5 CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHAMPION AND HOW THE WEEKEND WARRIOR CAN BECOME ONE!

For the weekend warrior who has limited time to train, here are 5 things you can implement tomorrow to improve your racing results.

Step 1: Establishing a Weekly Routine

Take your personal calendar and schedule the following elements for the next seven days (in this specific order):

1. Hours of sleep you plan to get – daily!
2. When you are going to eat your meals and snacks.
3. Hours you will be working.
4. Time you will be exercising (include intensity levels).
5. When you will prep your motorcycle and your transportation.
6. What days you will compete.

Your goal is to complete at least 75% to 80% of your scheduled elements on a weekly basis.  Don’t complicate things by trying to add a bunch of sophisticated elements to it.  Just keep it basic and easy to follow. By focusing on all of the small elements, they add up to a very solid program.  So, if you get your program moving to the next level immediately, establish a routine and stick to it!

Step 2: Establishing a Practice Routine

One of the most common mistakes we see is that riders will go to the track to practice and they just run laps without any evaluation of lap times.  To make the most of your time on the track, capturing lap times will determine your consistency, along with the deviation between your fastest and slowest laps.

Practicing starts and working sections of the track is imperative to finding new found speed; however, you need to put all of the elements together to emulate actual race conditions as often as possible.  As we have discussed in previous articles, what ends up happening on race day is that the body is exposed to high levels of speed and associated lactic acid that is produced as a by-product of burning glycogen. As the lactic acid accumulates within the blood, it begins to “burn” and mentally throws you off.

Depending on the nature of your track and its practice schedule, it is important to implement practice segments that include such physiological challenges such as negative split intervals, pacing intervals, pacing pyramids and sprint intervals.  These types of intervals will challenge all of the various energy systems necessary to perform optimally during the race weekend.  Remember, practice doesn’t make perfect, specific and perfect practice makes perfect. For examples of negative split, pacing, pyramids and sprint intervals please email Robb directly at robb3@earthlink.net.  You will be able to take these protocols to the track and implement immediately.

Step 3: Consuming sufficient calories for optimum performance and maintaining proper hydration.

The challenge that you have when the intensity goes up is that it drains the stored muscle and liver glycogen very quickly.  So what ends up happening is by the time you get to the end of the moto, your gas tank (of glycogen) is essentially on empty.  To give you a good analogy of that, it is kind of like building a very strong motor, and then just not putting sufficient gas in it to finish the moto.  If you think about all of the strength training and all of the cardiovascular cross-training that you do, if you don’t give your body enough fuel, it will not have the necessary amount of energy to finish the moto strong.  Many times we see late moto fatigue and heat related sickness, due to the lack of necessary calories.  For you, the racer, looking to get the most out of your body you need to approach food from a functional stand point.  Carbohydrates provide the necessary glycogen to your liver and muscles for exercise.  Protein provides the necessary building blocks to repair torn down muscle tissue and fat provides the macro nutrient necessary for proper neurological functions and bodily needs (i.e. oil for skin and hair quality).

The second component that you can address to improve your speed is to avoid coming to the starting gate under-hydrated.  Just as a rule of thumb, we are looking for around 40 to 50 ounces of water to be consumed on a daily basis – and that does not factor in the needs of what is lost in the form of sweat from exercise.  To help offset this situation, you need to make sure that you are starting your day with a good eight to sixteen ounces of clear water to jump start your hydration levels.  If you go to the starting line under-hydrated, let’s say by 2-3%, it won’t take long before the contractile strength of your muscle tissue is adversely affected (in some instances as much as 20-30%).  The key here is to determine how much weight you are losing during a race (or intense practice session) to determine what your perspiration rate is for the duration of your session.  Add in your total consumption of fluids consumed during the last hour before your moto or practice and you will get an accurate idea of how fast you lose fluids in a given environment of temperature, humidity and race intensity.  This information becomes priceless in regards to preparing your body to handle the demands of high intensity racing.

Step 4: Establishing a body that is resilient to stress through fresh fruits and vegetables along with sufficient amounts of quality rest.

