BettyGoHard - Taking the Intimidation out of Action Sports - providing the tools & information to build confidence, skills & friendship to help women of all ages, levels and lifestyles Get Out and Be Active!
Thanks Bike James for this great exercise to help improve your stand up pedal strength. The airborne lunge is a great single leg squat variation that really challenges the lower body in a unique way. The position of the legs is more similar to standing pedaling on your bike than a standard single leg squat but this variation is also very tough for most riders and hard to pull off at first. This leaves a lot of riders frustrated and giving up on this great exercise too early.
A quick post from James Wilson answering a question that I'm sure many of us have had!!
Overtraining is a funny thing - either you never have to worry about it because you are too lazy to work that hard (nothing wrong with that in some respects) or you seem to be in a constant battle with it as you try to balance your desire to do more and work harder with the reality that you can't physically handle everything you think you need to do. Some riders need a kick in the pants and some, like the rider in this Rider Q&A blog post, need to be told it is alright to back off a bit every now and then.
I recently received this email from James Wilson about the ability to recover efficiently during exercise efforts. Whether you are out on the trail or at the gym Your ability to recover between hard efforts is a vital skill that can be just as important as training your ability to work hard.
Check out the daily BettyGoHard Shred tip - how to ride the pow like a rockstar!! Women Snowboarding.
Not just relating strictly to your pedals, James Wilson has some great points about equipment enhancing or covering up technique.
Did you know your bike has three wheels? As important as checking the spokes on the two wheels of your bike that hit the dirt, the third wheel (YOU) must also have all spokes straight with air in the tires.
The mountain is now closed for snow sports, which means its time for dirt sports!! Lets get out biking!!
Winter isn't exactly the most popular time to pick up cycling, but if you're a commuter or just a die-hard cyclist, cold weather and snow won't get in your way. Here are a few tips to help keep you safe and warm from Lifehacker.com
Before we look at what you can do with your bike, it's best to make sure you're correctly outfitted for the cold. read more....
Are you thinking of entering a mountain bike race but are not sure if you are ready or are unsure of what to expect during a race.
This article will provide you with 10 essential tips that should help you to prepare for your first race.
Let me start by saying that everyone who is serious about riding should do at least one race.
Why? It makes you a stronger rider by pushing you in ways that other rides will not.
What should you expect and what should you do to prepare for your first race?
1) Pick a race that is far out enough to allow you time to prepare. - Give yourself a minimum of three months to get ready (See Tip 2 Get Fit)
2) Get Fit -
Establish a Base: Allow a month or two of long rides of 2 or more hours 3 times a week other rides can be recovery rides.
Add Intensity: After you get a base add intervals to build intensity. Two weeks before your race do a practice run at near race pace. The week of the race begin to taper. Decrease ride lengths but still have some short intense efforts to keep legs fresh.
3) Hone your Skills - Practice the skills necessary to confidently ride the race of your choice. Expect to encounter logs, rock gardens, quick transitions, switchbacks, and steep descents.
Work on maintaining speed and flow. Try not to get bogged down in the rough stuff.
4) Make sure your bike is race ready - Ensure that your bike is in proper working order especially shifting (a finicky derailleur can ruin your day), braking, and tires.
Lube your chain and shifter cables. Inflate tires depending on conditions: If hard pack tires can be firmer. If wet or muddy conditions run a little less pressure. Tubeless tires will enable you to run less pressure and still avoid pinch flats.
5) Get the right Gear - Baggy shorts and a loose fitting tee may be okay for a quick trail ride and some beers with your buds but, on race day you will be better off with Lycra shorts (preferably bib shorts) and a form fitting bike shirt with three back pockets and a 3/4 front zipper to keep you cool. You can use a camelback but I would suggest traveling as light as possible an extra five pounds on you back can get pretty heavy after an hour and 1/2 of hard pedaling.
6) Get your race routine ready - Know what you will eat on race day from breakfast to post race. Too much and you will feel sick. Too little and you may bonk. Know what you will eat and drink during the race and pick points on the course where you will eat and drink. Have a post race recovery drink and sandwich waiting as well. Make sure you get your bike ready the night before: Lube the chain and cables, pump your tires, check shock pressure. Then put your pumps, tools, and lube in your car in case you need anything on race day. Lay out your race kit the night before and pack post race clothes as well as something to cleanup with. (I find that wintergreen alcohol a towel and a gallon jug of water will do the trick)
Fill your water bottles the night before. The less you have to worry about on race day the better. By being organized and prepared you will feel more confident and calm on the day of your race.
