training to ride

[marsattacks]

A little off topic. Many/most of you are blessed with wonderful natural athletic ability. Some of us need to work harder. I have paticipated in some fairly grueling sports including several triathlons but the ISDTRR last year beat me pretty hard and almost every 4 hour trail ride does too. Some of it is sport specific acclimation I suppose but posting up and down on my Hare Scrambler for hours is like doing lots of deep knee bends. I going on a three day LA-Barstow-Vegas ride (w AdMo -- D37 next year I hope!)in December. I've started stair-running/climbing up a 36 story building (so far up to 6x in 1.25 hrs). It is free and easy if you live near a tall public bldg. Pretty intense but not sure it will be enough. I know our leader used to push motorcycles up hills for training. What do you do to get in shape to ride? I realize that a better/smoother rider is going to use WAY less energy but that must only be part of the equation.

[JCHubbard]

John,

Rowing machine, mountain biking or stationary bike, core exercises (sit ups and reverse or Roman chair sit ups), wrist curls, and most importantly, (at least for me) as much seat time on your offroad M/C as possible.

John Hubbard

[garrettccovington]

Mars,  

I have a little house in Barstow, I use for work.  Gotta let me know when your in town.  I've heard that ride is killer for Novice riders.

G


72 six-day
79 KTM MC80 250

[joe novak]

Hello,  I grew up on a small farm, and most of my initial training was farm work.  Digging ditches, bailing hay, carrying buckets of water to the horses, mowing the yard with a push mower, pushing the wheel barrow, and my favorite (not), shovelling snow.  What I learned was that the most important muscle to train was the heart.  One can have rock-hard muscles, but those muscles will fatigue more quickly if one does not have a strong heart to pump the blood through the body.  I would ride my bicycle almost daily, then run a mile or mile and a half, get back on my bicycle and ride home.  I do agree, there is no substitute for riding the motorcycle.  Are you sure your motorcycle is not beating you too hard.  It sounds as though you and the motorcycle are fighting each other as you ride. Your physical condition sounds very good.  The stair climbing sounds like a great conditioning tool, and I suggest you continue it and carry light dumbbells in your arms to strengthen your upper body.  How frequently do you ride off-road?  You ask a very interesting, yet puzzling question.   Joe

[tomale]

on exercise, my job is very phisical so I do not need much but what I do is ride my road bicyle. If you are going to ride, do not pound the pedals you need to use lower gears, lower than you think is right and spin your way over the hills and even on the flat stuff.. stay off the big chain ring.. this will help in two ways first it is really good for the heart but also you do not need big muscles to ride dirt bikes but you do need endurance...
second and I learned this a long time ago, by an ex pro.  Unless you are riding some converted street bike in the dirt, that bike of yours knows more about handling than you do, so loosen your grip a bit. there is no need for white knuckling your way through  most things..keep your eyes way ahead of where you are going, by the time you get to an obstacle you should all ready be thinking about how to exit. the faster you go the more in front you want to look. and the slower you go the closer you need to look, example, tight woods riding. typically there will be lots of things to pay attention to so you need to go a bit slower. Riding over your head often times is a result of not keeping your eye far enough down the trail ie. by the time you get to that bend in the trail or what ever, it is a little to late and so you over compensate using up valuble energy..Slower is faster... and above all enjoy the ride..

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)

[brian kirby]

The absolute best training you can do is RIDE, RIDE, RIDE. Lots of things can help supplement riding, but nothing stresses your body the way riding does. I know this is not always practical, but riding is really the only way to get in shape for riding.

Brian

[400gs6]

I've been riding my bicycle pretty much every morning (8 mile loop) since April.  It has helped my dirt riding tremendously.

Also, if you're not running one already, the Scotts Steering Stablilizer is worth its weight in gold.  You can ride with a much looser grip on the bars.   BTW, what will you be riding for a bike?

-Kurt

[Steve Minor]

Seems like I have a training brochure by 2 time World Champ Rolf Tibblin (Husqvarna). Might take me a few days to dig it up. As I recall, it's a multi-page color scan (jpg format) so I could email it to you....IF I CAN FIND IT!

I understand when "Bad" Brad Lackey was with CZ, his coach would fill the bike gas tanks, take the seats off and make them ride the practice MX track....standing on the pegs entire time, until they ran out of gas....then push the bike back to the pits.
Talk about Hardcore Old School!


Steve Minor
Wilmington, NC

[marsattacks]

Thanks guys. Garrett I'll send you our LA-B-V dates but we have no real time in the schedule I think. This is with a pro rider guide who knows that of the five of us, none of us has desert experience but one is an expert out east. Kurt the plan is to ride rental 2010 Husky 450s (TE, I assume) provided by AdMo.  If this experience works the plan is to return in 2011 for the District 37 ride. John

[Larry Perkins]

For desert and other long distance motorcycle stuff like longer trail rides you need to be able to body wise go 1/2 to 3/4 speed but for a steady period of time.  Yes, the Pros go closer to 100% for the distance but that is why we are not getting paid to do it.  So to accomplish this goal lots of leg and arm endurance stuff needs to be done but not to the point of wicked.  Don't get injured on the way to the races.  Cardio is necessary but between the cardio choices of running, long stairs, swimming, and bicycling the swimming and cycling are easier on you and your joints and will get you there quicker.  

