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Nic’s Return to MTB After a Bulging Disc When you’re deep in nerve pain, it’s hard to imagine anything else. It dominates your thoughts, limits your movement, and shatters your confidence — especially as a mountain biker. Nic ( AKA VanCan - check out his Youtube Channel ) spent over a year stuck in that cycle. His symptoms stemmed from a bulging disc, triggering chronic left-sided sciatic pain, deep low-back tension, and asymmetrical control in nearly every key movement patte

How We Build Strong, Durable Riders All Winter (Injury comebacks, Bulding on success, Body recomposition, and big goals ahead) 🎯 The Off-Season Reality Off-season training looks a little different for everyone I coach. Some riders are coming back from injuries. Others are tapering for multi-day enduro races overseas. Many are back for another season looking to build on their previous success. A few are brand new to structured training — but not letting it stifle their ambiti

(And How You Can Too) If you’ve been following along, you know I’ve been changing gears lately — swapping a bit of bike time for trail runs and other ways to move. Last week, I talked about why that matters. This week, I want to zoom out and talk about how to think about cross-training — from first principles. Start With the End in Mind Everything I do this time of year ladders up to three goals: Long term: Still be riding strong at 60. Medium term: Perform better next yea

Why Cross-Training Makes You a Better Mountain Biker Every fall, I still want that rhythm — getting out on the trails, sweating a bit, moving through the forest. But the urge to ride isn’t there ten times out of ten. And that’s okay. I know this feeling well, and I’ve learned what to do with it. When the bike starts feeling more like “should” than “want to,” I change gears. I shift focus, pick something new to challenge my body and brain — something that keeps me moving but

Rethinking Fitness Testing for Riders Every fall, my inbox fills up with questions like: “Do I need a VO₂ test before starting my off-season?” “What kind of testing do you use to build training plans?” And honestly — I get it. When you see pro riders wired up and grinding through structured protocols, it’s easy to assume that’s what real testing looks like. But here’s the truth: you don’t need a lab to learn a lot about your fitness. What matters most isn’t the equipment — i

This one's been on the back burner for a while, as I know Jake's been working on an awesome project you should all go check out. I'll drop a link at the bottom. Jake rides a lot — He's a full-time MTB Coach here in Squamish - you might have heard of the Mind Mountain. This means long weeks of high-volume riding, nagging aches, and hours of physio just to keep going. He knew he “should” be strength training, but the motivation wasn’t there. That changed when he joined the MTB

This week saw a shift - I'm back at the dirt jumps after school with my little guy, client calls - we're talking about more lifting and less riding, even prepping for ski season. And the World Cup Riders are back in town, crushing my V02max and self-esteem 😩 Here's how I'm framing things for me and my Riders... Seasons change. Routines shift. More rain, less daylight, colder rides. At first, Fall can feel like a problem: 🌧️ Wetter trails = less traction 🌒 Shorter days = f

Why We Train for Crashes, Not Just Rides Most training — in the gym and on the bike — is about performing intentional actions . Squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and rows. On the bike, it’s climbs, corners, and braking drills. All of it looks structured, controlled, and predictable. But mountain biking is rarely predictable. Dabs (momentary foot down) happen often. Falling off completely happens too, though less often. And once every year or so, you might have one of those crashes

“I wish I started sooner. Strength training pays you back tenfold.” – Jenn Jenn was having the kind of season most riders dream about. She was riding faster, tackling gnarlier terrain, and hitting bigger jumps and drops. Every week her confidence on the bike grew. But she also felt something holding her back. Despite all the progress in her skills, she started to realize that her strength wasn’t keeping up . She wasn’t spending any time in the gym, and it showed in key moment

When it comes to mountain biking, most riders think the way to get better is simple: just ride more. More laps, more climbs, more...

“I used to dread climbs — now I look forward to them.” – Jon M. For years, Jon loved riding but hated the climbs. Every group ride felt the same: his friends would ride ahead, while he ground his way up the hill, frustrated and out of breath. He started to lose confidence and enjoyment on the bike. Jon knew something had to change. Riding more wasn’t solving the problem — in fact, it just made him more sore and discouraged. That’s when he decided to try strength training. But

– Why You Should Shift Your Gym Focus in the summer (Not Abandon It) Let’s be honest: here in the Pacific Northwest, summer doesn’t last long. We know that. Every sunny day feels like it could be the last, so we try to make the most of it—sunset laps, alpine missions, and maybe even the occasional multisport epic. And that’s exactly how it should be. But if you're riding more, sleeping less, and cramming adventure into every pocket of your week (guilty), it might be time to

If your hamstrings always feel tight, your glutes never seem to “switch on,” or you’ve got a cranky low back after longer rides—listen...

If you nailed your preseason training, you probably feel it—you’re stronger, faster, and more confident on the bike. Your uphill power has improved, your downhill skills are sharper, and you’ve been out putting in the miles, enjoying your progress. But now… the gains have stalled. Your rides feel harder, your speed flatlines, and the plateau is real. Sound familiar? This is one of the most common challenges I see mountain bikers face during the season. So what can you do to k

Mountain biking is supposed to be fun.But what happens when it starts to feel like a chore? If you’ve ever hit that point in the season where riding feels more like an obligation than a joy—or when even easy rides feel heavy—you might be dealing with burnout . It happens to every athlete eventually.Even the pros.Even the coaches (ask me how I know). And the tricky part? Most riders don’t recognize burnout until they’re deep in it. What Causes MTB Burnout? Burnout is usually

With the MTB season in full swing, injuries are starting to roll in . Lately, I’ve been working with riders managing: A high ankle sprain (2–4 weeks out from trail-ready) A broken finger (recently back on the bike) Chronic back nerve impingement (now riding at ~95% send-ability) An ACL tear awaiting surgery Ongoing recovery from a motor vehicle accident (affecting shoulders, knees, hips) But alongside the “obvious” injuries—the ones that stop riders in their tracks—there’s an

— and How to Track Them 90% of my clients have families, jobs, and full lives. They’re not training to win Red Bull Hardline — they want...

(A “thought-exercise” for time-crunched mountain bikers) 90 % of my riders juggle families and full-time careers. That’s why every...

A Long-Term Look at MTB Strength, Skill & Injury Risk — and How to Turn It Into an Advantage The Big Idea Riding season is precious, and...

You’ve been building strength all winter, dialling in your mobility, and improving your engine. Then spring hits — and boom — you’re out...