November 4, 2013
Last Monday I posted an article laying out the Top 3 Off-Season Training Mistakes riders make when trying to see...
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Why you don’t want to ride for “fitness”…
James Wilson
November 1, 2013
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when getting into mountain biking is to think that it is a...
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The #1 way to avoid off-season training mistakes…
James Wilson
October 30, 2013
Having a coach is one of the most valuable investments you can make in life. I can personally look back...
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Don’t let one of these 3 mistakes ruin your off-season training…
James Wilson
October 28, 2013
With the off-season right around the corner I wanted to share a few tips on how to make the most...
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Why I train barefoot…and you should too.
James Wilson
October 25, 2013
Every once in a while someone will catch me in a video without any shoes on and freak out. They...
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DB Cheat Curls for Better Mountain Bike Hip Power
James Wilson
October 23, 2013
On the trail few movement patterns help as much as a good hip hinge. Basically your ability to bend at...
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Would you like access to the most complete MTB training website in the world for only $1?
James Wilson
October 21, 2013
Let’s face it – figuring out how to improve as a mountain biker can be a tough process. This is...
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Why you should stop worrying about what is missing from your program.
James Wilson
October 18, 2013
I’ve recently realized that the people I work with break down into two basic categories. The first group doesn’t question...
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Instantly improve your squat with this Dynamic Flow drill.
The deep squat pattern is very important for us as mountain bikers. Besides being a fundamental movement pattern that will...
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Floor Press tips to help you improve your upper body strength on the trail.
James Wilson
October 14, 2013
While there are a lot of great upper body exercises, when it comes to building strength few can beat the...
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The 3 Levels of Mountain Bike Performance Training
James Wilson
October 11, 2013
Since the off season is right around the corner I am starting to get a lot of questions about how...
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Using Loaded Carries to Improve Your Mountain Bike Core Strength
Whenever I mention using Loaded Carries to a rider when they ask about the best mountain bike core training exercise...
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FREE 30 Day Intro to Kettlebells for MTB Workout
James Wilson
October 7, 2013
By now almost every rider I talk to has seen or heard of kettlebell training. Even if they don't know...
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How the 10X Rule can change your riding and your life
James Wilson
October 4, 2013
At a recent Perform Better Summit I heard Todd Durkin speak about how to get more impact out of the...
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Cardio vs. Endurance Training – Why true endurance requires more than just cardio capacity.
James Wilson
October 2, 2013
Let me ask you a question - do you want better "cardio" or "endurance" from your training program? For a...
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Why being alright with sucking is the first step to learning how to do something right.
As a coach I’ve noticed a trend with people both in the gym and on their bikes when it comes...
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Technique Training Rides – Are they the missing element in your training program?
James Wilson
September 27, 2013
"Training ride" is a funny term - most riders tend to sell it short and not really appreciate all of...
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Are stiff soled riding shoes not only unnecessary but potentially harmful?
James Wilson
September 25, 2013
Based on my article last week about Clipless Pedals Driving Away New Riders I started to get a lot of...
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How to Manual and Bunny Hop Your Bike
James Wilson
September 23, 2013
Manualing is one of those skills most rider's think you are either born with or you just can't do it....
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Are you “false fit”?
James Wilson
September 20, 2013
Most exercise professionals would agree that there are many components to fitness. A well rounded approach to fitness that addresses...
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Kneeling Inch Worm – Unique core training for the mountain bike rider
James Wilson
September 18, 2013
I came up with this exercise at home the other day because I didn’t have an Ab Wheel for the...
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Is the lie that you need clipless pedals driving away thousands of riders every year?
James Wilson
September 16, 2013
Before I start in on my rant let me share a real life conversation I had a few months back...
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The difference between “twisting” and “shifting” your hips while cornering.
James Wilson
September 13, 2013
One of the most common pieces of advice given to rider's who want to improve their cornering is to "twist...
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More movement tips to help your cornering technique – the importance of switching your feet and not just “dropping your cranks”.
James Wilson
September 11, 2013
It seems that a lot of riders were pretty pumped on the 5 Movement Tips to Improve Your Cornering Technique...
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Comment Contest Winner Plus a Special Deal on the New 30 Day Cornering Solution
James Wilson
September 9, 2013
First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who took the time to enter the comment contest. It...
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Win a FREE copy of the new 30 Day Cornering Solution – When did you realize you couldn’t corner for crap?
James Wilson
September 6, 2013
Alright, time for another comment contest to mark the release of a new program from MTB Strength Training Systems. This...
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Top 5 Movement Tips to Help Your Cornering Technique
James Wilson
September 4, 2013
Out of all the trail skills I work with riders on Cornering remains one of the hardest to pick up....
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Rider Q&A: How do I stop falling so much on the trail?
James Wilson
September 2, 2013
One of the hidden advantages to Standing Pedaling is that you actually have better balance when you are on the...
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Why I hate “strength training” for mountain biking…
James Wilson
August 30, 2013
Alright, time for a confession…I HATE strength training. Or, I guess I should say that I hate the term strength...
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Why clipless pedals don’t really “connect” you to your bike…
One of the more common reasons I hear from riders about why clipless pedals are better or needed is because...
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Use these 3 tips to improve the lateral hip movement you need for faster corners on the trail.
Cornering remains one of the most common skills riders ask me about improving. The ability to maximize your momentum and...
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Don’t get held back by your own success…
James Wilson
August 24, 2013
I forget where I first heard it but one of the most powerful bits of advice I've ever read was...
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3 Unique Core Training Exercises for the XC and Trail Rider
James Wilson
August 21, 2013
For a mountain biker, building a strong, high performance core for the demands of riding for hours on grueling trails...
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Applying the Functional Movement Screen to the Mountain Bike Rider
Last week I got an email from a physical therapist who was putting together a list of things to screen...
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Attention: New program for riders looking to maximize their power on the trail.
James Wilson
August 16, 2013
If you’re like me then you want to maximize your riding power and avoid the late season power slump that...
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How to avoid knee pain and improve your balance during the Bulgarian Split Squat
James Wilson
August 14, 2013
One of my favorite leg exercises for mountain bikers is the Bulgarian Split Squat/ RFESS, however I hear from a...
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Contrast Training – The best method for In-Season Power Training?
James Wilson
August 12, 2013
In season training is a delicate balancing act. On one hand you need to do things off the bike to...
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Keep your hips, shoulders and ankles mobile with this simple 5 minute routine.
James Wilson
August 9, 2013
Getting tight and losing some mobility is one of those things that doesn't seem like a big deal at first...
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Naked Warrior revisited – Single Limb Training for Injuries
James Wilson
August 7, 2013
One of the more common questions I get asked is about what to do while recovering from an injury. While...
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How to avoid protecting your Ego so you can focus on mastering your art…
James Wilson
August 5, 2013
Last week I posted an article and video going over the lowly trackstand and why it was the key to...
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Trackstands – The “secret” to Standing Pedaling and Switchbacks
James Wilson
August 2, 2013
And the secret to riding standing pedaling and switchbacks is… 100% all riders I've met who have trouble dealing with...
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Get my new 30 Day Standing Pedaling Power & Endurance Solution for over 50% off!
James Wilson
August 1, 2013
MTB Strength Training Systems is proud to bring you another great program to help you enjoy riding even more. This...
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Don’t fall victim to Learned Helplessness – lessons from getting smashed by a black belt
James Wilson
July 31, 2013
As a coach I read a lot of books that deal with psychology and motivation. The human mind is an...
