The Best Cross Trainer For Mountain Bikes

Bad weather, burnout, mechanical issues and the need to shore up weaknesses all contribute to the need to cross-train when you are a mountain biker. In fact, cross-training provides an opportunity to build fitness and muscle strength that will ultimately help you as you ride your bike. The best-cross trainer depends on preference as well as your training goals.

Stationary Bike

The best cross-trainer to improve cycling endurance is a stationary bike. Interval sessions, in which you intersperse bouts of high-intensity cycling with recovery periods help you extend your ability to stay in your target heart rate zone. Your interval can be as short as 10 seconds or as long as one hour. For example, after warming up, sprint for 30 seconds then allow 30 seconds for recovery. Work up to performing five intervals in a row. Take five minutes to recover before performing another set of intervals. Another option is taking an indoor cycling class at your gym. This is a good way to take loneliness and boredom out of your indoor cycling sessions, notes Steve Worland, author of “The Mountain Bike Book.”

Other Cardio Machines

While you are at it, take advantage of rowing machines, stair climbers, treadmills and elliptical trainers to boost your cardio-respiratory system. Perform interval sessions on these workout machines for maximum effect. While all of these options are effective, running, either on the treadmill, a track or just outside, provides an especially high-intensity workout, Worland notes. This makes it effective for improving your VO2 max. VO2 max is used to indicate cardiorespiratory fitness. It’s defined as the amount of oxygen your body is able to use as you exert yourself.

Weight Training

The weight machines at your gym are another good cross-training option. Use free weights -- dumbbells and barbells -- if you prefer. Strength-training helps you gain anaerobic power. It’s also important to strengthen your muscles and ligaments for injury prevention. For example, knee curls shore up your hamstrings and knee extensions strengthen your quadriceps. Don’t forget upper body work because muscles such as those in your shoulders are important in the technical aspect of riding.

Swimming and Other Sports

Swimming is one of the best cross-training workouts you can do. It trains your body to work hard with limited oxygen, building cardiovascular endurance, Worland notes. Swimming also provides an all-body workout that helps you shore up muscles that don’t get worked on every mountain bike ride you take, notes Randy King in the Big Mountain Riding article “Stuck Inside?” Also work cycling-specific muscles by floating on your back and mimicking the pedal movement or propelling yourself across the water with just your legs. Participating in sports that require lateral movement is another good idea. This helps strengthen muscles for instances when you are thrown sideways, such as hitting a root with your bike.