How To Stay Injury Free

Injury prevention is one of those things that we often neglect when we're healthy but wish we'd done when we're in pain. If you're riding/competing seriously, injury prevention measures should be an important part of your weekly training schedule. Along with preventing injuries, many of these methods also improve performance and could be the missing ingredient in escaping performance plateaus. Below are some methods that will help prevent injuries and increase performance

Stretching

Stretching is the simplest and cheapest way to prevent injuries and should be a staple in your training regimen. Stretching lengthens your muscles which reduces tension on your joints and increases your all-round range of movement which prevents injury and increases efficiency.

Weight Lifting

Lifting weights a few times a week strengthens your muscles and joints which reduces risk of injury. Aim to use free-weights over machines as this will help to stabilize your joints better. Lifting weights also has other more obvious benefits such as increased muscle endurance and power.

Foam Rolling

Foam rollers that can be found at many sport's stores and physio therapy clinics are very useful tools in providing yourself with deep tissue massage. This helps to lengthen muscles while reducing tension in your joints. Foam rolling also increases recovery time and improves bloodflow to your muscles.

Off Season Workouts

It's important to keep fit in the off season if you plan to race in the competitive season. Beginning an intense training and racing season without proper preparation is sure to result in injury. Make use of indoor trainers, weight lifting and cross-training (running, swimming etc.) to keep your muscles and tendons conditioned. The off season is also an ideal time to strengthen your weaknesses which may include speed, endurance or technical skill. A successful off season is vital for a successful competitive season.

DIY Mud Protection

It doesn't rain much where I live so I don't have to deal with this issue very often. However, it was wet out there the other day and I was hankering for some riding so I decided to construct my own mud protection. The first thing I made is not a new invention but is great for keeping mud out of your face - its pretty popular with downhillers. It has a name starting with "S" and is pronouced something like schnidoof or shnichimut - I know I'm way off so if you know it's actual name please tell me. Essentially it's a piece of old tube that is attached between the fork crown and the arch. Most people attach it with zip-ties but I wanted mine to be removable so I used some velcro strips. When your wheel is spinning at high speed, mud is thrown in front of you which you end up catching with your face; the S-word does a great job of stopping this mud and keeps you much cleaner.


At the rear end of the spectrum I have built a fender from an old milk container and attached it to the top of the seat-stays. I was toying with the idea of having it sit under the saddle like a race fender but thought it might gain better coverage if it were closer to the wheel. Again, you could punch some holes in the plastic and attach it with zip-ties but I used some craft wire that I had lying around.