Tag Archive for: performance
7 Simple Tips to Find More Speed
1: Practice Specific Race Scenarios
Set up your practice sessions to simulate a true race scenario (duration, track conditions and intensity levels). Skills associated with racing require that you are able to manage yourself and an environment around others with the ability to adapt to changes of pace, positioning and where decisions have to be made quickly. You have to learn how to get the most out of your performance environments by setting up the closest scenario possible so that you can adapt and improve both physically and mentally as a racer.
2: Warm Up
We all have experienced the fact that our lap times get faster as the race transpires. This is because the body is warmed up and the muscles are performing at an optimal level. The trouble is we allow the first two laps of the race to warm up our bodies which results in slower lap times early in the moto.
3: Eat a High Quality Snack
To top off your blood sugar levels, in your muscles for movement and in your liver to feed your brain for processing, eat an easily digestible snack 10 minutes before your practice or race. Through our research, we have determined that when a rider struggles to get up to and maintain potential speed it is directly related to food (quality & quantity).
4: Practice Your Speed Work Early in Your Riding Session
Now that you have topped off your blood sugar levels with an easily digestible snack and jump started your metabolic engine by warming up (ideally for 20 minutes), you can now handle higher intensity levels. The key to breaking into faster lap times is to implement your speed intervals early in the workout so that you develop both the mental and physical skills necessary to create consistent speed and eliminate late moto fatigue.
5: Break Speed Ruts
Capture your lap times for 10 lap moto as well as a 20 lap moto. What you will find is that there is not much difference in your speed no matter how long the moto lasts. This is a perfect example of a speed rut. In the world of human performance, the body should always be able to perform at a higher rate of speed for a shorter period of time; we refer to this as the inverse relationship between volume and intensity.
6: Implement Fundamentals
Instead of focusing on throwing more effort into going fast, slow down and apply the appropriate skill set to maintain speed and momentum throughout every lap. The most inefficient racer is the one that bounces off the face of everything and blows through every corner – losing momentum which results in lower lap times. If you want to improve not only your overall speed but also your endurance, focus on applying the skills developed through your riding coach that include the utilization of your break, clutch, throttle and body position.
7: Film
Every factory team films, why aren’t you? If there is a section that you can’t figure out, film the riders that did. This is helpful prior to heading out for your first practice – what is the fastest approach to a section, body position, etc.. Duplicate what others are doing to get through the section fast on your first lap verses taking four laps to get up to full speed. Most everyone has a smart phone these days with a pretty good camera, so use it! Keep in mind that the brain learns in many ways, watching and implementing are two of the most powerful to increasing your speed!
Key Components to Early Season Fitness and Speed
In an attempt to make up for the lost time associated with winter, motocross riders and other athletes have a tendency to get a little overzealous during early season workouts, which frequently results in injuries and/or performance frustrations. By implementing these four strategies, you will make early season training both productive and injury free.
Establishing Your Physical Weakness Profile – Maximize Your Training Efforts
“Strengthen your weaknesses and race your strengths” is the motto that I say to all of my clients, because as humans, we spend the majority of our time doing things that we like and that we are good at. To make the greatest progress within your training program, you must identify what you are not good at and start there. Establish where you are lacking muscular strength, endurance, lactate tolerance, and don’t forget the non-sweating disciplines of flexibility, plus consider nutrition and realistic goal setting. Begin where you are the weakest or have room for the most improvement (relevant to your personal goals). Early season baseline testing will help pinpoint your weaknesses as well as capture your current maximum heart rate for that specific discipline.
Establishing Heart Rate Zones – Avoid Injury and Burnout
By not knowing how hard you are actually training (versus perceived exertion), athletes and riders run the risk of injury and burnout. Actual intensity levels need to be monitored with a heart rate monitor to ensure you are training within your aerobic zone for the majority (not all) of your early season efforts. Please note that you must establish your heart rate training zones for each discipline that you train. For example, if you use the Concept 2 rower as a cross training tool for motocross, you cannot use your heart rate zone from the bicycle; more muscles are engaged during rowing than cycling which results in a different max heart rate number and associated heart rate zones. Over my last 37 years of coaching, I have seen the use of generic formulas (i.e., 220-age) have a margin of error as high as 30%. The assessment of your pre-season max heart rate can be captured with a simple pre-season max heart rate assessment.
