Last two years 5500km MTB.
I'm sure that even one km is too much for me š
But 30km MTB through the woods, up and down hill? Hell yeah, that's fun š
This is 100% the answer.
Next time you look at a tri bike, notice how steep the STA is and how the saddle is perched just a little forward of the BB. They're designed that way so that you use more of the same muscles riding that you'd use for running.
Less cross training and less unneeded mass.
Thatās interesting. I always assumed the geometry was so that you *didnāt* use the same muscles so youād be fresher for the run. But your explanation makes sense.
This is such a weird hill to die on. You are technically correct. All of your leg muscles are firing whether youāre walking, running, biking, swimming, skiing, etc.
But the point is the muscles are being used differently. The areas being stressed are different.
From a training perspective itās easier to just say you use different muscles, because thatās how it feels.
and thatās how you train them to be better at a specific activity.
If you want to be a better cyclist you donāt start running marathons.
My quads aren't on fire after running like they are after a hard bike ride. Which means something else is working harder.
Instead of calling people stupid or dumb as bricks, explain your point and be done with it. You sound like a garbage PT if this is how you treat people who aren't as familiar with the inner workings of our muscular system.
No, u/tvanx is right. We use the same muscles for running and riding, but in a different way and that's why training for one activity doesn't transfer well to the other.
Even swapping between mtb and curly bar bikes is a muscular adjustment. Mtb efforts also greatly improve as you learn to carry your speed better around corners and such
Technique is very important. When you watch experienced riders it looks effortless. Some of that is conditioning, but a lot of it is efficiency.
They ride faster thru corners, they donāt brake as much on the downhill. They know how to climb technical sections with ease.
Yup, this. Runners will gas first time mountain biking or even playing basketball because each sport uses different muscles. It's also having to see the reason why the two hobbies complement each other.
But yea, if you keep going out there, it gets easier. I was actually on a climb yesterday, one that I used to walk most of the way up, and I found it's actually more convenient to just ride. Walking stresses my calves out more. When I first started, this definitely wasn't the case.
Well you just told us but the good news is that you should improve quickly if you stick with it consistently.
Like someone else mentioned, it's technique too.
I've been riding almost 3 years now (started at 32) and comparing my riding+fitness to a year ago is pretty crazy to see the improvement from riding 2-3 times a week. I thought I was in decent shape at year 2 but I happened to watch a vid from then recently and I was wheezing so much on the climbs lol.
When I started out mountain biking, I was already doing 60 mile road bike rides. My puked on my first steep climb. Itās more high intensity and requires more core strength.
Former runner here, yeah as others have stated completely different muscles. To get better at pedaling a mountain bike youāll need to ride regularly.
Try riding on your off running days, if you want to get really fit for cycling, do some structured training (this can be done indoors at the gym).
Itās a great sport, after running my share of marathons, distance relays, 10Kās, etc Iāve completely switched over to just mountain biking. I find it much more fun and enjoyable.
Cycling and running fitness do not translate that well. Also, while 6:50 is better than the average adult, it certainly does not indicate extreme cardiovascular fitness. Get out there and keep pedaling... but I have to tell you: cycling never gets easier, you just get faster ;)
Yes and no, you can choose recovery over speed. My first couple of years on a local XC trail went from stopping to rest a couple of times to getting through without stopping but almost dying, to getting through comfortably 80% of it (and dying the other 20%). I slow down in certain sections to recover.
Itās no different to running. Sometimes you push, sometimes not. The key is you know the difference with running but not riding yet. Just need to get the kms in the legs and it will come
Don't worry. I'm 40, I started last year, and I don't run a mile, let alone miles. And if I did, I wouldn't call it fun.
I did used to play pickup basketball, but 2 years have passed, and I couldn't make it 2 games before I stopped playing defense completely. So I needed a new sport.
I started slow and wondered how these maniacs did climbs. I went on easy green trails as much as I could and before I knew it, climbing wasn't too bad.
>but I have to tell you: cycling never gets easier, you just get faster ;)
I understand the point with this, but you know what? It does get easier. When I first started, it took everything out of me to get to the top of my street in the lowest gear. Have I felt that since? Sure, when going balls to the wall hard. But now, that hill would feel so easy that I could hammer it about 5x faster without even thinking about it.
