2012 Motocross Fitness Insert by Tim Crytser

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THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK Table of Contents Inside the 2012 Racer X Motocross Fitness Handbook

and help keep you on the racetrack. Training and fitness have long been a big part of motocross, but they have evolved over the years along with the sport itself. In this handbook, you’ll find plenty of helpful tips, tricks, and exercises to keep you in peak physical and mental condition for racing.

CUDBY

elcome to the 2012 Racer X Motocross Fitness Handbook. Motocross is such a physically demanding sport that fitness becomes a major factor at all skill levels. Even if you’re not going thirty minutes plus two laps in the humid Southern heat, there are lots of things you can work on to increase your overall conditioning

Helpful Training Tips & Information PAGE

Training tips for vet riders, prepping for hotter environments, cycling and motocross, workouts for injury rehab, and more.

Motocross Speciﬁc Exercises PAGE

Top trainers give their takes on some specific exercises that benefit motocross riders of all skill levels.

Outside-the-Box Training Methods PAGE

20 4

Get out of your riding or fitness rut by following the example of Andrew Short and Coach Seiji.

Motocross Schools: Higher Learning PAGE

A resource for motocross schools and training facilities nationwide.

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Nutrition 101 PAGE

Make sure your food is doing as much as it can for you—and that it’s not working against you—with this information.

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THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK Training for Heat and Humidity

BY CHARLES DAO

Safety ﬁrst—winning isn’t everything

There aren’t really a lot of secrets when it comes to performing in the heat. It comes down to some very basic things that you absolutely must do, and then some commonsense things that will help keep you from melting when it gets extremely hot and/or humid. The first thing is hydration. This is day-one stuff, but very few guys actually follow through with it. The amount of water required depends on many factors, including the environment and personal characteristics like sweat rate. But generally speaking, you should drink 17 to 20 oz of water two hours prior to your race, then another 16 oz 30-minutes before the gate drops. Weigh yourself before and after you ride, then consume 2 cups of fluid for every

pound lost during exercise. Whether you choose to drink water or a sports drink like Gatorade (Pedialyte is also popular among the pros), the key is remaining hydrated. So while at races like Loretta’s, you should never be without a drink in your hand. Acclimating to the heat is also extremely important. If you can get into the environment you’re going to be racing in ahead of time, it will help. Studies show that complete heat acclimatization takes up to two weeks, and the more fit you are, the less time it takes. Sometimes this is a possibility; sometimes it just isn’t. If possible, try to replicate the conditions you’ll be racing in. Don’t go ride at eight in the morning if you know you’re going to be racing in the heat of the day at two o’clock in Tennessee. Go do your motos in the afternoon when it’s hot. It’s often difficult for racers to eat when they’re competing and when it’s hot, but you have to put fuel back into your body throughout the day. The goal is to have your energy levels high and to perform at your peak, both mentally and physically, during your moto. If you’re serious about your race results, try to maintain normal eating habits to keep energy levels up. Finally, stay as cool as you can throughout the day by limiting activity, staying indoors, and using a cooling vest when outside. Plan to cool down immediately after your motos — don’t sit there in your gear and sweat! If you have a small pool or container, fill it with ice water and get in. The number-one goal is to lower your core temperature and start the recovery process. CUDBY

ne of the most difficult aspects of the Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by Amsoil, which is held every August in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, is the heat and humidity. You can have all the speed in the world, but if you melt down fifteen minutes into your moto, you aren’t going to finish near the front— if you finish at all. Even more important than results is the riders’ personal safety. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are very real possibilities when you’re competing in a taxing and hot environment. With that in mind, Charles Dao, a professional trainer to many top riders who runs Icon Sports Performance in Murrieta, California, weighs in with some tips for when the heat and humidity go way, way up.

Fitness and Injury Prevention for the Vet Class Rider BY SEIJI ISHII Five ways to stay on your bike (and out of the hospital)

ost vet-class participants in motocross (and dirt biking in general) are not competitive; they are simply pursuing it as a hobby. Physical training for recreational riding is often considered unnecessary, since fun is the primary the goal. There’s nothing wrong with fun, of course, but improving general conditioning not only improves health and wellness, it can drastically reduce the risk of injury during riding. Vet-class riders can be more prone to injury and take longer to heal due to the limitations of advancing age, so they have even more reason to pursue general conditioning and

fitness. Here are the top five ways physical fitness can keep you safer while partaking in the greatest sport on earth.

Riding on the edge of your physical ability increases the chance of making a mistake that can lead to an injury. The more fit you are, the lower within your physical capacity you can ride and maintain your enjoyable level of speed. Riding at a pace that is well within your physical limits allows your mind and body to focus on correct technique and maintaining your timing and reflexes, which leads to fewer mistakes and safer riding.

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/ 2011 U.S. ROAD RACE CHAMPION MATTHEW BUSCHE

THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK

Joint injuries can occur when a limb is taken past its usable range of motion. Mobility and strength are the keys to preventing this, both of which are increased through improved fitness. Greater mobility allows a joint to be used in a wider range without damaging soft and connective tissues like ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Once a joint gets to the end of a usable range of motion, your muscular strength is used to prevent injury by slowing, stopping, or escaping further joint motion.