Though this step appears to be similar to Step 3 in regards to food, it is different from the stand point that we are discussing the body’s ability to adapt to stress associated with training.  When it comes to establishing a body that is resilient to stress, the two things that you need to pay attention to are:

1. Eating raw fresh fruits and vegetables.
2. How much rest you are getting each evening.

In regards to your fruits and vegetables, if you can afford and can find organic, this is ideal.  However, at the very least, you want to lean towards raw and fresh food items whenever possible. Without getting into a dissertation about nutrition, you need to understand that there are three macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fat.  You hear about them often and know what they are; however, the thing that makes them work at an optimum level is the integration of micronutrients (sourced from fresh fruits and vegetables). Whenever possible, you need be looking for a way to introduce raw and fresh fruits and vegetables (i.e. salad, vegetable & fruit salad or steamed vegetables).  The bottom line is to avoid anything that comes out of a can along with trying to get as many servings throughout the day that we can without causing any gastrointestinal issues.

In regards to your sleep, you need to be striving to get eight to nine hours per evening.  Please keep in mind that sleep is not how long you are lying in bed, but rather hours that you are in the state of sleep.  When you get into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Pattern Three, you are at a state of relaxation where your body releases hormones that are instrumental to getting stronger.

To help facilitate quality sleep try the following:

* Eat a small amount of high quality protein and complex carbohydrates 30 minutes before going to bed
* Drink 8 to 10 ounces of cold water
* Don’t watch any television in your bedroom
* Keep the room as dark as possible
* Set the room as cool as you are comfortable with

Remember, you don’t get stronger from your workouts, but from quality eating and sleeping!  If you don’t eat and rest, your body will never elevate itself to the next level of performance.

Step 5: Improve your speed by improving your range of motion through flexibility

Within your performance program, flexibility is probably one of the most boring yet most productive uses of your “extra” time. Most racers don’t like to stretch because they don’t see the direct benefits associated with it. Stretching is somewhat a nebulous concept.  What are the benefits of stretching as it relates to a racer?

First, by increasing your range of motion (i.e. working on your flexibility), you are working towards re-establishing your normal range of motion within each muscle group and associated joints.  Let’s take a look at the shoulder for example.  The shoulder is designed to have 360 degrees of range of motion.  There are muscles surrounding the entire head of the shoulder joint on the front, side and back.  As a racer, when you encounter a high speed get off, the impact on all of the supporting muscles is high.

As a racer, you need to be prepared for any contact with the ground (whether it’s a high speed get off or whether it’s a slow speed tip over), by having as close to 100% range of motion as possible. If the muscles that protect each joint are tight (hence limiting your range of motion) the impact of each fall has a much more negative effect (i.e. greater damage).

Let’s take another look at your shoulder. When you fall and put your arm out in front of you, the head shoulder gets jammed back into that capsule extremely quickly.  If the muscles are tight and the range of motion is limited, the net result is usually a torn muscle.  If this injury isn’t handled properly, scar tissue begins to form within the capsule of the injured shoulder joint and your range of motion is further limited due to the inelasticity of scar tissue.

Though scar tissue doesn’t sound like a big deal, as a racer it is very detrimental to your positioning on the bike due to the limited range of motion and the compromising you do with your body on the motorcycle.  For example, if you’ve had a lower back injury, which has resulted in limited range of motion, you wont be able to keep the bike stable going through the whoop section because you’re having difficulty getting into the proper attack position and the bike will swap all over the place.  Another example is getting your elbows up into a corner.  You may not be able to accomplish this important skill because you’ve got restrictions in your muscles surrounding your shoulder joint.  It isn’t a lack of desire or discipline, it is a physical limitor!

By focusing on your flexibility, you will be able to get into the proper position on the bike without self induced restrictions.  The better your range of motion, the better your position on the motorcycle the faster your lap times will become.

Motoendurance.net is a premium resource center for motocross, supercross, and GNCC riders of all abilities and ages.  The website outlines the MotoE Performance Training programs available to racers for 2010 -  such as those used with great success by X-Games and 2 time WMA Champion Ashley Fiolek, Mini O’s 2009 Champion Ian Trettel, Loretta Lynn National Champion Adam Cianciarulo and the #1 2009 GNCC/Top Amateur Chris Bach. These are now available to the public on a very limited basis.  Additional resources available include the MotoE Performance Training Facility, eBooks on various human performance elements and online instructional videos. For more information, contact Robb at robb3@earthlink.net or (407) 701-7586.

Straights are usually the easiest but because of the speed you can really crash hard.  Of course most of it depends on the soil condition and the room you have for mistakes.  If you’re speeding through the trees over rocks, tree roots, ruts and mud you better keep her under control the entire time.  Another tricky straight away condition may be over big uneven bumps.  Whatever the conditions are following are some key points.

