Best extreme sports books according to redditors
We found 161 Reddit comments discussing the best extreme sports books. We ranked the 33 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 161 Reddit comments discussing the best extreme sports books. We ranked the 33 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
The book he was carrying.
Ok, I'll be the first.. Obviously you need to devote a large amount of your training to learning skill and technique. The new-ish John Kettle book is mentioned regularly on this sub and I can vouch for it—it's a no-nonsense list of highly effective technique drills and accompanying videos. Kris Hampton of the Power Company climbing has a series of movement skill youtube videos. Practice practice practice. Try and find someone with better skills that you can climb with and learn from. You have a head start with your strength, now you've gotta relax that grip and learn how to use your feet and hips and engage body tension.
​
As far as synovitis goes, that sucks. There's advice on this sub which you can search for. Crimp avoidance is almost mandatory, taping can help, as can finger curls for some ppl. Progressive loading on the hangboard is a good idea.
Here you go.
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
Mastering Mountain Bike Skills
https://www.amazon.com/Koerners-Field-Guide-Ultrarunning-Ultramarathon-ebook/dp/B00MYEQGFI
​
​
https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Forward-Progress-Running-Ultramarathons-ebook/dp/B004WE78IC
​
​
Both books come highly recommended. Also search for the science of ultra podcast.
​
​
​
Ride more, and work on body positioning. Get the Mastering Mountain Bike Skills book and read it to learn a bunch of proper technique. Then, ride even more and practice.
One trick I like is to take a flat, easy piece of trail, and ride it without brakes. No matter how slow you have to go, ride it without brakes. This will give you a good feel for controlling the bike. Then you can bring the speed up more and more... Then eventually start using your brakes where it's really needed, which'll be far less than before.
Hal Koerner's Field Guide to Ultrarunning is a really useful reference. Hal won Western States and Hardrock despite never having "elite" athletic ability. His race day execution is legendary.
Relentless Forward Progress by Bryon Powell is another good one. Bryon is a front-of-the-mid-pack runner and editor of irunfar (which is another good reference). His knowledge of ultrarunning is encyclopedic.
Hi. I highly recommend you to check out "Rook Climbing Technique". It covers skill exercises to do during your warm up (or throughout your session) to develop precisely what you're asking. The book comes with a YouTube channel with examples on how to correctly do each exercise.
lol this dude sells his book for 87 $
I strongly recommend the training plans and other info in Relentless Forward Progress. Only $11 on Amazon!
My two favorite resources to learn better technique and habits that you can study while off the bike:
There is a really good skills video by Fabien Barel that is geared towards all mountain riding but really applies to any and all riding. Not sure the best place to download a new copy, I believe it was originally on a DVD that came with a magazine
The book "Mastering Mountain Biking Skills" by Brians Lopes and Lee McCormack.
A skills clinic can be expensive esp if you don't leave too close to a good one, but that is a quick way to learn a lot and get personalized coaching. It's probably on every mountain biker's wishlist
My guess would be that it was part of this book, but I don't have my copy at work.
Ultimate: The Greatest Sport Ever Invented by Man
this book from the sidebar is highly recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-3rd/dp/1492544493
there's a lot to it, but you can read further and further as you get more advanced, there's no need to read more than the first couple of chapters right away
woah woah calm down. calmmmmmm.....
okay, first, and i'm sure you predicted that someone would say this, but
DON'T JUST BUY STUFF FOR NO REASON
now, there are basic (some are cheap) upgrades everyone should do on their bike - the contact points - where your body meets the bike
After that, don't just buy things to buy things. What do you want to do with your bike? what annoys you about it? fix those things, but remember that at a certain level of expense, it just makes more sense to save that money toward a new bike
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464551973&sr=8-1&keywords=mastering+mountain+bike
that book is an incredible resource. if you dont want to drop the cash, google 'mountain bike attack position', then work on bike/body separation, then look up GMBN on youtube, they have tons of video tutorials. droppers are useful but not necesarry. your seat does need to be low enough to let you bounce on your legs a bit
Only you can be the judge if you’re being overzealous or not. Running a 50K Ultra is only ~5 mi longer than a marathon. If you’re going longer you need to be both mentally and physically prepared. I picked up Bryon Powell’s book Relentless Forward Progress to help me get prepared for my Ultras. Good luck.
Edit: Progress
Good effort on this one. If you want to do a long run like that you pretty much need to train by running. Not fast running, just getting out and logging miles. Hiking (i.e., walking) is good, too, but if it's intended as training for ultras you want to keep your heart rate up there quite a bit, which you can do while hiking up ("power hiking"), but not really if you're just hiking on flat or downhill. Plus you have to get your body used to the pounding of running; it's much higher impact than hiking and you need to slowly build your running body up, otherwise you'll get overuse injuries.