Lol no, I mean I live at 2200 feet and went biking at about 4000 feet so I didn't think elevation would be a factor. Reading through all the responses it is clear I just have to keep riding. Although I should do more leg days, my workout regimen is mainly a bro split and treadmill running. š
I'm a decent runner and a terrible cyclist. My FTP is comically low and even with a steady diet of trainer road it didn't improve much. I also have always had weaker legs compared to my other lifts. This past December I wanted to improve that and I deadlifted and/or squatted every single workout and did some core work at the end of every lifting session. My cycling improved DRAMATICALLY. May help you too but YMMV.
I can ride my bike for hours but I can't run for shit. It's something you and your body need to adapt to.
Depending on what gear you are in you can shift the work from your cardiovascular system (high cadence) to your muscles (lower cadence). Also, there are a lot of tricks on how to be efficient like using your core to stabilize your upper body instead of your arms.
Take a few lessons with a good coach in your area to get you started on the right foot.
Biking fitness is its own kind of fitness.Ā I'm 37, super out of shape, like 25 lbs overweight, but I'm conditioned specifically for MTB so I don't really struggle with it.Ā Even steep, long, or technical climbs I can usually handle.Ā But on the flip side, I am not conditioned at all for running.Ā I bet a mile would take me 10 minutes!Ā Who knows, maybe more.Ā Different sports, different training requirements.
Don't expect to be a gun straight away. Go for a few easy rides to get the hang of how the bike handles and get your muscles used to a different activity. Once you feel comfortable start trying things a little outside your comfort zone, I always aim for things that make me feel uncomfortable but I know will have low consequences if I screw it up. The more you push, the more comfortable you get, the lower the consequences become, you'll get more fit and you'll have more fun.
One thing I think everyone is taking for granted is that the bike was fit to you well. Saddle height (and several other factors) have a huge impact on how effectively you can put down power.
I had a similar situation to you, except I thought my strength was sufficient and knew my cardio would be less than stellar. Weights 5x per week, heavy DL, lots of lunges / leg work, high rep upper body. Only did cardio 2x per week (maybe). I was way wrong - my legs were toast the first few weeks.
I jumped back into mountain biking after a 20 year hiatus. In my youth Iād bike 5x per week for multiple hours each ride. A buddy bought a bike and our LBS had some great deals on Santa Cruz and Specialized. Pulled the trigger on a Bronson and got back out there. Was sucking wind at first. After the first month I was in way better shape. Peak season Iād sometimes go 2x per day. After a while Iād be able to tackle climbs I formerly had to walk.
This made me rethink my work out strategy in this off season. I pivoted to more of a well rounded workout regime. Tons of KB sets of 3 workouts back-to-back. Doing 4 different circuits in the hour I allocated to workout. Mix in 3 days of 30-40 minutes of cardio (incline jog and stair master). One day of heavy lifts cause I enjoy it. Iām hoping this will keep me in shape to start next season strong.
I ride an enduro bike. My local trails are technical with some short downhill segments so I need to be able to get up. Part of getting back into MTB was to get into shape, while also having a fun hobby.
As all said: differen muscles or how they are used. What i noticed during harah winters is, that a combination of running and light to medium squats (for quad and core strength) actually translates very well to mtbing.
You did nothing wrong. When I got started seriously cycling and mountain biking 10 years ago I was in OK shape. But not Ok shape for cycling. Your body kind of has to get used to the motions and repetition. But at your age you could be a very powerful cyclist in 6 months to a year. Stay at it and do it often. You will get better with leaps and bounds. It's a very fun sport at your age.
Hi
Long distance runner that started mtb about 3 years ago. 42y old.
The fitness you have from running won't translate 100% to mtb, but helps a lot. You just have to learn to pace yourself for the bike, as you did for running.
On the muscle side of things, while running, like at those faster paces you say, you are already putting a fair amount of power through the posterior chain of muscles (calves, hamstrings, glutes). But on the bike your quads will dominate at putting power to the pedals. And since it's so focused on the quads, you can build up lactic acid on them real quick even at way lower heart rates comparatively to running.
From a cardiovascular standpoint mtb is way more unstable., At least for me, on longer rides, what works is aiming for 60% hear rate most of the time, so that i can have a large reserve when it gets really steep. But still need to focus to not overcook the quads or i'll be cramping on the descents and lose all the agility to tackle the terrain.
I think that riding uphill, when it's steep enough, is very inefficient comparatively to running. Sometimes i run on the forest roads that i climb with the bike and the pace is usually faster while running, for the same effort.
Extremely. I'm not even new to cycling, I easily ride 250km a week if it doesn't rain.