Being physically fit means being healthy, and this means you have healthy tissues. These healthy tissues—ligaments, bones, tendons, and muscles—are better able to resist shearing forces, compressive forces, impacts, and other causes of injury. Ligaments and tendons are especially affected by overall health. Healthy tissues are simply injured less often, and minor injuries such as slight ligament sprains and muscle strains heal more quickly and are therefore less likely to become major injuries.

Increased fitness—specifically strength training—can actually decrease the possibility of broken bones. The perpendicular stresses that occur in strength training cause bones to increase in density, reducing the rate of fracture. The increased muscle mass also expands the shockabsorbing ability of the body and spares the bones from receiving much of the impact forces of crashing. Muscles are your body’s number-one shock absorber and forcereducer. More muscle mass equals more shock-absorbing capacity and fewer broken bones and other injuries.

Cycling for Motocrossers

Physically fit individuals are good “healers.” When the unfortunate accident occurs, better fitness means a quicker recovery and fewer permanent aftereffects. The greater your fitness, the higher your relative metabolic rate and the healthier your tissues are at the time of injury. This means that the processes of healing—building new tissues, breaking down and eliminating damaged tissues, fighting infection, and more—is faster than if you were not fit. Less cellular damage occurs to these healthier tissues as well, decreasing the amount of repair required to get you back into action.

BY STEVE MATTHES WITH JOHNNY O’MARA

Top pros hit the road—or the trail

With James [Stewart], it’s a bit different because he likes to ride his motorcycle more. He’s different than Ricky, as he uses the stationary bike way more than anyone else. He road bikes a bit, but mostly he stays on the stationary bike. Why do you think more guys are doing the road stuff as opposed to the off-road training? I’ve been wondering the same thing myself! I’m not

CUDBY

RACER X: Johnny, cycling is a very popular form of training in motocross. Why do you think that is, and what are the benefits of doing it? JOHNNY O’MARA: There are lots of guys doing it now, but back in my day we also did it a lot. What happens is these guys get knee injuries and are forced to turn to cycling because your knees get pounded by running. So they switch to cycling because it’s non-weight-bearing. I was a big runner but my knees got hammered, so I switched to cycling and loved it. I see the same thing with the guys today. I’m a pure mountain bike guy and have done the road bike stuff but am not a fan of the cars passing by. I’m surprised more guys don’t do mountain biking, because it simulates the skills on a dirt bike. I use the same sort of techniques that I would use if I were racing motocross. It’s a great tool to cycle on- or off-road, though, and anything you can add on top of riding your motorcycle is great. As you handle more volume of cycling, you can bump it up. That’s what I did with [Ricky Carmichael] back in the day—started small—and he loved it. As he was able to do more and more, he just took off with it and became a maniac.

COURTESY ALDON BAKER

former professional mountain biker and supercross and motocross champion, Johnny O’Mara now works as a coach for James Stewart—with past clients including Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Dungey, and Ivan Tedesco. We caught up with O’Mara to talk a little cycling.

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THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK sure. You can call me a trainer or whatever, but I haven’t trained a ton of guys, really. And with those guys, I work with them on riding the bike. I don’t focus too much on it for my guys, but I see some of these other trainers that help guys out that love to burn an hour or hour and a half on a bicycle. Maybe it’s a personal preference or something. I do know there are guys switching to mountain biking more and more. Justin Brayton is great on a mountain bike, and I know Ryan Dungey loved the mountain bike stuff when I was working with him. Maybe it’s coming back around the last few years.

Some riders think people are doing too much work on the bicycle and not enough on the dirt bike. Do you see that? Absolutely, you can just train too much. Everyone is different and has an individual volume of training they can handle, depending on how much they’ve done in the past. I’ve done this for thirty-five years. I’m 50 now, and people are amazed at how much I can do, but again, I’ve been doing it my whole life. When you’re in your early twenties and racing motocross, you can’t do a ton of it. You have to learn your body and be a professional athlete. You can be really gifted on a dirt bike, but you’re going to get way more by just learning to be a professional athlete first and then focusing on your dirt bike skills.

Downtime BY JASON WEIGANDT Training can be beneﬁcial even when you’re not racing

heal. But you can wear yourself out, too, and that doesn’t help at all.” Canard also points out that injuries create rare downtime for a racer, and sometimes it’s better to take advantage of that instead of trying to follow the same old schedule— including traveling to races every weekend and training nonstop—because there will be plenty of time to do that when you’re back at the races. Lying low just means you’ll be that much more focused and motivated when the riding, racing, and travel kick back in full-time. But to get there, you just have to be patient. “There are all kinds of machines and gadgets and pills that are supposed to help, but there’s not really much you can do to speed that process,” Canard says. “The nutrition part is huge. There are things to stay away from and things to take to help yourself, but the key is to not overdo it and set yourself back more.” For example, Canard recently got clearance to begin road bike riding, and he was tempted to start pounding out the miles. “But I’m still only a few months out of major back surgery,” he explains, “and if I were to have an accident or crash, I could really set back my recovery. “Also, if you’re just out of surgery and the bones are just getting back together, they’re jagged. If you bounce things around too much, those jagged edges could get smoothed out, and then you’re really setting back your healing time. You have to find that sweet spot and find that balance and fight the urge to do too much.” CUDBY