There are good resources out there on how to train, e.g.,:
http://www.irunfar.com/2007/10/training-for-your-first-ultra.html
and some good books:
https://www.amazon.com/Running-Your-First-Ultra-Customizable-ebook/dp/B00VE731IG
https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Forward-Progress-Running-Ultramarathons-ebook/dp/B004WE78IC
https://www.amazon.com/Koerners-Field-Guide-Ultrarunning-Ultramarathon-ebook/dp/B00MYEQGFI
http://www.amazon.com/Soap-Shoes-Secret-Tips-Tricks/dp/1492782866/ref=pd_sim_sbs_14_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51vy5AXnklL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR128%2C160_&refRID=0B426NXM9GNW90H719RS
$83
There is a book by Dave Camarillo called "Guerilla Jiu Jitsu"
He's a world class judoka that also has a black belt in BJJ. The book is all about the transition from throwing to the ground. Full disclosure: I have never trained Judo, only BJJ, but I lurk on the judo subreddit b/c I think judo is awesome. One day... but first have to stop sucking at BJJ. The book is quite good and has good reviews, but just a warning that he comes off a bit petulant in the book. I think it was written when he was younger and bit angrier at the world. If you watch any of his videos and interviews now, he's super chill.
http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Jiu-Jitsu-Revolutionizing-Brazilian/dp/0977731588
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-3rd/dp/1492544493
This came up in another thread today.
Basically, you want to lean your bike (not your body), look through the turn, and put all of your weight on your outside pedal, which should be at 6 o’clock.
There’s a great section on cornering in the book “Mastering Mountain Bike Skils”
Good luck, and ride fast!
I'm also a big fan of ko uchi, and transitioning straight into a knee cut pass before they can establish half guard.
Edit: Also Dave Camarillo's stuff (I think he posts on here occasionally) is well worth a look if you're thinking about this. https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Guerrilla-Jiu-Jitsu-Revolutionizing-Brazilian/0977731588
Also, since you are new to dirt - I recommend reading this.
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715
Hopefully it will keep you from all the stupid mistakes I made. I am still not a very good rider, but I am better than where I started at due to that book.
I am incredibly jealous that you live so close to work. I live 35 miles away from my office and I would love to ride to work every day.
Buy John Kettle's new book and get a head start on all your friends ;-)
Feet. Focus on precise foot placement and pushing from your lower body rather than pulling with your upper body. "Silent feet" is an often recommended exercise, where the point isn't the silence as such; the point is that in order to be silent you have to be focused & precise.
(Full disclosure: I am not John Kettle. My only connection with him is as a satisfied customer of his coaching business)
Attack Position
When I first started riding, my friends kept giving that same tidbit about get your weight back as far as possible. No matter what. Drop? Weight back. Steep descent? Weight back. Rock garden? Weight back. I think it's one of those good intention mantras for mountain biking. But I prefer showing someone the proper attack position along with "heavy feet, light hands."
I picked up this book and quickly became one of the better riders in my group. A couple of them might climb faster than me, but they all let me go first on the descents. Highly recommend it.
You could also consider Xian. https://www.xiangoh.com/
I haven't had a session with her but if I paid for coaching again in London I think it would be with her. Friends have had sessions with her learned tonnes.
I've had sessions with Louis and a number of the other Catalyst team and honestly the quality of the coaching really varies. Louis is great, I've climbed with him in London and on a week long trip to Sardinia, and I got some great insights from him both times. You could probably learn a bit from him. I was much more beginner when I went to him (around 1 year climbing at the time). But the real benefit from climbing is going to be regular exposure to the coach so you can continue to work on your weakpoints.
Also buy and read John Kettle's book. It's the best written resource on climbing technique I've found. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rock-Climbing-Technique-Practical-Movement/dp/1999654404
It's a question that will have widely varying answers depending upon the specific 50k.
Best single item of advice I can give someone taking that leap is go buy Relentless Forward Progress. RFP is a rock solid book with lots of great information on most every facet of ultra-running, including solid training plans.
Start off by reading this book:
http://amzn.com/0736083715
Well funny you would say that, because Bryon has written a fantastic book on how to train for an ultra called "Relentless Forward Progress". You can go out and spend all you free time running and training, but that is not the only way to be a successful runner.
