Mountain biking is easily one of the most exciting ways to get fit. You’ll face all kinds of terrain, weave in and out of the wild, and feel the rush of fresh air. If you spend a lot of your time stuck indoors in a gym, it can be the kind of escape you’ve just been looking for. Not to mention the combination of cardio and muscle-building it offers. From your core and your legs to your arms, handling that hard terrain is a great way to keep you firm. But it’s a good idea to make sure you’re equipped to handle it, first.
Do a bit of training beforehand
Mountain biking is a great way to get fit, but if you’ve never done it before, you might find it all too challenging. While beating those challenges is a great way to track your improvement, it’s worth getting used to the kind of intense exercise it can be before you do it. As well as being a great way to get rid of belly fat, joining spin classes and using exercise bikes with difficulty variations is a great way to prepare for the real challenge of mountain biking, too. It might not give you the whole experience of tackling tricky terrain, but it can get your body ready for the kind of aches and pains that go along with it.
Don’t take up any rickety old bike
Serious biking can take a toll on your body, so just imagine what kind of impact it can have on the bicycle itself. If you’re thinking of taking up any normal sort of bike, you should think twice. They’re not designed to handle that kind of stress, nor do they have the kind of suspension that you need to navigate more treacherous terrain. Not only are they likely to break on you, but they can put you in danger as well. Instead of taking up your old bike, you could try this and find the right bike for the terrain you’re heading up against. There are bikes specifically for different terrain, for men and women, and for those who prefer a little convenience.
Make tech your friend
Choosing the right trails can be hard, especially when you know nothing about them. If you want to build up your mountain biking skills and workouts by increments, then you don’t want to choose the hardest trails first. To that end, you should consider the mountain biking apps that can help you find the different trails within distance for you to try. That way, you can scale your workout as you gain experience. You can also track not only your own times on these trails, but how they compete with others who have done the same trails. Perfect for not only measuring how far you’ve come but adding a competitive edge for some motivation.
The right choice of equipment, alongside a little physical preparation, should be enough to get you ready to face the wilds with your bike. Now get out there and start having some fun.