njuries will always be a part of professional sports, and at some point every top rider will be sent to the sidelines with injury. Not getting to race could mean a break from training, but most riders will tell you that keeping a program going even when you’re not racing can be a big help. “When you’re riding, it takes up a huge portion of your day— things like testing, photo shoots, just loading up and driving to the track and getting ready, it consumes so much time,” says factory Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard, currently recovering from a broken back. “Then when you’re hurt you switch into neutral, and it can be super discouraging. For me it’s always important to get into a normal routine as soon as possible. One, to keep in shape, but also for the mental side of things.” When Canard was knocked out of the 2010 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship with a broken arm, he was back on a spin bike within days, even before he had surgery. Last year when he broke his femur, he used a hand bike for cardio training and also did a lot of swimming. Swimming is an even bigger part of his program now with his back injury. “The hardest thing for me is to not do too much,” Canard says. “When you’re hurt, you’re about as motivated as you can get. But you have to find the sweet spot. It’s huge on the physical side of things, too. Obviously, your body is always healing better when you’re using it. The better your body is functioning, the better it’s going to

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THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK MX Speciﬁc Exercises

BY THE SPORT’S BEST

Top trainers in motocross explain the most beneﬁcial exercises a racer can perform

Dead lift: Nothing could be more functional than lifting heavy things off the ground in a safe and effective manner. Other than being functional, this classic strength-training movement teaches posterior-leg-chain and core activation like no other. A complex movement but remarkably rewarding in so many ways when mastered. Mobility work: Self-myofascial release work and joint mobility work is one of the most efficient, if not the most efficient, ways to make performance gains. Increasing joint and tissue mobility is akin to taking the parking brake off a sports car. All the speed, strength, and fitness gains are shortchanged by mobility issues brought on by riding, training, and just plain life. Free up your “motor” by learning how to improve and maintain your mobility.

Justin Brayton doing a kettlebell high pull.

Charles Dao (BS, CSCS, NASM) Contact Info: Website: www.iconsportsalliance.com E-mail: cdao@iconsportsalliance.com Facebook: facebook.com/ icon-sports-alliance Twitter: @iconsports1 MATTY FRAN

Swimming: Motocross is about as high an impact sport as they come, and the body is held in fixed positions for extended periods of time. Swimming is a full-body cardiovascular exercise that is out of gravity, zero impact, and works the body in elongated positions and wide ranges of motion, which can help with recovery and be therapeutic. Swimming is highly technique-dependent, reinforcing body awareness and motor control. It also forces the learning of relaxed breathing and efficient movement.

Andrew Short doing a dead lift.

MATTY FRAN

COURTESY ISHII

Coach Seiji, as he likes to be called, has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Texas at Austin and holds certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and is a registered massage therapist (RMT). Coach Seiji has been training athletes for seventeen years and is currently training Chaparral/Honda rider Andrew Short as well as many elite amateurs. He lives on a 50-acre ranch just outside of Austin, Texas, that contains a full motocross track and a professional-level supercross track. Coach Seiji splits his free time between working on the tracks and his new venture, CrossFit Strive Bastrop. When not working or training himself, he can usually be found at the cliff, climbing.

COURTESY ISHII

Coach Seiji Ishii (BS, ACSM, RMT) Contact info: Website: www.coachseiji.com E-mail: seiji@coachseiji.com Facebook: facebook.com/coachseiji Twitter: @coachseiji

Charles Dao is the founder of iCON Sports Performance & Wellness Alliance in Murrieta, California. He is also partners with Carlson Gracie Jiu Jitsu Federation also headquartered in Murrieta. Dao holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with emphasis in Athletic Training from Cal State Fullerton. Additionally he is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a Performance Enhancement Specialist. Charles has been working with athletes in the action sports industry for seven years. Dao’s current stable of riders includes Justin Brayton, Cole Seely, and Jake Canada in motocross, as well as Jeremy Stenberg, Robbie Maddison, and Brian Deegan in freestyle.

THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK

Iso press on bosu: Motocross requires both muscular endurance and balance, and few exercises combine the two more effectively than presses on the bosu ball. This is a proprioceptive exercise that conditions the central nervous system to fire more efficiently, integrating a corrective exercise movement that emphasizes upper-body strength. This exercise is good for developing leg strength for gripping and upper-body control for steering through whoops and deep ruts. It specifically benefits the motocross athlete by developing upper-body strength, shoulder stability, and balance awareness. Kettlebell high pulls on balance board: This is another good exercise that combines strength and balance. Kettlebell high pulls are a full-body power exercise that incorporates both the hip and shoulder complex, forcing core activation to stabilize while enhancing balance awareness. It helps develop the power required to rip off a jump or pull up the front end if it drops, and it specifically benefits the motocross athlete by developing full-body strength, core stability, and balance awareness. Aldon Baker Contact Info: Facebook: facebook.com/people/ Aldon-Baker/807014420 Twitter: @aldonpro

STONE

Aldon Baker was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and thanks to his dad, who was a world-class marathon runner, has been involved in some form of training for as long as he can remember. After serving in the military in South Africa, Aldon moved to London and worked as a personal trainer in local gyms for four years. He returned to South Africa and got involved in mountain bike racing, where he was a fourtime South African champion. He later turned pro and spent four years competing in the States and Europe. He also qualified for the Olympics for South Africa in the mountain bike discipline. In 2000, Baker retired from cycling and returned to personal training in motocross, helping Ricky Carmichael become the GOAT, as RC won five SX and seven MX championships from 2000-’07. He also trained James Stewart from

Ryan Villopoto using a Concept2 rower.

COURTESY BAKER

Burpee box jumps: This is a full-body plyometric exercise, which focuses on leg strength and shoulder stability while sustaining a high heart rate—great for preparing for highpressure situations like battling for position on the track. It specifically benefits the motocross athlete by developing leg strength, hip complex, shoulder stability, and intense cardio.

2008-’10, helping Stewart win both an indoor and outdoor title. Currently, Baker works with Ryan Villopoto—guiding him to a complete sweep in 2011 and a 2012 SX title—as well as Jake Weimer, Tyla Rattray, Blake Baggett, and amateur rider Adam Cianciarulo. Cycling: As an ex-professional mountain bike racer, cycling is my preferred mode for cardio training. I prefer cycling over running due to it being easier on the joints and muscles. Motocross is tough enough on the body, so I like to make sure my guys are doing low-impact training. Cycling allows me to administer my athlete’s cardio in a very controlled condition with regard to specific intensity and lactate training. Between road cycling and mountain bike riding, I have plenty of scope to make the training interesting and challenging. Trixter: On those days when we cannot get outside and train, I prefer the Trixter stationary bike. With its geometry and design, it is the only bike that accurately simulates outdoor riding indoors. Two features stand out: 1) the handlebars (or XBars) move from side to side, making the ride that much more realistic, and 2) the flywheel is not fixed, meaning that you can stop pedaling while the flywheel continues to spin just like a real bike. Stationary bikes that do not incorporate this feature drastically increase the risk of leg and knee injury. The Trixter is a logical extension to road cycling for my athletes. Rowing machine: The Concept2 rower is another great piece of equipment for indoor training. Second only to cycling, the rower is my favorite piece of cardio equipment. The rower engages the entire body, making it a great piece of equipment to increase muscular endurance and cardio output. The rower is bulletproof and very mobile, making it well suited to use at the track for warm-ups. The Concept2 monitor comes preloaded with many different types of workouts, or you can create your own custom workout. One of my favorites is to hold a specific pace over a certain time period. It’s a great challenge and unreal for cardio improvement.

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THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK

Swing: One of the most important elements a motocross racer needs is a strong and stable back. Swings train all aspects of the back, from lower all the way to traps. Like motocross, swings link the ankles, hips, and knees in an athletic way. In motocross, where back endurance is crucial, there is no better way to build back endurance than high-rep swings. Many motocross racers make the mistake of doing high-rep muscular endurance work, which trains slow muscle fibers. The swing develops the fast-twitch power endurance fibers that are very important for this particular sport. Founder: For motocross athletes, the posterior chain is one of the most important muscle groups to strengthen. The founder is important because it teaches the athlete how to activate and integrate hinge patterns correctly. Hinge patterns are often the most underdeveloped and ignored in motocross training programs. Founder makes the athlete strong and flexible in the hinge pattern. Muscular endurance

Peter Park performing a swing.

in the spine is huge, and the moto athlete who incorporates the founder will quickly find out how effective it is in building lower-back endurance. Lunge stretch: Among other things, motocross can cause a lot of spine compression. The lunge stretch helps open the anterior chain, or front of the body, and aids in decompressing the spine. Another negative result of riding motocross is the development of tight hip flexors. The lunge stretch helps open the hip flexors, along with all the other shortened and overused anterior parts of the body. Very powerful active stretch for the antagonist muscles generally associated with back pain.

COURTESY BEAMS

Peter Park is the official strength and conditioning coach for Lance Armstrong, winner of an unprecedented seven Tour de France cycling competitions. Peter has trained Lance for ten years while also acting as a personal training and endurance coach for other professional and amateur athletes. He is a sought-after trainer for top athletes in baseball, basketball, golf, tennis, surfing, motocross, and more. He recently published a successful book and DVD with his partner, Dr. Eric Goodman, titled Foundation: Redifine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain and Move with Confidence. Park also experienced personal success as an athlete competing in collegiate volleyball, as well as being a pro triathlete and ultra runner. Between 1990 and ’95 he took home two World’s Toughest Triathlon titles and five top-ten finishes in Ironman competitions. He holds three Catalina 50-mile championship course records in ultra running and three Nine Trails Championship course records, also in ultra running. Park received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is a certified strength and conditioning coach. He lives in Santa Barbara with his wife, Kelly, and two children, Hayden and Carter. He currently works with Chad Reed, and has also worked with Kelly Slater (surf), Mile Weir (golf), and Greg Dobbs and Bryan Peterson of the Florida Marlins, among others.

