| Mountain biking is becoming one of the most popular | | | | be able to graduate to the Intermediate circuits. As |
| sports in the world, and it's one of the best aerobic | | | | you improve over time, you will want to move up to |
| exercises out there. How good is it as a form of | | | | a great bike, that is, a more expensive one. A good |
| therapy for people who are stressed-out and are | | | | starting bike will cost you around U.S $400 plus |
| looking for a tension reliever? Just the idea of getting | | | | another U.S. $200 for gear to wear, i.e. shoes, jersey, |
| outdoors to mount the bike and ride like the wind, | | | | gloves, riding padded shorts, and an energy drink |
| has got to be exciting and healthy for you! However, | | | | back-pack. You might need to buy a bike carrier for |
| your present level of health and fitness will determine | | | | your car, if you don't already have one. Acquire some |
| significantly your state of readiness to get on the | | | | basic repair tools and a couple of spare tubes, plus an |
| trails, and try to complete the distances. Some parks | | | | air pump. The entire package will be one of the best |
| in South Florida have areas for biking which go from | | | | investments that you'll ever make for your health |
| five to thirteen miles of trails. | | | | and fitness. |
| That is why I would recommend that before you | | | | 3) Best time to ride is either early in the morning, or |
| invest on an expensive bike and gear, you ensure | | | | late in the afternoon. I'm happily retired, so I pick any |
| that your fitness level is up to par for mountain biking | | | | hour that I wish. Riding after working hours will |
| with a good check-up from your doctor. You want | | | | provide the best time to give you an excellent |
| to avoid from the beginning any physical problems for | | | | workout, and to get your mind off work and other |
| lack of fitness. Mountain biking requires a load of | | | | things. Weekends is when most mountain biking is |
| energy exertion, and it starts with the feet and it | | | | done. |
| goes all the way to your neck muscles. If you are | | | | 4) When you have your biking gear ready to go, and |
| currently and significantly overweight, and are aware | | | | you have strapped your bike in your car or truck, |
| of any heart conditions, you may be better off | | | | get your mind started on the excitement of the |
| walking for exercise, until you get ready for biking. | | | | journey. Get in a happy mood, for it will help you to |
| Your doctor will be your best guide in this instance. | | | | stay content and better focused while riding your |
| If you're looking for a medium to aggressive outdoor | | | | bike on the trails. Leave all that concerns you behind, |
| activity to keep you in top physical shape, mountain | | | | and make it a point to relax and to enjoy the thrill of |
| biking is probably for you? The demands are serious, | | | | the ride. You will bike better, safer and smoother. I |
| and an appreciable amount of effort is required to | | | | purposely do that every time that I ride, and I find |
| remain in motion while on your bike. The trails are | | | | myself tackling every single obstacle on the trail with |
| already laid out in circuits, and maintained by | | | | full confidence. |
| volunteers and Park personnel. One of the many | | | | 5) Do not risk "life and limb" to biking until you have |
| benefits that you'll get from mountain biking will be to | | | | learned the basics. However, you don't have to wait |
| improve on your ability to sleep profoundly. I know | | | | until you are "perfect." Get out there on the trails |
| that mountain biking helped my young son during his | | | | first chance you get, and like most of us did, we |
| teenage years with his schooling and personal life. As | | | | learned to ride well by trial and error; practice and |
| his confidence grew, he eventually became a top | | | | repetition. |
| notch rider, and he kept his grades very high through | | | | 6) I'll quote from Gary Fisher, who is one of the best |
| his middle and high school years. Today he's a junior | | | | bike engineers out there. He said, "When you get into |
| at the University of Florida, and is a straight A | | | | a tricky situation (on the trails), breathe slowly and |
| student in pre-law studies. | | | | don't over-think!" It is wise advice, and it is amazingly |
| Mountain biking has been proven to be one of the | | | | accurate. I apply it because it works for me every |
| best exercise programs in the world. Age does not | | | | time. Another very good tip that I got from a British |
| really matter (I am going on sixty five), as long as | | | | mountain bike magazine is the following: when you |
| you are ready and physically able to ride the bike. | | | | enter a circuit, focus on that one circuit the entire |
| Does it have any therapeutic benefits, besides being | | | | time that your are in it, and don't allow the word |
| a great exercise? I believe that it does, and in a big | | | | "failure" to ever enter your mind. It also went on to |
| way which I will note. For example, when you're riding | | | | say that you don't want to concern yourself over |
| on your bike with plenty of trees around you, or out | | | | the next circuit, until you are done with the present |
| in the mountains and deserts going through a myriad | | | | one. I noticed that when I concentrate on performing |
| of trails, that is where you will find peace. This is the | | | | all that is required on the circuit that I'm on, as the |
| moment when you and your bike are in tune with | | | | magazine recommends, I normally don't get into |
| the song of nature. In the silence of the trails, and | | | | trouble. So it is very good advice to follow. |
| without even trying, you will find a piece of heaven. | | | | 7) When you're new to mountain biking, work the |
| Long and mid-distance runners find running | | | | Novice trails first until you get the hang of the bike, |
| therapeutic also, but not everyone can run. Many can | | | | the riding terrain, and the basic skills required to stay |
| ride a bike, either for relaxation, or for the fast | | | | in motion. As you progress, get into the Intermediate |
| action that it can provide. | | | | circuits, but be ready to get out of them if certain |