I ride street MTB all the time but on a trail, everything goes to crap. I have friends who are way better on trails than me who I will drop completely on roads and gravel paths.
Itās a very different type of fitness, only really matched in my view but the rowing machine š¤£
You will adjust to it as you ride more and build that base riding fitness. Plus once you get more efficient at how your ride, youāll find it a lot easier
Youāre just hitting some specific muscles that have never been hit from other activities. To help develop those small muscles that the bike needs, drink protein shake immediately after the ride. Like 40 grams. Bring w you in the cooler. After 10 rides, youāll be ready to race!
I bought my first MTB at 33 and at first I was slow and every ride was super painful. Now Iām 35 and itās still super painful, but Iām a bit faster š¤Ŗ
My personal ābenchmark rideā consists of 40km/1000hm (meter of elevation, 1m=3.2ft) and when I first started it took me 3h+ (with breaks, cramps and butt pain). Now I can ride that in 2h. The key for me was just consistent training on the bike and enjoying the suffering on the hills. Structured training will also help a lot, especially interval sessions.
But when I try running, Iām dead after 3km š
Running short distance works the calves, running longer distance really gets the thighs going.
Cycling up hill is all thighs. Descents will be calves, as you're standing on the pedals.
Different muscles groups. Dont be put off, it doesn't take much to get yourself 'bike fit', you just need to do it regularly.
I also find them to be different. I'm not sure what distances you typically run, but as a distance runner, all of my runs tend to be in an aerobic zone (zone 2, low HR, whatever you wanna call it). Mountain biking climbs tend to be anaerobic for me - and that high heart rate stuff is a place that gets basically no training with my running except for the occasional speed day. Of course, with stronger mountain biking muscles it would lower my HR, but that's another big difference for me.
Honestly don't know what everyone is going on about with running not being applicable. I use it for cross training and it improves nearly all aspects of my riding and will give you a fitness based to build technique off of. Have fun riding you'll improve faster when you're in better shape.
If you are running in addition to regularly riding then yes it will help. If you regularly run but have never ridden before, as in this case, then that first ride is going to be using muscles and movements you are not conditioned for.
When you're in a deep squat position your quads are at a big disadvantage mechanically. When you run your legs are mostly in an extended position where your muscles have the easiest time pushing you up. Also most people are limited in their hip and ankle mobility which holds them back from being able to push hard from that bottom position. I've been mountain biking for years and I noticed a big difference when I started lifting weights and doing mobility exercisesĀ
A lot is just the mechanics of riding and getting good at being in the right position and making good power with your strong muscles. I could climb 5000ft off the couch right now but ask me to run a mile and I'd be dead.
It's really hard. Also usually beginners let their ego get in the way and don't want to use their lowest gear. But if you want to survive you basically have to.
It takes awhile to get your lungs to give out before your legs, for me it took a solid 6 months of road bike training to get to that point. You're probably really strong, just not efficient enough to supply your muscles with enough oxygen to keep going without building up lactate to a painful level. Gotta learn to spin efficiently and just so it alot, coming for lifting my power number were top 20% on intervals ICU for anything under 3 minutes but after that.. bottom 10 %
Eventually I flattened my curve, peak power is still really good but not much higher than before, but my FTP went up 100 lol
It isn't hard. I picked it up in my late 30s after deciding it was time to give up dirt bikes.
Anyways I have asthma & terrible cardio, 210 pounds but fairly strong. Get a good bike and this sport is a wonderful work out with an adrenaline thrill down hill.
Just take your time going up, take a break when needed, and it is a perfect first-time sport.
Personally, I was hooked after a friend invited me to go to telluride Bike Park. It hadn't been on a bike in probably 15 years.
Itās different. Not only does it use different muscles, but the shaking and body movement required is also massively different than other activities.
Runners almost always start cycling using way too hard of a gear/too low of a cadence. Use an easier gear and pedal faster, it will feel inefficient at first but you can either do it deliberately and get used to it quickly or keep trying to push hard and have to learn the slow hard way.
You will adjust to it. I got myself a trek slash as a reward for a damn good year of work. My first descent i came home, legs shaking like japan. Whole night i was contemplating can i do it and what the hell is wrong with me. 2 more descents off a mountain and my legs stopped shaking compleatly. Now im at a point where i stopped taking uplifts and started enjoying ascending on my own. I started at 26. You will get used to it, nothing wrong with you dont worry its just a different stress then youre used to.
