How many times did you get passed in the last lap because you were gassed?
Did you crash because you were simply too tired to hold on, or lost focus on riding because you were ready to pass out or throw up from being out of shape?
Instead of investing in a ton of bling parts, you should be investing in your fitness and preparation for next season.
Kicking ass and ripping laps is awesome exercise, but what are you doing now that the weather is cold?
Besides going on a trip south for a few days or riding indoors, seat time is limited to pretty much none for most of us. We all know that motocross is arguably the most physically demanding sport there is, so let’s to get off the couch and get in the gym! But attending the gym is not the same as training, that’s why you need to have a plan!
Every major sport has a strength and conditioning coach. Their job is to dissect the fitness aspects that you need and get you performing at a high level. Of course, they can only do so much, because putting in the time and effort to train is ultimately up to the athlete. When it comes to Moto, there are 4 Key areas that need addressed. Don’t have a coach or trainer? Its okay, we have you covered here.
Cardiovascular fitness: We all know you need cardio to be able to ride the bike hard for an entire race. This needs to be trained in order to hit the ground ripping in the spring. In addition to the popular stationary cycle or rower, you should be doing some dynamic exercises that require focus and concentration like jump rope, speed bag, or basketball. In addition to constant cardio, interval training is key to mimic the demands of ripping for a whole moto.
Strength: Holding on to a 55hp, 245lb machine is not for the weak. In order to maneuver the bike it requires a lot of strength. Make Sure that your legs, core, back, and forearms are strong enough to ride the bike instead of the bike riding you! What about if you drop it over in the mud like at Ironman like Joey Savatgy?
Flexibility: This is often overlooked, but taking time to stretch either on your own or by doing things like Yoga can pay big dividends when it comes to riding. How are you supposed to get your leg up in the corners or hinge into the attack position if you can’t touch your toes? How about your back, if that is stiff how can you shift around on the bike?
Balance: Working on your balance will help keep you keep the bike on two wheels. It’s a constant fight to maintain the center of balance on the bike while its going over obstacles, leaning over in turns, and flying over jumps. If you just sit on the couch for 3 months, how can you expect to be at the top of your game?
Reaction Time: It’s a lot of work to train hand/eye coordination. When you are riding on the bike your brain has a lot of information coming fast. To navigate a track while at nearly max heart rate it takes skill and practice. Adding exercises like throwing a Tennis Ball, Juggling, or hitting a speed bag can be done between exercises to help stay sharp. Other ways could be supplementing your training with playing basketball, tennis, ping-pong, or most other ball sports.
Competitive Motocross racing involves so many aspects of fitness, it can be overwhelming to develop a training plan that will maximize your efforts toward results. That’s why we developed a comprehensive Off-Season training plan to get you going in the right direction. It’s only $1 to get started so click here to check it out.
Your Mx Coach, Scoob/ Kyle
Ready to kick ass in 2019? Results are earned in the off-season. Time to get training!