| You can bike indoors, called spinning to your heart's | | | | parts become too difficult to handle. You are basically |
| delight, or set your mountain bike on rollers, especially | | | | learning the ropes, as we say. In time you'll do most |
| during the hard winter months, but you cannot | | | | of your biking on the Intermediate trails, and later on |
| compare the outdoors for fresh air and freedom. | | | | some of the Advance portions. Never hesitate to |
| When you ride indoors, you are held to the same | | | | stop in any situation where you might find it too |
| view. When you're outdoors with your bike, you will | | | | difficult to overcome, for example: an obstacle or a |
| find paradise. The air is fresh and clean, at least in | | | | difficult maneuver. Just walk the bike over the |
| parks with plenty of forest, or perhaps you bike in | | | | obstacle or a step-down drop, whatever it happens |
| areas where the topography contains less | | | | to be, until you learn how to handle it naturally. |
| vegetation, as is desert or mountainous regions. The | | | | 8) Always maintain your bike in excellent condition; |
| effect is the same because fresh air abounds all | | | | which will help you to remain on the safe side of |
| around you in open areas. | | | | biking. Lubricate the bike properly at the beginning of |
| I learned to ride a mountain bike late in life when I | | | | the ride, and make sure that you have the right air |
| took my son Sean one afternoon to a park near our | | | | pressure on the tires. At the end of the ride, use a |
| house. He was twelve years old at the time, and he | | | | special bike cleaning foam and a brush to degrease |
| was spending too much time watching television, or | | | | and to clean the chain and the gear mechanisms. Use |
| just playing with the computer. Worse, he was | | | | a bottle of all-purpose cleaner for the rest of the |
| lagging behind with his homework, and not finishing his | | | | bike. Once that you're done, wash the bike down |
| normal school work on time. My wife and I were in | | | | completely. Lubricate the bike lightly when you finish |
| the process of getting divorced, so neither of us was | | | | washing it down. |
| paying too much attention to our son. One day, we | | | | 9) Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer with you in the car |
| were called to attend a conference by his middle | | | | at all times, and have a tube of triple antibiotic cream. |
| school counselor. Both of us went to the meeting, | | | | When you get scrapes and cuts, and unfortunately |
| and got things straightened out. Within one month, | | | | you will, wash the injured area with bottled water, |
| Sean got his act together with his school room and | | | | dry it with a paper towel, and then put the hand |
| home work assignments. I wanted to reward him by | | | | sanitizer over the wound. It will sting like fire, but it |
| spending more time outdoors with him. | | | | will kill the germs right away. Then, put the antibiotic |
| We went to Quiet Waters Park at Deerfield Beach, | | | | cream over the clean wound. When you get home |
| Florida, and a whole new world opened-up for us. | | | | and get cleaned up, dab the antibiotic cream over the |
| Today we are on our third generation mountain | | | | same area again. Do this for a few days to make |
| bikes, and have never stopped riding since Sean was | | | | sure an infection doesn't set in. If it's a serious |
| twelve, and that was over eight years ago. Even | | | | wound, you must see a doctor. |
| today, I can still appreciate the father/son bonding | | | | Make mountain biking as safe and stress-free as |
| that occurred between us, which has also served for | | | | possible by learning technique over and over again, |
| a lasting friendship. | | | | until it becomes natural to you. I still take dumb falls |
| I will share with you some important pointers that I | | | | after all these years of biking, because sometimes I |
| feel will help you to get a good start in mountain | | | | get distracted by something or other in my mind. |
| biking. This is based on years of personal experience, | | | | The less fear you have when you ride the trails, the |
| and from books and magazines on mountain biking | | | | better the rider you'll become. When I'm tired is when |
| that I buy at Amazon.com, in addition to learning | | | | I get into accidents. On occasion, it's better to ride |
| technique from DVD's. | | | | less time on the trails and call it off for the day, than |
| 1) Mountain biking is a sport and a physical activity | | | | to continue overly fatigued, especially in the hot |
| considered an aerobic exercise, meaning that lots of | | | | summer weather. My best advice for you is that you |
| energy is liberated. Jogging is also an aerobic exercise. | | | | stay focused and alert at all times while riding the |
| The entire body works in unison to keep your bike | | | | bike, and anticipate having to make sudden |
| moving forward and over obstacles. Your legs are | | | | maneuvers. Sometimes, you'll have just enough time |
| the ones that get the majority of the heavy duty to | | | | to avoid an accident, and all because you kept your |
| propel the bike. The arms are forever on the handle | | | | eyes focused on the trail. |
| bar, and the hands are working constantly the brake | | | | Mountain biking, when done seriously and consistently, |
| and shift levers, while maintaining control of the bike. | | | | will bring you many years of health, happiness and |
| Your abdomen also gets a good workout. Regular | | | | satisfaction. To me, it is therapeutic when it rewards |
| breathing while you ride is critical to keeping your | | | | me with the feeling of peace and the freedom of |
| stamina up. You will also get to exercise your lungs | | | | flight, if only for a moment in time while riding the |
| quite a bit. | | | | trails. |
| 2) At the beginning, you will very likely not be riding | | | | May you enjoy your life riding your bike, as much as |
| the best bike that you desire, but it should be okay | | | | I've enjoyed my life riding my faithful and beautiful |
| for your basic level of riding skill. Once you get | | | | Klein Adept Comp. |
| enough practice riding the Novice trails, you will then | | | | |