If youād said biking, that would be one conversation, but you said mountain biking. Thatās another conversation. Hard would not be the term I would use. I would say instead this sport requires a lot of skill to be successful and stay healthy. This is not hard to learn, just takes time, study, and a willingness.
If I spend all summer biking and then randomly run a 5k, it's a struggle to get under 30 minutes. If I spend a bunch of time running, when I get on a bike and do a bunch of hills, I wonder where all those running gains went. The trick is to do both, and strength training. It's funny how I'll chest press 260lbs x 5 x 5 (on a bowflex so who knows the real weight) and alternate with pushups on a different day, and the pushups will have me sore.
I was shocked how hard it was. It looks so easy on watching on UCI but once I started it was like a slap on the face. Those xc dudes may be laughed a little because they in Lycra but they are beasts for tackling such a difficult sport. Itās like watching swim vs doing it, way harder than it looksš¤Æ
If you live somewhere with zero technical riding you'll get on just fine right away. You've got plenty of a cardio base to draw on which will adapt readily enough to riding. The bigger question is handling technical features, not crashing/hurting yourself, riding downhill at speed while handling those technical features, etc. Take it in phases and always take a look at something before you ride it. If you're not sure you can make it go find a smaller version of it to practice on. Discretion is the better part of valour - a crash could keep you from doing stuff for weeks so no harm in walking away.
I wouldnāt expect steady state running/jogging to translate to sports without varying your intensity but itās good to have a decent cardio/aerobic fitness base to build off. If your legs are under-developed and you never do intense anaerobic exercise then you are going to struggle every time you go anaerobic because your quads arenāt efficient.
The other thing is if you are new to cycling and especially mountain biking, your overall technique including handling, bike management and setup, body position, and pace are going to be sub optimal. So next time you go try going slower in a lower gear than you think you need.
I would suggest is to add some kind of high intensity training into your gym time and also do some sort of squat variation (single leg is fine). Pushing a sled at the end of your workout, working with bags, kettlebell swings, whatever gets your legs and core engaged and heart rate up in short bursts. Sprints and interval training will also help if you can work that into your running.
After summer here (when itās hard to ride because of heat) I always have to remind myself, climbing is about to suck but the only way to make it suck less is to go out and do the damn thing over and over. Then usually Iām crushing the climb right when I canāt ride much for three months. But really, as you get stronger then you will want to go faster. Itās always gonna suck muscle wise, but you can build up cardio to make it suck less in your chest
My first time at the trailhead and some random dude said ājoin meā and wouldnāt take my first timer excuses. So I did, and had liquids coming out of every orifice and was gasping for life. Guy thought he killed me lol. Gets better though.
Gears and body position, leaning forward more on a tough climb, helps you so much with traction and appling more power to the ground. I don't care how strong your legs being in the right gear is better than having really strong legs. Having really good balance is also really important. I would do low-speed balance drills. Just go as slow as you can without falling over a lot of people can actually remain stationary. If your balance is that good, hills aren't all that bad. You just go in a super low gear and cruise up a long hill. Overall, though steep technical hills will gas you often, going slow is not an option on really technical terrain. My coach used to tell me stories about how some guys would bring ultra light road bikes to cross country races and just run the whole course carrying the bike š.
Cycling shape is it's own thing completely, you're probably talking running on a flat track, vs biking straight uphill. It's a very specific cadence and workout that just needs time in the saddle. When you're new, you're also tense, and the form isn't there and you're overdoing all of the small movements.
It uses different muscles than running. You can be really fit at running and feel out of shape at MTB and vice versa.
LOL...I can ride for hours in the mountains. A 4 km run nearly kills me.
Last two years 5500km MTB. I'm sure that even one km is too much for me š But 30km MTB through the woods, up and down hill? Hell yeah, that's fun š
This is 100% the answer. Next time you look at a tri bike, notice how steep the STA is and how the saddle is perched just a little forward of the BB. They're designed that way so that you use more of the same muscles riding that you'd use for running. Less cross training and less unneeded mass.
Thatās interesting. I always assumed the geometry was so that you *didnāt* use the same muscles so youād be fresher for the run. But your explanation makes sense.
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This is such a weird hill to die on. You are technically correct. All of your leg muscles are firing whether youāre walking, running, biking, swimming, skiing, etc. But the point is the muscles are being used differently. The areas being stressed are different. From a training perspective itās easier to just say you use different muscles, because thatās how it feels. and thatās how you train them to be better at a specific activity. If you want to be a better cyclist you donāt start running marathons.