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How to improve your standing pedaling balance and traction…plus the winners of the Comment Contest.
James Wilson
July 29, 2013
I wanted to share this new video I shot this weekend showing you how to instantly improve your standing...
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Win a FREE copy of the new 30 Day Standing Pedaling Power & Endurance Solution
James Wilson
July 26, 2013
One of the best training books I read this year was called Zen Jiu Jitsu: How to Improve Your Game...
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Are you using this unique exercise to improve your standing pedaling power and balance?
James Wilson
July 24, 2013
One of the best ways to improve your standing pedaling power on the trail is to work on the fundamental...
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3 Common Bike Set Up Mistakes that will sabotage your standing climbing.
James Wilson
July 22, 2013
Most mountain bikers don't realize how important their bike set up is for standing climbing. In fact, a lot of...
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How to instantly improve your Turkish Get Up…with a shoe.
James Wilson
July 19, 2013
It doesn't take long before people realize that I think the Turkish Get Up is one of the best mountain...
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Training to be invincible on the trail…
James Wilson
July 17, 2013
I've mentioned this before but one of the biggest things I am taking away from starting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is...
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Strava vs. GNAR – Why do you ride mountain bikes?
James Wilson
July 15, 2013
Most of you reading this are probably familiar with the Strava phenomenon and if you're not, where have you been?...
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New Rider Q&A Podcast answering your MTB training questions…
James Wilson
July 12, 2013
One of my favorite parts of my job is answering questions from riders around the world. Through my blog and...
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How to avoid letting your shoulder position on your bike restrict your performance.
James Wilson
July 10, 2013
On Friday I shared an answer I gave to a rider asking about the posture he saw in top XC...
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Change how you ride instead of just trying to apply fitness to the same old bad habits.
James Wilson
July 8, 2013
There are so many things that go into being a great trail rider. Skills, cardio, strength and power are all...
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If XC pros don’t need good posture then why do you need it on the bike?
James Wilson
July 5, 2013
This is a great question I got yesterday about the posture you see pro XC riders using vs. the body...
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Some tips to help you pursue mastery in the gym and on the trail.
James Wilson
July 3, 2013
I had a great question in the forum of my Personal Coaching Site regarding the kettlebell swing and relating it...
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The #1 mistake riders make when trying to lose fat.
James Wilson
July 1, 2013
Performing well on your mountain bike takes a lot of things. Cardio, strength, skills and mindset all merge to help...
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Why standing pedaling is better than seated pedaling…once you know how.
James Wilson
June 28, 2013
As you probably know I have some different views on mountain biking compared to most “experts”. From the value of...
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3 Fun Bodyweight Flows You Can Do Today to Improve Your Trail Flow.
James Wilson
June 26, 2013
My favorite addition to my bodyweight training over the last year is definitely the Bodyweight Flows. Something about getting down...
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Comment contest winners plus a Special Deal on the new No Gym, No Problem Workout Program v2
James Wilson
June 24, 2013
First, I want to say thanks to everyone who left a comment on Friday's blog post and entered the giveaway....
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Enter for a chance to win a FREE copy of the No Gym, No Problem Workout..plus a Grand Prize worth over $700.
James Wilson
June 21, 2013
About a year ago I came out with a full version of my No Gym, No Problem Bodyweight Workout. It...
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Shrimping your way to improved leg strength and cornering movement on the trail.
James Wilson
June 19, 2013
Around this time of year I start to rely a lot of bodyweight training. While I still get into the...
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If you want to improve your standing pedaling then start using this exercise today.
James Wilson
June 17, 2013
One of the biggest myths in mountain biking is that seated pedaling is better than standing pedaling. This advice is...
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How to apply the 3 levels of mountain bike training.
James Wilson
June 14, 2013
I get asked all the time about how I would train for a specific type of riding or event. Of...
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Stop looking for the “magic bullet” and start taking action!
James Wilson
June 12, 2013
Here is a reality check I often have with myself or clients when we start to lose focus on what...
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Focused Practice, the Grind and an 8 years old’s belt test…
James Wilson
June 10, 2013
This past weekend my little girl Shilo had her first belt test in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. She's been really dedicated...
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Podcast – Training Heart Rate Recovery, Race Day Nutrition & Spin Classes for MTB
James Wilson
June 7, 2013
It' back! Due to popular demand the long lost MTB Strength Coach Podcast is finally making a return, hopefully for...
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Do you have a plan to guarantee that you ride strong all season long?
James Wilson
June 5, 2013
Listen, if you're happy with your progress on the trails so far this year and/ or you already have a...
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Applying the Focusing Question to your riding…
James Wilson
June 3, 2013
Hope you had a great weekend and got the chance to get out on the trail. I got out for...
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Mountain Bike Exercise Highlight: The Kettlebell Snatch
James Wilson
May 31, 2013
While the kettlebell swing remains one of my favorite power exercises for mountain biking, the kettlebell snatch is right up...
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How to overcome the “Lack of Time” roadblock…
James Wilson
May 29, 2013
Knowing what to do is one thing...actually being able to do it is another. You can know everything there is...
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Mini-Skills Clinics for your next trail ride.
James Wilson
May 27, 2013
So it is Memorial day here in the US, which is when we take a day off from work to...
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Using Tempo Training in your strength training program…
James Wilson
May 24, 2013
Something that I've been playing around with in my training programs lately is the use of Tempo to guide the...
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Animal Flows for More Trail Flow…
James Wilson
May 22, 2013
One of the things we use a lot in BJJ training are animal inspired bodyweight exercises. From the Shrimp to...
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Preventing cramps on your mountain bike – more than hydration and electrolytes
James Wilson
May 20, 2013
I seem to be getting a lot of questions about cramps right now so I wanted to share my basic...
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MTB Exercise Highlight: Kettlebell Clean
James Wilson
May 17, 2013
The Kettlebell Clean seems like a simple exercise on the surface - swing the kettlebell back like you were going...
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Breathing Tips for Better Mountain Bike Cardio
James Wilson
May 15, 2013
Core training and cardio training are two things that most people don't think of as going together. However, they are...
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My challenge to you this week…do something that gets you out of your comfort zone!
James Wilson
May 13, 2013
Humans are funny creatures because of our ability to forget just exactly how bad something sucked in the heat of...
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How to explode your deadlift – Deadlift Dynamite Book Review
James Wilson
May 10, 2013
Deadlift Dynamite is a book I read last week going over all things deadlifting. Written by Pavel Tsatsouline and Andy...
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MTB Exercise Highlight – The Goblet Squat
James Wilson
May 8, 2013
While I love a good deadlift, the squat is still a very important exercise for a mountain biker's lower body...
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2 Simple Tips to Help You Stay Hydrated and Avoid Cramps
James Wilson
May 6, 2013
Having a muscle cramp up on you in the middle of a ride sucks. And it hurts. But mostly it...
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Are you using fitness to overcome bad technique?
James Wilson
May 3, 2013
If you're old enough (or a fan of old school hip-hop) then you probably remember the old Eric B &...
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How to Use Your Breathing to Instantly Improve Your Mobility
James Wilson
May 1, 2013
When most of us think about improving our performance the first things that come to mind are working hard on...
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Special Deal on my New Mountain Bike Mobility Follow-Along Videos
James Wilson
April 29, 2013
If you kept up with my In-Season Training Strategies video series last week then you understand why Mobility Training needs...