Relentless Forward Progress Byron Powell
If you think so highly about this book, you really need to link to where the authors can get paid for their work. Amazon
Just keep climbing and try to focus on technique. I bought this kindle ebook and its drills are useful for me even though Ive been climbing for a while. If I had started these when I began climbing Id probably be leading 12s right now! They are not training, they are technique drills and you find yourself slowly incorporating the movements while you climb and finding new ways to read routes and before you know it you are not even thinking about it.
https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Climbing-Technique-Practical-Movement-ebook/dp/B07C68HLRK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1562084256&sr=8-2
Buy Lee McCormack/Brian Lopes' "Mastering Mountain Bike Skills". http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715
Seriously. It's a GREAT book. Get it. Read it. Ride it.
You get punished for all those things while bouldering, it just doesn't stand out because you're still posting numbers impressive for a newer climber.
Rock Climbing Technique is a great book. Spend some time with it and share time doing video analysis with friends and you may find yourself jumping even further up the chain.
I really like the plans in Relentless Forward Progress. Different options for distance and weekly mileage. All around great read.
I have a 2008 Gary Fisher Marlin Disc, which is similar to your bike in a number of ways, though most of your components are higher-end. Though I got the bike 6 or 7 years ago, I didn't really start riding much until recently. So I'm still a noob, but I'll let you know the handful of changes I've made, and why, in case it helps. I do XC riding in the PNW for what it's worth.
Pedals - the platforms that came with my bike were not great. Trek's specs for both bikes list "alloy pedals" so I assume they're the same. I recently switched to clipless pedals (SPD) and it made a huge difference for me since I'm not sliding all over the place. Better platforms and good shoes are a good choice too.
Tires - Trek's site says we have the same tires, assuming you haven't changed them. I'm still rocking the original tires since they do the job, but they don't get good traction in wet and muddy conditions. Others online say similar things (http://www.mtbr.com/cat/tires-and-wheels/tire/bontrager/jones-xr/prd_416565_151crx.aspx). So picking up a set of new tires that match your riding style and trail conditions may be good. I will probably do this when mine wear out (soon).
Drivetrain - All I've done is dump my largest chainring, since I never use it, and put a bash guard in its place to protect my legs and help roll over logs and such more easily.
edit: you know what, I may have misinterpreted your question. If you're looking more for how to improve your skills I found this to be very helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715. The tips in the threads toomuchdolphin linked are great resources as well.
I started at 46, relatively fit but a complete non-runner. I ran a 70K ultra less than a year later and now I'm training for a 100K. Consistent training and injury avoidance are crucial. It helps that I don't care much about my speed, so I'm content to do most of my training at an easy pace. But I have no trouble keeping up with friends in the local trail running club.
Edit: Check out Hal Koerner's new book. I can also recommend Relentless Forward Progress for training advice and Running Through the Wall for inspiration.
I'm sure you can get great advice here and there is always costly clinics. But I would definitely check out this book. Really well written, for anybody to understand.
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715
by analog guidebook do you mean a print copy? You can try the new guide which was just released last month, or the old one which has about 3 times the # of problems listed as the new one does (the new one is an "essential problems" guidebook
Bishop is generally fairly well graded, not too hard not too soft. I can provide problem recommendations based on your grade suggestions
You might be leaning forward and putting more weight on the front than the back. It's one of those things that your brain tells you to do, but is opposite of what you need to do. You want to keep yourself centered over the cranks and your weight on the pedals.
It sometimes helps you get out of the saddle in corners, put most of your weight on the outside pedal with it at the 6 o'clock position, and lean the bike while keeping yourself vertical.
Going downhill you want to keep most of your weight centered over both pedals only using the handlebars and seat as control points. Depending on the steepness of the trail your butt might be just over the back of the seat or completely behind it.
This book by Lee McCormack and Brian Lopes is a good read and they do a good job explaining the techniques. The point they constantly talk about is heavy feet, light hands.
Rock Climbing Technique: The Practical Guide to Movement Mastery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C68HLRK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Cd97Cb0H5H0VG
Get a copy of that and start working on your technique. Your fingers will develop naturally while you do technique drills.
Technique is the biggest thing to improve but the most vaguely talked about. This book at least gives you specifics to work on. I found it pretty easy to understand. Changed my climbing pretty quickly.
It's sort of like this: if you train finger strength, say, then you can hold on to smaller holds with a large % of body weight on your hands. Technique is designed to take weight off of your hands. So by getting stronger or by getting better, you get a similar result in terms of going up the grades.
However, if you have less weight on your fingers in the first place, you're going to be less prone to injury, which is a huge plus. Injury shuts down progress longer and more absolutely than anything.