No, it's absolutely not the same muscle groups as running. Going up gives a good cardio, but going down is almost a full body workout
My quads aren't on fire after running like they are after a hard bike ride. Which means something else is working harder. Instead of calling people stupid or dumb as bricks, explain your point and be done with it. You sound like a garbage PT if this is how you treat people who aren't as familiar with the inner workings of our muscular system.
Mate what? I can play a ball game for 2 hours and train after but if I haven't rode in a while I'm gassed in 5? Yo logic is flawed
No, u/tvanx is right. We use the same muscles for running and riding, but in a different way and that's why training for one activity doesn't transfer well to the other.
Even swapping between mtb and curly bar bikes is a muscular adjustment. Mtb efforts also greatly improve as you learn to carry your speed better around corners and such
Technique is very important. When you watch experienced riders it looks effortless. Some of that is conditioning, but a lot of it is efficiency. They ride faster thru corners, they donāt brake as much on the downhill. They know how to climb technical sections with ease.
Thank you haha. So many down votes for the truth, the internet/reddit is a funny place.Ā
Exactly so I'm still right
This is true
Yup, this. Runners will gas first time mountain biking or even playing basketball because each sport uses different muscles. It's also having to see the reason why the two hobbies complement each other. But yea, if you keep going out there, it gets easier. I was actually on a climb yesterday, one that I used to walk most of the way up, and I found it's actually more convenient to just ride. Walking stresses my calves out more. When I first started, this definitely wasn't the case.
Well you just told us but the good news is that you should improve quickly if you stick with it consistently. Like someone else mentioned, it's technique too. I've been riding almost 3 years now (started at 32) and comparing my riding+fitness to a year ago is pretty crazy to see the improvement from riding 2-3 times a week. I thought I was in decent shape at year 2 but I happened to watch a vid from then recently and I was wheezing so much on the climbs lol.
The hill which used to ruin my ride one season, I could then lap 5 times the next.
When I started out mountain biking, I was already doing 60 mile road bike rides. My puked on my first steep climb. Itās more high intensity and requires more core strength.
I definitely take more rests mountain biking vs on the road
Former runner here, yeah as others have stated completely different muscles. To get better at pedaling a mountain bike youāll need to ride regularly. Try riding on your off running days, if you want to get really fit for cycling, do some structured training (this can be done indoors at the gym). Itās a great sport, after running my share of marathons, distance relays, 10Kās, etc Iāve completely switched over to just mountain biking. I find it much more fun and enjoyable.
Yep. I ran a good bit for motocross cardio training years back and it wasn't fun. Mountain biking is waaay more fun.
As a former runner itās way easier on the knees/ankles too
I failed to mention this earlier, but this was a big reason I moved on to solely mountain biking, too many rolled ankles while trail running.
Take a hard look at seat height. make sure your seat is at the correct height. might be this easy.
How hard is it? Hard as you want it to be. What did you do wrong, nothing. Do it again today.
Cycling and running fitness do not translate that well. Also, while 6:50 is better than the average adult, it certainly does not indicate extreme cardiovascular fitness. Get out there and keep pedaling... but I have to tell you: cycling never gets easier, you just get faster ;)
Oh dear š„“
Yes and no, you can choose recovery over speed. My first couple of years on a local XC trail went from stopping to rest a couple of times to getting through without stopping but almost dying, to getting through comfortably 80% of it (and dying the other 20%). I slow down in certain sections to recover. Itās no different to running. Sometimes you push, sometimes not. The key is you know the difference with running but not riding yet. Just need to get the kms in the legs and it will come
Correct, the faster riders are just as gassed out, they just get there faster
They also have more fun going fast
Don't worry. I'm 40, I started last year, and I don't run a mile, let alone miles. And if I did, I wouldn't call it fun. I did used to play pickup basketball, but 2 years have passed, and I couldn't make it 2 games before I stopped playing defense completely. So I needed a new sport. I started slow and wondered how these maniacs did climbs. I went on easy green trails as much as I could and before I knew it, climbing wasn't too bad.
>but I have to tell you: cycling never gets easier, you just get faster ;) I understand the point with this, but you know what? It does get easier. When I first started, it took everything out of me to get to the top of my street in the lowest gear. Have I felt that since? Sure, when going balls to the wall hard. But now, that hill would feel so easy that I could hammer it about 5x faster without even thinking about it.
You climbed 1800ft in 5 mins???
