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If you’ve ever stood in the gym wondering whether what you’re doing actually helps your riding — you’re not alone. Most mountain bikers aren’t short on effort. They’re short on clarity . This is exactly why I explain the purpose behind each exercise in my programs. Winter is the best time to build strength that actually transfers to the bike — if you focus on the right things. This isn’t about random exercises or Instagram trends. It’s about training the movement patterns an

January is a strange time for mountain bikers. Riding is inconsistent. Motivation comes and goes. Instagram is full of people training like it’s already race season — and most riders are quietly wondering: “Am I doing the right thing right now?” I'm here to answer that. Not with hype. Not with a 12-week shred program. But with a clear, seasonal training plan that actually respects how mountain biking works — and how real people live. If you want to ride better, feel stronger

Most riders say they want to get stronger. Very few actually show up. As a coach who works exclusively with mountain bikers, this is one of the most common patterns I see in mountain bike strength training — not a lack of motivation, but too much internal dialogue, self-negotiation. The alarm goes off. You lie there. And the conversation starts. Should I train today? Maybe I’ll just ride more. I’m pretty tired… That conversation is the problem. Not willpower. Not discipline.

By Coach Ackerley | @themtbstrengthcoach | Take the MTB Fitness Quiz “The pros train harder — so I should too, right?” You’d think so. And on paper, it makes sense. But I’ve seen World cup-level riders fall into the same trap as amateurs: chasing fatigue over function, reinforcing bad form, thinking harder training means better results. They’re left tired, sore, and frustrated — not because they’re not committed, but because their training isn’t actually designed to support

Saturday’s ride should have been one of those rides. Rain in the air. Trails empty. The forest doing its rainforest thing — dark, quiet, alive. Winter riding is usually where I feel most grounded. No crowds. No pressure. Just movement, breath, and space. But this time… something was off. Nothing dramatic. No crash. No mechanical that stopped the ride. Just a drivetrain that wouldn’t shut up. It was jumping slightly under load. Not enough to turn around. Not enough to bail. J

This Pro Coaches' secret weapon - His Ideal Program. If you’re an MTB rider with a job, a family, and a packed life, chances are you know exactly how Mike felt before he started training with me: ✔ inconsistent in the gym ✔ juggling nagging injuries ✔ struggling to find a plan that didn’t burn him out ✔ frustrated that “MTB-specific training” didn’t match the realities of being a working rider Mike isn’t a beginner. He’s a coach, a freerider, and someone who takes durability

4 hard minutes on the rower can tell you Your personalized MTB Fitness Needs. Every rider hits this point in the off-season: You finish your first solid block of training — maybe strength, maybe aerobic base, maybe a short VO₂ block — and suddenly you’re staring at five different directions you could go next. Strength again? Hypertrophy? Power? More endurance? Threshold? Skills? Intervals? Tempo? Mobility? It feels like there are too many options and no clear answer . So b

Nic’s Return to MTB After a Bulging Disc When you’re deep in nerve pain, it’s hard to imagine anything else. It dominates your thoughts, limits your movement, and shatters your confidence — especially as a mountain biker. Nic ( AKA VanCan - check out his Youtube Channel ) spent over a year stuck in that cycle. His symptoms stemmed from a bulging disc, triggering chronic left-sided sciatic pain, deep low-back tension, and asymmetrical control in nearly every key movement patte

How We Build Strong, Durable Riders All Winter (Injury comebacks, Bulding on success, Body recomposition, and big goals ahead) 🎯 The Off-Season Reality Off-season training looks a little different for everyone I coach. Some riders are coming back from injuries. Others are tapering for multi-day enduro races overseas. Many are back for another season looking to build on their previous success. A few are brand new to structured training — but not letting it stifle their ambiti

(And How You Can Too) If you’ve been following along, you know I’ve been changing gears lately — swapping a bit of bike time for trail runs and other ways to move. Last week, I talked about why that matters. This week, I want to zoom out and talk about how to think about cross-training — from first principles. Start With the End in Mind Everything I do this time of year ladders up to three goals: Long term: Still be riding strong at 60. Medium term: Perform better next yea

Why Cross-Training Makes You a Better Mountain Biker Every fall, I still want that rhythm — getting out on the trails, sweating a bit, moving through the forest. But the urge to ride isn’t there ten times out of ten. And that’s okay. I know this feeling well, and I’ve learned what to do with it. When the bike starts feeling more like “should” than “want to,” I change gears. I shift focus, pick something new to challenge my body and brain — something that keeps me moving but

Rethinking Fitness Testing for Riders Every fall, my inbox fills up with questions like: “Do I need a VO₂ test before starting my off-season?” “What kind of testing do you use to build training plans?” And honestly — I get it. When you see pro riders wired up and grinding through structured protocols, it’s easy to assume that’s what real testing looks like. But here’s the truth: you don’t need a lab to learn a lot about your fitness. What matters most isn’t the equipment — i

This one's been on the back burner for a while, as I know Jake's been working on an awesome project you should all go check out. I'll drop a link at the bottom. Jake rides a lot — He's a full-time MTB Coach here in Squamish - you might have heard of the Mind Mountain. This means long weeks of high-volume riding, nagging aches, and hours of physio just to keep going. He knew he “should” be strength training, but the motivation wasn’t there. That changed when he joined the MTB

This week saw a shift - I'm back at the dirt jumps after school with my little guy, client calls - we're talking about more lifting and less riding, even prepping for ski season. And the World Cup Riders are back in town, crushing my V02max and self-esteem 😩 Here's how I'm framing things for me and my Riders... Seasons change. Routines shift. More rain, less daylight, colder rides. At first, Fall can feel like a problem: 🌧️ Wetter trails = less traction 🌒 Shorter days = f

Why We Train for Crashes, Not Just Rides Most training — in the gym and on the bike — is about performing intentional actions . Squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and rows. On the bike, it’s climbs, corners, and braking drills. All of it looks structured, controlled, and predictable. But mountain biking is rarely predictable. Dabs (momentary foot down) happen often. Falling off completely happens too, though less often. And once every year or so, you might have one of those crashes

“I wish I started sooner. Strength training pays you back tenfold.” – Jenn Jenn was having the kind of season most riders dream about. She was riding faster, tackling gnarlier terrain, and hitting bigger jumps and drops. Every week her confidence on the bike grew. But she also felt something holding her back. Despite all the progress in her skills, she started to realize that her strength wasn’t keeping up . She wasn’t spending any time in the gym, and it showed in key moment

When it comes to mountain biking, most riders think the way to get better is simple: just ride more. More laps, more climbs, more...

“I used to dread climbs — now I look forward to them.” – Jon M. For years, Jon loved riding but hated the climbs. Every group ride felt the same: his friends would ride ahead, while he ground his way up the hill, frustrated and out of breath. He started to lose confidence and enjoyment on the bike. Jon knew something had to change. Riding more wasn’t solving the problem — in fact, it just made him more sore and discouraged. That’s when he decided to try strength training. But

– Why You Should Shift Your Gym Focus in the summer (Not Abandon It) Let’s be honest: here in the Pacific Northwest, summer doesn’t last long. We know that. Every sunny day feels like it could be the last, so we try to make the most of it—sunset laps, alpine missions, and maybe even the occasional multisport epic. And that’s exactly how it should be. But if you're riding more, sleeping less, and cramming adventure into every pocket of your week (guilty), it might be time to

If your hamstrings always feel tight, your glutes never seem to “switch on,” or you’ve got a cranky low back after longer rides—listen...