If you were to climb outside a lot, especially if you went out with experienced people, you'd get the technique from them.
In your case, having a high base level of fitness from lifting means that you won't see the gains weaklings like me did after a few weeks of core training. But your biggest quick fixes and long term gains will come from skill based practice.
Just think, 20 years ago people were riding harsher trails on rigid 26'ers. Simply run what ya brung. As for jumps and drops, find smaller easy ones and do them over and over and over until you hate them then do them some more. Get super confident on the small stuff so you can get familiar with how your bike (and your self!) handles jumps and landings. Gradually work up to bigger air and harder hits. Your bike can handle a lot more abuse than you might expect, so long as you don't case it.
Also, consider reading this:
Mastering Mountain Bike Skills
At the expense of feeling your pain over-and-over, I watched that sequence a few times to look for what you did wrong. I can't really see the jump from the quality/angle, but in terms of posture, your elbows looked pretty stiff as you went into that launch. As a result of this, I think you ended up distributing too much of your weight forward (putting weight on the bars, it looks like), which caused your front wheel to hit the ground at a non-preferential angle.
I'd suggest starting small: Find roots, moguls, dips, hell, even curbs. Manhole covers can also make a good small starting spot, but roots tend to be the best -- generally things that are only a few inches high.
Get yourself used to riding up to them and popping over them. Once that's comfortable, start learning how to launch off of them. Don't pull too hard on your bars, it should come fairly naturally once you're used to it -- you'll sort of loosen up your elbows, position yourself in 'attack position,' then naturally glide over the roots and get a few inches of air. It should feel reaaally natural once you're used to it, which is why I'm having a hard time explaining proper positioning. I'm sure someone can jump in with more technical advice.
As for how fast to go... that's a call that you'll have to make when there. It should sort of feel right when you're going a good speed - I can't really tell what the configuration of that huck is from the angle, though.
I learned everything I know from getting hurt ... a lot, but someone bought me this book last year and it taught me a lot. It's nothing revolutionary, but the book is loaded with timelapse photos that show exactly how a rider is positioned during corners, drops, hucks, jumps, etc. and should help you get started! Hope that helps!
Where was this, by the way?
Edit: I asked about 'how to fall' in this subreddit a while back. I found this video to be helpful, albeit tougher to do in a real scenario.
Bite the bullet and get mastering mtb skills
Look into getting a guidebook. Some good ones for the area are Bay Area Rock, Rock Climbing the San Francisco Bay Area, and Bay Area Bouldering. All of them have a lot of information about bouldering in the region.
There are some plans in the following two books:
I personally didn't follow any plan but made sure for the training to be specific - on trails similar to what I expected in the race and with similar elevation gain per mile. I focused on back to back long runs on weekends, a lot of climbing, and less on the distance. I don't think I ever did more than may be 45-50 miles per week for any of my 50 milers or 100K races but made sure to hit close to 8,000-10,000 ft of gain per week on my peak weeks.
It's just a moto-turn. Kinda like this: https://dirtbikeplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/how-to-corner.jpg
Basically shifting your weight forward and low, keeping weight on your front wheel so it tracks while the back does what it wants. They talk about it in Mastering Mountain Bike Skills: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504874397&sr=1-2&keywords=mastering+mountain+bike+skills
Here is what I do. I try to focus on the sports/rules specific differences and train in a way that improves my training the most.
In Judo, since the pace is a lot faster, you'll need to apply techniques (guard passing, sweeps, transitions) quickly and avoid positions where you are likely to get stuck in like closed guard, half guard, etc. The open guards like spider and butterfly are good. For passing, I favor toreando style and leg drag passing with a slight modification since you can't do standing passes. When sweeping, emphasize sweeps that get you to mount so you don't have to pass. Also since the Judo rules reward pins, practice your control from dominant positions and work on your pressure.
I try to grapple with strengths of the likely opponent in mind as well. In Judo, opponents have really good back defense (from all the turtling they do) so practice turning over the turtle and master your bow/arrow choke. Also, spend some time your transitions to newaza following a throw. This is one of the best aspects of the Judo game.
Dave Camarillo's Guerilla Jiu Jitsu book goes into length about how to mix bjj and judo.
http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Jiu-Jitsu-Revolutionizing-Brazilian/dp/0977731588/
In the end, you'll end up with good throws and an explosive and dynamic bjj game.
You definitely have to get on High Plains Drifter (V7) in the Buttermilks. It's a classic V7 test-piece. The crux is a bit high off the deck so it's nice to have another party there to combine pads.