COURTESY PARK

Peter Park (BS, CSCS) Contact Info: Website: www.foundationtraining.com E-mail: peter@sbplatinumfitness.com Facebook: facebook.com/ peter.park.792 Twitter: @platinumfitness

Robb Beams (BS, LMT, USAT L2) Contact Info: Website: www.completeracing solutions.com E-mail: robb3@earthlink.net Facebook: facebook.com/pages/ Coach-Robb/273888242670207 Twitter: @MotoCoachRobb Youtube Channel: Greatraces

Robb Beams is the founder of the Complete Racing & Nutritional Solutions Program, the Blueprint of Success Mental Development Program, and he’s a human-performance consultant to the Nutritionally Green Supplement company. He has worked with thousands of riders over the last twenty-four years and has had the opportunity to work with every manufacturer in the motocross and GNCC market.

THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK

Air squat on an indo-board: When working muscles specific to riding, the body has to be capable of moving through three planes of movement: front to back, left to right, and top to bottom. When completing an air squat on an indo board properly, your body is forced to create stability, balance, and strength. To illustrate how difficult this exercise actually is, notice how often the board touches the ground while lowering yourself down to 90 degrees. By forcing the stabilizer muscles to activate before any movement is completed, you will become much more stable and stronger. This will result in consistent lap times and better endurance because of improved balance, strength, and efficiency. Jump rope: For many riders, the lack of eye-hand coordination and timing is evident every time the gate drops. To help improve timing and coordination, pull out a jump rope and begin skipping for sixty to ninety seconds. In addition to improving your timing and coordination, you will notice that jumping rope is a simple yet effective cardiovascular training tool (notice how your heart rate elevates quickly). Another very important benefit to jumping rope is to “teach” your feet what it really means to be on the balls of your feet. Riding coaches are constantly encouraging their riders to get on the balls of their feet; however, little time is spent “training” your feet to become familiar to being the front part of the boot. One final benefit of a jump rope is that it is a convenient warmup tool that you can take to the starting line. Though it may not be easy to jump rope in your boots, it will wake up your feet and elevate your heart rate at the same time.

Racer X Virtual Trainer was developed in 2006 with the idea of consolidating the collective voices of the best trainers in the motocross industry. The goal was to provide a credible resource for motocross athletes to learn about general fitness, training, and nutrition. Tim Crytser, who runs the site, combines his passion for motocross and his fifteen years of experience in group fitness and personal training to bring the motocross athlete weekly motocross-specific articles. Virtual Trainer is a collection of articles from trainers, coaches, nutritionists, doctors, physical therapists, and others whose passion is educating the motocross athlete. Agility ladder: Agility is essential in just about every sport, and motocross is no exception. The agility ladder is useful to the motocross athlete for several reasons, one of which is to warm up. The warmup is a critical portion of any workout, and the ladder is a great way to incorporate multi-directional movements to elevate the heart rate and awaken the central nervous system. Agility ladders are small, lightweight, and can be set up virtually anywhere, making them very versatile and convenient. The athletic benefits are many and include increased foot speed, improved coordination, and enhanced timing and balance—something all motocross athletes can improve upon. Besides using the agility ladder as a tool for warmup, it can be added to any workout where you might normally do some type of cardio, like jumping rope. For the most benefit, incorporate agility drills at least three times per week. Pullups: The pullup is an exercise that should be a part of every athlete’s training program, whether you are a serious rider

Justin Brayton using an agility ladder.

MATTY FRAN

SkiErg: Working muscles in a way that requires more than one muscle being activated is the key to developing motocross-specific strength and endurance. The SkiErg, made by Concept2, incorporates four key muscle groups specific to riding: quads, core, chest, and shoulders. The movement incorporates rapid hip closing, an air squat, stabilized core, and pull-down with the arms. Additionally, the range of motion is completed in a standing position, just like being properly positioned in the attack position on the bike. Another key benefit to the SkiErg is that you can maintain a high level of cardiovascular fitness while rehabbing from a lower-extremity injury.

Virtual Trainer (racerxvt.com) Contact Info: Website: www.racerxvt.com E-mail: tim@racerxonline.com Facebook: facebook.com/racerxvt Twitter: @racerxvt COURTESY CRYTSER

Beams also works with models for Runner’s World magazine and Bowflex. He is a regular contributor to the Racer X Virtual Trainer website and can also be heard on DMXS Radio answering listener questions about nutrition and fitness. In addition to his college degrees, Robb gained tremendous knowledge and experience as a world-ranked professional BMX racer and elite junior triathlete.

THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK

Pushups: Like the pullup, the pushup is one of the most versatile strength exercises a rider can do. By combining the benefits of strength training, stretching, and cardio training all in one exercise, the pushup is a very effective exercise for motocross. Very few body-weight exercises work more muscles in the upper body. From your hands to your chest, from your abs to your glutes, the pushup

Justin Brayton performing an atomic pushup.

MATTY FRAN

or simply exercise for general fitness. Not many exercises develop upper-body strength quite like a pullup. It’s convenient, it’s a compound upper-body exercise, intensity is easily varied, there are countless variations, it’s good for developing grip strength, and it can be used for cardio to really get your heart pumping. Modifying the pullup is also very easy, either by incorporating a spotter or self-spotting with a resistance band. Whether you can do fifty pullups or zero, this exercise should be near the top of your list of best exercises for motocross.

works the entire upper-body chain. Similar to the benefits of the pullup, the pushup requires little to no skill, can be done just about anywhere, and can be utilized in all phases of training. Now drop and give me twenty!

Outside-the-Box Training Methods BY JASON WEIGANDT Andrew Short and Coach Seiji look to push through barriers

COURTESY ISHII

he best trainers aren’t just trainers. They go beyond fitness work and analyze their clients mentally to discover weaknesses and create solutions to push past them. Andrew Short enjoys such a relationship with “Coach” Seiji Ishii. “I try to treat someone as a person first and athlete second,” Coach Seiji says. “Most people, they will ride and race in accordance with their personality. You have to work on their personality first before you can positively affect their riding.” In Short’s case, he has always been a solid, consistent rider searching for the wide-open, risk-taking speed of his competitors. “His limiter is his speed, as even he will tell you,” Coach Seiji explains. “I believe part of this is his personality. He is a very regimented, organized, clean person who likes everything to be in its place. He is a germaphobe, and he likes to have a schedule and adhere to it strictly. Those things make him feel safe and at home. Honestly, it’s surprising that he picked and excelled at this sport. He’s an organized guy racing in the most unorganized environment. You can’t plan what happens in a moto—you have to roll with it.” So how does Coach Seiji get Andrew out of his regimented lifestyle? “I try not to give him a plan way out in advance,” he says. “I tell him to call me the day of so he can’t plan as much. Some riders I have to do the exact opposite, but with Andrew, I try to do different things, give him more experiences in things he hasn’t done, because they make him uncomfortable. Like swimming—it actually scared him at first, but now he can swim fine and looks forward to it. I took him backpacking with no cell service, no super-sanitary toilet or anything. He couldn’t even wash his hands! I didn’t even let

him know what direction we were hiking. Nothing was in his control. He loved it and wants to go more.” Shorty’s preference for order extends to his workspace as well. “All of his tools face the same way in his toolbox, so I’ll flip one over to see if he notices,” Coach Seiji says. “And he does! He’s told me, he’ll be in a moto, and he’ll make one mistake and drag his foot, and he’ll get so obsessed over dragging his foot and making that mistake that he’ll just keep thinking about it and getting mad. We’re making real breakthroughs on ignoring this kind of thing.” Short and Coach Seiji are hoping such outside-the-box thinking will help them generate better results. However, there’s already a side benefit to having more fun, says Coach Seiji: “In the past, he seemed to me to view everything as a stressor, a job that you agonize over. Keeping a light attitude and doing new stuff keeps it more fun for him, and that helps him relax during the race and the race day.”

THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK Higher Learning BY AARON HANSEL How the ﬁt get fast

“The Professor” Gary Bailey www.garybaileymx.com Gary “The Professor” Bailey is the original American motocross coach, having taught the sport for over forty years. Through his career, Bailey has worked as a personal coach and mentor to some of the top riders in the world.

Gary Semics

DICK MILLER ARCHIVES

Gary Semics Motocross Schools www.gsmxs.com Gary Semics is very well known in motocross and has been for a very long time, thanks in no small part to a successful pro career in which he won the 1974 500cc supercross championship and several nationals. Semics passes on the knowledge he gained in the pro world to his students and caters to all skill levels. Pros including Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Windham, Ryan Villopoto, John Dowd, and Ezra Lusk have benefited from his instruction. Semics’ classes take place at his private motocross facility in Lisbon, Ohio, from late April through October. Classes are typically for eight to twelve riders (and no more than fifteen). Both group and private lessons are available, although private lessons are not offered for beginning riders. If you can’t get to Ohio, Semics also offers a large lineup of instructional videos on topics from starts to whips.

Ricky Carmichael University

“The Professor” Gary Bailey

COURTESY BAILEY

Ricky Carmichael University www.mxsports.com The RCU started in 2010 as a once-a-year school at Daytona International Raceway following the historic Daytona Supercross. Headed by the legendary Carmichael himself, its popularity grew, and it’s now held over two days in multiple locations. In addition to receiving one-on-one instruction from the GOAT, RCU students also get pointers from former champions Jeff Emig and Jeff Stanton as they study proper body positioning, braking techniques, rhythm sections, and correct turning procedures for a variety of different cornering scenarios. The program has been so successful that its reach was extended to Europe this June. Classes will also be held on the West Coast at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park in California following the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship finale in September.

