Anyone Train Specifically for DH?

[GODH]

Most racers I know don't train for DH, some train for Cross Country which helps, but I'm looking for people who train specifically for DH. Anyone doing this?

[RacinJason]

XC rides can help with DH so I try to ride 3 days a week if I can.
I like to mix up climbing with a technical DH reward.

[flipnbikerider]

Living in SoCal it is very hard to train specifically for DH. Myself I climb what I can with my DH bike and hike the rest of the way, I gues in a way it's only training for DH.

[Mudman]

I wish I could train for DH specific. As of lately I just ride my DH bike on XC trails- I frequent Fontana though. That might count for DH training. It's just a far drive.

[CaDownhilldoll]

The pros train on the road.. I used to run into Lopes all the time,, Gotta keep the skills though and find some shuttle runs wherever you can..

[flipnbikerider]

Yah, it's funny because if you've ever looked into the Mastering MTB Skills, it says that downhillers need only to train between 3-5 hours a week. That's nothing more than one ride.

[Bullcrew]

Ride, Ride, Ride anything and everyhting. Dont slow down on stuff, pretend your chain is broken so you will cary more speed through stuff. If you panic, let go of the brake and just huck it! Faster is better especially in gnar and drops are all the same - Gravity will get you to the ground how you land it is up to you!
Between rocks get a couple of extra pedal strokes if possible and the brake is not your safety device its there to help keep your line!
Find loose soil and start drifting corners till it makes a berm and you are comfortable sliding through it with feet on pedals!

[thephat]

DH training to me means staying in shape on the XC bike, and the road bike. Focus on burst power, and not long term endurance. Push a big gear hard on the climgs, then rest, then repeat.

Do some cross training. Skiing seems to be a lot like dhing in terms of turning technique.

Find a group of fast dh riders to do regular shuttle, or lift missions with. I like to get on the DH bike at least once a week for at least an hour or two of actual combined ride time going fast downhill.

I find that yoga will push me up a spot or two in the results.

A pump track, or BMX track can be great for pumping skills and fitness, and also berm turn skills. Local dirt jumps, and skate parks are also excelent training grounds.

Overall health and mindset cannot be overestimated.

[mottmcfly]

I also do XC rides with some tech DH involved whenever possible. When I cant do that I'll take to the road.
I, like many other people, we cant put as much bike time as we would like in during the week because of work or whatever so I try to supplement wherever possible by hitting the life cycle at the gym a few times a week and taking the stairs at work. When I'm on the bike at the gym I try to get my target heart rate to where it's considered a cardio vascular workout and keep it there for 30 minutes.
I also try to get in some weight lifting for upper body.

Just started this routine so I'll let you know if I see any improvement or not.

Thanks,

Mott

[Bullcrew]

Just pedal and hit the brakes less!
Thats the main thing, I know guys who dont have squat for stamina but kill it on a course! Dont let this group fool you into thinking Fontana is a DH course, its more XC than anything. i get killed on the wall, so I need to train for that. Take half the peeps that ride there and lets go to Tamarack, Bootleg, Deer valley schweitzer etc and its a different animal. Still a little pedaling but he who hits the brakes less, corners and carrys speed through the rough will prevail.
Dont get me wrong pedaling is important but the others are skills that are learned not spin class and XC.
Work on the skills first. Cornering, less brakes and flow! also finding spots to pedal between hits and rock gardens and or corners.

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by mechmann

i rode 54 miles today. it was all training for DH.

beat that sucka!

tomorrow some shuttle runs for the b-day, i have my work cut out for me to stomp travis into the ground at round 4.

Happy B-Day Mechmann.

[GODH]

That's cool a lot of you guys are doing something with DH racing in mind. I really want to find a group of people who are motivated and can push themselves and start doing some structure DH training.

I have ton a DH specific stuff that I do and I usually end up doing it alone. I'd love to get a group ride together
where we warm up, do timed sprint intervals, followed by some on the bike ploymetrics. Other days do timed runs and log our progress... all of it on a DH bike.
Usualy done on an easy trail ride where we would cover some distance doing a loop or out and back.

Also I'm talking about next season, right now I'm out with an injury but of course you guys could easily start your own thing.

What do you think?

[Rallyfox]

Originally Posted by mechmann

i have my work cut out for me to stomp travis into the ground at round 4.

I want to see that!

For training though, other than the obvious ride a lot, weight lifting to be strong enough to muscle the DH bike around (it's no 20lb xc bike) upper body and lower. Sprinting ability helps, and of course conditioning is needed just not like in XC racing. You need more power and bursting ability.

Justin and Travis both have points but since Justin has won more races this season....

Just thought of something else, take your 26" bike out to the BMX track for practice days. Thats a great workout...pedal, pedal pedal jump pedal pedal pedal jump..........

[denmother]

I have been training with an MTB specific coach for 2 years. http://www.mtbstrengthcoach.com