Archive for February, 2010:
Periodization
Training the same way continually for months on end doesn’t work. In previous articles, I have stated many times how important it is to train in season. You keep the body off guard, confusing it and making gains with cardio and strength. Within each season, you can break things down a little bit further. Periodization is taking the intensity level of each week and varying it so you can recover, build endurance/strength and maintain it.
This type training is the best example of training smarter and not harder. By breaking the year into seasons, you can train specifically on levels that will bring you to the next level. As we come out of the off season, we get into the smaller races that will help us get back into the swing of things and work on techniques. Then, as you get closer to race season you start to do more cardio-based activities which gets you prepped for the race season.
During the race season, periodization can really make a difference because you allow your body to actively rest and maintain your level of fitness. Active rest? Isn’t that a contradiction? It may sound like that, but in reality, you can still do some light activities and still get your rest in. However, this does not mean you can do cardio while injured. Active rest is only done when you are not sick and injury free. This concept helps you recover and still stay active.
But the main reason this concept is so great for motocross is because you can train hard up to an event and peak, race and then maintain it for the next week. Here’s an example of periodiazation leading up to a big race:
Weeks 1 – 3 are building stages which are moderate to higher intensity workouts.
Weeks 4 – 6 are peak weeks where you are mostly in higher intensity training.
Week 7 is race week where you might do motos to get your practice in.
Weeks 8 – 9 are recovery weeks involving low intensity cardio and some weight training.
So you can see how to build up to the race where you are peaking in physical performance. Training at the same intensity all year round leads to plateaus and slower gains. By working in periods, you can make sure you are in the best shape for the race. You will be rested and prepared at the race, which hopefully yields good results for you. Following the race, recovery is needed to help the body rebuild from the stress from the race and training. This varying level of intensity helps throw the body off guard and keeps you prepared for anything.
Rough Straights after corners
Other than jumps, straights are so much fun. They give you an opportunity to pin it and experience the best feeling in the world. However, this experience becomes a little bit tougher to achieve when the track gets tore up and you’ve got a corner right before the said straight. Most people have an idea of how to get through it, but there is always one key ingredient that robs them of precious speed. This section of the track can really separate the men from the boys as finesse and body movement are tested.
If the straight is rough, then most likely the corner will be rough. If there are big enough rollers, then it may be necessary to stand through the corner to keep your speed up. If you don’t have to stand up, remember not to chop the throttle and keep your outside elbow up with weight applied to the outside foot peg. This will give you traction and help maintain a straight drive. One thing that is very important to remember is to keep your RPMs slightly lower than normal. This allows your suspension to function properly and go through the stroke smoothly.
The lower RPMs not only help you flow through the corner easier, but they help you gain traction for the rough straight ahead of you. As you exit the corner, you want to start to apply the throttle to get the motor in the meat in the power-band. Standing and shifting your weight back as soon as possible helps you get the front end light for the rough straight. When you start to get to the rollers, bumps, etc, you have to maintain your throttle and get the front end up off the ground. You can use the first bump as a little “ramp” to start the wheelie.
This wheelie allows the rear shock to roll over the bumps a lot smoother than having to bounce over them. Trying plow through them with both wheels on the ground only results in your engine in a higher RPM, which doesn’t allow your suspension to function properly. In addition, you don’t have to worry about the rear wheel coming off the ground when your front forks buck the rear end up. When the rear wheel is only on the ground, it doesn’t have to leave the ground and flows over the rough stuff. Your body weight should be shifted back throughout this whole process, but you have to be able to find a balance between the front and rear to keep the front wheel up.
You have to remember, this requires a lot of strict throttle control. Whenever you get on the gas in the corner, you have to keep on the gas throughout the whole section. If you let off, you lose RPMs, traction and drive. Once you have the front end up, just balance your way through the straight. It helps to have someone watch you through the section because you need to know if you are letting off. You may not think you are, but your buddy might catch you doing this. It takes practice, but it will pay off big time.
In the video, you can see the first rider coming out of the corner and getting that front end light enough to where the rear end soaks up that acceleration chop. If you didn’t, that monster jump would blow your knees out when you case it.
Focus and Motivation
These past few days have been kind of weird for me. I have had the hardest time trying to get focused. It is probably due to the fact the Saints won the Superbowl and I’m pretty stoked about that. However, regardless of this, my time in the gym has suffered too. If you are a serious racer, keeping focused in the gym is something that is crucial because this is where you take your riding to the next step. This may even lead to the days you ride. This could be a serious problem because if you are not concentrating on riding, you will be on the ground faster than you can say “Who Dat?”