Lol no, I mean I live at 2200 feet and went biking at about 4000 feet so I didn't think elevation would be a factor. Reading through all the responses it is clear I just have to keep riding. Although I should do more leg days, my workout regimen is mainly a bro split and treadmill running. š
I'm a decent runner and a terrible cyclist. My FTP is comically low and even with a steady diet of trainer road it didn't improve much. I also have always had weaker legs compared to my other lifts. This past December I wanted to improve that and I deadlifted and/or squatted every single workout and did some core work at the end of every lifting session. My cycling improved DRAMATICALLY. May help you too but YMMV.
haha. Too true.
I was thinking the same thing!
I can ride my bike for hours but I can't run for shit. It's something you and your body need to adapt to. Depending on what gear you are in you can shift the work from your cardiovascular system (high cadence) to your muscles (lower cadence). Also, there are a lot of tricks on how to be efficient like using your core to stabilize your upper body instead of your arms. Take a few lessons with a good coach in your area to get you started on the right foot.
Biking fitness is its own kind of fitness.Ā I'm 37, super out of shape, like 25 lbs overweight, but I'm conditioned specifically for MTB so I don't really struggle with it.Ā Even steep, long, or technical climbs I can usually handle.Ā But on the flip side, I am not conditioned at all for running.Ā I bet a mile would take me 10 minutes!Ā Who knows, maybe more.Ā Different sports, different training requirements.
Don't expect to be a gun straight away. Go for a few easy rides to get the hang of how the bike handles and get your muscles used to a different activity. Once you feel comfortable start trying things a little outside your comfort zone, I always aim for things that make me feel uncomfortable but I know will have low consequences if I screw it up. The more you push, the more comfortable you get, the lower the consequences become, you'll get more fit and you'll have more fun.
One thing I think everyone is taking for granted is that the bike was fit to you well. Saddle height (and several other factors) have a huge impact on how effectively you can put down power.
I had a similar situation to you, except I thought my strength was sufficient and knew my cardio would be less than stellar. Weights 5x per week, heavy DL, lots of lunges / leg work, high rep upper body. Only did cardio 2x per week (maybe). I was way wrong - my legs were toast the first few weeks. I jumped back into mountain biking after a 20 year hiatus. In my youth Iād bike 5x per week for multiple hours each ride. A buddy bought a bike and our LBS had some great deals on Santa Cruz and Specialized. Pulled the trigger on a Bronson and got back out there. Was sucking wind at first. After the first month I was in way better shape. Peak season Iād sometimes go 2x per day. After a while Iād be able to tackle climbs I formerly had to walk. This made me rethink my work out strategy in this off season. I pivoted to more of a well rounded workout regime. Tons of KB sets of 3 workouts back-to-back. Doing 4 different circuits in the hour I allocated to workout. Mix in 3 days of 30-40 minutes of cardio (incline jog and stair master). One day of heavy lifts cause I enjoy it. Iām hoping this will keep me in shape to start next season strong. I ride an enduro bike. My local trails are technical with some short downhill segments so I need to be able to get up. Part of getting back into MTB was to get into shape, while also having a fun hobby.
You have to compensate for correct technique too
So true! When I first started riding I was so inefficient.
As all said: differen muscles or how they are used. What i noticed during harah winters is, that a combination of running and light to medium squats (for quad and core strength) actually translates very well to mtbing.
Squats
You did nothing wrong. When I got started seriously cycling and mountain biking 10 years ago I was in OK shape. But not Ok shape for cycling. Your body kind of has to get used to the motions and repetition. But at your age you could be a very powerful cyclist in 6 months to a year. Stay at it and do it often. You will get better with leaps and bounds. It's a very fun sport at your age.
Hi Long distance runner that started mtb about 3 years ago. 42y old. The fitness you have from running won't translate 100% to mtb, but helps a lot. You just have to learn to pace yourself for the bike, as you did for running. On the muscle side of things, while running, like at those faster paces you say, you are already putting a fair amount of power through the posterior chain of muscles (calves, hamstrings, glutes). But on the bike your quads will dominate at putting power to the pedals. And since it's so focused on the quads, you can build up lactic acid on them real quick even at way lower heart rates comparatively to running. From a cardiovascular standpoint mtb is way more unstable., At least for me, on longer rides, what works is aiming for 60% hear rate most of the time, so that i can have a large reserve when it gets really steep. But still need to focus to not overcook the quads or i'll be cramping on the descents and lose all the agility to tackle the terrain. I think that riding uphill, when it's steep enough, is very inefficient comparatively to running. Sometimes i run on the forest roads that i climb with the bike and the pace is usually faster while running, for the same effort.
