In-Season Training
By Tim Crytser
Workout by Jeff MacDonald
In an effort to bring Racer X Online readers the best information available regarding MX fitness, postings on this website are open to anyone with a specific and proven expertise in the fitness field. Jeff MacDonald of Motosport Training certainly has the qualifications and has been kind enough to share a program that he has developed for the riders he trains. The program contains three separate phases and was developed specifically for MX. Jeff has been riding since age nine and is an Alaska State Motocross Champion. He has a degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Oregon State University, where he also worked to design and implement sport-specific conditioning programs. Currently, Jeff trains professional motocross athletes and owns and manages Motosport Training, which is dedicated to motocross-specific training services. Jeff has worked with such pros as Travis Pastrana, Robbie Reynard, Lance Smail, Kelly Smith, Tim Ferry and currently trains Tiger Lacey.
So far on Racer X online, we have covered in detail how to train during the off and pre-seasons . Now that the season is in full swing, its time to talk about your in-season program. If you want to get the most out of your MX training, you should be incorporating three separate training phases throughout the year. The first phase we covered was the off-season program which is dedicated to doing what we call "conditioning lifting." This allows the muscles and joints to recover and prepare for the next season of riding. Off-season training builds your base level of strength. This phase is important because you are strengthening the musculoskeletal structure which helps decrease the chance of in-season injuries. This training, although not as sport specific as pre-season or in-season training, is a necessary segment of a good year-round physical conditioning program for motocross.
The second phase we covered was the pre-seasons program which shifted emphasis to speed training, interval weight training and interval cardiovascular training. This program is the most intense of the three phases and is generally considered the meat-and-potatoes portion of your training. In this phase, sport-specific exercises are used to mimic the motions and positions your body goes through to get you ready to get back on the bike after a long winter.
The third and final phase of training we will cover is the in-season program. The in-season routine is a maintenance workout that will help you maintain your fitness level throughout the season. This workout relies on the assumption that most of your conditioning will come from riding throughout the week. If you don’t get to ride 4 to 5 times a week then you will still need to supplement your training with sport specific exercises. The goal of the in-season training program is to develop the highest level of racing skills while maintaining physical condition. To avoid overtraining during the in-season program, training sessions will be performed early in the week (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.) Thursday and Friday should be tapering days devoted to riding practice. Saturday is for rest and hydrating the body before race day. Remember, train hard, but train smart!
-Speed Training-
| -Monday- |
Sets |
Repetitions |
|
Warm-up, stretch |
At least 10 minutes |
|
|
Sprints |
5 |
50 yards, walk back and repeat |
|
3 |
10 (jump in place, 100% effort) |
|
|
Push-up/clap |
3 |
10 (push-up, clap hands together) |
|
3 |
10 (jump side to side, 1 each way=1) |
|
| Cardio Activity | 30-35 minutes cardiovascular activity on the Schwinn Air Dyne or rowing machine. This should be performed at an exertion level of 6 or 7 on a scale of 1 to 10 (i.e. work pretty hard, but not as hard as you can) or 80-85% of age adjusted maximum heart rate. | |
Note: When performing these exercises allow 1 minute rest between sets.
Give 100% effort on all jump training, using legs, hips and arms.
Perform all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next.
Cool down; stretch after you complete cardio activity.
Variations of the pushup can be seen here .
-Circuit Training-
| Tuesday/Wednesday |
Sets |
Repetitions |
| Warm-up, stretch |
At least 10 minutes |
|
| Incline Press |
3 - 4 |
20 |
| Bent Over Row |
3 - 4 |
20 |
| Squats |
3 - 4 |
20 |
| Shoulder Press |
3 - 4 |
20 |
| Lunges |
3 - 4 |
20 |
| Crunches |
3 - 4 |
30 |
| Cardio Activity | 30-35 minutes cardiovascular activity on the Schwinn Air Dyne or rowing machine. This should be performed at an exertion level of 6 or 7 on a scale of 1 to 10 (i.e. work pretty hard, but not as hard as you can) or 80-85% of age adjusted maximum heart rate. | |
| Cool Down and Stretch |
At least 10 minutes |
|
·
For circuit training, perform one set of each exercise and move on to the next.
·
Perform 3-4 complete circuits, with a 90 second rest at the end of each circuit.
·
One time through equal’s one circuit.
·
Do not rest between exercises.
·
Perform cardio activity only once after you have completed all circuits.
Note: If strength maintenance is a problem during the season, switch speed training on Monday with strength training:
-Strength Maintenance Training-
|
Monday |
Sets |
Repetitions |
|
Warm-up, stretch |
At least 10 minutes |
|
|
Squats |
3 |
10 |
|
Incline Press |
3 |
10 |
|
Bent Over Row |
3 |
10 |
|
Shoulder Press |
3 |
10 |
|
Pull Ups |
3 |
10 |
|
Crunches ( or other ab work) |
3 |
30 |
|
Cool Down and Stretch |
At least 10 minutes |
|
·
When performing strength maintenance training, use a medium weight. DO NOT LIFT HEAVY. Remember, the goal of in-season weight training is to maintain you current strength levels. Off-season lifting is the time for heavier weights.
·
Perform all sets of one exercise before moving on the next.
·
Rest for one minute in between sets.
It is important to remember that the Strength Maintenance program can be used at different points throughout the season. Whether you are a serious rider training for Loretta Lynn’s or a Week End Warrior like me, you can use the Strength program during a break in the season or once a week as prescribed above. When lifting weights during the season, be sure and stick with multi-joint exercises that do not isolate muscles. Bicep curls are an example of an exercise that should NOT be done, since this exercise isolates only the bicep and can contribute to arm pump. The goal of lifting weights during the season is to maintain total body strength. To do this you must utilize exercises that use groups of muscles working together to complete the exercise.
Example Schedule
|
Monday |
Ride, Speed or Strength train |
|
Tuesday |
Ride, Speed or Circuit train |
|
Wednesday |
Ride, Speed or Circuit train (do not repeat, except for riding, what you did on Tuesday) |
|
Thursday |
Ride or cardio train. Do not perform Strength or Circuit training late in week. If you never get to ride during the week, see the Pre-season workout for cardio exercises. |
|
Friday |
Ride or cardio train. |
|
Saturday |
Rest if Racing on Sunday. |
|
Sunday |
Race or Ride |
This schedule will vary greatly depending on your own needs. As you train you should become more accustom to what your needs are and adjust your schedule accordingly. If you feel like you need more muscular endurance and strength, add a day of strength training. If you feel like your cardio conditioning is not up to par, then add some speed or circuit training. You must learn to become in tune with your body and adjust this schedule to suit your needs. And remember, a day of rest is a good thing. Don’t over train.
Good luck adding this in-season training program to your workouts. Remember, depending on where you are in your training program, this workout may or may not apply to you during the season. Evaluate where you currently stand fitness wise, and use the in-season workout accordingly. That's it for now, so until next time, good luck with your training and, as always, VT can be reached anytime at crytset@comcast.net . In addition, be sure and check out the Racer X Virtual Trainer archive section , your complete one-stop information zone for motocross fitness.