One thing that keeps me focused is to watch “The Great Outdoors.” I’m talking about the older ones like the 2002, 2003, and 2004 seasons. The epic slow motion scenes and music gets me in the mood to hit the track. This is really good if it is cold out and the track is ride-able, but you just don’t feel like riding. I have found that the days I don’t feel like riding are my best days. When I put my bike back on the stand, I always think to myself, “I’m glad I rode.” Sometimes, just forcing yourself to go the gym or track will get you to be focused on eating right and putting a 100% into your training.
The East Coast has been pelted with snow and this makes everything difficult. You’re frustrated because you have to scrap your car for 30 minutes…only to realize it’s not your car. That makes you late for class or work and your whole day is thrown off. Even there is no snow, putting on 5 layers of jackets suck. You have to take all of that anger/frustration and channel it to your riding or training. If you can’t until spring, go in the garage and look at your bike every day. This will remind you of why you go to the gym and do your 60 minute cardio sessions or help you to get one last rep out.
This whole idea of focusing goes with motivation. In order to be focused, you have to have some sort of motivation. Like I said before, I like to watch the old “Great Outdoors.” This reminds me of the best feeling in the world, riding my dirt bike. Finding that one thing to keep you focused no matter what else is going on will help you ride better and train better. When you train better, you ride better.
Railing Softer Corners
I do a lot of articles on corners. But, that is only because turns are where you win races. Sure, you could scrub the hell out of every jump, but in order to approach those jumps fast enough, you need to rail the corners. When you ride on your normal soil, you become comfortable with it. However, when the sun dries out the moisture in the dirt, that soil gets to be pretty tricky and turns into momentum killing sand. Sandy turns can either make you faster than everyone else or it can make you slower than everyone else.
One thing that is the most important aspect of a sand turn is momentum. Momentum is important in every corner, but sand literally sucks you down to a stop. A good thing to do is approach this type of corner like you would any other corner. You want a smooth arc-shape line throughout the turn. That way you don’t have to square the corner up and build your RPMs back up. Doing this in the sand is a huge waste of time and you will kill your clutch.
However, instead of using a normal balance between your front and back brake, concentrate more on using the back brake. There are two reasons for this: 1) you conserve your drive and momentum when you don’t use the front brake. You slow down twice as fast in a shorter distance, robbing all your forward drive. 2) If you were to use the front, it would combine with the soft sand and throw your entire weight forward, causing the front end to cut.
So, you have properly braked and are ready to sit down. In the sand, you want more of a neutral spot on the seat because aggressive riding in the sand saps your energy and you have a greater chance of the front wheel cutting and diving. Like most turns, when you sit down, you want to put your inside leg up and get back on the gas. This ideally should be one, smooth motion. If you have enough drive/momentum, you don’t have to get back the gas as hard as you might think. A steady handful will suffice. Sand corners are really pretty simple. You just need to be smooth and have a nice arcing line. The rest will fall into place and you’ll be draggin’ your bars before you know it!
Carmichael vs. McGrath
Both Ricky Carmichael and Jeremy McGrath are extremely talented racers….so what happens when you put these two on the same Supercross track. Magic. That’s what happens. In light of the upcoming stop in San Diego, I decided to bring back some footage of RC and The King of SX in San Diego.
The video isn’t all that great, but the racing is. Put it on full screen, sit back and watch some brutal racing.
Part 1
Part 2
Breathing to Ride Longer
People are always throwing money towards their bikes in an effort to make them faster. They spend hours in the gym every week preparing themselves for a big race or just to ride longer. And, they always go to the riding schools thinking they can ride faster on their murdered out steed. However, unless you have the basics down, all of this time, money and effort will go to waste. One thing that I always catch myself doing is holding my breath. Breathing throughout your moto can help you relax your death grip and ride longer.
It sounds really stupid to be telling you to breath, but it is something that everyone does. This is really evident when you go through rhythm sections or whoops. You take a deep breath, hold it in and get really tense. I would do this on starts; when the board went sideways, I would just tense up and hold my breath until the gate dropped. Doing this bad habit constantly can wear you out sooner than you think. If you are running and you hold your breath, you are not going to last as long when you are taking nice, relaxed breaths.
When you are loose and getting plenty of O2 (oxygen) to your body, you will be able to think clearer and minimize mistakes. Lately, I have been on an arm pump kick, but breathing consistently while riding could help you alleviate your pumping problems. If you are holding your breath, the whole body is tense and you ride stiff. Riding like this doesn’t allow your legs to help absorb the hits.
The whole oxygen concept goes with the idea of heart rates as well. When you are in a race situation where you are battling someone, your heart rate is extremely high and your body requires additional oxygen to deliver to your muscles. If you are holding your breath, that oxygen saved up in your lungs will only last so long. Lactic acid builds up from being in an anaerobic state and lack of oxygen will have you feeling fatigued early in your moto. I know it sounds pretty dumb, but making conscience effort to remember to take deep, controlled breaths will make a big difference.