Establishing A Personalized Eating Plan – Determining What Works and What Doesn’t
The food you eat has both a long- and short-term effect on your body. An immediate influence of food is reflected in your energy levels and mood. A long-term influence includes the building and repairing of lean muscle tissue and bones. Research has validated that the muscles, bones, connective tissue, and skin that is on you now is the result of your food intake over the last six months. By keeping a detailed food log and comparing it to your training log, you can get feedback on what is working immediately (i.e., energy levels to complete a high-quality workout or early season race), as well as the long-term (i.e., body measurements indicating increased muscle and decreased body fat). Don’t be intimidated by this process. Humans tend to eat 15-20% of the same products each day. By following a consistent eating plan, you can determine the positive or negative effects of a new food item added to your eating plan.
Establishing A Soft Tissue Maintenance Plan – Maximizing Power and Endurance
Chiropractic and massage are two modalities that should be a part of every athlete’s routine for one simple reason: tight muscles pull bone out of alignment, and misaligned bones keep muscles tight. It is the same as if you pulled the ends of a rubber band far part. No matter how much you rub the center, the band is still tight. You have to get the attachments of the muscles to the correct position before you will get the tension out of the muscle. The reverse is true as well. If you get an adjustment and the muscles are tight, the muscles will simply pull the bone back out of alignment. Lining up the spine and removing tension within the muscles will result in better strength and improved endurance.
This article first published in Issue #75 of Endurance News, June/July 2011
Why An Off-Season is Critical to Performance
Every sport has an end season (even motocross!) and once the season is over, it is time to rest and recover physically and mentally. Without proper rest there can be negative long-term ramifications such as injury or burn out.
If anything positive came out of the coronavirus pandemic, it is that people turned their energy and focus to becoming healthier through fitness, nutrition, and rest, with the goal of long-term wellness rather than short-term chiseled abs or personal records. At Complete Racing Solutions, our mantra has always been health, wellness, then performance. Exercise is a great habit to have within your daily life; however, when it becomes an obsession, it can actually become counter-productive to your overall health. Excessive training (in the form of volume and/or intensity) without adequate rest and recovery causes the body to become “numb” to external indicators of over training such as mood swings, simple sugar cravings, interrupted sleep, loss of sex drive, loss of body weight, suppressed appetite an elevated resting heart rate, and most important in today’s climate, a compromised immune system.
Research indicates that after 12 weeks of consistent training or exercise, Cytochome C (a mitochondrial enzyme involved in the production of energy at a cellular level), reaches a peak and then beings to decline. In addition to Cytochrome C levels, so does your maximum oxygen uptake (also known as your VO2 Max.). At this point, the body must be allowed to rest and re-group for continued progress. When athletes truly invest in an off-season (as part of periodization), the off-season practice period can return significant dividends if done correctly.
Training creates adaptations within the body’s various systems (muscular, cardio-pulmonary, lymphatic, nervous and connective) and needs to be supported with rest and food for positive adaptations. Inadequate amounts (and quality) of sleep and food set the body up for a physical break down which leads to negative effects on the body (i.e. suppressed immune system and muscles with less power and endurance).
In addition to adaptations within the body’s systems, training causes changes at a cellular level – cell mitochondria swell, metabolic wastes accumulate, essential nutrients (particularly electrolytes and stored glycogen) deplete, and muscle tissue is torn. This tearing is known as microtrauma of the cells, and torn muscle tissue doesn’t work efficiently. As popularly noted, it takes 48 hours for the body to recover from this micro-trauma and has to be supported with rest and food for proper recovery and improved overall health.