In the Happies, hit up the Hulk (V6). It's the only 4-star (out of 4 possible) boulder in the Happies according to the Bishop Bouldering Guide (that guide book is awesome; I'd recommend picking one up if you go).
If you want to pick up a cheap V10, hit up Cocktail Sauce in the Buttermilks. It's said to go around V7-8, and I'm inclined to agree that the grade's a bit soft.
Pow pow (V8) in the Sads is a super fun body-tensiony, sloper climb.
Fly Boy (sit) (V8) is a pretty classic V8 in the Buttermilks. This one you definitely need to hit up when there's a lot of people around to pad up the large-ish rock hanging out in the fall zone.
Here's a Top 100 list you might find useful: http://sendage.com/sendlists/print_view/4eb96bfb0d4fa
Is this the one?
Hello there, I'm relatively new as well but I can hopefully help! Firstly, on the sidebar is a very helpful book, Mastering Mountain Bike Skills This is the second edition, the first one is cheaper, I'm not sure how much has changed but it has a ton of helpful things, such as a few answers to your questions. They recommend deadlifts as a great exercise to build strength, I can imagine that would help a lot. Conditioning is also a big part of it, long rides focusing on pedal stroke and perfecting form to make sure there is no wasted effort.
As far as a trail bike, depends on how rough the trails are. I'm currently riding 2014 Giant Talon 4 and it's holding up fine on easy-moderate trails without too many large bumps or big rocks, I've done some pretty rough accidental off-roads and nothing has broken yet, so I'd say for your price range a hardtail would be the way to go, though for rougher trail a full suspension bike is recommended, though good ones of those start around $1600-$2000 range.
Also for what it's worth, I'm 220 pounds and ride with a 8-10ish pound backpack so I imagine you'd be a lot easier on the bike in that regard
There are a couple different levels to this question.
I would lean away from getting a full suspension given your budget, and would STRONGLY recommend riding several different options before buying. If your shop doesn't offer trail demos/rentals, look for factory demo tours from Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc. They're usually going around the US this time of year offering free bike demos at trails all over the country. You may not get to ride the exact bike you're looking at, but it should give you at least an idea of what to expect.
Find a group of guys faster than you and ride with them. Lose weight if you want. Look for group rides on MTBR. Don't keep riding with them if they're jerks about you not being as fast. DO keep riding with them if they wait patiently at trail intersections and offer encouragement. Get a big fat light and ride at night. Ride on the weekends. Ride to work. Ride for fun.
Speaking from experience, all of those things helped my stamina. Next weekend I'm riding with a big group of MTBers, 21 miles, 3500 feet of climbing, starting and ending at 6000 feet elevation. I did it last year too, finished in 5 hours after 4 months of MTBing. This year I hope to do it in 4 hours.
Take a skills class in your area. Buy a skills book. Learn the basics. Practice them. Don't assume mountain biking will just come to you, there's a lot to it that's not intuitive.
My favorite trick of the trade - on downhills or techie sections get your butt off the seat. Bend your elbows at 90 degrees and point your elbows out to your sides. Get your torso low. Shift your weight back until you feel your body balanced perfectly on the cranks, belly button over your feet, should be no weight on your hands or wrists. GET YOUR TORSO LOWER. Loosen up, shake your arms a bit, bend your legs at the knees. Keep your weight at that point where there's no weight on your hands. Going down? move your weight back a bit. Going up? Move your weight forward. Braking? Move your weight back again, keep that balance. Keep your arms loose. Now, when there's a drop (12-18 inches), push the front end down into the drop. Since your arms are bent, your torso doesn't get yanked down with the bike. Your arms move the bike down, and your head stays flowing smoothly along its path. Your bike may have 3, 4, 6, 8" of suspension? Your arms have 18" of suspension. Use them.
Rock? Suck that front end up, pick up that front wheel so you're not just smashing into it, move the wheel over it. Big stairstep waterbar thing? Throw your torso up and back, use that momentum to pick up the front wheel and place it on top of the stairstep. QUICK throw your torso forward! Suck your legs up so your rear wheel doesn't smash into the waterbar and rob you of your precious momentum you've worked so hard to collect.
Move your body and your bike around the trail, don't let the trail work you, it'll steal your precious momentum and buck your head around. Stay loose, stay low, keep those arms bent and unweighted.
Look farther down the trail. FARTHER THAN THAT! The higher you keep your eyes the more time you have to react to the trail and process the best route.