7) You will need a one day license and money for the entry fee this will run you between 25-40 for both. If you know that you will be doing a series or more than a few races apply for a license at USA Cycling for $60 you can race any Domestic event (race fee not included) and you receive quite a few discounts with USA Cycling affiliate partners as well.
8) Expect race time to be between 45-2 hours in duration depending on your class. The Beginner races are usually around 5-8 miles where sport races are about 10-15 miles.
9) Get to the race venue about an 1-1/2 to 2 hours before. Register online to save some additional time. You will still need to fill out a waiver at the race and you will want to be warmed up before you go off. You should be on the start line with a light sweat but feeling energized. Despite what some people may say do not ride the entire course on a race day. Ride 5-10 minutes of the beginning of the course and the end. This should be enough time to warm-up without fatiguing yourself up and enable you to review your start and finish strategy.
*Note you should ride the race course the week before the race or be familiar with it.
10) A winner never quits and a quitter never wins: Unless you are injured or you bike is broken do not quit. If you are pushing yourself hard you will probably want to quit but, dig deep and finish strong.
11) Don't Take yourself too seriously and remember to have fun it's "only a race".
When your done you should feel good about yourself Congratulations you just competed in your first mountain bike race - Well done.
Warning: Racing may be addictive!
I am about to give you the key to speed. One phrase. Are you ready?
Don't use the brakes.
Don't look so disappointed. What were you expecting, Magic? I don't mean to not use them at all, just use them less.
One of the best ways to improve your riding is to go with someone that is faster than you. Not way faster, so that you get discouraged, but a bit faster, so you really have to work to keep up. Once you've found someone that fits the bill, try following them through some downhill singletrack. Notice how the gap keeps getting bigger? You're not doing much pedaling so it's not likely a strength issue. What could it be? I'll tell you, the faster rider is using their brakes less.
Have you ever been on a ride when, for some reason, you had no brakes, or a lot less than you wanted? Maybe a cable broke or your rims iced up or something. I know it was scary. Careening downhill, unable to slowdown to a comfortable speed, you thought you were going to die. But you survived, and you went down that hill a lot faster than you otherwise would have. If you want to go faster every ride you need to harness a bit of that experience and apply it in a more controlled manner.
Moving out of our comfort zone can make us apprehensive. To try to calm the fears of your rational mind have your irrational mind tell it this: Speed is our friend; Speed brings stability; Stability is good. The wheels underneath do more than just hold us up. They also act as gyroscopes, like those spinny things you may have played with as a kid. They're also the things that keep spacecraft stable in the vacuum of space. The faster a gyroscope spins, the more rigidity it has. This means the faster your wheels are turning the more they will fight to stay upright and pointed straight ahead, just what we want. Now you know why sometimes when you get anxious and slow down you biff, but if you stay fast and ride it out you make out okay and look like a hero.
The hard part is knowing how fast is really too fast and when to say whoa. You can set yourself up with an exercise to explore these limits. Find a section of downhill singletrack steep enough that you won't have to pedal much and fast enough that you definitely have to brake for the corners. (Keep IMBA happy and make sure you won't encounter any hikers or horses on the way down). Make your first run at your normal blistering speed. Try to note where you apply the brakes for each corner. On the next run, each time you reach for the brakes fight the impulse for one second. Remember that every bit of speed that you can carry through the turn is speed you don't have to gain back on the next straight. And that's energy in the bank, my friend, better than money. A little bit saved every corner can really add up over the course of a trail.
In all your subsequent training runs try to brake just a tick later than the time before. It is super important to ensure that you are only using one or two fingers on your brakes - no three, four or five fingers - what are you holding on with? Although some might suggest that a tip to avoid the temptation to brake too early or when you really don't need to is to ride with all eight fingers wrapped around the bars. I personnally subscribe to the theory that you should always be brake ready including uphill climbs.
