Mountain Bike Body Positioning

Video Transcript

"The second switchback here makes it really apparent how much you have to shift your weight to really stay hooked up and on line on the climb. Through this left hander I have to drop and counter steer while still pulling down and back on the bars. Grab myself an easier gear to get up through the steep section. Up pulling down and really pulling the front wheel back like a paddling motion on a rowing machine to keep it driving into the ground over the slick roots. The muscles that we use when we are climbing is a rowing motion so we are using the triceps a lot, the deltoids, and your overall mid back. All that pulling and stabilization. You can even see from my handle bars that they are all polished from me doing all this climbing. I'm way out on the handle bars for more leverage. I'm pulling down and back to really get that good pull. It's a driving action. To be an active engaged and aggressive mountain biker you are always thinking about driving those tires into the ground. On a descent to gain some speed and keep traction or on a climb you are always trying to make the bike do what you want it to do. There is exercises you can even do at the gym to help improve your climbing. Doing seated rows, lat pulls, but you are also as strong as your weakest link. If you're a bit flabby around the mid section and have a weak lower back, all of that pulling, you will have nothing to pull against. So having a good strong core ties together your legs which are already going to be strong from bike riding to your arms that are going to develop as a way of compensation for all of this pulling and torquing on the handle bar you are going to be doing."