On climbs? Just do them a lot. All this skills stuff goes out the window when you're exhausted.
not a shill for Lee, I just read his book and took his class and got a lot from the experience
You gotta learn how to position your body so that you can drive your hips into the wall. Pulling power at this point is going to make you learn how to climb far worse and much less efficient. Our limit in climbing comes back to fingers, whether it's pumping out on sport routes or crimping 4mm micro edges on a boulder, the less strain you have to put on your hands for a given move the more likely you are to complete the route/problem. Learn how to do everything you can through your body positioning and core tension.
For reference the last time I checked pull ups I did 8 narrow and 7 with a wide grip and I can climb significantly higher grades. Your pull strength isn't the weakness, it's technique.
I'd recommend picking this up and going through the drills: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Climbing-Technique-Practical-Movement/dp/1999654404
Yeah double weekend days should be like 3-4 hours and 1.5-2 hours, not 5+ and 3-4. Maybe you do like one harder weekend a month to push things, but you take an easy week afterwards to recover. Buy a book like Relentless Forward Progress for more on how ultra training works. $5 used https://www.amazon.com/dp/1891369903/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=
Mastering Mountain Bike Skills by x4 times MTB world champion Brian Lopes. After 5 years of single track riding I've decided to polish my skills and what a good book it has been so far! Available as a digital download Kindle edition.
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Submission-Principle-Based-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu-ebook/dp/B01B6X5KC2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=science+of+jiu+jitsu&qid=1561943243&rnid=2941120011&s=digital-text&sprefix=science+of+jiu+&sr=1-1. Sorry it’s actually Science of Submission
Thanks for the Kind words. Been only climbing for about 2 1/2 years. I am pretty sure you will get some v6s done in the future aswell :)
​
edit: watched some of the videos you posted. You seem to be pretty strong but i assume you just started climbing recently?
I recommend you buy this book from john kettle "Rock climbing technique"
https://www.amazon.de/Rock-Climbing-Technique-Practical-Movement/dp/1999654404/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BK1T74RFEGBP&keywords=rock+climbing+technique+the+practical+guide+to+movement+mastery&qid=1563630779&s=gateway&sprefix=rock+climbing+tech%2Caps%2C1120&sr=8-1
spend some time on climbing problems as efficient as possible and get down every move super clean. don´t rush it. be aware of every foot and hand position and try to make every move as perfect and stable as possible. bouldering is not speed climbing :)
Relentless Forward Progress by Bryon Powell. All you need.
https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Forward-Progress-Running-Ultramarathons/dp/1891369903
Here are a few good tutorial vids to shape up your technique:
How to climb
Techniques for drops
A lesson on riding downhill
And the always popular book, Mastering Mountain Bike Skills. I don't have this book personally, but I really want to get it. I can attest to its greatness because there was a sample on google book previews recently that featured 15 pages or so. Great stuff.
Light hands, heavy feet. Mastering Mountain Bike Skills - 2nd Edition (not sure why the sidebar has the original 2005 edition linked..) has a great section on this.
Otherwise google attack position.
http://www.mtbtechniques.co.uk/FundamentalsAttack.html
As for the back pain, I get lower back issues a bit when i'm doing a big ride. I find focusing on my posture when I'm not riding can make a big difference. Maybe see a physio?
So... you may have depression, and/or you may be in a rut. It's worth looking into the depression angle. Just saying.
I think three things help with ruts:
Buy this. Get an older/used copy to save money if needed because this really does have a lot of useful info: Mastering Mountain Bike Skills 3rd Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1492544493/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cnyKzb0K9MYZ1
This one?
You can always pick up a copy of the first book on ultimate I ever read.
Sucks to hear about your broken arm. I go crazy when I'm hurt and can't get out to do things. You've definitely got the heart and drive to progress on a bike. Best advice I can give you is:
1- don't give up! Mountain bikes really are fun a great way to exercise once you get a little fitness and skill built up.
2- You just jumped right into, maybe not the deep end, but at least the end of the mtb pool where your feet can't touch. Riding off even small drop takes practice and technical skills take a while to learn. While you're recovering check out Mastering Mountain Bike Skills by Brian Lopes and Lee McCormack. By far the best break down of how to learn technical bike skills out there.
3- Even the best of the best still crash. It's a good idea to work on learning to "tuck and roll grandma!". I think I'd have way more broken bones than I do now if I hadn't learned how to fall. I took some entry level judo classes when I was young that taught me, but there's plenty of info online on how to break your fall properly. In the words of Wade Simmons:
>I’ve always said this, you’ve gotta be a better crasher to be a better rider.