1.) Scan the ground as you’re going along and see all the details.  At the same time keep your focus out far enough ahead of you that you are ready for what’s coming up.  This takes the kind of concentration to light a news paper with a magnifying glass in the sun.

2.) If it is at all rough you should be standing on the pegs in the central body position and make the bike go exactly where you want it to go.  Squeeze the bike a little with your knees.  This will make you more connected to the bike for better control.  The thing that is most likely to through you off course is hitting something with your front wheel that you didn’t see.

3.) Stay in the right gear (in the meat of the power) and if it’s really technical keep your foot on the rear brake, not just to slow down fast but to give you more control.  Think about it; the only control you have over the M/C is body movement and the five controls (front and rear brakes, clutch and throttle and the gear shift).  What else could there be?  But there are 55 Absolute Techniques that go into these two categories.  Check out my Motocross Practice Manual for all of them.

Going fast on the straights is kind of like jumping doubles.  You don’t jump distances you don’t have control over and you shouldn’t do speeds over rough ground that you don’t have control over.  If the fear is there it’s most likely there for a good reason.  When you get enough seat time and confidence the control will be there and the fear will not.  In the mean time you may consider paying attention to that fear, it’s a survival instinct.

For free MX Technique DVD previews, MX School Schedules and much more visit www.garysemics.com.

THE ENERGY SYSTEMS OF MOTOCROSS

There are many different ways to train, depending on who you listen to.  Though each approach is designed to improve a distinct function, there is always some overlap.  The two ends of the spectrum are aerobic to anaerobic and here we will discuss the five elements that fill up the middle of this spectrum.  The key to ultimate success in racing is to combine all of the following elements into your training so that you will be able to compete closer to your anaerobic threshold for a longer period of time without fading.  As we discuss the following energy systems, keep in mind that the various types of training are defined as a percentage of your current field testing and maximum HR (specific to the discipline you are using for training – road cycling, mountain biking, running, swimming, rowing, etc.).  If you haven’t completed a Time Trial/Max HR test, please refer to the initial testing that is necessary to identify and enhance the five energy systems we are going to discuss: Explosive Speed, Sprint Speed, VO2, Anaerobic Threshold and Endurance.

Explosive Speed

This high energy training is to work above your maximal time trial effort in order to develop power and the ability to throw in bursts of speed when necessary (i.e. to bridge to a rider in front of you or after you go down and need to restart your bike) and to finish a race strong.  The duration of these intervals is usually between 15 and 30 seconds and can be completed 4 to 8 times while maintaining high output levels.  You will be enhancing your fast twitch fibers A (slightly oxidative) and fast twitch B (anaerobic).  Adjust your recovery time to allow for full recovery – don’t begin your next interval until your HR is around 20 beats above your resting HR.  The fatigue levels associated with this type of training is high and should not be performed within more than twice a week with a minimum of 2 days of recovery in between.

Sprint Speed

This type of training helps you adapt to high levels of lactic acid and oxygen debt.  The major benefit to this type of training is that it teaches you how to very your speed within a race without depleting your glycogen storages (i.e. bonking).  The duration of these intervals is usually between 30 seconds and 2 minutes and can be completed 4 to 6 times while maintaining high output levels.  You will be enhancing your fast twitch fibers A and B as well as your slow twitch fibers.  Each interval needs to be started fully rested.  If you allow for this to happen, you will split your energy sources evenly between anaerobic and aerobic.  In my opinion, this type of training is the most productive for high level racing, yet is the most overlooked within a racers program.  High level racing requires that you get up to a fast pace quickly and then maintain it for the entire duration.  During the first lap, your respirations will increase, lactic acid will accumulate and your effort level will be very high.  If your muscles are trained to cope with the lactic acid level and oxygen debt of the initial sprint, your body will not be as “shocked” as a body that has not familiarized itself with this glycogen burning byproduct (i.e. lactic acid).  Due to the higher levels of lactate, you will experience significant muscle soreness and stiffness so keep the frequency of these workouts to two times per week (with a minimum of three days of rest for optimum performance).

VO2 Max

This type of training gets a lot of publicity and is tossed around by many performance coaches as the key indicator of ability.  There is credibility to this mind set due to the fact that a racer that has a greater oxygen uptake number should also indicate a greater aerobic capacity and hence the fastest racer – it is not that simple.  In a race, physical capacities as racers come down to combinations of all the other elements in one’s performance: anaerobic thresholds, technique and efficiency while fatigued and desire.