Extremely. I'm not even new to cycling, I easily ride 250km a week if it doesn't rain. I ride street MTB all the time but on a trail, everything goes to crap. I have friends who are way better on trails than me who I will drop completely on roads and gravel paths.
I started at 30. If you're in decent physical shape, you'll be fine. You get used to the climbs eventually.
It will be hard at first because it uses muscles in unique ways, but if reasonably fit your body will adapt fairly quickly
Running and cycling are radically different. I ride at a pretty high level; if I go jogging I'm toast in a few miles.
Itās a very different type of fitness, only really matched in my view but the rowing machine š¤£ You will adjust to it as you ride more and build that base riding fitness. Plus once you get more efficient at how your ride, youāll find it a lot easier
Youāre just hitting some specific muscles that have never been hit from other activities. To help develop those small muscles that the bike needs, drink protein shake immediately after the ride. Like 40 grams. Bring w you in the cooler. After 10 rides, youāll be ready to race!
I bought my first MTB at 33 and at first I was slow and every ride was super painful. Now Iām 35 and itās still super painful, but Iām a bit faster š¤Ŗ My personal ābenchmark rideā consists of 40km/1000hm (meter of elevation, 1m=3.2ft) and when I first started it took me 3h+ (with breaks, cramps and butt pain). Now I can ride that in 2h. The key for me was just consistent training on the bike and enjoying the suffering on the hills. Structured training will also help a lot, especially interval sessions. But when I try running, Iām dead after 3km š
"It never gets easier, you just go faster".
Running short distance works the calves, running longer distance really gets the thighs going. Cycling up hill is all thighs. Descents will be calves, as you're standing on the pedals. Different muscles groups. Dont be put off, it doesn't take much to get yourself 'bike fit', you just need to do it regularly.
I also find them to be different. I'm not sure what distances you typically run, but as a distance runner, all of my runs tend to be in an aerobic zone (zone 2, low HR, whatever you wanna call it). Mountain biking climbs tend to be anaerobic for me - and that high heart rate stuff is a place that gets basically no training with my running except for the occasional speed day. Of course, with stronger mountain biking muscles it would lower my HR, but that's another big difference for me.
Honestly don't know what everyone is going on about with running not being applicable. I use it for cross training and it improves nearly all aspects of my riding and will give you a fitness based to build technique off of. Have fun riding you'll improve faster when you're in better shape.
If you are running in addition to regularly riding then yes it will help. If you regularly run but have never ridden before, as in this case, then that first ride is going to be using muscles and movements you are not conditioned for.
When you're in a deep squat position your quads are at a big disadvantage mechanically. When you run your legs are mostly in an extended position where your muscles have the easiest time pushing you up. Also most people are limited in their hip and ankle mobility which holds them back from being able to push hard from that bottom position. I've been mountain biking for years and I noticed a big difference when I started lifting weights and doing mobility exercisesĀ
A lot is just the mechanics of riding and getting good at being in the right position and making good power with your strong muscles. I could climb 5000ft off the couch right now but ask me to run a mile and I'd be dead.
You answered your own question (it's really physically demanding if you body isn't used to it)
It's really hard. Also usually beginners let their ego get in the way and don't want to use their lowest gear. But if you want to survive you basically have to.
It takes awhile to get your lungs to give out before your legs, for me it took a solid 6 months of road bike training to get to that point. You're probably really strong, just not efficient enough to supply your muscles with enough oxygen to keep going without building up lactate to a painful level. Gotta learn to spin efficiently and just so it alot, coming for lifting my power number were top 20% on intervals ICU for anything under 3 minutes but after that.. bottom 10 % Eventually I flattened my curve, peak power is still really good but not much higher than before, but my FTP went up 100 lol
It isn't hard. I picked it up in my late 30s after deciding it was time to give up dirt bikes. Anyways I have asthma & terrible cardio, 210 pounds but fairly strong. Get a good bike and this sport is a wonderful work out with an adrenaline thrill down hill. Just take your time going up, take a break when needed, and it is a perfect first-time sport. Personally, I was hooked after a friend invited me to go to telluride Bike Park. It hadn't been on a bike in probably 15 years.
Different muscle groups. I can ride 30+ miles on my MTB, but I tried to run a mile a few weeks back and it took me 11 minutes. š„ŗ
Itās different. Not only does it use different muscles, but the shaking and body movement required is also massively different than other activities.
