endurance

[mat]

hey need some tips on how tp build up my endurance for desert racin, any ideas would be appreiciated, especially if anyone knows alot bout weight lifftin, thanks

[MikeOK]

I've found that mountain biking is good, and running, but for me personally the best thing to get in shape for any kind of riding is to do exactly that- ride. And ride a lot. I think you use muscles riding a dirt bike that you don't use in the same way in any other activity. I know when I first started racing, my stamina wasn't quite there and I had been doing lots of road and mountain cycling. I found that once I started going to every practice night and riding as much as I could on top of my normal routine I improved alot...

[MXOldtimer]

Go to

ronronmx.com

Thats Roncadas site, he has a trainer there that you can ask questions , also he has tips on workingout

Doug

[nozzlejockey]

I am in the same boat and have found that saddle time is the only way to build the right muscles. I was lifting alot and my arms seemed to pump sooner and harder. I quit lifting and built a track at my house and go to all the practices I can at the local supercross track, at my last practice I was able to go for 20 min. and do about 8 laps. I also think as you become more comfortable with a track you can go longer because it won't take as much energy. Good luck.

[EK314]

Take a good look at the national pros. Nobody...and I mean nobody!!...is all bulked up. Look at any of the top guys (McGrath, Carmichael, Windham, Pastrana Etc.) and you will find that even though they are in tremendous shape, none of them are real bulked up.

About 15 years ago, I thought I had to be a ripped and bulked guy to be able to compete. I was getting better, moving up classes so I thought the guys at the gym who told me what to do knew what they were talking about. A misconception on my part that any steroid infested, small membered and brain dead body builder knew anything about motocross.

I never did the roids but I worked hard and started to bulk up. Bad move on my part!! I was too impressed with my new look to realize that I started to suffer arm pump while unloading the bike from the truck. I could not hang on for more than 2 laps. One of my riding buddies who looks like a dried up raisin told me to slow down on the weights and work on cardio.

I still hit the gym but reduced the weight and did more reps and really worked on running on the treadmill and riding my bicycle. Almost immediately, I noticed that the arm pump started to subside and I could actually get more laps in before I turned into jelly.

As said above, there is nothing like time in the saddle (both ones) ?. Riding the motorcycle utilizes muscles that working out at the gym won't. With hard work and determination we can all increase our fitness level to suit the sport of motocross or desert racing.

Good luck and work hard and think about your results improving!!

yzernie

[Scott_F]

That's some good advice from Ernie. Our sport is all about cardio-vascular fitness and endurance, not massive bulk and strength. The greatest riders have all been very lean, with low body fat. It is rare for a factory rider to weigh more than 170-180. If you want to get the best performance from your body (and bike), you should works towards this body type.

[Shawbridge Husky]

Yzernie, thanks for the great info. Haven't been mountain biking near enough lately. Will get regular again thanks to your sound advice. Pretty funny about the dried up raisin look though!

[firejake69]

Hey there Matt, I have greatly improved my endurance this year by cutting back on the weights and concentrating on my cardio. One of the quickest way to build up endurance is by doing interval running. On a tread mill, after a 4-5 min. warm up, start out by pacing yourself at about 5-6 mph. for about 3 min. then pick up the pace to about 8-10 mph for 1 min. and then slow again. try this for 30 to 40 min. every other day and I promise you'll see a huge improvement in you endurance. If your not used to running, don't go for to long to soon. It won't be an overnight thing but hang in there. Another good thing is to eat high complex carbs a couple days before and up until the event. Like rice, beans, and pasta. Also lots of green leafy fresh veggies, and lots of water. And don't for get to ride, ride, ride. Later bro .

[WR_Jason]

Moutain bike riding on hilly trails rocks! It really gives your heart and lungs the same type of workout as riding. Make sure you use clip in peadels or you wont be able to climb a mole hill with pebbels on it! This also helps me concetrate on riding and good choice of lines when I am seeing stars and really tired!

[Howard_Huge]

I prefer to work out with twelve ounces at a time ? sometimes with both hands after twelve to eighteen reps i go and ride till i pass out. Thats how i train i am not saying its for everyone but it works for me

[WR_Jason]

Howard, I am using the 16oz routine, it takes fewer reps and less space in the camel back! ?