The maximum ride series might be right up your alley. I believe there was even a movie that came out recently. Here is a link to some used versions. I always recommend the library first though.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Maximum-Experiment-Schools-Nevermore/dp/B008QO79QU
surprised no one has posted this yet.
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-Edition/dp/0736083715/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395719768&sr=8-1&keywords=mastering+mtb
Great book, has helped me lot.
Luckily indeed. This is the first weekend it's getting about 50F. The ground has been frozen up until now. You'll definitely have a lot of time to improve. You'll find yourself getting better and better the more you ride. Also, if you want to look for more material on riding techniques I would check out: http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-2nd/dp/0736083715/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395620576&sr=1-1&keywords=mountain+biking
These are numbered by what questions have been answered!
This contest was great tbh. Id liked looking at your list and other such stuff to do this. not too hard but still involving. nice work!
Just ordered my brand new Rocky Mountain Altitude 730. Il should have it in the next week. Thanks everyone for your help.
And I ordered Mastering Mountain Bike Skills to improve my technique and Magellan Echo Fit to see my progress via Runkeeper.
I'm ready for this summer!
Go on your own. Have fun. And read this at your own pace. https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-3rd/dp/1492544493 Great book for all skill levels.
You haven't really discussed what your training base is (weekly mileage, how long you've been running). Have you read Relentless Forward Progress?
Here you go: https://www.amazon.com/Bay-Area-Bouldering-1-Supertopo/dp/0976523531
I found reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall inspired me to change my running style - It's a story but also has random hints and tips in random parts.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Born-Run-Hidden-Ultra-Runners-Greatest/dp/1861978774/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413832586&sr=8-1&keywords=born+to+run+christopher+mcdougall
I just reread that for the 3rd or 4th time this weekend, while watching the movie version (Everest 2015). I've got a ton of climbing disaster books (and a few non-disaster ones).
A new (to me) book that I also read this weekend was Ascent into Hell, I grabbed it because it was free with Kindle Unlimited (I read a LOT of books) and it was really, really good. There was no disaster, but it was a good blow-by-blow journal of a man climbing Mount Everest.
Here's a link to a guide book that includes Hokkaido:
Amazon
This is an excellent book-lots of folks here recommended it. I'm reading it now and it's helped me a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-3rd/dp/1492544493
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Born-Run-Hidden-Ultra-Runners-Greatest/dp/1861978774
Read Relentless Forward Progress. There are training plans and lots of useful information.
Or just lurk in /r/ultramarathon and /r/ultrarunning a lot and piece together your own training.
That's terrific! Comfort her and be patient. Let her cry and be there for her. Sometimes it just has to get out. It sounds like you are already doing just what you should be.
Can I give you some advice for you and your girlfriend? Sorry but I'm long-winded :)
-Speed is almost always your friend. Your instinct is to hit those brakes when you come up on something scary. Your bike WANTS to keep going. Your bike is literally designed to make it over that obstacle. If you hit it at speed, you've got a good chance of clearing it. If you run smack into it with nothing behind you, you're not gonna make it over. When in doubt...remember a high-speed crash is almost always preferable to a low-speed one.
-Breaks are important. It took me so long (like, as in about 10 months ago) to get that in my brain. I always felt like stopping indicated I was weak, my boyfriend must be so bored stopping all the time, the objective is to complete the ride, etc. If you are tired, stop. Catch your breath. One of my favorite trails has two mega bitches of hills essentially right before a rock garden. I always wanted to keep going, and by the time I hit that rock garden, I was so tired my technique was sloppy and I struggled. If you stop ahead of that rock garden, hydrate and breathe, you'll hit it fresh and be much more successful.
-You're gonna have days when it's just not happening. The most basic stuff you know how to do...you'll just blow it every time for some reason. Everything is gonna be a fail. It's okay. Everyone has those days, and it's completely normal and no reflection on you. Pack it up, have a beer, get over it, and look forward to next time.
-Do not give up. Just don't do it. That moment you feel like you've got absolutely nothing left? Hang on for 2 more minutes and make sure it isn't your mind lying about your body. 99% of the time for me, that's my head giving out before my lungs and legs do. You're maxed out and have nowhere else to downshift going up that hill? When that happens to me, I reach deep inside and tell myself, "Your bike has gotten you this far. The rest is up to you." Then I hit it and every time I would downshift if I could, I press the shifter anyway and translate it to "I just shifted my own legs into that gear and I'm gonna get it."
-Talk to yourself. You might feel stupid, but I promise it helps. When I've almost crested that hill and I'm about to lose it, I shout, "GET IT! YOU'VE GOT THIS! HIT IT!" When I'm dying trying to get over something, I'll just primal scream if I have to get that struggle out. It feels great and it is often that boost I need.
