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I'm quite happy doing an all day 30mile ride fitness wise but have just started racing dh recently and relised that sprinting hard for 2 minutes 6-8 times in a day is a different matter alltogether!
Other than "just ride more" are there any better ways of getting "sprint" fit?
Interval training is your friend. Plenty to be found with a quick google, bit basically it's a ride with set interval flat-out sprints - generally quite evil.
Circuit training at the gym. You need whole body for DH.
Few things,
It's not all about pedalling, yes there will be some sprinty work in there but a lot more to be gained form holding speed over gaining speed.
Don't sprint hard for all your practice runs, work on sections of the track, and save it for 1 or 2 complete practice runs.
If you do want to improve your sprinting as above look at intervals or sprints.
Don't mean to be mean but you need to get your 30 mile time down which means ride more and faster and throw in some sprints around you route, its not rocket science just do more of what hurts and you will get better at it.
do more of what hurts and you will get better at it
Rob likes this!
Focusing a lot on technique will also help - riding as smooth as poss. will rack your body less and should work out better than just trying to go faaaaaast.
3 things that can change you DH racing.
Strength to weight ratio.
Sprinting/pedaling ability.
Skills/confidence.
For the first loose weight if you're a big chap or resistance training if you're a sap.
For the 2nd look up Tabata intervals.
Do a skills course and at races watch the lines the quick guys take
Work on your skillz and then you won't have to sprint for two minutes 😉
Best thing I've found for training for DH is riding single speed. You're stood up all the time, so you work the muscles that let you resist the urge to sit down on the DH bike and you get all of your muscles worked out properly which gives you better strength for fighting the terrain.
I'm sure a dedicated programme of weights and sprints would be better, but if you're time limited and like to use your time on the bike, you'll probably struggle to do better.
walleater - Member
Work on your skillz and then you won't have to sprint for two minutes
Nothing worse than sitting knackered at the end to see someone roll in for a great time minus mech and chain.
was it the dragon series always used to do a chainless run at the end of the day.
the winning times weren't that far off...
Yes, the Dragon's did that. I think the Pro's were 3-4 seconds slower down a track like Cwmcarn.
Hill sprints - both running and on two wheels.
Look at some of the Redbull videos of the Atherton's training regime.
Didn't Dan sit on the top spot of "The Cycle Show" Rollapaluza for ages? (How does a DH racer beat Olympic track cyclists??)
The Atherton trio are [i]machines[/i] when it comes to fitness, and that'll be a big factor in why their at the top of their game.