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In Season Training Strategies #3 – Mobility Training
James Wilson
April 26, 2013
This week I've been going over the 3 parts of your training program and how you should adjust each to...
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In Season Mountain Bike Training Strategies #2 – Strength Training
James Wilson
April 24, 2013
In my last blog post I talked about the important adjustments you need to make with your cardio training during...
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In Season Mountain Bike Training Strategies #1 – Cardio Training
James Wilson
April 23, 2013
This time of year I start to get a lot of questions from riders who have been training hard during...
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Should mountain bikers worry about muscle gains from strength training?
James Wilson
April 19, 2013
Strength training has a lot of great side effects for us as mountain bikers, including... - Improvements in pedaling power...
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General Physical Prep and Specific Physical Prep… or Why riding a road bike is fundamentally different for mountain bikers than roadies.
James Wilson
April 17, 2013
In my last blog post I talked about the importance of being able to deal with compromises, especially with your...
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How do you deal with compromises in life and training?
James Wilson
April 15, 2013
As most of us find out pretty early on in life, compromise is just something we have to learn to...
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Mountain Bike Exercise Highlight – The Shoulder Press
James Wilson
April 12, 2013
I didn't think much about the Shoulder Press when I first started working out in high school. First, I wanted...
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Applying Functional Movement to a Bike Fit
James Wilson
April 10, 2013
In my recent blog post about the Value of a Bike Fit for Mountain Biking I had some great feedback...
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The 10X Rule Applied to Riding, Life and Moving…
James Wilson
April 8, 2013
Grossly miscalculating how hard things are really going to be is part of human nature. In fact, that was the...
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Don’t blame your pain on the exercise.
James Wilson
April 5, 2013
If you have strength trained for very long you are sure to have experienced some pain associated with a particular...
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How to set up a home gym that gets great results without breaking the bank…
James Wilson
April 3, 2013
After 6 years in my current house my family finally outgrew it with the addition of our new son, Z....
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Don’t Panick! – How to Deal With Injuries and Setbacks
James Wilson
April 1, 2013
After a couple months of prepping for my first BJJ tournament the big day finally arrived. I was ready, mentally...
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Mountain Bike Exercise Highlight – The Kettlebell Swing
James Wilson
March 29, 2013
One of the core tenets of the MTB Strength Training System is that each exercise you do should be done...
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Value of a Bike Fit for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
March 27, 2013
Bike fits are an interesting topic in mountain biking. Born in the world of road riding, bike fits promise to...
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A Simple Approach to Peaking for an Event
James Wilson
March 25, 2013
This coming Saturday will be my first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament and I have to admit that I am a...
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Improve your upper body position in the gym and on the trail with this simple tip…
James Wilson
March 22, 2013
The push up is a funny exercise because it seems so simple on the surface yet few people can really...
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Top 3 Kettlebell Exercises for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
March 20, 2013
Most riders I talk to tell me that they face three big obstacles when it comes to starting a training...
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The Deadlift – One Exercise to Rule Them All
James Wilson
March 18, 2013
What if I told you that there was an exercise that could increase your technical skills, make you sprint faster,...
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Instantly improve your TRX Push Ups with this simple tip.
James Wilson
March 15, 2013
Using the suspension training system - like the TRX or Jungle Gym - to increase the difficulty of bodyweight based...
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Improve your standing pedaling with the TRX Balance Lunge
James Wilson
March 13, 2013
The airborne lunge is a great single leg squat variation that really challenges the lower body in a unique way....
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Improve Your Recovery Breathing With This TRX Cardio Circuit
James Wilson
March 11, 2013
The TRX is such a great training tool for several reasons but on of my favorites is the ability to...
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Exercise Highlight: Why the Bridge is a Must for Mountain Bikers
James Wilson
March 8, 2013
When most riders ask me about my favorite core training exercises few of them expect me to reply with the...
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The 3 Types of Riders You Need in Your Life
James Wilson
March 6, 2013
One of the things that has always fascinated me are the habits and mindset of successful people. While I have...
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Do you need to cycle the intensity of your trail rides?
James Wilson
March 4, 2013
One of the hardest things for a mountain biker to admit is that they can't just go out and ride...
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Don’t fight Tension with more Tension
James Wilson
March 1, 2013
One of the biggest mistakes riders make when trying to improve their mobility is to try and force their muscles...
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Should Mountain Bikers Worry About Weight Gain from Strength Training?
James Wilson
February 27, 2013
Shedding weight is one of the top priorities for most mountain bikers. Riders will pay top dollar to shave a...
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Rider Q&A: How to Deal with Overtraining
James Wilson
February 25, 2013
Overtraining is a funny thing – either you never have to worry about it because you are too lazy to...
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How to Touch Your Toes Without Stretching
James Wilson
February 22, 2013
Can you touch your toes? If so, can you do it while maintaining a relatively straight lower back? If you...
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More than Roadies on Dirt – Top 3 Differences Between Road and MTB Riding
James Wilson
February 20, 2013
Last week I was interviewed for a German mountain bike magazine and during the interview I was asked what thought...
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TGU Clinic – How the Turkish Get Up Applies to Mountain Biking
The Turkish Get Up (TGU) is one of my favorite exercises for improving your core strength and technical skills on...
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Getting better core engagement with the Russian Twist
James Wilson
February 15, 2013
The Russian Twist can be a funny exercise to watch - it is supposed to be a core exercise but...
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Don’t use “soreness” to judge the effectiveness of a workout.
James Wilson
February 13, 2013
As more and more riders use my Ultimate MTB Workout Program I seem to get more questions regarding how "easy"...
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Is your ability to recover the missing ingredient in your trail riding?
James Wilson
February 11, 2013
In today's fitness culture we miss a very important aspect of training and that is the ability to recover efficiently...
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Last Chance to Save Over 50% on the ALL NEW Time Crunched Trail Rider Solution Program
Well, this is an unusual situation for me. You see, I promised to release the new Time Crunched Trail Rider...
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Can you really see results in just 20 minutes a day?
James Wilson
February 6, 2013
Let me tell you a little secret – getting results doesn't have to take hours and hours in the gym...
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Winners of the Comment Contest Plus Special Pre-Sale Price on the Time Crunched Trail Rider Solution
James Wilson
February 4, 2013
First, I want to say thanks to all of the riders who took the time to post a comment and...
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Win a FREE copy of my new Time Crunched Trail Rider Program plus over $400 in other prizes!
James Wilson
February 1, 2013
Let me ask you a quick question – are you being as consistent with your training as you would like...
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Understanding the 4 Quadrants of Training
James Wilson
January 30, 2013
Something I will readily admit to is that I am not the smartest guy in the whole world… BUT I...
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Why “working harder” isn’t always the answer…
James Wilson
January 28, 2013
Something that has come up recently with some new Distance Coaching Clients is the danger of replacing Focus (your ability...
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Spartacus Sandbag Workout
James Wilson
January 25, 2013
The other night I was flipping through my DVR and I came across the Starz! series Spartacus. I'd read a...
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The 3 Levels of MTB Performance Training: Why training is not a math equation…
James Wilson
January 23, 2013
I get asked all the time about how someone should train for a specific type of riding or event. I...
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Psych: Achieving optimal mental focus during performance
James Wilson
January 21, 2013
As a coach I the first thing I tell new clients is that I need to work on getting things...
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Don’t “Twist Your Hips” When Cornering…
James Wilson
January 18, 2013
One of the most common pieces of advice given to rider's who want to improve their cornering is to "twist...