Faster walking is very much under rated for this goal also.  Years ago I was told if I wanted to get ready for longer distance on the bike then there was one easy solution.  Get a puppy or young dog and walk him 2-3 times a day. LOL!  Funny, but a pretty good grain of truth to it.  

Another thing that helps is to get something about the heighth of a 5 gallon bucket and step up and down on it for consecutive 2 minute and eventually 3 minute sets with 2-3 minutes of wrist walking in between for leg rest.  Wrist walking is a piece of broom handle with a rope tied to the middle and some smaller wight on the other end.  You roll the weight up and then back down to work the forearms.  Both of these will specifically help your goal and it is cheap exercise equipment.

Another good quadricep one is to put your back against the wall with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle like you were sitting in a chair.  Hold this for 2 and eventually 3 minute sets with the rest from that again being the wrist walking.

Brian tags the main thing that will get you there.  Ride, ride, ride.  Even at half pace you will get better, be more at home on the bike, and build up your riding endurance level.  Also when you ride try and relax as much as possible while riding.  This takes practice and on long stuff I have to keep reminding myself, 'be easy, relax, breathe.'  Otherwise 20 miles in I am worn and my arms are like rocks.

When you do some good basic body prep, along with thorough bike prep, combined with lots of riding miles you get in a place where you are in sync with the bike and the trail.  Then it often feels like you could go on forever.  Unfortunately there is always a tough one; like Vegas to Reno for me, when forever does come around and even prepared your body is screaming, 'ENOUGH!'  Then you have to dig deep and it becomes mental.  That is a battle that is harder to prepare for but for me when it gets to that I talk to the Lord a lot.  For those times you nneed a place to go.  Whether it is talking to your maker or just some tough moment you persevered through remembered, a place to go that is off the bike will help you through.

Well, that is my personal spin on how to go the distance with a simple plan.  Hope it adds some new flavor to the body prep question and best of luck either way.

Larry P

[tomale]

Good stuff Larry, your reminded me of a few things I forgot and one or two I didn,t know,,  when I do longer races I often go out too fast, but it is hard not to, because you do not want to get stuck by all the slow guys.. but then I sometimes pay for it near the end. Then it is the mental thing and that is hard too because usually my head is hurting and I loose some focus..(A.D.D.) The reunion ride was great because you ride at about 3/4 speed for 45 min. and then you wait at the next check point, there is time to get an energy bar if need be and a couple swigs of water, bench race a bit and then it is off to another adventure... I wish they had them in my neck of the woods.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)

[sixdazed]

What Larry said about walking the dog is true.Since we lost my older dog Malcolm,Maggie my puppy demands longer and more frequent walks at a faster pace since we aren't waiting for the old guy.I've noticed my legs are sore but overall feeling in better shape with more exercise.Riding as much as possible is the best-get a dual sport and hit every patch of dirt you can as often as you can.Even street riding helps a little since you are using some of the same muscles.Later,
              Ric

ric emmal

[socalmx]

I race D37 desert regularly and have raced the legendary Barstow to Vegas cross country event 4 times. I only finished in 1974 while racing my DKW 100.In 1986, looping my Husky 500XC got me a trip back to Barstow with a dislocated shoulder. LA to Barstow to Vegas is a dual sport ride on existing roads/trails so it is not as brutal as a regular desert race. For that race, it is more about hours in the saddle than getting a hard core beating. To prep, lots of riding does help and you should work to strengthen your arms, shoulders, and legs. Bike prep is just as important. I would suggest looking into Flexx handlebars and a Scotts stabilizer. The bars reduce alot of the impact to the wrists and shoulders while the stabilizer will eliminate alot of the sandwash shimmy/shake. Make sure you have good tires for desert type terrain. The wrong front tire (or worn for that matter)can force you to fight the bike in sandy situations. Finally, make sure you have your muffler repacked since you will be hearing that exhaust note for many hours.

[SouthRider]

You know I never had the discipline to work out, plus it isn't much fun.....

I have to agree with Brian - riding was always the answer for me.

Before the 1982 season I got to the point where I could ride 75 to 100 miles wide open as if it were one long test section. I basically wore out all of my friends & riding buddies prior to the season starting, wanting to always ride "just one more loop".

After a couple months of this I could pull into the campground, gas the bike up, lube and adjust the chain & cables, then go again until I was out of gas. I had to replace the tires, cables, brakes, and check the top end BEFORE the season started from the miles I put on a new bike.

Every single weekend was either riding or racing, but we were in our 20's and had little responsibility.

In the 1st Enduro of the season I finished the 60 mile race whooping & hollering how much fun it was, and begging my friends to go ride it again just for fun while the scoring was being done.


Needless to say - it was one of my best seasons ever (and the most fun). Unfortunately one year later I blew out a knee trying to re-create that moment & level of fitness - beginning the end of my serious racing career.

Today old bikes can't take that type of wear for long and parts are too expensive or hard to find. I do agree that some type of cardio work is the ticket. all of the above advice sounds right.

I too heard the stories about John making the Penton boys tighten up their chains & push the bikes around, but never knew just how true those stories were, or how often it was done.

[wfopete]

How old are you?

Don't train so hard that you break what's left.

Example:  I recently tore my rotator cuff doing push ups for a Army PT test! Screwed myself out of riding this years ISDTRR.

Listen closely; sometimes mother nature might be trying to tell you something.

Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good