CUDBY

h en it comes to going fast on a dirt bike, fitness is only half the battle. If aspiring motocross athletes hope to win races, they must also hone their skills and develop their speed. Luckily, many schools and instructors are dedicated to helping them do just that. Below are a few of the more popular programs and facilities.

He teaches all skill levels from his home in Virginia and in Southern California. Along with training in-person, he writes a column on the Racer X Virtual Trainer website (www.racerxvt.com) called Trackside. Here, Gary not only explains the how-tos of riding a motorcycle—but, more importantly, the why-tos. Although Bailey doesn’t ride his motorcycle as often as he used to, he still has the speed of a 20-year-old. He’s still a racer, and if you ever get a chance to visit him in Virginia, ask him to show you the property on his Razor. If you do, cinch those belts up nice and tight, because this Professor flat-out flies. Once you return to the garage you’ll have a better idea as to why he’s such a great teacher—he can go fast on anything!

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Club MX www.clubmx-sc.com Based in Chesterfield, South Carolina, and owned by Brandon Haas and top pro Zach Osborne, Club MX is beginning to make waves in the training world. Club MX features RV hookups, a bunkhouse that sleeps nine with fully functional living and kitchen areas, a fitness center, and onsite recre-

Champ Factory’s Sebastien Tortelli

GUTIERREZ

Champ Factory www.champfactory.com Champ Factory is owned and operated by two-time World Champion and AMA Supercross and Motocross pro Sebastien Tortelli, who offers camps that can last a single day or be open-ended and year-round. Short camps focus on specific techniques, while longer ones take into account the physical component of racing and include bicycling, swimming, and gym training. One of Tortelli’s more innovative teaching methods has riders wear an earpiece, allowing Tortelli to provide real-time instruction. Pro riders that have benefited from Tortelli’s class include Blake Wharton, Jason Anderson, and Justin Brayton. Tortelli’s weeklong Motocross Training Camps are held during the same time Monster Energy Supercross visits Southern California. After a week of living and training like a factory pro on a provided KTM motorcycle, students cap off their camp by attending a supercross race and meeting top pros in the Champ Factory VIP Supercross Experience. Most Champ Factory classes are held in Southern California, though Tortelli sometimes travels and can even arrange to meet you at the track of your choice. Check the website for details.

Millsaps Training Facility

Club MX

COURTESY CLUB MX

Millsaps Training Facility www.mtfmx.com The “Millsaps” in Millsaps Training Facility is connected to JGR Toyota Yamaha’s Davi, whose mother, Colleen, owns and operates the famous compound. MTF is set on 50 acres in Cairo, Georgia, and boasts national-caliber motocross, supercross, and arenacross tracks, RV hookups, recreation, storage facilities, camping, and structured training programs. A state-of-the-art fitness center lets riders keep their programs intact without leaving the grounds. Many of the sport’s fastest athletes, including Justin Barcia, Martin Davalos, and Davi himself, have spent time training here. MTF offers both full-time training and short-stay camps. Full-time training is year-round and is structured to help riders progress from the amateur ranks to the professional level by improving conditioning, mental skills, nutritional awareness, and riding technique. Short-stay camps consist of less intensive training and are meant to improve racing fundamentals.

COURTESY MTF

THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK

ation. Future plans also include a theater for video analysis, a cafe, a seven-acre pond for personal watercraft, and a wakeboard cable park. Club MX offers several motocross, supercross, and arenacross tracks, although the SX and AX tracks are reserved for pros only. The back MX track is a large, GP-style sand track and is intentionally kept rough—it’s one of the most physically demanding tracks in the country. The front MX track is prepped more regularly and is made of a clay and sand mixture. The two vastly different tracks allow riders to prepare for the many different situations they will encounter on the national circuit. Corner tracks, figure-eights, and additional courses are also available for training purposes. Club MX offers year-round programs, but winter, monthly, and camp programs are also available. Space is limited, and getting in usually requires spending time on a waiting list, so be sure to check availability online first.

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THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK Product Spotlight Fitness products for the discerning motocrosser

PRODUCT: Concealable RCPM Cooling Vest The Renewable Change Phase Material cooling vest is designed to decrease body temperature for those working, training or playing in extremely hot environments. Heat exhaustion and heat stress are very real and very dangerous conditions, which can be characterized by redness, sweating, fatigue, disorientation, elevated body temperature, nausea and vomiting. Protect yourself from overheating with the RCPM vest.

Price: $179 More Information: www.coolvest.com

PRODUCT: Smith Pivlock V2 Max Glasses The new Pivlock glasses from Smith represent their continued development of performance products. The medium fit/large coverage design features Carbonic TLT Lenses, Evolve Frame Material, Hydroleophobic Lens Coating, 3-Position Adjustable Nose Pads, Slide-On Temple Tips, Hydrophilic Megol Nose and Temple Pads, 7 Base Lens Curvature and frame measurements of 140n/a-120. For those who take their training very seriously, this is your eye protection.

