How To Fend Off Fatigue
Mountain Bike Rider|October 2021
Along with general fitness, careful forethought and planning will let you ride for longer than ever, says Dr Shaun Phillips
Dr Shaun Phillips
How To Fend Off Fatigue

Last month we looked at just how complex fatigue is, and how it’s brought on by a host of interrelated factors including the individual rider, the environment, and the specific demands of the activity. Those factors change from ride to ride, but we can still use them to develop a roadmap to stave off fatigue for as long as possible.

Before we look at this roadmap though, it’s useful to look at the research into the physical determinants of successful mountain biking performance. However, please remember that fatigue should be considered an individual thing, so ensure you apply research findings to yourself with caution.

RESEARCH FINDINGS

Research into mountain biking has increased rapidly in the last 10 years or so, perhaps in line with the increased popularity of our sport. Some of this research has focused on understanding the physical factors that contribute the most to mountain biking performance. Most of this work has been done on XC riders, but other disciplines are starting to receive more attention. For elite level XC riders, the power output and oxygen consumption (VO2) attainable at the respiratory compensation point (RCP; also termed anaerobic threshold, although they’re not quite the same thing) was the biggest performance determinant (1). In a slightly lower standard of competitive peak power output (PPO) relative to body mass (e.g. watts per kilo) was the biggest determinant (2). Recent research in Olympic XC riders found that maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) relative to body mass, fatigue profile during a 30-second sprint, and average and PPO during a repeated sprint test together explained 98 per cent of the difference in performance between riders.

Esta historia es de la edición October 2021 de Mountain Bike Rider.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición October 2021 de Mountain Bike Rider.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDERVer todo
Best places to ride with your kids
Mountain Bike Rider

Best places to ride with your kids

Five top venues to keep the nippers entertained this summer

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 2023
CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2
Mountain Bike Rider

CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2

It’s got more suspension tunes than a Hitchcock movie, but will this Moterra thrill us or chill us?

time-read
5 minutos  |
September 2023
100% GLENDALE GLASSES
Mountain Bike Rider

100% GLENDALE GLASSES

When it comes to eyewear, having a large lens not only offers a lot more protection from trail splatter, it puts the frames further out from your field of view, allowing you to focus on the terrain in front of you. The Glendale is absolutely vast, and actually has a lens size akin to a full downhill goggle, so you literally can’t see the top or sides of the frame.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE
Mountain Bike Rider

DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE

DMR's new Stage 2 MTB Rail is one of those new/old products. The shape and construction are identical to the existing Oi Oi saddle, but the company has wrapped it in a new skin and added some harder-wearing reinforcement to the edges. It's also toned down the lairy graphics; this saddle only comes in plain black.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN
Mountain Bike Rider

STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN

Has tech taken the hard work and fun out of mountain biking, or should we embrace evolution and roll with it?

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 2023
STORM FORCE
Mountain Bike Rider

STORM FORCE

Manon Carpenter may have retired from downhill competition, but her new role as a trail advocate is achieving results far beyond the race track

time-read
8 minutos  |
September 2023
SWEAT AND SLATE
Mountain Bike Rider

SWEAT AND SLATE

We ride 140 miles through Snowdonia on Cycling UK's newest and gnarliest long-distance trail

time-read
9 minutos  |
September 2023
HEAD SPACE
Mountain Bike Rider

HEAD SPACE

New guidance reveals how to spot concussion, and how best to treat it

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 2023
LATE SUMMER LOVIN'
Mountain Bike Rider

LATE SUMMER LOVIN'

Classic UK holiday hotspots that really shine when the crowds have gone

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 2023
HOT STUFF
Mountain Bike Rider

HOT STUFF

WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 2023