Mountain Bike Training Program

Effective mountain bike training should include a combination of different workouts across different bikes and surfaces. Whether you’re training with heart rate or power, planning your mountain biking season with structured training will lead to fitness gains.

How do I train to be a mountain biker? How many days a week should I mountain bike?

There can be a lot of questions when it comes to creating a mountain bike training plan, we’ll help answer some of these questions below so you can create the most effective mtb training schedule.

Creating Your Mountain Bike Training Plan

Failing to plan is planning to fail….it may be tacky but it’s true. Before your mountain bike season, sit down and spend some time laying out your race calendar. Maybe you don’t have specific dates, but you know when some races should be from years prior. If you are new to racing, and looking for a mountain bike training plan for beginners, talk to some friends about which races they might be attending.

Take some time to think about your limiters - what aspects of training and racing do you need to work on.?Maybe your starts are not great, maybe your cornering abilities need work, or maybe you can’t respond to repeated efforts late in the race. Having a mountain biking coach for this portion is a major benefit. Analyzing prior data and discussing previous race experiences can lead to particular aspects of training that should be emphasized.

Alternatively - what are your strengths? Maybe you pull away on the technical descents or fatigue later in the race than your competitors. Whatever this is - use this as a guide for a training session that could be your race-winning move. Doubling down on strengths, while also working on limiters, can give you an edge on the competition.

With the above information - create your mountain bike training plan on a macro level. What are the demands for specific races on the calendar? Are those demands strengths or limiters of yours? Note - all races will have specific demands outside of a rider’s skill set and a race-specific training block will be required prior to the event.

Now with things becoming more specific, the race season can be dealt with on a more micro level. Whether you're periodizing your training for a priority race or trying to maintain fitness throughout the season for a race series - specificity in your workouts is a must. Mountain bike training involves a large list of specific training targets but for simplicity, I am going to focus on several key area:

Interval sessions
MTB Skill sessions
Endurance sessions
Rest & recovery
Nutrition & hydration

Below I will go through some specific tips for these areas to help you progress through your mountain bike training program.

MTB Training Plan Tips

Interval sessions

Yes, interval training should be used for mountain bike racers. Pushing your body through race-specific interval sessions will lead to adaptations and performance increases that repeated unstructured trail riding will not.

These intervals should be performed on a variety of bikes and surfaces. Performing intervals both on the trails and on the road will give you a more well-rounded mtb training program. Some adaptations and developments are suited better for the trails, and some are better on the road.

Power-based intervals are great for tracking meaningful progress for fitness gains. Do you have a smart trainer? A road bike with a power meter? Maybe even a mountain bike with a power meter? Performing intervals with power-based targets will push your fitness to the next level.

If you’re training with heart rate or perceived exertion then the intervals can be a bit trickier to set up but not impossible. Almost all of the below workouts can be altered to be done with heart rate. If you have specific questions about how to set those up then please email me - josh@EVOQ.BIKE.

Recommended interval workouts;

Over/unders
Low cadence/high force
Mid duration threshold +
Anaerobic repeats

These workouts should be performed on all bikes and surfaces. Spend some time getting in specific over/under workouts on the smart trainer or road bike during the week and then get out for some anaerobic repeats on the mountain bike on the weekend.

Skill sessions

Mountain biking is a skill-based sport. Intervals are necessary for developing your power on the bike, but the skills are what get you to the finish line.

These rides should be completed on the mountain bike on a variety of terrain. Create a training loop and work on clearing different features with varying speeds. Focus on being smooth rather than heavy on the power.

These sessions should be considered skill-based interval days. I don’t call these rides purely endurance as the focus should be on whatever skills you need to work on - limiters or strengths. Don’t limit yourself by only performing skill practice on interval or endurance days.

Endurance sessions

There are major benefits to riding endurance. Long endurance sessions benefit almost all aspects of your cycling, and they will improve your mountain bike stamina.

Check out the EVOQ video on why endurance training sessions are important for more info on this.

These sessions should be completed typically on your road bike for the most efficient training, however longer days on the mountain bike as you get closer to the race season or your priority event are also extremely beneficial and recommended.

These rides involve riding long steady miles in your endurance zone. Rides can be 3-4 hours or more depending on your event goals.

Be sure to optimize your endurance rides and stay out of zone 1!

Rest & recovery

Gains are made off the bike - so be sure to get adequate rest.

When off the bike, you should be recovering as hard as you train. Commit to your easy or off days and keep them easy or 100% off.

Stay out of the training ‘grey zone’ where you never train hard enough and never rest easy enough.

EVOQ has a complete guide to recovery to help with the process

Nutrition & hydration

Mountain bike races and training sessions are hard! Proper nutrition and hydration is key for successful training and recovery.

Check out the EVOQ guide to nutrition and this guide to hydration for some great info on fueling your rides.

Mountain Bike Training Program: Mistakes To Avoid

Doing endless unstructured trail riding sessions on your mountain bike

Spending time on your mountain bike is great...this is mountain bike racing. But having some variety in your training sessions is extremely beneficial. Spending some efficient time on your trainer, or getting in some consistent endurance miles on your road bike can lead to massive gains on the mountain bike.

An example training week would be one day of specific power-based intervals inside on the trainer, a few longer endurance days on the road bike, and a trail-specific interval session on your mountain bike based on heart rate or perceived effort. Add in a few easy/off days and a skill-based endurance mountain bike session and you have a fantastic training week.

Completing all of your intervals inside on your trainer

This is mountain bike racing - you need to learn to ride hard on the trails...on your mountain bike.

Putting out power on mixed terrain takes skill that can only be learned outside. The trainer has its place in the training toolbelt - but it’s only one tool of many.

If you’re a seasoned pro with years of trail riding experience then you can probably get away with riding less on the trails - but skills can always be improved. Keep practicing.

Spending all of your time on your road bike

Again, this is mountain bike racing….and it’s unique.

Completing all of your training or even just all of your interval sessions on the road bike can leave you with a massive hole in your mountain bike skill set.

The road bike is great for making you a strong, well-rounded cyclist with a great power curve - but to be a mountain bike racer - you need skills!

Related Reading: Understanding Power Meter Data

Putting out power on mixed terrain, navigating rock gardens with a pinned heart rate, and even fixing a slow leaking tire while trailside. These skills only come from riding your mountain bike and performing specific training sessions that mimic race scenarios.

You don’t have any MTB races on the calendar, so you decide to just do your own ‘thing’

Mountain bike racing takes skill. Skills need to be developed. Get out and ride your mountain bike!

Tailor your rides and training sessions to your limiters, or on specific parts of difficult courses in the past.

There is always room for improvement and if you have the time - work to improve.

Every ride does not have to be structured - and your own ‘thing’ may be challenging - but putting some specific planning into your training sessions can get you closer to your overall mountain bike goals.

Conclusion

I hope this post was helpful in providing some guidance on structuring your mountain bike race training plan. The unique demands of mountain bike racing call for a unique training approach.

Get out on your mountain bike. Get out on your road bike. Hit the trails. Hit the road. Get a variety of efforts in. Have some fun. Crush your races.

If you’re interested in discussing some specific mountain bike training plans or pursuing coaching for your next mtb race, please email me, josh@EVOQ.BIKE

MTB Training Plan: Effective Mountain Bike Training Program