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Writer's pictureAlex Ackerley

Restoring Movement. Your key to an effective start to MTB Off-season.


Mountain Biker riding down a Rock slab, in a forest.
There's a long road ahead this off season. Let's start off on the right line, at the right speed.

We started our restorative movement block last week, and most of the athletes remarked how challenging the workout was and how they felt lots of small muscles were sore afterwards. A Restorative movement block is powerful; even if we're not hauling big weights around at this stage, we are moving the needle.


How to Plan an Effective Movement Quality Block for Mountain Bikers

A well-structured training block focused on restoring movement patterns lays the foundation for a winter of strength and conditioning gains. But before diving into the specifics, let’s clarify what movement quality really means. In this post, we’ll explore key concepts and professional strategies that will serve as the launch pad for your most productive off-season yet.


Understanding the Importance of Movement Patterns

Before getting into strength and conditioning, it’s crucial to address movement patterns. Efficient and effective movement is the cornerstone of athletic performance. Over a long mountain biking season, repetitive movements and muscle imbalances can lead to compromised movement patterns. Restoring these patterns isn’t just about injury prevention—it’s also about maximizing your performance potential.


The Training Block Blueprint

Phase 1: Movement Assessment

The first step in any effective training block is a comprehensive movement assessment. (You can try my free online starter assessment here, and I’ll even walk you through the results.) The goal is to identify any asymmetries, weaknesses, or restrictions that could hinder your performance. Most limitations boil down to one of two issues: a lack of mobility or a lack of stability.

Phase 2: Fixing Deficiencies

Armed with insights from your movement assessment, the next step is corrective exercises. These exercises are designed to target and fix movement deficiencies. Whether it’s improving hip mobility or strengthening stabilizing muscles around the shoulders, the goal is to enhance your range of motion and control within that range.

Phase 3: Movement Quality Methods

Once we’ve identified the movements that need attention, it’s time to focus on improvement. During this phase, the slower you move, the better. Now is not the time for heavy external weights unless they assist in your movement.


"For mobility restrictions, use soft tissue interventions (like foam rolling) and leveraged stretches to gently increase your range of motion."

If stiff adductors or thoracic spine are restricting your squat, you might want to try this Instep Stretch.




"For stability issues, work on activating key muscle groups to help them contribute more effectively to critical movements."


This bear hug squat could help you to access a deeper squat by shifting your center of mass forwards as well as activating your deep core muscles.



Props like heel risers, suspension trainers, or bolsters may help you find your starting point for practicing movements. Gradually reduce assistance just as you would increase resistance during a traditional strength block.

Note: Simply rolling or stretching without applying it to movement patterns will result in minimal progress. Find your pain-free access point to good movement early, practice it often, and progress when appropriate.



Applying Gold Standard Sports Science to Everyday Mountain Bikers

How does Gold Standard Sports Science apply to everyday mountain bikers? The answer lies in the details. That's where outsourcing your exercise programming can come in handy! Adopt an evidence-based practice that measurably enhances athletic performance. For this block the secret sauce is this;

ASSESS your weaknesses

CORRECT the local limitation - joint mobility or muscle activation.

APPLY it to a regressed (easy version of) global movement - Push, Pull, Squat, Hinge or Twist.

PROGRESS the difficulty while maintaining the full range and control.


Conclusion

You’re about to embark on six months of quality, progressive training. Be patient and put in the work during this block—you’ll be glad you did. And feel free to keep your favorite drills from this block in your next one. Remember, the journey to becoming a better mountain biker begins with restoring movement.



Start your off-season journey today and set yourself up for success on the trails ahead!



Try my free assessment and get some no-strings advice on where to start off.


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