It happens. As much as we all do not want to think or talk about it, part of the sport of mountain biking (or cycling in general) is not if you are going to wreck…it is when. We take as many precautions as possible with helmets, protective gear and trying not to ride over our heads, but…at the end of the day…sometimes s@*t just happens no matter how careful (or lucky) we are. With wrecking, downtime off the bike inevitably hits home and for mountain bikers, that is not an easy pill to swallow. With all of this free time that was taken up with time on dirt, we have to find a release that keeps our fitness up and ready for when our bodies are ready to hit the trail again. So what do we do in the meantime? Here are the top 5 things you can do to try to keep sanity and endurance during your healing downtime.
Top 5 Things To Do While You Are On Wreck Leave
- Running – As much as I hate to admit it…running is one of the best ways to keep in peak shape if you can’t ride but you can run (typically upper body injuries). Running will keep your endurance up while giving you the same outside experience that you get while riding. You can even mix in some trail running to try to keep the boredom at a minimum.
- Spin Classes – If you are able to ride a spin bike (again…upper body injuries), spin classes at your local gym are a great way to keep the legs and lungs in shape while off the bike.
- Working Out With Weights – Depending on the injury, you might be able to hit the gym and workout those parts of your body that aren’t wrapped up, stitched or in a cast. If you are looking for more endurance training, running low weight and faster/higher quantity reps can keep the heart rate up as well.
- Riding A Road Bike – There will be times during your recovery where your body might be able to handle some road miles before hitting the vibration and impact of the trail. By getting on the road bike, you can keep impact at a minimum while increasing your riding endurance rapidly. Just watch out for other riders and drivers, you could end up hitting asphalt and making things worse.
- 12oz Curls – Lower body injury or both upper and lower? Grab a beer and a remote…at least 12oz curls are good for the mind.
The temptation is to give into impatience and push things too early after a wreck that takes you off the bike for a period of time. Just remember, even if you have taken some steps to keep your endurance up, your technical riding muscles might to be completely ready to jump back into the saddle with the same speed and intensity as when you went down. It is always better to ease back in and test out your body than being impatient and wrecking.
The above picture was taken by Keith Pytlinski. Check out his 3 part series on taking better mountain biking pictures below.