Archive for September, 2009:
James Stewart Ride Day: Dade City
Today was the James Stewart Ride Day at Dade City. It was only about a 30 minute drive from USF, so it was a no brainer to go. Dade City put on a great event. There was no gate or riding fees and plenty of Red Bull! Along with Troy Adams and Eric Sorby, James Stewart was riding pretty well. Troy Adams even mentioned the track was getting rough…those Florida boys know how to ride that sand! Anyway, I am sun burnt and tired, but it was great just to see Stewart in person. He is definitely a true champion. He took time to make sure everyone was having a good time and would talk to anyone. Both Eric Sorby and Troy Adams were approachable as well. They are really down to Earth guys. I have always liked James Stewart, but after today, I am a true fan of how humble and nice he was to everyone.
I didn’t have my camera on me and I was really pissed! However, Double Zero Productions was there and as always, Shelley got some great shots of the day. Keep checking Double Zero, she is going to Bithlo tomorrow and there will be more photos! There’s a link on the side bar or just click here to go to the site.
Muscle Milk Experiment: Week 1
So, it’s been a week since I have started taking the Muscle Milk powder. As with most powders, I can feel a bit of difference when working out, when compared to not taking any powder. It seems like I can push a little harder. The “Big Four” trainers (Aldon Baker, Charles Dao, Seiji Ishii, and Randy Lawrence) all recommend CytoSport products.
But what’s in it? First of all, the complex carbohydrates in the powder are ideal for you when are done doing your cardio routine. In my previous article on post workout nutrition, I explained the main nutrients needed after a workout, so have a look. Also, the 32g of protein give your muscles plenty of protein to repair the muscles. It is also lactose free for all the “intolerant” people out there. It is packing about 35% of your daily needs of vitamins A, C, D, and E…which is good for everyday activity.
However, the taste is something that can be better. That was the thing I noticed when I took the first sip. It is a little chalky tasting, even though the label says “Tastes Just like a Real Milkshake!” It is also pretty expensive. I was lucky and got it on sale at GNC; for a 3 lb tub, it was regularly $40, but it was $25 on sale.
This is only the first week, so as I go through the powder, I’ll be able to get a better feel for the performance of it as the month progresses. Right now, it’s looking average. Next week, I am going to hit the stairs and cardio harder and I’ll get a better idea of how this works for cardio. Stay tuned!
On the Bike Training
Most of my articles have been how to train off the bike. It is true that going to the gym and hitting the weights and spinning on the stationary bike will help your riding, but nothing replaces seat time. A good example of this was a few years ago when Sarah Whitmore got injured before Loretta Lynn’s. Although she could not ride as much as she wanted, Sarah still managed to train off the bike. At her peak point in training, she could run 7 miles and still be able to go to the gym. That is incredible. However, she was still not able to put in a solid, consistent moto that was long enough for Loretta’s.
Seat time can’t be replaced. Sarah demonstrated that perfectly. If you are like me and only get the chance to ride every so often, you need to make the most of it. Long periods without riding can be good, every once in a while. However, if it is on a consistent basis, you need to really concentrate when you’re at the track. Riding the track is for goons. If you want to keep your speed and your ego, you have to attack the track. I’m not saying ride over your head, but you need to remember to not get lazy and just coast. You need to remember flow and keep good form. If you concentrate on that, you will have a better chance of keeping your form and good form equates to speed.
Now, if you ride a few times a week, things will be different. It’s all about learning. Like Bruce Lee, you can never think you know everything. You need to go to the track with a goal. Maybe, you had a hard time in the corners last time you rode. If the track is not busy, pick out a string of corners you struggled with and hit those repeatedly. Just make sure you enter and exit the track safely. Learn from your mistakes and try to improve on those corners for a while. Next time, when you go to another track that has similar turns, you will get comfortable a lot quicker.
But what if you are already flowing good and smooth around the track? Bust out some long motos. If you are racing, you know you need to push the whole race. With that in mind, if you can ride even 2 laps longer than a normal race, you know you will be able to give 110% the whole race. When others fade, you will still be hanging it out. Starts are important, but in the amateurs, endurance is crucial. Remember, you need to keep learning and trying to improve on last time (or maintain your level of riding if you can only ride occasionally). Next time you go the track, don’t just go out and throw down some motos, learn from your mistakes.
S Turns
You normally don’t see these too much. However, they can be somewhat misleading if you don’t know how to approach them. What am I talking about? S turns. These can be a section of the track where you can either make up a lot of time or lose a lot of time. Each S turn is different, but the fundamentals still apply.
The first turn is critical in making up time. Most of the time, your best bet is to line up for the inside. If you haven’t seen my post on inside ruts, check it out. So, you are lined up and enter just like any other corner. The exit is even more crucial here, than most parts of a track. If you come out squirrely, you are going to be messed up for the next corner. So, dive into the rut, be smooth with the throttle and look ahead to the next corner.
Now depending on how far the next corner is, you can get away with not having to stand up…if the corner is close enough. How far is close? If you don’t have to shift up, then you’re okay. However, if you have to shift up, odds are there will be more breaking bumps and you have to stand through those. So, you came out clean. Do you go inside or out? Again, stick with the inside. It is the shortest way around the track.
However, as track conditions deteriorate, the inside is not always going to be the right choice. This goes for both corners. If it rains, odds are the insides are going to suck you down. You may get lucky and have a bunch of riders stick to the outside; therefore, the outside is going to get whooped out. That is why it is important to look ahead. In softer soils, the track can changed every lap, so you need to keep your head up. S turns are all about track conditions. The inside is going to be the faster line, but you have weigh your options when the track gets rough. Again, have a look at the inside rut article to get a better understanding of insides.
MOTO the Movie Preview
Okay, so this is a new movie from the same production company that has worked with Transworld Motocross. This looks like it could be the next “On Any Sunday.” If you don’t know what that is, go to Hulu.com and look it up. This looks like a buyer to me…I hope it is as good as the trailer!
The Muscle Milk Experiment
The motocross industry usually has some sort of sponsor that sticks around for a while. The latest sponsor(s) have been the energy drinks, especially Monster. I love energy drinks as much as the next guy, but they are terrible for you. If you haven’t read my article on them, make sure you do before you pop the top on your next can. Now, it’s Muscle Milk. They have been sponsoring the KTM team for a while, as well of one of the awards given out each week. So, I thought I would give this product a try and really see if it lives up to the hype.
I went out and bought the standard CytoSport, chocolate flavored protein powder. Per serving, the main aspects include 300 calories, 32g of protein, 16g of carbohydrates, and 4g of sugar. The label has a lot of long chemical and biological terms that can make your head spin. So, they were nice enough to tell us what they mean:
Micellar Proteins – “stimulates muscle synthesis”
Leanlipids – “‘Designer’ fats that promote leanness”
Complete α-β caseins, peptides and lactalbumins –“triggers new growth”
Lactoferrin – “increases oxygen delivery”
Growth peptides – “boosts nitrogen balance”
Now, I am no scientist, but I’m sure that all of those ingredients can make a serious difference, unless you take large amounts. So, I am taking 1 serving size per day which is 2 scoops. I’ll take 1 before and 1 after my workout. I’ll take it for a month and see how it goes. I’ll update you guys over the next month, each week on Friday.
