Racer X Virtual Trainer

Hi first time posting, what is the best way to learn how to go fast straight out of the gate. for me it seems i am unable to push to my best on the opening two laps i seem to get past by riders i shouldnt, then around lap 3 i start to pick things up and move foward unfortunately by this time the leaders have gone. On the line i usaully just stretch upper body, wrists, hands, arms etc. Although i did try a spin bike before race but it didnt seem to make any difference.

Any help would be much appreciated thanks

I doubt it is a warm-up issue unless you generally feel tight and not ready to ride. Most likely it is a comfort issue. Some riders just don;t feel comfortable right out of the gate. It is certainly something you have to practice. check out this article by Robb Beams on Speed Pyramids. Although this article talks specifically about maintaining speed at the end of a moto, there are references to two other "practice training" articles that should be helpful.

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Tim Crytser
Your Virtual Trainer
www.racerxVT.com

This is a fairly common issue with riders. I find the best way to help with this is to do starts into one, two or three lap sprints. The goal of course is to reach your best possible lap time straight out of the gate. You want to become accustomed to this high intensity right from the start of each moto. It's not only physical intensity, it's the mental intensity that goes along with it; the best way I can describe the feeling is that it is URGENT riding. You need to ride the first two laps as if your life depended on you establishing your position at the front. It's much easier to pass everyone in the opening laps then it is to pass them later in the moto when gaps have formed. (Of course the best place to pass everyone is on the start straight). Recover between efforts physically but also reset your mind as if you are starting a new moto. I know this is a very basic description of sprint laps, then thing I want to make clear is that it's just as much a mental training exercise as it is a physical one. Only repeat the sprints as long as you are getting faster or are just as fast on each lap. As soon as you start to feel or experience a slower speed, stop. You only want to continue if you are learning to go faster. DO NOT practice going slower! Good luck!

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Coach Seiji
www.coachseiji.com

David,
You have two things to focus:
1. A warm up that activates something called the lactic acid shuffle
2. A warm up that is specific to all muscles relevant to racing

In regards to the warm up, the exact muscles that you are going to be using to ride (especially fast) need to be activated and warm up prior to getting on the bike. I strongly suggest that you try a Concept 2 Rower. The rower literally hits every muscle in your body (verses just your legs on a spin bike). If you don't have access to a rower, then you need to add some upper body activity in addition to the spin bike.

Regarding the lactic acid shuffle: you need to throw is some short bursts of high intensity into your warm up to emmulate what happens when the gate drops. Notice that you are beginning to feel better (and you go faster) after a few laps have transpired. You want to make this happen PRIOR to the gate dropping - hence the quality and quantity of the warm up.
Please email directly at robb3@earthlink.net if you would like some pre-race warm up protocols.

If you don't notice a difference after a good/specific warm up, then you need to look into your intensity levels that you are training at (see Coach Seiji's notes- he is spot on).
Please keep up posted!
-Robb

Thanks for your information and help will let you know how I get on.