Price: $159 More Information: www.smithoptics.com

PRODUCT: Perfect Pullup If pull-ups aren’t in your regular workout program you might need to rethink your program. The Perfect Pullup bar adjusts to your ability level and conveniently fits in most doorways [27” to 36”]. This movement, though difficult at first, targets the back, lats, arms and core like no other exercise. The Perfect Pullup is easy to install and will help get your fitness level where you want it to be much faster.

Price: $19.95 More Information: www.perfectpullup.com

THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK PRODUCT: Trixter X-Bike For those days when you’re stuck inside on a trainer, the Trixter X-bike will make you feel like you are outside on your local trails. The Patented X-Bar mechanism is what sets the X-Bike apart from other indoor bikes. With it’s realistic movement and seven levels of resistance, it drives the recruitment of the core and upper body. The free-wheel works exactly like a real bike and, unlike fixed wheel systems, it doesn’t borrow the flywheel momentum to move your legs for you. Study’s from Bath College in 2007 showed that riders burnt 55% more calories on an X-Bike as opposed to a standard fixed wheel indoor bike. The combination of the free wheel and the recruitment of the core and upper body were cited as main reasons for the increase.

Price: $1,895 More Information: www.trixter.net

PRODUCT: Bowﬂex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells effectively replace 15 5 sets ou of weights, thanks to an adjustment knob that easily allows you e to select weights from five to 52.5 pounds each. Just twist the orks knob to the weight you want and lift them off their stand—works em. perfectly every time. The best thing is the compactness of them. ould, Instead of taking up loads of room as individual dumbbells would, oll you can just leave them on their stand (sold separately) and roll them into the corner. They’re also easy to store in a boxvan or or pickup truck for the traveling racer, and they’re an ideal tool for anyone who’s tackling P90X. They’re worth every penny.

Price: 552 Dumbells: $399 • 2-in-1 Stand: $149 More Information: on: www.bowﬂexselecttech.com

PRODUCT: Specialized Tarmac SL4 Pro Mid-Compact Whether you plan on winning the Tour De France or just beating up the roadie nerds at your local race, the Tarmac SL4 is the race machine you need to do it. The carbon frame and fork offer rigidity like never before with weights that barely even move the scale. Every single pedal stroke translates into pure, raw speed on the ground. Combine that razor-sharp feeling with Dura Ace components and Roval Fusee wheel set and you have one amazing road machine.

Price: $5,500 More Information: www.specialized.com

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THE 2012 RACER X MOTOCROSS FITNESS HANDBOOK Nutrition 101

BY RACER X VIRTUAL TRAINER

Exercise is only half thee battle, eat right to stay ﬁt

othing causes more controversy in both the pro and amateur ranks than nutrition. Ask three differentt trainers/nutritionists/athletes what the ce-supporting diet is and you will best performance-supporting nt answers. This author get three different e one diet fits all, but does not believe there are a few guidelines most can agree on. • EAT FOODS ome that are wholesome roand minimally proans cessed. This means an/ little if any human/ technological modifications or additives. Shop the eter “U”—the perimeter ere of the store, where gg , produce, meats, eggs, ally proand other minimally e found. The cessed foods are s nuts and seeds, one exception is nprocessed but reside which can be unprocessed in the aisles. LE SUGARS when not actually exer • AVOID SIMPLE exercising. The big culprit is drinks: juices, sodas, energy drinks, and even sports drinks are best left in the fridge when at rest. • STAY WELL HYDRATED at all times. The majority of people are chronically dehydrated. Urine should be clear or only slightly tinted. Start adding to this short list and you start treading into the realm of specific diet plans. One such dietary philosophy that has been gaining traction lately is the Paleo Diet. This diet consists of foods available before the agricultural revolution. The idea is that there hasn’t been enough time since then for humans to evolve to process these “modern” foods. In simpler terms, if you can hunt it or gather it in its natural form, then eat it, just like Paleolithic Man. Meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and limited amounts of fruits are on the menu. The primary claimed benefit is the reduction of inflammation, which science has shown for some time is the culprit behind a multitude of health problems, if

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majority It also stabilizes blood sugars, sugars reducing not the majority. hormonal fluctuations that can produce negative effects such as weight gain. This diet also encourages the view that fats are not only essential but preferred as the primary source of fuel. This is my preferred dietary philosophy and has worked remarkably well for the majority of my clients. I would classify this diet as being high-fat, high-protein, low-carb, and low-glycemic loads. Other diets have proven success in the athletic realm, including versions that are low-fat, moderateprotein, high-carb, high-glycemic loads (“classic” endurance sport diet), moderate fat, moderate-protein, moderate-carb, low-glycemic loads (“Zone,” to name one), and low-fat, high-protein, low-carb, low-glycemic loads (“bodybuilder” diets). It is important to note that whatever dietary scheme works for you, it has to work long-term and be beneficial to your overall health, not just your athletic performance. Finding and executing a diet that enhances your athletic performance while optimizing your overall health is invaluable. Make the most of your training efforts by supporting them with a healthy diet that works for you.

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