One last thing...get this book. Mastering Mountain Bike Skills. This has been one of my best resources. Explanations are clear and concise, tons of pictures that help you see how you should be positioned, and covers every topic you could imagine. Best investment I made in my riding, and it was under 20 bucks.
I hope you guys have a great experience together. Keep up what you're doing today and you will give her everything she needs :)
As far as position goes, you typically want to go "long and low" or "short and high." You can change your stem out for something longer/shorter and more/less rise, or you can swap out bars for something wider/narrower or more/less rise.
I'm pulling the following numbers and information from this book: If you're more XC and like to climb, you may want to go long (90-120mm) and low (0-10 degrees rise), but if you're more into descending and jumping, short (40-70mm) and high (10-15 degrees) may be better for you.
In addition to the stem, you can get a bar with rise if you'd like. For "long and low" XC, flat or 1" rise is good. For "short and high," 1.5" to 2.5" is better.
As far as bar width goes, it really depends on your build. If you have wide shoulders, you'll probably need wider bars. Basically, it should feel comfortable.
Since you say your frame is small, you'll probably need to go to the edges of the ranges above (e.g. if you like "long and low," you might try a 120mm stem rather than 90mm). I don't know enough to give you specifics for your bike, but it does sound a little small for you. Your LBS probably has hundreds of different stems in a drawer and could fit you pretty well.
if you were to categorize any one group of majors for playing a lot of ultimate, it's more likely to be engineers. no one knows why.
source: Leonardo, Pasquale, and Cade Beaulieu. Ultimate: The Greatest Sport Ever Invented by Man. Hallcottsville, NY: Breakaway, 2007. Print.
Get this book!! http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-Edition/dp/0736083715/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334897564&sr=1-1
Seriously, it has helped my technique. Which greatly improves my safety. And fun.
Maximum Ride - The Angel Experiment?
Eugene S. Robinson, host of the Knuckle Up podcast, the BEST MMA podcast out there...author of "FIGHT: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Ass Kicking, but were afraid you would get your ass kicked, for asking"
Eugene is also the lead singer of the band [Oxbow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxbow_(band) and Deputy Editor at OZY.com.
Eugene is a very interesting guy who could easily yammer on for 3 hours or more about MMA, politics, music, whatever.
Time may be running short...get Eugene on the podcast, SOON!
Ultimate: The Greatest Sport Ever Invented By Man is pretty funny
Read this book! http://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/0736083715?cache=589159075a3a945c3b72b683f971c1f1&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1411687266&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
Here's my list:
First Aid Kit - just handy: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001MEY964?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
Some sort of sunglasses / windglasses: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000W4CSU4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
Bike maintenance book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/097655304X?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00
Mastering mountain bike skills book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0736083715?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
Arse saver pants: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CWVP9YC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00
Cheap lights: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B77SGEC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
Tool kit: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009VYB87A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Shorts: http://www.tenn-outdoors.co.uk/protean-waterproof-mtb-shorts-blackcyan-medium
Also:
Inner tubes,
Spare chain,
Chain tool,
Gloves,
Helmet,
Water bottle and cage,
Decent pedals (AND shoes)(http://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/10hc9h/clipless_vs_platforms/c6dugvi),
Strava App,
Decent bag, maybe a camelback one or one with spine protection?
And lastly: A willingness to get muddy regularly. With that in mind, keep your bike clean! No pressure washing, just a hose and a brush, and some stuff. I got this kit free with my LBS membership: http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/8332/vip-membership-with-free-kit
That's it. All you really need is your bike!
"They say" you should only increase your distance by 10% per week. That puts you at about 17 weeks to go from 15 to 60 miles. That doesn't include rest weeks every 4th or 5th week, which is smart. So add another 3 or 4 rest weeks in there that you're not upping your mileage. Let's say 21 weeks, total. Which is within the 30-31 weeks you have alloted. It doesn't account for injury.
Read "Relentless Forward Progress". It has some Ultra training plans in there. http://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Forward-Progress-Running-Ultramarathons/dp/1891369903
Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:
Amazon Smile Link: http://smile.amazon.com/Mastering-Mountain-Bike-Skills-Edition/dp/0736083715/ref=sr_1_1
|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|UK|amazon.co.uk|
|Spain|amazon.es|
|France|amazon.fr|
|Germany|amazon.de|
|Japan|amazon.co.jp|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
|Italy|amazon.it|
|China|amazon.cn|
This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.