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Old school Anti-Arm Pump Exercises video with Aaron Gwin
James Wilson
January 16, 2013
Is there anything worse than flying down a trail and having to slow down or stop because of arm pump?...
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The Importance of Drilling and Training Journals – More lessons from BJJ for MTB
James Wilson
January 14, 2013
One of the things that I am taking away from my time with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the importance of...
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Simple Tip to Dramatically Improve Your Turkish Get Up
James Wilson
January 11, 2013
One of the most common problems I see with the Turkish Get Up is actually on the very first step...
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Know When to Stop…
James Wilson
January 9, 2013
I came across this quote from Alice in Wonderland while reading Dan John's new book Intervention and it made me...
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Improve Your Body Position 100% in 30 Days
James Wilson
January 7, 2013
In my recent post on how to Improve Your Riding 100% in 30 Days I touched on the basic principle...
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3 BJJ Core Training Exercises to Help Your MTB Riding
I recently started taking some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes and as part of the warm up we do some pretty...
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How to improve performance by NOT pedaling more…
One of the earliest and strongest influences in my strength coaching career is Australian strength coach Ian King. Ian was...
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Top 10 Lessons from 2012
James Wilson
December 31, 2012
This time each year I am reminded of the one of my favorite sayings... There is a difference between 10...
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30 Day Program to Improve Your Cornering 100%
James Wilson
December 28, 2012
On Monday I posted a podcast going over a plan to improve your riding 100% in 30 days and I...
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Is Power Training really valuable for mountain biking?
Off season training means one thing for a lot of riders – the continued quest to improve their ability to...
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Zen Mountain Biking – Improve your riding 100% in 30 days
James Wilson
December 24, 2012
One of the best things I have done for my riding over the last year is get into Brazilian Jiu...
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Combo Drills with the TRX and Kettlebells
Combo drills are a great way to build strength endurance and cardio capacity while using strength training exercises that work...
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TRX & Kettlebell Routine for Mountain Bike Training
James Wilson
December 19, 2012
Here is a great 4 exercise circuit using two of my favorite tools, the TRX and a kettlebell. As we...
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New MTB TRX-Kettlebell Conditioning Workout for only $7!
James Wilson
December 18, 2012
What's better than combining two of your favorite things? From peanut butter and chocolate to mountain biking and dogs, it...
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Advanced Swing Techniques: Locking Down the Lats
James Wilson
December 14, 2012
As I've mentioned before the kettlebell swing is as close as you can come to a hard trail ride without...
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The Flat Pedal Revolution Manifesto: How to Improve Your Riding With Flat Pedals
James Wilson
December 12, 2012
Manifesto (noun): a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer. The Flat Pedal Revolution Manifesto...
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The Internal – External Intensity Continuum
James Wilson
December 10, 2012
One of the more common responses I get to the early phases of my programs is that they look too...
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DB Combo Drills: Improving Your Cardio Through Strength Training
James Wilson
December 7, 2012
One of the biggest concerns I get from mountain bikers about adding strength training into their regimen is that they...
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Are Clipless Pedals Enhancing Your Performance or Covering Up Your Dysfunctions?
Better is a relative term, especially when talking about artificial means of performance enhancement. The mistake people make is assuming...
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Maximizing Your Off Season Training
James Wilson
December 3, 2012
In this podcast I explain how to maximize your off season training plans. You can download the MP3 file by...
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TRX Stagger Stance Jump Squats
James Wilson
November 30, 2012
While they tend to get overused in a lot of programs, plyometrics - essentially jumping drills - are a great...
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Better Mountain Bike Skills with TRX Training
James Wilson
November 28, 2012
An important part of becoming a better rider is understanding how certain movements connect to the skills you need on...
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TRX Training for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
November 26, 2012
Few pieces of equipment are as valuable to the mountain biker as a suspension trainer. I'll admit that when they...
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Improve your wrist position on the bike with this one tip…
James Wilson
November 23, 2012
One thing that a lot of riders miss out on when training with kettlebell training for mountain biking is not...
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Top 5 MTB Exercises You Should Always Do
James Wilson
November 21, 2012
Becoming a great mountain biker is all about building strength, power and mobility in the right areas. While the general...
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Join me in helping a great cause this Thanksgiving…
James Wilson
November 19, 2012
Being thankful for your blessings in life is what this week is all about. I for one certainly have a...
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Stagger Stance Push Press for Improved Total Body Power
James Wilson
November 16, 2012
As much as I love the kettlebell swing for its ability to improve hip power on the bike it does...
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Exercises To Improve Your Standing Pedaling Power
James Wilson
November 14, 2012
I'm a huge advocate for standing up more to pedal for two reasons - standing up allows you to apply...
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The Warrior Attitude
James Wilson
November 13, 2012
I just re-read Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings for the 5th or 6th time and came across an amazing...
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Top 3 Kettlebell Exercises for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
November 12, 2012
Most riders I talk to tell me that they face three big obstacles when it comes to starting a training...
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Kettlebell breathing drills for instantly improved cardio…
James Wilson
November 9, 2012
One of the most overlooked aspects of cardio training is the quality of your breathing. Too many riders are breathing...
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MTB Specific vs. the Crossfit Swing…
James Wilson
November 7, 2012
By now almost every rider I talk to has seen or heard of kettlebell training. Even if they don't know...
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Contest Winners plus a Special Offer on the new MTB KB Conditioning Program v2.
James Wilson
November 5, 2012
First, I want to say thanks to all of the riders who took the time to post a comment and...
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Your chance to win my newest Kettlebell Program plus $288 worth of programs and training.
James Wilson
November 2, 2012
About a year ago I came out with the MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Program because I saw a need for a...
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Are you twisted?
James Wilson
October 31, 2012
Most of us are twisted in one way or another…and I’m not talking about anything that you might be dressing...
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Fat person curling soup cans…
No matter what area of life we are talking about one of the worst mistakes someone can make is assuming...
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Fixing Wrist Pain and Hand Numbness from Mountain Biking
James Wilson
October 26, 2012
I hear from a lot of riders who suffer from reoccurring wrist pain and hand numbness when mountain biking. This...
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Doing the same but different…
James Wilson
October 24, 2012
Most people think that they need to make frequent wholesale changes in their program on a regular basis in order...
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The 1 Lift a Day Program – Staying strong with just one exercise per workout
James Wilson
October 22, 2012
Lately I've run into a problem that, judging from the number of emails I get about it, a lot of...
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Improve your hip power with these two unique leg exercises…
James Wilson
October 19, 2012
While the kettlebell swing is one of my favorite exercises for improving your power on the trail, it does use...
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How to Manual & Bunny Hop Your Bike
James Wilson
October 17, 2012
Manualing is one of those skills most rider's think you are either born with or you just can't do it....
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New Five-Ten/ 5-10 Freerider VXI Shoe Review
James Wilson
October 15, 2012
A few weeks ago I received a mildly beat up 5-10 box in the mail, the kind that their shoes...
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Pulse Squats for Improved Upper Body Core Strength
James Wilson
October 12, 2012
The Pulse Squat is an exercise I read about years ago but never really used much in my workouts until...
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The end of flat pedals for World Cup DH racing?
James Wilson
October 10, 2012
Last Wednesday an article ran on Pinkbike.com that caused some pretty big waves in the mountain bike community. Richard Cunningham,...
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HRV: The most valuable training tool I’ve ever used…but no one knows about.
James Wilson
October 8, 2012
Few things have changed my approach to my own training like monitoring my Heart Rate Variability (HRV) with Bioforce HRV....