The benefit associated with this type of training is that your heart pumps a lot of blood per beat and your stroke volume is elevated during the recovery phase, which allows more blood to be pumped during the next working phase.  More blood means more oxygen.  By elevating your VO2 max, will allow you to perform closer to your aerobic capacity.  The duration of these intervals is usually between 2 and 10 minutes and are progressive (you will elevate your HR to a high output level within the first two minutes and then maintain for the duration of the interval).  Your interval count should be no more than 4 times in order to maintain workout quality.  You will be enhancing your fast twitch fibers A as well as your slow twitch fibers.  Your rest interval will be half of your work duration.  One interesting side note, since your VO2 Max is a numerical value determined in relation to body weight, the leaner you are the higher your VO2 maximum due to the increased mitochondria and capillaries (in relation to body fat) present to deliver oxygen.  These types of workouts can be completed three to four times a week with adequate hours of quality sleep and consistent food intake to enhance the recovery opportunity.

Anaerobic Threshold

At your anaerobic threshold, lactic acid begins to diffuse back into the bloodstream for use as a fuel.  If you slow down, you will activate your aerobic system; if you speed up, you will produce lactic acid at a faster rate than you can diffuse it.  Anaerobic Threshold training teaches your body to perform at the highest point possible without exceeding your anaerobic threshold.  The duration of these intervals is usually between 1 and 3 minutes.  Your interval count can be as minimal as 10 and as many as 50 (depending on the interval duration) and still maintain overall quality.  You will also be enhancing your fast twitch fibers A as well as your slow twitch fibers.  The rest intervals are short – between 20 and 60 seconds.  It is the enhancement of your Anaerobic Threshold in conjunction with your VO2 Max that makes the ideal racer.  The combination of these two performance elements allows the racer to perform at a higher level of output and for the entire duration of the race! Anaerobic threshold training is not as demanding as VO2 max training; your day to day recovery will be quick.  By keeping your workout recovery times to a minimum, you are stimulating your aerobic metabolism more than you’re anaerobic.  Your lactate levels are not nearly as high (resulting in less residual soreness).   Additionally, you are breaking the effort into shorter segments than in distance training which allows you to perform at a higher intensity level developing your aerobic energy stem to burn more fatty acids in proportion to glycogen.  This side benefit leads to a leaner body which in turn drives up your VO2 Max – see how this disciplined form of training has all kinds of fringe benefits?  Most importantly, working at this level of intensity simulates race pace and all of the physiological changes that occur within a race.  As the body becomes more familiar with this effort, the easier the racing becomes.

Aerobic Training

Aerobic Training teaches your body to conserve glycogen and burn fatty acids as a primary fuel source.  Benefits to enhancing your aerobic engine: you will engage the fat burning process within the first 10 to 15 minutes of aerobic exercise; expedites the delivery of oxygen to working muscles; increase your stroke volume within the heart; increases the capillary density within the muscles; increases the mass and number of mitochondria and helps release ATP aerobically.  The ironic element of Aerobic Training is that it is the discipline of training that gets pushed aside first, yet has substantial benefits.  Because we are so acclimated to the “No Pain, No Gain” mentality, we have tendency to think that the easy, long workouts are not productive.  If you want to get fast – go long and at measured aerobic enhancement intensity!  The duration of Aerobic Training intervals are usually between 15 minutes and 3 hours.  Due to the continuous nature of Aerobic Training, there isn’t any actual interval count. You will be enhancing your slow twitch fibers with this type of training.   A couple words of caution with this type of training.  First, don’t check out mentally and go too easy.  You need to be at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate to reap the physiological benefits we are looking for during these types of workouts.  Secondly, though the intensity is low, don’t jeopardize your mechanics of whatever type of training you are doing (i.e. pedal mechanics, swim stroke, etc.) to avoid any unnecessary injuries.  These types of workouts are ideal for working on mental rehearsal and breathing focus (more on these elements in future articles).

As you can see each of the energy systems provide important physiological benefits to a racers performance program.  When you incorporate the proper workouts into a week of training (based entirely on your race Periodization – Pre Season, Pre competitive, Competitive) you are building a human body that is as capable as any motor that a mechanic can build for you.  It just takes a little bit of research and field testing on behalf of the racer to determine how to put all of the elements together at the right time and at the correct intensity levels for optimum performance.

If you have any questions about this article of the above mentioned energy systems, please feel free to contact me directly at robb3@earthlink.net or on my cell directly at 407.701.7586.  I hope you found this article both insightful and helpful. Next article will discuss the benefits of strength training as it relates to efficient riding and racing.

