Improve Your MTB Specific Hip Power

Having good power on the trail starts in the hips – improve your MTB-specific hip power with the Dumbbell Cheat Curl…

James Wilson is well known in the mountain bike world for training athletes at the World Cup and Olympic level, but he’s also got some great tips for the everyday rider. With the winter season firmly upon us, you might be looking for the secret weapon to keep you faster than your riding buddies when springtime comes along…

---

On the trail few movement patterns help as much as a good hip hinge. Having a good hip hinge allows you to bend at the hips and not the lower back or ankles and it is very important for staying balanced and moving with power on the bike.

While I talk a lot about the Kettlebell Swing and its role in improving how you are able to apply this movement pattern to the bike, I’ve recently started using another exercise that I like just as much.

The DB Cheat Curl actually has some advantages for us as riders over the Kettlebell Swing and I think that you should use both to best develop your hip hinge for the unique demands of mountain biking.

For starters, you use a narrower stance that is closer to our stance on the bike. Swings are awesome but the wide stance you have to take does limit its direct carryover a bit.

Plus, you can do Split Stance and Half Kneeling variations, which really builds the specific core strength we need on the bike to feel comfortable riding switch foot.

However, there is much more to the DB Cheat Curl than simply grabbing some weights and swinging them around. You need to know how to use your hips and not your arms to generate the force, as well as how to use your lats to stabilize your shoulders.

In this new video I show you how to do the basic DB Cheat Curl and how to avoid some common mistakes that will rob you of results on the trail. I’ll also show you my favorite variations to help you get even more specific results from this exercise.

If you’ve never tried this exercise before then you’ll want to keep in mind that it works best in the 3-6 rep range so you can focus on max power on each rep. Speed of movement and you form is more important than how much weight you do.

Try doing 2-3 sets of 6 reps using the Half Kneeling DB Cheat Curl for the next 4 weeks to get a good feel for this exercise. You’ll have a much better idea of how to snap your hips while keeping your shoulders strong, which will pay off on the trail.

If you have any questions about this exercise and how it can help you on the trail please post a comment, I’d love to hear them. And if you liked this post please click one of the Share or Like buttons below to help spread the word.

Until next time…
Ride Strong,
James Wilson

---

MTB Strength Training Systems is the world leader in integrated performance training programs for the unique demands of mountain biking. As the strength and conditioning coach for World Cup Teams and 3 National Championships, his programs have been proven at the highest levels. James has helped thousands of riders just like you improve their speed, endurance and skills on the trail. Visit bikejames.com to sign up for the free Trail Rider Fundamentals Video Mini-Course.

---

The variation with offset stance looks good, especially for training the switch pedal stance…