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Advanced Push Up Techniques to Improve Your Strength
James Wilson
October 5, 2012
I don't know about you but the push up is the first exercise I can remember doing as kid. They...
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The MTB Performance Wheel
James Wilson
October 3, 2012
Every self respecting rider in the world knows that keeping the wheels on your bike round and true is important...
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Time to celebrate the release of my new Follow-Along Workout Program….
James Wilson
October 1, 2012
Some of my biggest breakthroughs in my riding and training career have come from simply seeing someone else do something...
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Kneeling Inch Worm for a Stronger Core
James Wilson
September 28, 2012
I came up with this exercise at home the other day because I didn’t have an Ab Wheel for the...
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Shoe, Pedal and Foot Placement Tips for Flat Pedals
James Wilson
September 26, 2012
I get a lot of questions from mountain bikers about how to keep their feet planted on their flat pedals...
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General Physical Prep and Specific Physical Prep… or Why riding a road bike is fundamentally different for mountain bikers than roadies.
James Wilson
September 24, 2012
After posting my article on How To Use Road Riding as a Mountain Biker I realized that one of the...
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Don’t forget your Upper Body Core…
I realized a while ago that the upper body has a “core” similar to the role played by the lower...
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Old School Single Leg Training Video with Aaron Gwin
James Wilson
September 19, 2012
When I trained Aaron Gwin he would come out to my facility in Grand Junction to get some hands on...
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Is Progressive Overload Misapplied – Getting stronger without lifting more weight
James Wilson
September 17, 2012
Progressive Overload is something that I think is a bit misapplied. While we obviously need to systematically expose the body...
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Exercises to Improve Your Body Position and Seated Pedaling
James Wilson
September 14, 2012
In this video I show you what I consider to be the most important lower body exercise to improve your...
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Killing the “deadspot” in your pedal stroke with Barefoot Pedaling
James Wilson
September 12, 2012
I got some requests from people after my original Barefoot Pedaling post about how to pedal with the aid of...
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How to use road riding as a mountain biker…
James Wilson
September 10, 2012
Confusion on a subject starts when we start to confuse terms and use them interchangeably with each other. I have...
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Exercises to Improve Your Standing Pedaling
James Wilson
September 7, 2012
In this video I show you what I consider to be the most important lower body exercise to improve your...
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Fixing shoulder pain from the Turkish Get Up
James Wilson
September 5, 2012
Every once in while I get a complaint from someone about the Turkish Get Up causing shoulder pain, especially in...
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Why you don’t need stiff soled riding shoe for flat pedals
James Wilson
September 3, 2012
While this advice is being directed at flat pedal riders, the advice holds true for clipless pedal riders as well....
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2 Way to Instantly Increase Intensity
James Wilson
August 31, 2012
One of the keys to sustaining progress over the years is the ability to keep coming back to the basics...
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Tumbling drills to save your a**
James Wilson
August 29, 2012
We’re all going to crash – it is just a fact of life for mountain bikers. Practicing basic tumbling drills...
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Rider Q&A: Elbow Position During Push Ups & Dealing with Elbow Pain
James Wilson
August 27, 2012
"First, what position should the elbows be in when doing push ups? I've been keeping them close to my body....
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Get Up Windmill for Better Cornering
James Wilson
August 24, 2012
I love the Kettlebell Windmill exercise to help improve the type of hip mobility and core strength we need to...
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Releasing the brakes
James Wilson
August 22, 2012
I had the chance to go to a great program design seminar put on by Results Fitness. Results Fitness is...
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The Secret Formula for Success as a Mountain Bike Rider
James Wilson
August 20, 2012
One of the hardest things to get a new client to understand is that there is no generic formula for...
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Hidden Benefits of Single Arm – Single Leg Press for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
August 17, 2012
I love exercises that have a lot of "hidden" benefits and the Single Arm - Single Leg Press is one...
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Which Muscles are Really Used During the Pedal Stroke?
James Wilson
August 15, 2012
One of the most persistent myths in the mountain biking world surrounds the pedal stroke and goes something like this...
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Shoe, Pedal and Foot Placement Tips for Flat Pedals
James Wilson
August 13, 2012
I get a lot of questions from mountain bikers about how to keep their feet planted on their flat pedals...
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Get Up Elbow Bridge
James Wilson
August 10, 2012
I learned a cool exercise from Brett Jones last month that I'm calling the Get Up Elbow Bridge (Brett didn't...
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Confessions of a Mountain Bike Zealot
James Wilson
August 8, 2012
I don’t know why but last night I was thinking back over the past several years and I realized just...
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Podcast Interview for Pursuit Athletic Performance
James Wilson
August 6, 2012
A few weeks ago I did a podcast interview for Coach Al Lyman, owner of Pursuit Athletic Performance and we...
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5 Minute Pre and Post Ride Mobility Drill
James Wilson
August 3, 2012
If you spend some time during the week working on your mobility then you don’t need an elaborate pre- and...
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Two Nutritional Boogy Men to Watch Out For
James Wilson
August 1, 2012
Let’s look at a common thing found in hydration drinks – high fructose corn syrup . I read a great...
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Metabolic Flexibility and the Death of Cardio Training
Cardio Training is dead - at least, it should be if your goal is to improve your ability to ride...
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Using the TRX Balance Lunge to progress to the Airborne Lunge
James Wilson
July 27, 2012
The airborne lunge is a great single leg squat variation that really challenges the lower body in a unique way....
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Instantly improve your Turkish Get Up…with a shoe
James Wilson
July 25, 2012
It doesn't take long before people realize that I think the Turkish Get Up is one of the best mountain...
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Where is your focus?
James Wilson
July 23, 2012
You may have heard me say this before but it is funny how certain themes keep coming up over the...
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The Secret to Strong, Injury Resistant Shoulders
James Wilson
July 20, 2012
One of the secrets to having strong, injury resistant shoulders is to learn how to get your lats behind your...
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Tension Based Cardio Training
James Wilson
July 18, 2012
In this edition of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I cover my new cardio training concept and how to use...
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Staying fit during the riding season with Escalating Density Training
James Wilson
July 16, 2012
With riding season in full swing time starts to become more of an issue for riders who want to keep...
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Turkish Get Up with a Press
James Wilson
July 13, 2012
The Turkish Get Up (TGU) is one of my all time favorite exercises and I have spent years working on...
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You get what you put into it…
James Wilson
July 11, 2012
This morning I had an good talk with a couple of clients who had been training with me for about...
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Rider Q&A: Mountain Bike Race Day Prep
James Wilson
July 9, 2012
I've been using your program for the last ten months and I have to say the hard work has paid...
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Hard “Core” Push Up Variations
James Wilson
July 6, 2012
The push up is one of the best core training exercises for mountain biking and I really like variations that...
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The pursuit of mastery in the gym and on the trail.
James Wilson
July 4, 2012
I had a great question in the forum of my Distance Coaching Site regarding the kettlebell swing and relating it...
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Technique Training Rides: The missing link in your training program
James Wilson
July 2, 2012
"Training ride" is a funny term - most riders tend to sell it short and not really appreciate all of...
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How to set up a home gym that gets great results without breaking the bank…
James Wilson
June 29, 2012
At some point everyone who is serious about training will end up with some sort of home gym. While having...
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How to deal with low back pain on the trail
James Wilson
June 27, 2012
Low back pain while riding is one of the most common complaints I hear from riders. If you are doing...
