Isometric Training: How Not Moving Can Help You Ride Faster

Every once in a while I have a lightbulb moment that makes me realize that I have been missing something really important in my training.

Like the first time I was introduced to using mobility exercises to compliment my usual focus on “get stronger”, these moments open up a whole new way of seeing the bigger picture that leads to being a better rider.

One of these moments happened to me recently at a Steve Maxwell seminar when he was explaining how he uses Isometric Exercises in combination with sport training.

While Isometric Exercises are something I have studied and used, I never really understood the best way to use them until I heard him explain it and now I realize that they are a must have component of a training program.

In this episode of the Bike James Podcast I explain what Isometrics Exercises are, how to use them and how you can use incorporate them into your program to help you ride faster on the trail.

Show Notes:

- Isometric Exercises

                - No movement

                - High muscle tension

                - Relatively safe

- Strength is Tension + Technique

- The trick to sport-specific training is to develop your Tension and your Technique separately

- We screw up when we use strength training to teach a skill or skill training to build strength

- Use Isometrics to develop your Tension and then skill training for Technique

- Use Ramping Isometrics with 1 Set to Failure for each movement pattern

                - 20-30 seconds at 50% effort/ 75% effort/ 100% effort

- Safe for 1 Set to Failure since you don’t move

- Allows you to really focus on quality of tension instead of movement

- Helps you develop your tension producing “volume knob”

- Helps you learn how to truly tap into 100% tension

- Develops mental and physical endurance

- Keeps the body fresh for technique training (deadlifting, riding your bike, etc.)

- Pick one exercise per movement pattern and do it 2 days per week

- Use the other training time to work on movement or sport specific skills/ endurance training

- Don’t go above 80% effort with skill training

- This isn’t easy or sexy but is works

Until next time…

Ride Strong,

James Wilson

MTB Strength Training Systems & Pedaling Innovations