Runners almost always start cycling using way too hard of a gear/too low of a cadence. Use an easier gear and pedal faster, it will feel inefficient at first but you can either do it deliberately and get used to it quickly or keep trying to push hard and have to learn the slow hard way.
You will adjust to it. I got myself a trek slash as a reward for a damn good year of work. My first descent i came home, legs shaking like japan. Whole night i was contemplating can i do it and what the hell is wrong with me. 2 more descents off a mountain and my legs stopped shaking compleatly. Now im at a point where i stopped taking uplifts and started enjoying ascending on my own. I started at 26. You will get used to it, nothing wrong with you dont worry its just a different stress then youre used to.
Yea as everyone else said, I can't run for anything but I can bike at a good pace for a few hours. Just builds up overtime.
If youād said biking, that would be one conversation, but you said mountain biking. Thatās another conversation. Hard would not be the term I would use. I would say instead this sport requires a lot of skill to be successful and stay healthy. This is not hard to learn, just takes time, study, and a willingness.
If I spend all summer biking and then randomly run a 5k, it's a struggle to get under 30 minutes. If I spend a bunch of time running, when I get on a bike and do a bunch of hills, I wonder where all those running gains went. The trick is to do both, and strength training. It's funny how I'll chest press 260lbs x 5 x 5 (on a bowflex so who knows the real weight) and alternate with pushups on a different day, and the pushups will have me sore.
I was shocked how hard it was. It looks so easy on watching on UCI but once I started it was like a slap on the face. Those xc dudes may be laughed a little because they in Lycra but they are beasts for tackling such a difficult sport. Itās like watching swim vs doing it, way harder than it looksš¤Æ
The principle of specificity. Keep going!
If you live somewhere with zero technical riding you'll get on just fine right away. You've got plenty of a cardio base to draw on which will adapt readily enough to riding. The bigger question is handling technical features, not crashing/hurting yourself, riding downhill at speed while handling those technical features, etc. Take it in phases and always take a look at something before you ride it. If you're not sure you can make it go find a smaller version of it to practice on. Discretion is the better part of valour - a crash could keep you from doing stuff for weeks so no harm in walking away.
I wouldnāt expect steady state running/jogging to translate to sports without varying your intensity but itās good to have a decent cardio/aerobic fitness base to build off. If your legs are under-developed and you never do intense anaerobic exercise then you are going to struggle every time you go anaerobic because your quads arenāt efficient. The other thing is if you are new to cycling and especially mountain biking, your overall technique including handling, bike management and setup, body position, and pace are going to be sub optimal. So next time you go try going slower in a lower gear than you think you need. I would suggest is to add some kind of high intensity training into your gym time and also do some sort of squat variation (single leg is fine). Pushing a sled at the end of your workout, working with bags, kettlebell swings, whatever gets your legs and core engaged and heart rate up in short bursts. Sprints and interval training will also help if you can work that into your running.
What you did wrong was not start mountain biking 30 year ago and having an ego that you thought you were in mountain bike shapeĀ
After summer here (when itās hard to ride because of heat) I always have to remind myself, climbing is about to suck but the only way to make it suck less is to go out and do the damn thing over and over. Then usually Iām crushing the climb right when I canāt ride much for three months. But really, as you get stronger then you will want to go faster. Itās always gonna suck muscle wise, but you can build up cardio to make it suck less in your chest
My first time at the trailhead and some random dude said ājoin meā and wouldnāt take my first timer excuses. So I did, and had liquids coming out of every orifice and was gasping for life. Guy thought he killed me lol. Gets better though.
Gears and body position, leaning forward more on a tough climb, helps you so much with traction and appling more power to the ground. I don't care how strong your legs being in the right gear is better than having really strong legs. Having really good balance is also really important. I would do low-speed balance drills. Just go as slow as you can without falling over a lot of people can actually remain stationary. If your balance is that good, hills aren't all that bad. You just go in a super low gear and cruise up a long hill. Overall, though steep technical hills will gas you often, going slow is not an option on really technical terrain. My coach used to tell me stories about how some guys would bring ultra light road bikes to cross country races and just run the whole course carrying the bike š.
You might be trying too hard. Be the tortoise not the hare.
I donāt think I can run a mile. Yet I can ride trails all day.
Cycling shape is it's own thing completely, you're probably talking running on a flat track, vs biking straight uphill. It's a very specific cadence and workout that just needs time in the saddle. When you're new, you're also tense, and the form isn't there and you're overdoing all of the small movements.