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You’re just not that advanced
James Wilson
June 25, 2012
Here is something that we all need to be reminded of sometimes – you’re not that advanced! Be it as...
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The best way to easily improve your strength…
James Wilson
June 22, 2012
Weight ladders are probably the best method I have ever come across for easily improving a mountain biker's strength without...
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Functional Grip Training for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
June 20, 2012
Grip strength is one of the most important yet least understood qualities for most mountain bikers. The rougher, gnarlier and...
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Mountain Biking Race Day Nutrition: Eating to fuel great performances.
James Wilson
June 18, 2012
For a lot of the mountain bike riders I work with, racing season is getting started. While training plays a...
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Split Stance Exercises to Improve Your Balance on the Trail
James Wilson
June 15, 2012
An overlooked aspect of training for mountain bikers is the stagger stance we find ourselves in on the bike. This...
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Is Yoga Good for Mountain Biking?
James Wilson
June 13, 2012
Before I get too far into this let me say that I am a general fan of yoga. I have...
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Stuff I Like: 5-10 Sticky Rubber Shoes
James Wilson
June 11, 2012
There are few pieces of gear that changed my life as much as my 5-10′s did. I ride platform pedals...
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The Frog Stretch – best mountain bike stretch ever?
James Wilson
June 8, 2012
One of my favorite stretches for mountain biking is the Frog Stretch. It is one of the best ways to...
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Rider Q&A: Is static stretching bad before a ride?
James Wilson
June 6, 2012
Q: I have been with you for a while, and my riding strength has improved tremendously. I regularly clean hills...
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My quiver of bikes…
James Wilson
June 5, 2012
When I first started riding I had one bike and used it for everything. It wasn't until I started getting...
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I get interviewed by The Strength Coach Podcast
For those that don't know, The Strength Coach Podcast is my favorite podcast and the only one I listen to...
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Simple tips on how to avoid pain and discomfort during the Bulgarian Split Squat
James Wilson
June 1, 2012
One of my favorite leg exercises for mountain bikers is the Bulgarian Split Squat/ RFESS, however I hear from a...
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Foam Roller Demo
James Wilson
May 30, 2012
Here is an old video I shot on how to use the foam roller to target some key areas… [bjyt...
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Being pro-flat pedals doesn’t mean I’m anti-clipless pedals…
This article is one I have been wanting to write for a while simply to clarify my overall position on...
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10 minute cardio drill to improve your mountain bike specific strength and endurance.
James Wilson
May 25, 2012
The Ultimate Sandbag is still my favorite new tool to work with. Since getting one in the facility a few...
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4 Core Exercises to Challenge Even the Strongest Riders
James Wilson
May 23, 2012
Core training is one of those subjects I could probably do an article on every month and riders would still...
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Which muscles are really used during the pedal stroke?
James Wilson
May 21, 2012
Your hamstrings are not made to produce power by curling at the knee and instead are made to produce power...
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Instantly improve your TRX Push Ups with this simple tip…
James Wilson
May 18, 2012
Using the suspension training system - like the TRX or Jungle Gym - to increase the difficulty of bodyweight based...
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Talent is Overrated
James Wilson
May 16, 2012
Talent is Overrated a book that had been recommended to me by a couple of people in the coaching world....
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Don’t lead with your face and other lessons from overtraining on snatches…
James Wilson
May 14, 2012
For those that don't know, part of passing the RKC (Russian Kettlebell Challenge) certification is being able to perform 100...
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Two Tips to Instantly Improve Your Kettlebell Swing
James Wilson
May 11, 2012
The kettlebell swing is one of my favorite exercises for mountain biking for one simple reason - they are as...
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Benefits of bilateral training for mountain biking
James Wilson
May 9, 2012
I got this question from a blog reader after seeing my blog post on the benefits of unilateral training for...
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Fitness & Skills Clinic this Saturday in Denver
I wanted to remind those of you who live in the Denver area that I will be in town this...
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I get interviewed by Ultimate Sandbag Training…but don’t talk much sandbags.
James Wilson
May 4, 2012
A few weeks ago I did this interview for Josh Henkin's Ultimate Sandbag Training podcast where we actually talked very...
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Unilateral training benefits for mountain bikers
James Wilson
May 2, 2012
One of the best mountain bike training tips to improve your riding is to include a heavy dose of single...
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The Faulty Logic of Crossfit, Clipless Pedals and 29ers…
James Wilson
April 30, 2012
I recently read the book Thinking: Fast and Slow and it had some pretty fascinating insights into how we think...
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Get your copy of my new bodyweight training program for only $10!
James Wilson
April 27, 2012
I am proud and excited to announce the release of my newest MTB training program - and you can get...
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Three reasons mountain bikers need bodyweight training in their program.
James Wilson
April 25, 2012
In anticipation of the release of my No Gym, No Problem Workout Program I wanted to share with you exactly...
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3 of my Favorite Bodyweight Exercises and a Challenge for You…
James Wilson
April 23, 2012
After seeing everyone post their favorite bodyweight exercise in during the No Gym, No Problem Workout Program giveaway last week...
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Single Leg and Pistol Squats for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
April 20, 2012
The single leg and pistol squat are two of the best exercises you can do as a mountain biker. The...
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Winners from yesterday’s blog comment free program giveaway!
James Wilson
April 18, 2012
I have to admit that I was pretty blown away by the response I got to the free No Gym,...
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Want a chance to win a FREE copy of my newest training program?
James Wilson
April 17, 2012
I have been working on it for months and I am almost ready to release my newest program - the...
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Why do I need a sandbag for that?..and your other sandbag questions answered.
James Wilson
April 16, 2012
Since posting some videos on different Ultimate Sandbag Training exercises for mountain biking I have been getting some really good...
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Bridging Progressions for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
April 13, 2012
The bridge (or wheel as it is called in yoga) is a fundamental exercise that has been forgotten about in...
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Training vs. Working Hard
James Wilson
April 11, 2012
Sometimes I get an e-mail from someone who has started my program and has found that there are a lot...
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New clinic in Denver on May 12th!
James Wilson
April 10, 2012
I wanted to let you know that I will be holding a MTB Skills & Fitness clinic/ seminar in the...
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A better way to use bodyweight exercises in your program.
James Wilson
April 9, 2012
I have written before about how much I enjoyed the book Convict Conditioning and how it influenced my training. Bodyweight...
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Rotational Deadlifts for Better Cornering
James Wilson
April 6, 2012
The key to cornering is the ability to match the lean of the bike and the lean of your body...
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Variety is Overrated
James Wilson
April 4, 2012
Our fitness culture has turned into an extension of the entertainment industry. Look around you and you'll see indulgent training...
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Sandbag Training with Ultimate Sandbag creator Josh Henkin
James Wilson
April 2, 2012
In this episode of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I interview Josh Henkin, creator of the Ultimate Sandbag and THE...
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The Hidden Advantages of Kettlebell Cleans for Mountain Bikers
James Wilson
March 30, 2012
Kettlebell Cleans are a great overall exercise for several reason but they have a very valuable application for mountain bikers...
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Top 10 Mountain Biking Super Foods part 2
James Wilson
March 28, 2012
Here is the second part to this two part series. You can read the first part by clicking here. 6)...
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4 Bodyweight Exercises You May Not Be Using…But Should!
James Wilson
March 26, 2012
So you can do a push up, but can you do a handstand push up? You can do a squat,...
