Q: I actually do have one question – I am beginning my XC race season this Sunday.  How do I fit in my DB Combos Program workouts in the gym with my riding?  Right now I am planning on doing 3 workouts in the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and getting time on the bike on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday.  On race weeks I will cut that down to 2 workouts in the gym Monday and Wednesday and two easy rides Tuesday and Thursday and race on the weekend.  Do you think this is to much and will cause over training?

A: More is not better, better is better. You need some recovery in your training week. Your race week sounds good and I’d base your training week on something similar. If you are going to ride hard on both Saturday and Sunday then stick with two easy rides during the week. If you are only going hard on one weekend day then you could probably do a harder training ride during the week.

Results come from training plus recovery. You have to be just as aggressive with your recovery as you are with your training if you are wanting the best results. Don’t overdo it – the trick is not to figure out how much you can survive but instead how little you can do and see the best results. You have to be ready to take a day off if you’re feeling tired and burnt out.

You should still prioritize the DB Combos Program because it will give you the biggest bang for your time investment. Because it addresses areas that are probably a glaring weakness you’ll see fast and noticeable results from improving on it. Hope this helps…

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Q: I’ve been told that trail riding can help with my DH endurance. I’ve bought an XC bike and plan doing some 4+ hour rides to help me with my DH racing. After reading your blog I’m not so sure – do I need to go on long trail rides?

I also ride flat pedals when riding DH, should I use them on my trail rides? I was thinking about switching to clipless pedals on my XC bike.

A: Trail riding can help with DH endurance but it has more to do with standing as much as you can and turning them into “tempo” rides where you hammer for a few minutes and then rest. For example, attacking hills and recovering on the flats. You may only be able to do that for 30-60 minutes at first but that kind of ride would be more beneficial than a 2-3 hour pedal when you sat down and paced yourself.

And yes, I think that if you ride flats when racing then that is all you want to know on your bike. I ride flats on XC rides and it makes you a better rider and pedaler. Hope this helps…

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Q: How should I breathe when lifting weights?

A: Typically you want to breathe in before a rep, brace your core by trying to breathe out but not letting anything come out. Start your rep and halfway through it start to let a little air come out, almost as if you are a tea kettle about to boil. Exhale the rest of your air after you get the weight locked out. You may need to inhale again to brace for the lowering part of the rep but either way reset at the bottomg and then start again.

However, don’t over think it. Your body knows how to breathe and the most important thing is to simply remember to breathe. You get screwed up when you don’t breathe for a few reps. Hope this helps…