Motoendurance.net is a premium resource center for motocross, supercross, and GNCC riders of all abilities and ages.  The website outlines the MotoE Performance Training programs available to racers for 2010 -  such as those used with great success by X-Games and 2 time WMA Champion Ashley Fiolek, Mini O’s 2009 Champion Ian Trettel, Loretta Lynn National Champion Adam Cianciarulo and the #1 2009 GNCC/Top Amateur Chris Bach. These are now available to the public on a very limited basis.  Additional resources available include the MotoE Performance Training Facility, eBooks on various human performance elements and online instructional videos. For more information, contact Robb at robb3@earthlink.net or 407.701.7586.

12 riders or more in class…

20 points for 1st
15 points for 2nd
10 points for 3rd 

  If  less than 12 riders in class…

15 points for 1st
10 points for 2nd
5 points for 3rd and up

*Must be at least 3 riders for points.

Trade points in for a trophy or save them up for bigger and bigger prizes. Use your winnings to support your riding habit!

Race Schedule

Gates open at 7:30AM.
Practice starts at 8AM on the Pee Wee and Main tracks.
Sign-up is from 9AM until 12:30PM.

Pee Wee racing from 10:30AM until 12PM with practice resuming after the races. 2 motos per class.
Racing on the main track from 1PM until 4PM. 1 moto per class.

Race Classes

Pee Wee Track

PW/JR 50, KTM Senior, KTM Junior, Honda 50
12 & Under: 65cc Beginner, XR70/PW90/JR80, KLX110/XR100
13 & Up: Small Pit Bike, Medium Pit Bike, Large Pit Bike
*All classes are 2 motos each.

Pax Main Track

• 65cc
  • 9 & Under
  • 10 & Over
  • Open
• 85cc or less
  • Beginner
  • Novice
  • Advanced
• 150cc or less
  • Beginner
  • Novice
  • Advanced
  • 15 & Under
• 250cc or less
  • Beginner
  • Novice
  • Advanced
• 450cc or less
  • Beginner
  • Novice
  • Advanced
• Quads
• Woman
• Dash for Cash
• Age Groups 
  • 15-19 Schoolboy
  • +20
  • +30
  • +40
  • +50

*All classes are 1 moto each. Pick 2 that best fit you. 

Race Fees

$5 Gate Fee
$25 Rider/Racer Fee – Includes flagged practice, 2 gate drops, and chance to win Power Points.

Power Points Weekend Special

Practice ride on Saturday and camp out at the track Saturday night. Enjoy some family entertainment at the Black Cloud Saloon and wakeup Sunday for a fun day of riding and racing.

All this for only $45 for riders and $5 for spectators.

I am really surprised how many people are interested about the technique of riding on the balls of the feet or riding on the arches.  I’ll tell you right up front that being comfortable riding on the balls of the feet takes a lot of practice.  But when a rider does become comfortable with this technique there are three benefits to it. # 1 you have more body travel, #2 you won’t hit the shifter or rear brake by accident and #3 you won’t get your feet ripped off the foot pegs from your toe hitting the dirt.  As I said, for this technique to become natural its takes a lot of the correct type of practice.  So don’t throw it out the window if it feels awkward at first.

It’s kind of like down hill skiing.  It’s easier to keep your feet farther apart when you are a beginner but the pros keep their skis closer together.  One place motocross pros are always on the balls of their feet is through the whoops.  If it can be done through the whoops it can be done anywhere on the track.  The only acceptation is if you’re going to land hard from a jump or even case a jump.  In this case you would want to be on the arches of your feet so you don’t sprain your ankles.  Just make sure you have your toes pointed out a little so you don’t hit the shifter or rear brake by accident.  It all comes with knowing the correct techniques and a lot of quality practice time.  For all the correct techniques in an affordable easy to understand format check out my Motocross Practice Manual on the DVD ordering page of my website.

For free MX Technique DVD previews, MX School Schedules and much more visit www.garysemics.com.

Call Donnie at (386) 263-2982 for prices and availability. Also, be sure to stop in and check out the 50% off clearance rack for great deals.

As a Club member you can Buy 4  practice passes for $50. Thats only $12.50 a practice! You Must show your club card to buy and use the special passes.  If you are not a club member, maybe its time you become one. Membership is only $30 a year and will save big bucks. We also have special family membership rates… 2 riders for $50 and 3 or more riders for $60.