Planning for disaster

Alex Ackerley
Sep 19
3 min read

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 that either leaves you banged up, or has you thanking your lucky stars it wasn’t worse.

A big part of my training philosophy is playing the long game. If you can work out, ride, and recover consistently over a long period, you’ll make massive gains. And a key factor in that consistency is avoiding injury.

That’s why, in addition to ensuring good mechanics to avoid repetitive strain, we also prepare for the unexpected: the dab, the tumble, the yard sale. Even more importantly, if you’re returning from an injury, we build extra insurance against the wrong kind of fall that could set you back to square one.

Here’s how we do it, plus a few exercises we’ve used with riders over the past season or two.

Case Study: Nic’s Back Injury

Nic was returning from a severe lumbar nerve impingement. If his training only reinforced perfect gym positions, another awkward fall could have set him back months.

So we added crawling and rolling drills — making sure his trunk and spinal stabilizers could handle chaos. When he crashed again, he got back up and kept riding. His body didn’t panic, because it had already practiced messy movement.

And wiping out on his Enduro Bike..without injury!

Other Common Injuries — and How We Prep for Them

Not all crashes look the same, and even simple, common events on the trail — a quick dab on a slippery rock, an awkward fall, or bumping a tree with your shoulder — can have serious consequences for the wrong rider. This is especially true if you’re coming back from an old injury.

Take knees and lower limbs: a sudden foot plant in the wrong spot can be tough on a vulnerable knee or ankle. Collarbone injuries are another classic in mountain biking — even once the bone heals, many riders hesitate to trust that shoulder again. And wrists and forearms, often battered from overuse or falls, need to be able to tolerate compressions and impacts without fear.

The point here isn’t to prescribe exact rehab exercises — that always depends on the individual — but to show why we incorporate movements that look unusual in the gym. Crawling, rolling, hopping, or pressing from unstable positions teach the body to handle chaos safely. They act like insurance, helping you bounce back quicker and keep riding consistently, rather than being sidelined by the unexpected.

The thoracic reach is a great way to integrate movement of your hips, shoulders and core. (Don't jump into it if you're currently injured, without the advice of your Coach)