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The Best Mountain Bike Leg & Core Exercise You’ve Never Seen…
James Wilson
March 23, 2012
In this video I show you one of the most valuable leg exercises for developing the specific kind of lower...
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Top 10 Mountain biking super foods part 1
James Wilson
March 21, 2012
Here is my completely unofficial list of mountain biking super foods. To qualify as one for my list it had...
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The Real Way to Use Heart Rate Monitors to Improve Your Cardio
James Wilson
March 19, 2012
Heart rate monitors are a funny thing - they can be completely useless or extremely valuable depending on how you...
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Ball Slams for Improved Mountain Bike Power
James Wilson
March 16, 2012
Ball slams are one of the easiest and safest ways to start incorporating power training into your mountain bike training...
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Leg Press = The Devil!
James Wilson
March 14, 2012
Yes, the title is a bit dramatic but it got your attention, didn't it? 😉 I've mentioned several times before...
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Interview with Energy Systems Development expert Joel Jamison
James Wilson
March 12, 2012
In this episode of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I interview Energy Systems Development expert Joel Jamison. Joel is the...
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Chin Up Progressions for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
March 9, 2012
Chin Ups and Pull Ups are some of the best exercises you can do to improve your upper back and...
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Working on a movement vs. working out that movement
James Wilson
March 7, 2012
An important concept I have been thinking about lately is the difference between working on and workout out a movement or...
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Breathing Ladders to Instantly Improve Your Cardio
James Wilson
March 5, 2012
One of the most overlooked aspects of cardio training is the quality of your breathing. Too many riders are breathing...
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How Metabolic Skills Training & High Tension Cardio help you ride with more power, endurance and confidence on the trail.
James Wilson
March 2, 2012
Today I wanted to share some insights behind two of the factors that make my program so unique and effective...
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How to avoid being too sore to mountain bike.
James Wilson
February 29, 2012
A common concern from mountain bikers about strength training during the riding season is the soreness they usually get. This...
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Single Leg Deadlifts for Improved Mountain Bike Pedal Power and Body Position
James Wilson
February 27, 2012
Few exercises boast as much transfer to the trail as the single leg deadlift. While the regular deadlift is one...
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Get over 50% off the latest version of the famous DB Combos Program!
James Wilson
February 24, 2012
The latest version of the famous DB Combos Program is finished and ready for you to get your copy of....
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Combo Drills: Ride Changing Results in Less Time
James Wilson
February 22, 2012
One of the biggest concerns I get from mountain bikers about adding strength training into their regimen is that they...
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Shoulder Mobility Exercises for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
February 20, 2012
Let’s face it – as mountain bikers our shoulders take a beating. Being hunched over in the saddle and getting...
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And the winner of the DB Combos v.4 giveaway is…
James Wilson
February 18, 2012
Wow, thanks so much for all the great comments! The contest is officially closed now and congratulations to the winner...
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Chance to Win a Free Copy of my Newest DB Combos Program!
James Wilson
February 17, 2012
When I first created the DB Combos Workout Program the goal was simple - design a workout program that could...
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Q&A: Should I work out when sick?
James Wilson
February 15, 2012
I get this one from time to time – should I work out if I am sick? Like most things...
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Why Flat Pedals Improve Your Riding – Interview with MTB star Ryan Leech
James Wilson
February 13, 2012
One of my most popular podcasts interviews over the last few months was with trails rider and over all mountain...
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Indian Clubs – the best training tool you aren’t using
In this video I show you one of my favorite training tools that you’ve probably never tried – Indian Clubs....
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The Musashi and Yoda School of Mountain Bike Training
James Wilson
February 8, 2012
I talk a lot about the strength coaches that have influenced my career. Guys like Mike Boyle, Gray Cook, Alwyn...
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Check Up From the Neck Up: Tapping into the ride changing power of your mind
James Wilson
February 7, 2012
A centered, focused mind allows a man to exceed the sum of his psychological parts. - Katsuki Sekida, Zen Training...
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How to Train Like a Fighter to Kick Butt on the Trail- Review of the book Ultimate MMA Conditioning
James Wilson
February 3, 2012
Some riders may wonder what on earth a book about getting into shape for fighting has to do with trail...
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It is all in how you prepare it.
James Wilson
February 1, 2012
There are two popular programs that get a lot of people drawing comparisons between them and my programs. The P90X...
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Can clipless pedals interfere with balance, reaction time and the efficiency of muscular contractions?
James Wilson
January 30, 2012
While most people don’t think about them in the same way, your feet are just as important to your body...
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Fixing your “hip hinge” for better body position on the bike
James Wilson
January 27, 2012
The "hip hinge" movement pattern is your basic ability to move from your hips and not your lower back. It...
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Are you “overskilled”?
James Wilson
January 25, 2012
I would have to say that 90% of the MTB riders and racers that I have met would be defined...
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Why I love to Train and Play but hate to Work Out…
James Wilson
January 23, 2012
I love to train and I love to play but I hate to workout. Confused by that statement? According to...
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Applying Functional Movement to a Bike Fit
James Wilson
January 20, 2012
In this episode of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I talk to Greg Choat who is one of the top...
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Back hurts after an XC ride…
James Wilson
January 18, 2012
My buddy Lee McCormack (www.leelikesbikes.com) recently sent me this question... James!OK dude. I've been doing longer rides lately, and it's...
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Primary and Secondary Food Filters
James Wilson
January 16, 2012
Nutrition is a funny subject - it is very simple and yet very complex at the same time, resulting in...
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Does specificity of pedaling contraction speed matter?
James Wilson
January 13, 2012
One of the common arguments against strength training for cycling is that the contraction speed seen in lifting weights is...
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Top 3 Strength Training Exercises for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
January 11, 2012
Strength training for the MTB world has been slow to catch up to the unique and highly physical demands of...
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Is “pedal float” really screwing up your knees and low back?
James Wilson
January 9, 2012
One of the biggest obstacles I face when trying to discuss clipless vs. flat pedals with riders is that there...
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Bike Fit vs. A Bike That Fits
James Wilson
January 6, 2012
So my blog post on bike fits certainly caused some controversy, which is exactly what I wanted it to do....
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Are you “false fit”?
James Wilson
January 4, 2012
Most exercise professionals would agree that there are many components to fitness. A well rounded approach to fitness that addresses...
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Live Life Aggressively – How to Approach 2012
James Wilson
January 2, 2012
Being the first post of 2012 I wanted to set the tone for the rest of the year with a...
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Lessons from 2011…
James Wilson
December 30, 2011
Being the last post of the year I wanted to reflect on some of the big lessons and take aways...
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Is seated pedaling “more efficient”?
James Wilson
December 28, 2011
One of the things that really separates strong riders from everyone else is the ability to stand and hammer on...
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Are bike fits worthless for mountain biking?
James Wilson
December 26, 2011
So I'm going to piss some people off with this statement but I feel it needs to be said -...
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The Internal – External Intensity Continuum
James Wilson
December 23, 2011
One of the more common responses I get to the early phases of my programs is that they look too...
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Some lessons from Chris Carmichael’s book The Time Crunched Cyclist
James Wilson
December 21, 2011
I have to admit that I was pretty surprised by Chris Carmichael’s book The Time-Crunched Cyclist. When someone told me...
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The Warrior Diet/ Intermittent Fasting for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
December 19, 2011
The Warrior Diet has been the subject of a lot of controversy in the fitness world. From the first time...
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The Magic Bullet Syndrome
James Wilson
December 16, 2011
One thing that holds most riders back is the search for the "magic bullet" - that new bike or upgrade...
