HOT TOPIC: Personal and physical training
Personal and physical training are becoming increasingly popular in the motocross world. I can only encourage this as a fan of the sport. Only through professional and scientifically based training can we advance our sport in these technological times. As a movement expert in training, I am certainly in favor of professional guidance. But what is professional guidance?
Professional guidance consists of various aspects. The various motor properties of your body are examined that ensure that the body performs during exercise. The body has 5 motor properties that are important during exercise. Strength, flexibility, endurance, speed and coordination. Strength and endurance are the most important qualities for a motocross rider, of course the other qualities should not be neglected.
Personal training
The need for strength training is usually met by personal training. Nowadays, various trainers and coaches are increasingly responding to this trend. Many coaches work from the experiences they have built up during their sports career. It seems like a kind of habit to put an end to your sporting career as a rider and then start a new career as a coach. Of course, experience is one of the most important things as a coach to motivate and push someone to a higher level. What is forgotten by many is the importance of the expert part of the trainer. (Let me be clear that I don't want to point the finger at anyone with this). It is important that personal training is carried out correctly. A certain knowledge of anatomy and physiology is necessary. Most certified coaches will certainly confirm this.
Personal training for MX riders
As an athlete, it is important that you undergo a full screening test before beginning strength and stabilization exercises. It is then important to first train your less strong muscles so that your body is in balance or symmetry as much as possible. Only then can you start preparing for the coming season. After eliminating your asymmetry (your underdeveloped muscles) you can start training basic strength. This is done by performing 3 to 6 strength sessions with 2 to 3 minutes of rest between each session. Each session consists of 8 to 15 repetitions at 60-80% of 1RM1. Make sure you give each muscle group equal attention to avoid asymmetry. Motocross is a sport that engages every muscle in the body. After increasing the basic strength, you can move on to strength endurance. In strength endurance, the aim is to perform 60% of 1RM more than 15 times. For example, we will complete more than 2 sessions with 1 to 2 minutes of rest between each session. This type of strength ensures that the muscles in the body can handle the intensity and strain of cycling. For an exact screening and customized exercises with a balanced strength schedule, you will be referred to a certified personal trainer.
1RM1: The maximum weight with which one repetition can be performed.
Physical training
Before we start with physical training, it is best to first perform a fitness test. This is usually administered by doctors who afterwards provide a basic training schedule. As exercise experts, we encourage athletes to consult a certified coach to request a personalized training schedule. This is extremely important to train as efficiently as possible. When we as riders plan the training ourselves without professional help, too much or too little rest is often planned. This reduces the effect of the training. What training is necessary for a motocross rider?
Physical training for MX riders
As a motocross rider, it is important that sufficient rest is planned during the season as the competitions are extremely intensive. During the winter, the physical aspect is quite similar to that of strength training. Basic endurance must be addressed first after a winter break of 4 to 8 weeks. The basic endurance is like the foundations of a house. We continue to build on basic endurance just before and during the season. So the wider and sturdier the foundation, the more floors you can give the house. We add the extra floors by regularly performing interval training. Interval training ensures that the anaerobic threshold2 will rise. Cycling and running are therefore excellent sports to improve your endurance for cross-country skiing. Personally, I think training with an MTB is the best training for winter if done at a leisurely pace. During MTB you train your endurance, strength and technique. For more information, you can always contact a certified physical coach.
Anaerobic threshold2: The moment when your heart rate reaches a threshold so high that your muscles no longer use oxygen. They switch from the aerobic system to the anaerobic (glycolysis) or the ATP-CP system, resulting in lactic acid being produced in the muscles.
How should we guide our youth?
It has recently been announced that the KNMV will collaborate with a platform called MX Performance. The KNMV also collaborates with the MXGP academy in the 'MXGP Rookie' project, which focuses on top talents from the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. These are two platforms where various certified coaches, trainers and experts are active. In my opinion, this is a huge step forward in professionally guiding youth in the Netherlands and surrounding areas. I think the BMB can follow this example if they want to continue to keep the talent in Belgium under their wings. Motocross needs to be more professional so as not to completely lose sight of sports such as football, tennis and cycling. In these sports, almost every team or individual has a professional supervisor who is affiliated with or recognized by the sports association.
In my opinion, there are enough certified coaches such as Yves Devlaminck who want to dedicate themselves to youth and start a similar program such as MX Performance. With the right people in one team, we can guide youth in Belgium more professionally at both European and national competitions and not only at competitions but also at home. With such a platform, young people know where they can go for their rehabilitation, strength, endurance and technique training on and off the motorcycle. In this project, the pilots are not treated as one of many patients, but as motocross riders, a passion that is shared by both the expert and the athlete. These experts can also ensure that young riders do not burn out too young and first focus on riding style and technique. This is and remains the most important thing in motocross.
Photos: courtesy Fox Head and Gary Bogdon
Tekst: Yente Dourte (Education: Bachelor of Sport and Exercise – Exercise Expert)
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