[Boit]

I found an astronomical endurance increase by simply cutting out my refined sugar intake as much as possible. The results were noticeable in as little as a week. If you cut out completely any intake of cakes, cookies, ice cream...etc. that have refined sugar as an ingredient, you should realize a drastic improvement. Refined sugars cause a huge spike in energy usage which causes a corresponding lull. Have you ever noticed that weakness feeling about an hour or so after eating ice cream or cookies that are made with the typical sugar ingedients? If you can be a self-disciplianarian, the rewards might be mul-ti-fold.

[DaveJ]

All good advice.

Keep in mind too that for long events, the little stuff adds up. Being comfortable and relaxed goes along ways where endurance is required.

Lastly, I also use a product called PhosFuel from TwinLabs. Taken a night or two before helps with endurance and recovery in a major way. It's safe, so feel free to experiment before race day.

And a little bit of baking soda (sodium bi-carbonate) in your drinking water controls stomach nauseous and balances lactic acid production.

Best of luck!!

[Guest Guest]

WATER WATER WATER WATER...........

SOMEWHERE I read on a web site of a GNCC rider , that he starts "HYDRATING" himself 4 days b4 a race.

He drinks 2 gallons of water/day on top of what he normally would consume.

I have tried it and it works WONDERS.

Not sure if I got the whole 2g down but everytime I thought about it at home I would grab a glass and at work everytime i passed a water fountain gorged myself with H2O.

On saturday's 80mile Scramble I felt incredible. Not much arm pump either!(don't know if it was related or not?)

Jump on that mnt bike and pedal pedal pedal.

But most important is the LACK of MISTAKES "you" make compared to the 200 others.

Kikn' that pig 10 times will take as much energy out of you as 5miles of humpin it!

Ride safe and have fun!

G4

------------------

Nope BOY, That's not THUNDER ridin your butt, It is a whole damn HURRICANE!!!!G4

[mikeolichney]

Dont forget to TAPER! Be sure to limit your workouts the week or so before a race. I know this is probably common sense to some, but it is amazing how many people don't realize how important this is. We have the Bolder Boulder here, which is the national 10K running championship. About 40,000 people run in it, many local people run it as their only race, since it is such a big deal. I have talked to two people who run very little, then go out and run six miles the day before the race "to see if they can make it." This is the worst thing you can do! It takes the human body two days to recover from a workout, more if you are older (thats why all workout programs should be a hard day, followed by an easy day). At the end of a hard workout you are at your weakest. After a couple days, your strength/endurance comes back. It is a cycle, you are strongest at the end of the recovery period, not at the end of the workout period.

I have run the Hawaii Ironman a few times. We would do a full 10 day taper before the race. The last two days before, you hardly do anything. Come race day, you are recharged and ready to go.

I am kind of new to dirt bike racing, so I am still experimenting. For a sunday race, I only do half of my thursday workout, which is a mtn bike and run. On Tuesday I am 3/4 my normal workout, etc. I dont lift weights at all the week before a race. Friday and Saturday are just easy riding, so I don't get stale and get to know the course, if possible.

Don't kill yourself the week before the big race with lots of mtn biking or lifting. You might as well shoot yourself in the foot.

People like to debate the relative merits of diets, supplements, sports drinks, etc. The taper is WAY more important, especially for those who work out hard. It is the thing I see most endurance athletes mess up. They ruin their race before they show up on the starting line.

[MXOldtimer]

Mike

I must really be in my prime, I've been tapering for about 30 years now :-)

Doug

[MikeOK]

hahahahaha doug....

[Shawbridge Husky]

Boit, you are right on the spot about sugur intake. Saw your post a few days ago and decided to stay away from the afternoon roach coach coffee / candy bar combo. Last night put in a few hot laps at my training track. Nothing beats training but diet is a good place to start!

[Boit]

Hugh, if you can stick with it and really cut down on your refined sugar intake, it should only take about 3 weeks to notice a huge change. Not only does endurance/stamina increase, but arm pump decreases noticeably as well. We intake FAR too much sugar. I see the kids between motos slamming back Cokes and candy bars. Their parents need to take control of this and insist that they eat and drink sensibly. Carbon dioxide is definitely NOT what any athlete should be ingesting.