I’ve been wanting to build this training plan for a LONG time.
I work with athletes directly and do custom 12 week plans all the time, but often times these are for riders who know what they want and are willing to take the time to work out their needs with me.
That’s actually a small amount of the people who want to get better at MTB.
There are actually more of you out there who want to get better at mountain biking and get more fit all-around, but at the same time don’t want to work directly with a coach.
I get it! You want something to follow along with, something that has some insider info and proper structure, but you don’t need to check in with me or have a chat about how the last few weeks have gone.
If that sounds familiar, then THIS ONE is for you!
I won’t be there watching you every day, but you’ll get some of the same workouts as the pros in a manageable structure!
THE PLAN
It’s difficult to build a plan for ANY mountain biker becuase all have different abilities and ability to train.
That is why this 12 Week Full Fitness Plan has prioritized days.
With this, you can choose which training sessions fit with your ability. You can also use these prioritized days to get back on track if you miss some training.
This is a full fitness plan for mountain bikers to be done at any point in the season.
There is a Heart Rate Training version and a Smart Trainer/Power Meter version
Average training volume for the 12 week plan. The “Bike” workouts can be done on trails and vice-versa. There’s even suggested days where you can add an extra ride!
Included in this training plan is:
–Strength training– upper body, lower body and full body workouts are included in a gradual build up. You don’t need to go to a gym or need any fancy equipment. There are *.pdf files to show you the movements
–Bike workouts– there are easy ones and some hard ones; these address what mountain bikers need to work on. All bike workouts can be uploaded to a smart trainer. I use these same exact workouts with the pros
–Rest– recovery is important; we build you up and recover properly
–Stretching– we work on your flexibility regularly each week in 20 minute sessions. There is a *.pdf file to show you the stretches and video support.
–Volume– all volume is appropriate and is built gradually. You can go longer as needed and shorten it up if necessary. There are planned additional rides for advanced athletes.
–Warm ups– we warm up properly for every strength session
–Fun– there are fun MTB rides planned within this training
–Skills– we work on things like pacing, cornering and braking to help you ride faster with your new fitness. This is a super important but often overlooked aspect of “training” plans.
–Testing– we regularly reassess your fitness every 4 weeks to see how far you’ve come
The volume and intensity gradually increase throughout this training plan. After 12 weeks you will be prepared for a great season!
This training plan works great when done ahead of an important race when using the available two-week taper.
Enduro and XC: different or???
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Whether you are just looking to become more fit and enjoy riding more, or looking to race DH, Enduro or XC, you need to start by working on the same thing–becoming more fit!
And no matter you goal on the trails, you need to become more fit OVERALL. You don’t need to JUST be better at pedalling, or JUST be stronger, or JUST be more skilled–you need it all!
The most common trap I see mountain bikers falling in to is going too HARD too OFTEN. This plan addresses that! We aim for a gradual increase in fitness, and won’t leave you too tired or too fatigued to ride fast. You might finish a few workouts feeling like you could have done more. And that will be perfect!!
The specificity for the different disciplines comes on the fun rides and skills days. There is even some pacing practice where you try different race modes to get the most out of yourself!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Have a TrainingPeaks account?
YES: Good, just purchase the plan from the TrainingPeaks store and apply to your free account!
NO: All good! Go to trainingpeaks.com and register for a free account. You don’t need to pay for the premium account if you don’t want to, so if it upgrades you, just click on downgrade! Then all you need to do is purchase the plan from the TrainingPeaks store and apply to your free account!
You can load the plan to start on the day that you like by applying the plan to your account. I prefer to start this plan on a MONDAY so that weekend rides line up.
Here is the training plan snippet and the initial description of the first workout. Every workout has a detailed description, and usually says WHY you’re doing it this way. Use discount code: FIRST25 to save 20%!
Once in your account on the TrainingPeaks app or on desktop, you can see the full training schedule for each date over the full 12 weeks by scrolling up or down.
You will receive daily notification emails (or can opt out) outlining your planned workout for each day. I like to keep this feature ON, and since it’s a workout it doesn’t feel like spam.
Each BIKE workout can be uploaded to your smart trainer if preferred! This is a great option for the weekdays.
With a premium TraingPeaks account, you can move the workouts around. But I prefer to do minimal changes
Then all you do is complete your workouts and get in your recovery/rejuvenation. You can even upload files from your Garmin directly to the software.
Link to the plan is below.
What if you want more?
If the 12 week plan isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, I have more options for you!
Check out the rest of the training plans I have on offer HERE. These range from 3 day/week smart trainer workouts for 4 weeks, to 12-week base phase heart rate training plans and 2-week taper plans (plus heaps more).
And if you’re looking for something custom, send me an email asking about a 6 or more week custom training plan. This will include an initial consultation to work with you to figure out what you need.
What’s more–if you want personal guidance through your training and racing, I have a number of options to work with you as your personal coach. These start at $200/month.
REMEMBER: Smart MTB Training Members get access to any TrainingPeaks MTB plan for FREE. Members also get access to exclusive webinars and educational material, so it is really a no-brainer!