If the body doesn’t get the opportunity to rebuild from the intense work phases of training, overall health and associated performance begin to slow down (and in extreme circumstances, cease all together).
During the off-season, the emphasis must be transferred from “training” to simply having fun riding your dirt bike, mountain bike, or any other physical activity. It is important to find an enjoyable way to get exercise as to avoid becoming burnt-out or injured. All in all, the off-season is important regardless of the sport because it is a time to rest, develop, improve, and focus on skills that directly and indirectly affect competitive performance. Those that don’t invest in the off-season start the new season tired and spent, while those healthy will be able to continue and prosper.
The key to overcoming your fear of taking time off is to understand how much it will help, rather than hinder, your performance. Think about it this way, if you are not fresh, you will not have the energy (or desire) to push to the next level of performance. If your body doesn’t experience the next level, you will begin to stagnate within your performance cycles. So, when it is time to rest and recover, don’t ignore it! Remember, that rest allows your body to recover, rebuild, and ultimately become stronger and healthier.
The Science of Sports Drinks: Duration and Intensity Changes Everything!
Sports drinks, by definition, are designed to replace depleted electrolytes lost by sweating, maintain energy levels, and keep the body hydrated during high intensity exercise. Electrolytes consist of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium that help to regulate muscle contractions. A loss of electrolytes can result in symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue, and nausea. Electrolytes, however, are just part of the equation. Depending on the duration and/or intensity of exercise, sports drink formulas may include a blend of carbohydrates for more glycogen, a lactic acid buffer to offset fatigue, a boost of caffeine for extra energy and focus, and/or a protein source to eliminate the need for solid calories. The key is that not all exercise demands the same type of sport drink…duration and intensity changes everything and sports drinks should be formulated and chosen based on the need for quick energy and/or endurance.
In truth, most ready to drink sports drinks found in the grocery store are junk…packed with sugar and artificial colorings that can cause gastrointestinal distress. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you probably should not consume it. (i.e. acetate isobutyrate, acesulfame, and Yellow 6, found in Powerade).
When you eat a carbohydrate (fruits, vegetables & whole grains), your body converts the edible carbohydrate into stored sugar, referred to as glycogen. Muscle and liver glycogen are the body’s most important sources of energy during strenuous activity. If eating and hydrating properly, the average body stores between 60 to 90 minutes of glycogen, meaning that a sports drink high in calories and carbohydrates is not necessary for moderate exercise less than an hour.
A low-calorie option, Energy Fuel Light is specially formulated to emulate Coach Robb’s best-selling Energy Fuel with only 100 calories and 25 grams of easily digestible carbohydrates. This daily hydration formula can be consumed pre, during, and post exercise and is ideal for replenishing electrolytes and reducing muscle cramps and spasms.
Energy Fuel is a fuel and hydration mix for athletes training and racing mid distances of 1-3 hours. This easily digestible formula uses a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates which maintains proper blood sugar levels during training or racing for optimum performance.
As the exercise intensity goes up, the body’s sugar source needs to be easy to break down. Energy Fuel Boost is the perfect blend to give that extra boost needed for high-energy race efforts and/or high intensity training sessions under one hour. It has a similar profile to Energy Fuel with an added 100 mg of caffeine per 20 ounce serving. This is equivalent to 1-2 cups of strong coffee. When athletes consume caffeine, they feel less fatigue while performing at higher levels of work; an ideal scenario for shorter high intensity (less than 1 hour) race efforts.
As the exercise duration goes above two hours and intensity comes down, a more complex sugar source is needed with added protein to offset hunger. Energy Fuel Plus is an all-in-one nutrition source designed to keep you focused and on top of your game during long distance (3+ hours) endurance events such as GNCC racing and off-road Enduro racing. With extra calories, electrolytes, and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), this fuel and hydration mix is ideal for keeping sustained energy and power during longer efforts without the need for additional solid food calories.
