Wats the best way to train for DH??

[bearl]

Just wondering if anyone wants to share their secrets for training for DH? I want to go faster but im stuck with training? I raced against marshy on the weekend, that guy is a ninja, and their are even better guys out their than him, so how the hell do they get so fast??

[Dozer]

Lots of down hilling, lots of spare time and a handful of good sponsors who'll pay you to ride whenever you want!
Seriously, a bit of jump park, a bit of fun cross country (sigh...) and heaps of downhilling with quick guys made me quicker.

[Registered Nutcase]

find little things that you can train on. ie. a beam of wood for balance.
and also do as much downhilling as possible

[ToMmY B]

yeah if u have some cliffs around just clear a nice flat landing, itll make you stronger in the legs. The slow speed balancing needed for north shore riding also helps with downhill racing. If you can get a mini bike, the one u see all the guys on at the bmx track, get one of those. They help out heaps with core body strength and allow you to learn to throw the bike around. If you have an xc banga find some gnarly rock gardens and pin them no brakes. You will learn to negotiate terrain much better. If you have a dually go ride some street and skateparks as well as up hills. The up hill helps your leg power and the street your will help your timing.

Most importantly just have some fun with your mates. Dont try to hard give it a go. gauranteed success after 3 months.

[brodes]

who the fuck is marshy?

[bearl]

haha steve marsh.....

[Hopper]

Steve Marsh is Marshy, he is multiple State DH champ in SA, also multiple national trials champ a while ago. the reason he is so good id because he knows his limits, is willing to push hard, trains hard (including XC and road) and he has brilliant bike control skills from his trials days.

[acrider]

Road cycling for 60 min or so - with sprint intervals (ie sprint for 20 seconds at a time............then pedal seated for a few minutes......sprint again etc Build up to 30sec, 40sec sprints etc over a few weeks until you are sprinting (really hard) for a few minutes at a time, between seated rests while still pedalling.

This helps build up the anaerobic power needed for downhill racing, but you get the same thing sprinting for 20 seconds or so before a dirt bike jump.

Since most races are less than 5 minutes at a time.....................all day XC rides aren't going to help much...but of course with any aerobic training, something's better than nothing.

Abdominal work/ lower back (help stabilise the bike), forearm and leg/calf training in the gym help too but it's really regular downhill sessions that help the most.

A bit of running is great for base fitness too, but no more than a couple of times a week (and only for a few kms at a time) with a few sprints in their too.

The more you push in training, the easier the race is.

If you just want to keep up with a faster mate; that's easy. Just drop their tyres down to 10psi and quickly slip in some new thick brake pads to provide a well needed frictional handicap.;-)

[CAM]

The best tip I ever got was to treat every single run you ever do like its a race run. So when it comes to racing your in the habit of going flat out. Helps with fittness to, if your doing ordinary runs and feel good at the bottom, yet do a run at a race you are buggered, then you need to be pushing harder when your out doing runs.

[Gravjunkie]

Ride with better riders, listen to their advice as well as watch what they do and most of all, you've gotta be prepared to ride outside your comfort zone to progress.

[Demo Dave]

Do road or XC for fitness around 2-3 times a week, then just ride your dh bike as much as you can.

[dhd]

Try Beer, cigarettes and coffee. alternate between bingeing on them and then abstaining from them for a few weeks over the winter. Ride occasionally. 1 month before a big race like Thredbo freak out and go on a all out health binge. Do interval training etc.....
On raceday after your run stare at you belly button a lot and wonder why you can't keep up with the other guys.........
Hell, This is proven to work. I've been doing this for years and it's got me no where.:confused:

[udi]

Try Beer, cigarettes and coffee. alternate between bingeing on them and then abstaining from them for a few weeks over the winter. Ride occasionally.

shh, don't go telling everyone!

[toodles]

Try Beer, cigarettes and coffee.

In a blender. With vodka. Vin Diesel does it no ice.

[bearl]

awesome, i can get fast and drink beer and smoke like a train!! I've definately heard of beer and partying training........not sure of it's sucess rate but theres plenty of ppl on the program.....

[hucker booner]

find little things that you can train on. ie. a beam of wood for balance.
i personally dont think this is going to do u much good at all. hopefully u can already balance on a 2 wheeler.

[KANE MCLATCHIE]

*edit* damn that was dumb

[and1]

something stupid....

Although you may have thought that was funny, it wasn't... You can't spell MCLATCHIE without L-A-M-E!

*edited - just got rid of that crap*

[Busty]

Do road or XC for fitness around 2-3 times a week, then just ride your dh bike as much as you can.
Thats about the best advise you could get man *thumbs up*

[ajay]

Thats about the best advise you could get man *thumbs up*

do chainless runs too - i did a day at buller with no chain and it helped heaps, you learn to carry all your speed through corners, to keep off your brakes as the more you brake without a chain the harder it is to regain your speed... this along with following faster riders and a bit of aerobic traing and heaps of bike time will get you there...

[Loudvq]

Learn how to CRASH so you know your limits and what to do the next time you come to the same sort of situation. Get a stop watch and time your runs and try and beat each run and just go hard every time.

[hardinge915]

i do long XC runs on my DH bike just to build up leg strength... although you can go for aslong you get used to it pretty quick and start doing normal, lengthy XC trails on your downhill bike

[petie]

if your wanting to get faster i reckon just get to heaps of races to get lots of experience thtas probulary make u gte faster doin xc and road will make u fit but wont get u feelin ur bike and limits

[petri]

In a blender. With vodka. Vin Diesel does it no ice.

I heard that Vin Diesel actually freezes it into a block of ice and shoves it........ ah dosen't matter.. something about controlled release.

[spam]

Try Beer, cigarettes and coffee. alternate between bingeing on them and then abstaining from them for a few weeks over the winter. Ride occasionally. 1 month before a big race like Thredbo freak out and go on a all out health binge. Do interval training etc.....
On raceday after your run stare at you belly button a lot and wonder why you can't keep up with the other guys.........
Hell, This is proven to work. I've been doing this for years and it's got me no where.:confused:

Steve Peat and Cedric Gracia don't seem to have a shortage of beer and theyre bloody awesome

[October26]

Ride with better riders. Yep, as a good example look what Ryno has done for Ameil.

Chainless runs. At Thredbo(Feb 04) I was watching Sharples make the Aussie team do rolling runs to try and maximise speed through efficiency. Making them use odd foot forward got them used to riding both ways too.

[24seven]

If you can try and get some BMX riding in to your training aswell. It will help make you smoother aswell as making it easier to move the bike around ie bunnyhops etc. Just look at all the pros who've ridden BMX or still do.

[jeremyb]

Strength and fitness has gotta help, DH is very physical, especially on your upper body, get a good weights program and do some cross training on a road bike, intervals would be pretty mint for sprinting on DH tracks, don't forget good nutrition and plenty of sleep!

All that aside, getting out there and riding your bike will get you fit for riding your bike as well, but don't over do it and make sure you're in the right headspace if you wanna get serious, if you're feeling a bit off go do something else that doesn't require quite as much concentration like weights :)

[emcgough]

Ride a rigid or short travel hardtail on the downhill trails for a few months. This will really build up your trail riding skills well and give you some real technique, rather than relying on suspension whilst slamming through stuff on your big dually rig.