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The Pain-Injury-Surgery Cycle
James Wilson
December 14, 2011
When working with people at my facility I always need to help them get over the “no pain, no gain”...
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Interview with Donegal MTB Club
James Wilson
December 12, 2011
Click Here to check out the interview I did with the Donegal MTB Club in Ireland. I talk about everything...
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Swings better than Olympic Lifts – Part 2
James Wilson
December 9, 2011
Jukka is a European rider and coach who I've been corresponding with over the last couple of years - in...
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Tumbling skills for mountain bikers
We're all going to crash - it is just a fact of life for mountain bikers. I don't know why...
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Kettlebell Swings & Snatches for Increased Mountain Biking Power
James Wilson
December 5, 2011
The kettlebell swing and snatch are two of my favorite exercises for increasing mountain bike specific power. The hip action...
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Time Crunched Mountain Bike Cardio: Countdowns
James Wilson
December 2, 2011
Here are two cool drills I used last month in my facility for some extra cardio at the end of...
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Applying the 4 Quadrants of Training to Mountain Biking
James Wilson
November 30, 2011
Last week I wrote on article on Dan John's 4 Quadrants of Training (link to 4 Quadrants article) - I...
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Off Season Mountain Bike Training Workout
James Wilson
November 28, 2011
This is a re-post from of my recent pinkbike.com article - A couple of things transpired to give us this...
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Mountain Bike Nutrition – Interview with the PN Team
James Wilson
November 25, 2011
A while back I was lucky enough to get two members of the Precision Nutrition team on the phone to...
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Dan John’s 4 Quadrants of Training
James Wilson
November 23, 2011
Something I will readily admit to is that I am not the smartest guy in the whole world… BUT I...
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Don’t ride for “fitness”
James Wilson
November 21, 2011
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when getting into mountain biking is to think that it is a...
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Hanging Leg Raise for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
November 18, 2011
Here is a video I shot showing the Hanging Leg Raise, an exercise I picked up from Pavel's Naked Warrior...
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Do More Great Work
James Wilson
November 16, 2011
The book Do More Great Work by Michael Bungay is a great book the importance of figuring out and focusing...
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Clipless Pedals: Enhancing Performance or Covering Up Dysfunction?
James Wilson
November 14, 2011
Better is a relative term, especially when talking about artificial means of performance enhancement. The mistake people make is assuming...
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Why you don’t want training to be difficult…
James Wilson
November 11, 2011
I was looking through Gray Cook's book Movement and along the way I keep picking up some great linesthat I...
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Lying Leg Raise for Mountain Biking
James Wilson
November 9, 2011
Based on the article I posted on Monday I've realized the importance of working on core strength and the specific...
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The #1 Lie About Pedaling Technique
James Wilson
November 7, 2011
Pulling up on the pedals through the top of the pedal stroke is a very common technique taught to mountain...
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Single Leg Mountain Bike Exercise Progressions
James Wilson
November 4, 2011
Here are my basic single leg exercise progressions for building more pedaling power and correcting strength imbalances. -James Wilson-
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Interview with Ryan Leech
James Wilson
November 2, 2011
In this podcast I had the chance to talk with Ryan Leech, who helped define a generation of mountain bike...
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Split Squat Tips
James Wilson
October 31, 2011
The split squat is one of the most basic single let exercises you can do and sets the stage for...
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Release the brakes before stepping on the gas…
James Wilson
October 28, 2011
I'm lucky enough to be a part of a mentorship group run by Results Fitness, which is one of the...
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Convict Conditioning: Hardcore Calisthenics for Real World Strength
James Wilson
October 26, 2011
Bodyweight training is one of those universal training methods. Pretty much everyone who has ever "trained" on any level, from...
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Standing vs. Seated Pedaling Posture
James Wilson
October 24, 2011
To be a good overall mountain biker you have to be strong with both seated and standing pedaling efforts. However,...
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6 Tips for Making the Switch to Flat Pedals
James Wilson
October 21, 2011
When discussing flat pedals with riders I get a lot of questions about how to make the switch. Clipless pedals...
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The 10X Rule for Life and the Trail
James Wilson
October 19, 2011
At a recent Perform Better Summit I heard Todd Durkin speak about how to get more impact out of the...
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RKC Arm Bar Tips
James Wilson
October 17, 2011
At my last team meeting I went over some tips and coaching cues for the RKC Arm Bar. This exercise...
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Clinic Recap: Don’t confuse symptoms with causes.
James Wilson
October 14, 2011
In this podcast I go over the take aways from my recent 2 Day Skills & Fitness Clinic, including the...
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Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
This last weekend I had a 2 day Skills & Fitness Clinic and had a couple guys come who've been...
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Turkish Get Up Tips
James Wilson
October 10, 2011
I admit it, I have an unhealthy infatuation with the Turkish Get Up. I'm always looking for tips and coaching...
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Three Reasons that KB Swings are better than Olympic Lifts for Mountain Bike Training
James Wilson
October 7, 2011
Increased leg and hip power should be one of the main goals for a mountain bike program. For years the...
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Kettlebell Snatch Matrix
James Wilson
October 5, 2011
The kettlebell snatch is a great exercise for building power and endurance for mountain biking. Here is a simple 3...
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Bulletproof Knees and Low Back
James Wilson
October 3, 2011
Next to the shoulders, the knees and lower back are some of the most injury prone areas of the body...
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Interview with MyBikeStand.com
James Wilson
September 30, 2011
In this podcast I talk to Ian Cook, operator of MyBikeStand.com, which is an independent bike and parts review website....
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Why we need to distinguish between Fire Road Racing & Mountain Biking
James Wilson
September 28, 2011
I was waiting for my riding buddy to get ready for a ride and started thumbing through a local outdoor...
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Recovery tracking: The forgotten side of the results equation
James Wilson
September 26, 2011
Sometimes we get a little overzealous in our quest to become a better mountain biker. We spend a lot of...
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Don’t get held back by your own success…
James Wilson
September 23, 2011
I forget where I first heard it but one of the most powerful bits of advice I've ever read was...
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Short term results do not always equal long term progress.
James Wilson
September 21, 2011
Short term results don't always equal long term progress. In fact, sometimes what helps you improve in the short term...
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Building a Better Pedal Stroke
James Wilson
September 19, 2011
This post originally appeared on www.singletracks.com last week and covers some ideas about using strength training to improve your pedal...
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MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Online Clinic
James Wilson
September 16, 2011
This is the replay from my online clinic. I hope that it changes how you look at mountain bike training...
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Winner of the free program plus Release Weekend Special
James Wilson
September 15, 2011
Alright, it's finally done! I'm proud to announce that I released the new MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Program last night at...
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Get a free copy of my new MTB Kettlebell Conditioning Program
James Wilson
September 14, 2011
I've been threatening to do it for almost a year now and I finally got myself organized enough to pull...
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Knee Extensions Improve Torque…and why I still don’t like them.
James Wilson
September 12, 2011
James: On page 22 of the Oct 2011 issue of Bicycling magazine talks about using knee extensions to improve your...
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Interview with Super D/ All Mountain Rider Nathan Riddle
James Wilson
September 9, 2011
In this podcast I interview one of the best Super D/ All Mountain racers in the US, Nathan Riddle. Nathan...
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Foot Placement on Flat Pedals
James Wilson
September 7, 2011
One of the best parts of my job is when I get contacted by other passionate coaches who want to...
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