As you can see, there is a lot more to formulating and choosing a sports drink than meets the eye. The science behind your sports drink is the difference between mediocre results and great race results!
To learn more about our Energy Fuel products, click here.
The Nutritional Benefits of Coffee on Performance
While coffee and specifically caffeine can have negative side effects for some people, there is overwhelming evidence that it can enhance athletic performance naturally by 11-12%, on average. When you drink a cup of coffee, the caffeine is readily absorbed into the bloodstream with levels remaining high for 3-4 hours. Unlike most supplements, the caffeine found in coffee is an ergogenic that can affect cells throughout the body, including muscle cells and the brain. The performance benefits are considerable.
- Improves Focus – Caffeine blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine, which leads to enhanced firing of neurons improving energy, reaction times, and mental function.
- Provides Energy – Caffeine is found to increase the hormone epinephrine which is responsible for the “fight or flight” response. This increase in adrenaline is known to provide extra energy, especially during athletic performance.
- Enhances Endurance – Caffeine regulates the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine which plays a role in how we feel pleasure. The presence of dopamine reduces the feeling of fatigue, the rate of perceived effort and perception of levels of intensity which leads to performance improvement.
- Delays Muscle Fatigue – With caffeine, the body’s muscle consumption of glycogen (stored sugar) decreases, which forces the body to use fat reserves as energy and results in delayed muscle fatigue.
- Gives Us An Extra Gas Tank – In line with delayed muscle fatigue, caffeine slows down the breakdown of glycogen in the muscles. The longer this process takes, the longer the body has to provide your muscles with extra glucose before your tanks run dry.
- Increases Tolerance for Pain – While caffeine itself does not release endorphins in the body, it has been shown that coffee may contribute to the endorphin release. As endorphins become released, a wide number of nerve receptors bind to them as if they were opiates, resulting in an increase of pain threshold.
As with any ergogenic, caffeine intake should be limited for maximum affect on athletic performance. Studies suggest about 200-400 mg, taken 30-60 minutes before your workout or key performance. People with sensitivities should start low, at 150-200 mg, to access your tolerance. A typical 8 oz. cup of coffee has on average 95 mg of caffeine, with a range of 75-165 mg.
While research validates that caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it may cause you to urinate more depending on your intake, the amount of hydration loss is frequently exaggerated. If you continue to hydrate with water and electrolyes, and know your sweat rate when exercising, there should be no cause for concern.
The Difference Between Being Warm and Being Warmed Up
In the world of physiology, just because you are hot and sweaty does not mean you are ready to perform. It is actually quite the opposite. Let me explain. When the body heats up because of outside temperature, we release sweat from the more than 2.5 million eccrine glands throughout our body. Sweating is the body’s natural radiator system trying to regulate heat so that internally we can cool off as the air blows over our skin and the salty liquid known as sweat evaporates.
When it comes to performance, we must warm up metabolically versus warming up due to temperature. When you go from stationary to active, the receptors in the hypothalamus area of the brain send a signal to our muscles letting them know that we are going to start moving and as a result, internal heat will be created. As we warm up, blood gets directed into the moving muscles to provide oxygen for maximum muscle contraction. When we do not warm up and go from idle to wide open we feel a burning sensation in the muscles…this is the accumulation of lactic acid. Similar to exhaust from your motorcycle, lactic acid is a by product of burning stored sugar (glucose). The faster you go on your motorcycle or higher the intensity of your workout, the more byproduct (exhaust) is produced. When you warm up properly (20-minute minimum), you are letting your body know that activity is about to occur, and your muscles are gradually getting the oxygen-rich blood necessary to power your workout or performance. Do you ever notice when you go to the gym that the second set of reps always feel better than the first set? This is because on the second set the body knows what to expect now and is prepared for what is to come. As the intensity goes up, the body turns on different energy systems, and if you have developed those energy systems you will be very efficient at being able to handle those higher intensities.
This should explain the misnomer that if I am hot and sweaty am I warmed up? The answer will always be no.
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