The Riding For A Lifetime Podcast

Sandbag Training with Ultimate Sandbag creator Josh Henkin

In this episode of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I interview Josh Henkin, creator of the Ultimate Sandbag and THE expert when it comes to how to improve your strength and fitness using sandbag training. After seeing a demo by Josh I immediately recognized the impact they could have on a mountain biker's training program and so I got some to use in my training facility. I wanted to get Josh on the podcast to tell us more about sandbag training and why it is so important to incorporate into your workouts. In this podcast we cove: - How Josh got into sandbag training. - When he realized that sandbags offered something much more than just another way to do the same old exercises. - Three unique benefits you'll see from sandbag training. - Some tips to someone just starting out with sandbag training. - Why he started making his own brand of sandbags. - Why can't just use another piece of equipment and get the same results. You can find out more about the Ultimate Sandbag and Josh's Dynamic Variable Resistance programs at http://tinyurl.com/mtbsandbags.

Interview with ESD expert Joel Jamison

In this episode of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I interview Energy Systems Development expert Joel Jamison. Joel is the author of the book Ultimate MMA Conditioning and is at the forefront of a more functional look at "cardio" and "endurance" training. In this interview we cover: - How strength training supports and fits into the ESD concept. For a lot of mountain bikers "cardio" is the main goal and trying to get them to understand how the strength training fits in is a constant struggle in my world. - How specificity of ESD training fits in. Most riders always figure :more is better" and you end up with people who race for 2 hours going out on 4-5 hour "training rides" all the time. How much over distance work is enough? - A bit about the Block Training concept. A lot of riders fall into one of two categories - 1) trying to train everything all the time or 2) training only one quality at a time with no thread of other qualities in their program (hours on the road to build a "base" with no strength or intervals at all). - Why aerobic training is important and how to train it for the specific demands of supporting intermittent bursts of activity instead of just steady state efforts. - Heart Rate Variability technology and how it applies to the mountain bike athlete. We cover a lot of great material, making this a "must hear" interview for the rider who is serious about scientifically and systematically improving their ability to ride faster and longer on the trail. You can learn more about Joel, read his excellent blog posts and find out how to order his book at www.8weeksout.com. Post any comments or questions on my blog at www.bikejames.com. -James Wilson-

Flat pedals make you a better rider - Interview with MTB star Ryan Leech

One of my most popular podcasts over the last few months was with trails rider and over all mountain biking stud Ryan Leech. At the end of our conversation I mentioned something off hand about flat pedals the tragedy of seeing new riders forced into the so quickly and Ryan was in both total agreement as to the need to learn how to ride on flats and surprised to hear that clipless pedals were being pushed so hard onto new riders. Ryan was nice enough to join me for another podcast and in this one we dive into the use of flat pedals and how they enhance your balance, pedal stroke and skills as a rider. More importantly they enhance the FUN factor, which sometimes riders forget about. Ryan also gives us his advice for riders looking to make the switch from clipless to flat pedals and what you need to look for in a pedal and shoe to make it work. All in all, Ryan does a great job of dispelling a lot of myths surrounding clipless pedals and reminds us that if trials riders - the most technically proficient riders in the world - don't need to be attached to the pedals them few of us really do. If you have any questions or comments please visit www.bikejames.com to post them and I'll answer them ASAP. -James Wilson-

Interview with Barefoot Training Expert Andy Clower

In this episode of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I interview Andy Clower, an athletic trainer and strength coach based out of Berkley CA. Andy is a true expert on the mechanics of the foot and made some interesting points in a recent article he wrote concerning the difference between true barefoot training and minimalist shoe training so I knew I had to get him on the podcast to share his insights into what really happens when you restrict natural foot movement. In this interview we discuss the impact the natural foot movement has on balance, reaction time and the efficiency of muscular contractions in the legs. He also makes a great case for spending some training time off the bike completely barefoot as well as giving us some ideas on how he integrates barefoot training into new clients programs so they don't get hurt by getting into it too fast.

Applying Functional Movement to a Bike Fit

In this episode of the MTB Strength Coach Podcast I talk to Greg Choat who is one of the top bike fit professionals in the world - yes, I said a bike fit guy! I ran into Greg at a Functional Movement Screen Lv. 2 seminar a few weeks after running my blog post on the real value of bike fits (LINK TO BIKE FIT POST) and found out that he actually shares my feelings on the subject. After hearing more about how he uses the FMS to enhance his bike fits I knew that I had to get him on the podcast to talk more about it. In this interview we talk about how the FMS has changed how he views and uses bike fits, how our everyday lives affect the dysfunctions we bring to bike, how those dysfunctions affect how we perform on the bike and why the bike industry in general has missed the boat on applying functional movement to the bike in favor of marketing hype. We also talk about pedaling technique and why strength training, especially the deadlift and swing, are essential to building a strong, efficient pedal stroke. Grip strength and neck pain come up as well - in short, we cover a lot of ground and this is a "must hear" podcast from one of the top cycling coaches in the industry. BTW, the streaming player is acting up so just click on the MP3 file link to listen or download the interview... -James Wilson-

Interview with Ryan Leech

In this podcast I had the chance to talk with Ryan Leech, who helped define a generation of mountain bike riding with his mind blowing trials skills in countless movies and demos. Ryan shares a very similar philosophy about the role of training for improving as a mountain biker but have different backgrounds and methods and I was stoked to get the chance to talk more about his views in this podcast.

Clinic Recap: Don't confuse symptoms with causes

In this podcast I go over the take aways from my recent 2 Day Skills & Fitness Clinic, including the idea of focusing on causes and not symptoms. -James Wilson-

Interview with MyBikeStand.com

In this podcast I talk to Ian Cook, operator of MyBikeStand.com, which is an independent bike and parts review website. Ian is also helping me put on my first 2 Day Skills & Fitness Clinic and in this podcast we talk about what makes his site a great resource for unbiased reviews and how the 2 Day Clinic idea came together. If you have any questions or comments about anything you've heard on this podcast please post them on my blog at www.bikejames.com and I'll get to them ASAP. -James Wilson-

Interview with Super D/ All Mountain Rider Nathan Riddle

In this podcast I interview one of the best Super D/ All Mountain racers in the US, Nathan Riddle. Nathan provides some great insights into racing these popular racing formats and also shares how he was able to actually train less last off season yet still see improvements this year.

Special Report - MTB Kettlebell Conditioning

In this podcast I go share my insights on how to combine my two favorite things - kettlebells and mountain biking! I've been using kettlebells with great success in my facility for years and there are a lot of advantages that they offer mountain bikers. In this podcast I cover: - What are kettlebells? - Why is kettlebell training a great choice for mountain bikers? - Why can't you just use a dumbbell? - How do you get started with kettlebell training? You can also visit my blog at www.bikejames.com to download the notes from this podcast and to post any comments or questions you may have. -James Wilson-