Training

[02gixxer600]

Im not in the best shape i have been and i can feel my self getting too tired at the end of a track day physically

what kind of training do the racers do besides bike riding at the gym? I don't know how much weights i should be lifting because i don't think i want to get heavier but rather just gain endurance. so i have been spending an hour on a bike straight and then doing 30 min of small lifting. what could i do to help build endurance and strength with out gaining too much muscle weight?

[hanglowejohnson]

Originally Posted by 02gixxer600

I don't know how much weights i should be lifting because i don't think i want to get heavier but rather just gain endurance.

LOL you dont magically get heavy by lifting some weights a few days a week. You wont turn into Arnold or Ron Coleman overnight

There is a good thread going over in the Open forum regarding lifting/gym right now, take a peek at that one, I think ull find some good info there.

Cardio is great, you need to lift weights and especially leg work.

post up over there and more people will see and respond

[Zippysport]

I do just what you described. 3x a week, I do about 35 minutes of weights and an hour of vigorous cardio. I would say that some kind of weight bearing cardio is best. One where you're standing vs. sitting on a bike seat. I also do wrist grip exercises to make sure I don't get any arm pump. You don't need a lot of strength, but you do need to be able to move around on the bike without getting fatiqued.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Endurance is definately an issue, as is some strength in being able to push forward with your arms when in riding position, and your legs being able to easily shift your body over and around the bike without dragging your butt across the seat. You need to be able to push with your arms because you actually countersteer when you turn which requires pushing on the inside grip, this requires good forearm/tri-cep/shoulder muscles, the less effected by the constant repetition of turning the bike those muscles are, the more your endurance will benifit. Strong legs is another issue in my opinion, I have heard many racers complain of their legs burning like mad during a race (especially at tight twisty tracks) or even the day(s) following an event. I personally have very large muscular legs and I stand all day long at work so the leg issues don't really effect me alot, but I still feel it a little bit a day or 2 after an event.

[cehowardrx7]

Originally Posted by 02gixxer600

Im not in the best shape i have been and i can feel my self getting too tired at the end of a track day physically

what kind of training do the racers do besides bike riding at the gym? I don't know how much weights i should be lifting because i don't think i want to get heavier but rather just gain endurance. so i have been spending an hour on a bike straight and then doing 30 min of small lifting. what could i do to help build endurance and strength with out gaining too much muscle weight?

I hit the gym about 5 to 6 times a week. I do WEIGHT TRAINING, and I go hard for my weight. By the way, I weigh 139 lbs, at 6'3" tall. No fat, and that myth you are think about getting bulking from using weights, forget it.

I was hitting the gym before I got into the hard trackday thing. So, it comes natural for me. .First you have to understand and define what you are trying to do.. then fine a program that will accomplish it..I love the free weights, but I also do stretching and cardio..

you wanna see somebody skinny, with some strength, and old??
Check out the "old man's warm up in my sig"

And you can see the strength

By the way, I don't get as tired as riders half my age too. Being in condition is one of the factors I am still riding today.

[OreoGaborio]

You were at VIR for the Cornerspeed weekend way back in March, right? I remember seeing you out there, you're in DAMN good shape! Keep it up bro. An inspiration to us all

[cehowardrx7]

Originally Posted by OreoGaborio

You were at VIR for the Cornerspeed weekend way back in March, right? I remember seeing you out there, you're in DAMN good shape! Keep it up bro. An inspiration to us all

Right, that was me. I was celebrating my 1 one year anniversery with this track thing!!

March 21st 2005, at 64 years old, I did my first ever trackday, at Cornerspeed. Come this March, 2006, I am 65 and I got 25 trackdays under my belt, and did Cornerspeed again. It helped too. I didn't do level II, I took level one over again. However, since then, my slow way of learning has caught on. I have picked up the pace, only crashed twice on the track, and got 2 races with CCS, and 4 races with WERA under my belt.

The main ingredient allowing me to do still ride, and get better is physical conditioning.

One more thing, at my age, the fun factor is factored by 10 then it goes over the roof!!

Safe ridin to all,

[pillaka]

This past season I did a lot of swimming, which is a great core workout that works almost every major muscle in your body at once and helps endurance. Also since your using multiple muscles at once, your body gets accustomed to doing this. Just think about all the muscles you stimulate when you ride! I also ride my mountain bike a lot, since riding uses your quad muscles. I also workout with an exercise ball, I do lower back, abs, squats, push ups, and upper back workouts. The exercise ball is really great, not only for a great low impact workout but it also helps the build the muscles that help you balance when performing workouts on it. Cause basically you're balancing yourself on a bike! Also I picked up a little xr100 this past december, been riding that thing everyday, thats a workout in itself, plus the added benefit of teaching you bike control. Doing all this worked for me, a few weeks ago I was riding in the expert group at a trackday, running the fastest times there - then coaching intermediate and the beginner I groups, and taking a break when the beginner II group went out. Basically 1 hour of non stop riding with a 20 min break. Did that most of the day and didn't get too tired. Felt fine the next day. Also have a coach or control rider look at your riding, you could be doing something, like hanging off too much, or pushing yourself too hard, and making riding more difficult for yourself.

[RRxperss]

I usually jog about 4 miles, mondays and fridays. And lift light weight on wednesdays.. Or mix it up sometimes... But try to work out at least 3 times a week..

[SAHTT]

Upper body strength is important, for riding I focus mostly on my back, upper and lower, as well as my shoulders. Abs are important as well obviously, but you get a lot of that training day to day riding.

[fiveninerzero]

you need good quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, abdominals, etc, you use a lot of muscles, even old gluteous maximus gets worked good, it's also nice to do some kind of exercise before the track day to loosen your legs up, like running or riding the bike, never thought of swimming, sounds like an idea

[fullmetalf4i]

i started going to the gym a month before i started racing. I did what i did when I swam, just lifted a bunch of weights in oodles of different fashions. I was happy cause I kept improving how much i could do but was pissed that I wasnt loosing any weight. Back then i was doing 30 minutes (or 10 miles which ever came first) on an exercize bike, and then I had a circuit of machines that I hit in a particular order. After I wasnt losing any weight and everyone said do some cardio, I started rowing, that was a good workout.
Since Road A I've only been to the gym twice, both times my knees gave out on me 5 minutes on the bike and only 3 minutes walking on the tread mill. After this weekend Im going to start going back on a routine, that will probably include a lot more swimming and a lot less weights and treadmill.

Give the rowing machine a shot, its a whole nother workout than weights, treadmills or bikes...

[OreoGaborio]

I just got a 2002 KX250... best work-out equipment i've ever bought

[SLaneGS500F]

jump rope and running(jogging). I used to wrestle in high school. This was the bread and butter thing to do for cardo and cutting weight(when needed) and warming up. Also if you smoke try try to give it up. I have smoked for nearly 8 yrs I quite on my 26th B Day this past Sept all is good.

[cnlevo]

go get yourself a membership at a local gym....like $50-$80 a month.

you get a trainer for the first week to help you with a routine. tell him what you want and what you are doing....they will lead you on the right path.