The key to pushing the envelope is to do it gradually, in small increments. Riding a downhill with your front brake disconnected may make teach you how to go really fast. More likely, it'll teach you just how brittle collarbones really are. Even though improvements may seem small one corner at a time, it will add up and it will make a difference. You worked way too hard for that speed to just turn it into heat for no good reason.
Good luck and stay safe!
Thanks to Dirtworld.com Staff for more tips and biking information visit them at www.dirtworld.com
BettyGoHard is well into our biking season and it has been so much fun to be out with the ladies. It is amazing to see the improvements of the groups from week one to week four. The biggest improvement that I see is the increase in confidence in themselves and their new found skills that the girls get with each new achievement. Mountain biking is as much about keeping the mind quiet as it is about negotiating the trail skillfully. You can have all the skills but if you keep telling yourself that you can’t do it you probably won’t.
I once read that our brain cannot distinguish between the messages that it receives from you (the owner of the brain) and someone else, which is why affirmations and mantras are so effective. I have borrowed my favorite climbing mantra from Thomas the tank engine ‘I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can, I am, I am – yeeha!! I made it. I have found focusing the brain on the task at hand with a mantra – ‘look, lean, exit’ or focus on your body position; tighten the abs, lift your hips, cowboy legs, look ahead etc.
There are many different skills to mountain biking and the ones that we have been working on a lot have been bike body separation, climbing and switchbacks. So over the next few weeks I thought I would share a few thoughts on these skills. Let’s start with climbing:
CLIMBING TIPS
Don't be in a hurry. When starting a climb, settle down and relax, breathe deeply, get into a rhythm and focus on the trail ahead and your line. Do not try to keep up with other riders. You have your own climbing pace, don’t try and compete just stick to it and you will make it. Don't be looking way up ahead and thinking "yikes!" and "aargh!" Getting flustered or panicky is counterproductive: it wastes energy and induces negative physiological reactions. Stay in the moment. Look around and enjoy the view. Smile. You will get up there and beyond, one pedal stroke at a time. You will find that as the minutes pass, you will feel better and stronger, as your system adapts to the effort.
Think about your gears and change them whenever you need to, just remember if you are going uphill don’t crank on them or you could break something. Don't spin madly in a tiny gear and go nowhere fast--you'll just tire yourself out in short order. Use a ratio that gives some resistance.
Scan your body frequently to ensure correct position as we get tired we tend to slump, just keep adjusting. Don't tense your upper body; keep your shoulders down, elbows bent and in, head up and looking ahead, picking your line. Your upper body should be straight and quiet; only your legs should be moving. Ensure that you have even weight over the front and back of the bike; if you find that the front wheel is lifting think about bringing your chest to your handlebars but remember to keep your bum back on the seat to keep the weight on the rear tire or you will find it spinning. Another common issue is the front wheel moving from side to side, keep it solid by tightening your core and looking up.
Dismounting. Sometimes the slope gets too steep or we don’t quite make it around the switchback – it happens and its ok but we do need to ensure that we can dismount safely. This will enable you to try things safely without the risk of going backwards downhill upside down.
The technique: while going uphill grab both brakes and put your inside foot on the ground leaving the outside foot on the pedal forming a tripod. From here either bring your outside leg over the bike or take the pedal to the top of the stroke and try to restart – always holding both brakes. Use the same technique when going downhill.
If you've never experienced the beauty or serenity of hiking in fresh-fallen snow, you're in for an adventurous treat. Snowshoeing is easy to and fairly inexpensive. With a little knowledge, buying the right snowshoes is a walk in the park.
REI categorizes snowshoes as follows:
While most snowshoes fall into these 3 categories, a few models are designed specifically for trail-running, fitness or climbing.
Shop REI's selection of men's snowshoes and women's snowshoes. Snowshoes can be viewed according to terrain, gender, brand, price or customer ratings. Choose your preference in the left-hand navigation column.
Here's another option: Many REI stores offer snowshoes for rent. Take a pair out for a test walk. (Please call first for availability. Snowshoes are not available at all REI locations.)
We will take a closer look at snowshoe parts in the next section in this article. If you're already familiar with snowshoe components, realize that one of your key shopping decisions involves selecting a snowshoe that is an appropriate size.
