Motocross Nutrition Tips
by Editor
This article on motocross nutrition comes to you from our friends at the EZIA Human Performance Lab in San Diego. If you live anywhere near Southern California and want to take your fitness to the next level, I highly encourage you to check these guys out. You can thank me later! - Virtual Trainer
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| Coach Rob hitting the desert. |
This is Coach Rob, the go-to Motocross Coach at EZIA. I know first hand how being out on the track can be exhausting. So today I’m bringing you my tips on what I do to stay hydrated and to boost my energy on long, hot days out in the desert. (That’s me on the right… I promise). Here are my ‘Motocross Nutrition Tips’, pair them with these exercises from our training video and you are set to go!
From amateur to pro, and GP to desert, Motocross racing events can range from 15 minutes to over an hour long! Now, imagine being in a dry, desert climate and clothed from head to toe in boots, gloves and mask. No matter where you are racing, or what you are racing, nutrition can help boost and/or maintain your ability to perform.
Your muscles are controlled by your brain. Electrical impulses are sent to your muscles through your nervous system to make them contract in a certain manor or at a certain time. In motocross, our muscles and brain tell us to “brake now”, “gas now” or “jump now”. This is very important stuff. When you are lacking proper nutrition your body can lose it’s effectiveness at making these movements.
Here are my 3 Motocross nutrition tips to better prepare yourself for a day on the track:
- Stay hydrated and replenish electrolytes: Hydration is an important part of insuring proper muscle function. However, if you just drink too much water with out replacing electrolytes you can actually flush out all the minerals inhibiting your body’s ability to conduct electricity, resulting in improper nerve function. Drinks like Cyto Max can help hydrate and replace lost electrolytes.
- Eat a balance of glycolitic foods and fatty foods: Say what?!? Different foods do different things for your body. For example, fruit will help short term boosts in energy. More fatty foods like almonds and avocados can help maintain a more sustainable energy. A balance of these two types of foods make for ideal meals at the track or desert. My favorite? Some of my favorites include apples, pears, avocados and almonds!
- Don’t skip breakfast and limit caffeine: I can’t stress enough how important a wholesome breakfast is. I can go from a heart rate of 80bpm to 180bpm in four corners out their on the course. This makes for a metabolic inferno, putting me at a caloric deficit in merely minutes. Make sure there is enough fuel in the tank at the start (not just your bike’s but also your body’s). Also, try to limit your caffeine intake as coffee has a mild diuretic effect and we are trying to contain as much hydration as possible!
That's it for now, until next time, good luck with your training and remember, if you have a question, log on to the Virtual Trainer Expert Forum and have your question answered by a panel of experts. In addition, be sure and check out the Racer X Virtual Trainer archive section. Your complete one-stop information zone for motocross fitness. 
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I have been told that caffeine is good for endurance, now you say to limit it. What do you mean by 'limit'? I know it is considered a diuretic, but if I drink enough, won't I offset the effects?
Caffeine has actually been shown to NOT be a diuretic. At least not a major one. I think the take home point of the last bullet point is to not skip breakfast. A lot of people will skip breakfast and rely on caffeine as their initial energy boost. That is definitely not good.
Zeers from Finland!
What do you prefer to eat on breakfast when it's a competition day? I have tried a lot differend kind of foods but always get just my stomach messed up. Porridge is OK but it won't last long enough when I'm hungry again.
I am also very tense on those days
Bacon, eggs, and avocado are my go-to foods on race day.