Aluminum-frame snowshoes come in multiple sizes, usually 8" x 25", 9" x 30" and 10" x 36" or something similar. Composite snowshoes come in 1 size (typically 8" x 22") and offer the option of adding 4" to 8" tails to help you stay afloat on snow. Why does size matter? It's a key factor in getting the right amount of flotation.
Snowshoe sizes and shapes vary as follows:
Recommended loads are based on light, dry snow conditions. But consider that on powder snow you need bigger snowshoes to stay afloat than you would on compact, wet snow. In other words, a powder-happy Utah snowshoer may want a larger size than a same-sized snowshoer in the wet snow of the Pacific Northwest.
Packed trails, brush and forest call for more compact shoes, which are easier to maneuver in tight spaces. Steep or icy terrain is also best explored with smaller snowshoes. Open areas with deep drifts require larger snowshoes.
Tip: Get the smallest size that will support your weight for the snow conditions and terrain in your area. As long as you have adequate flotation, smaller snowshoes will be much easier to handle.
Your weight, including equipment, is referred to as the recommended load or carrying capacity on snowshoe specs. This is a major factor in determining the right size. In most circumstances, a heavier person or one with a heavily loaded pack will require larger snowshoes than a smaller person or one carrying gear just for the day.
Snowshoes allow you to travel across snow-covered ground without sinking or struggling. They require much less effort than walking with regular snow boots. To do so, snowshoes provide "flotation" by spreading your weight evenly over a large, flat surface area. This flotation allows you to hike, climb or even run. Generally, the heavier the person or the lighter and drier the snow, more surface area of a snowshoe is required.
Historians trace the origin of snowshoes to Asia sometime between 4,000 and 6,000 B.C. As recently as the 1950s, snowshoes were still constructed from wood and rawhide.
Today, most snowshoes have aluminum frames and synthetic decking. These decks usually feature nylon or Hypalon rubber so they can be light and responsive. Another style of snowshoe, popularized by MSR, features a frame with an integrated hard decking material. This composite (or, plastic) decking supports weight on its own and is stable and durable. You can attach a 4" to 8" tail to these for extra flotation in deep powder. Both frame styles work well.
Snowshoes secure to your boots with bindings, which usually consist of a platform and nylon straps that go over the foot and around the heel. Two types are common:
You don't need to buy special footwear to go snowshoeing. Most snowshoe bindings are built to accept a variety of footwear styles, from hiking boots to snowboard boots. A few are made specifically for running and lace up snugly, while others are made for plastic mountaineering boots and secure with ratcheting straps.
Although your weight provides some traction by pushing snowshoes into the snow, snowshoes feature tooth-like crampons or cleats for greater grip. Recreational-style snowshoes will typically offer moderate amounts of traction, while backcountry snowshoes will generally have more aggressive crampons for steep, icy conditions.
Also known as climbing bars, these wire bails can be flipped up under your heels to relieve calf strain on steep uphill sections and save energy on long ascents. This feature gives the feeling of walking up steps and prevents exaggerated calf and Achilles strain.
Q: What kind of boots should I wear with my snowshoes?
A: Any waterproof hiking boot or insulated winter boot should work just fine. For long hikes, avoid loose-fitting boots with removable liners as the liners tend to eventually pack down and leave your feet cold. Consider wearing knee-high gaiters, too, to keep snow out of your boots, especially in off-trail or deep snow conditions. For details, see the REI Expert Advice article about How to Choose Gaiters.
Q: Where do I place my foot in the snowshoe?
A: Your foot should be centered with the ball of your foot over the pivot point of the snowshoe. This placement gives you the most natural feel when you walk and helps you maintain a normal gait.
Q: What makes a "fitness snowshoe" different from other types of snowshoes?
A: "Fitness snowshoes" are generally made with lighter materials, minimal traction and a tapered tail. This creates a lighter snowshoe that is easy to run with and helps you to maintain a normal gait. Some women's snowshoes have these same properties and can be double as fitness snowshoes.
Q: Can I use my alpine ski poles for snowshoeing?
A: This is not recommended. For most snowshoeing outings, poles should be adjustable for your comfort and safety. Trekking poles outfitted with large snow baskets work fine. Snowshoe poles are essentially the same thing as trekking poles, but with snow baskets already in place. You can switch these out to smaller trekking baskets for summer hiking.
