Racer Fitness
& Health: Cardiovascular Training
By:
Phil Cole
The latest breed of production 450cc
four strokes, allows all racers the same opportunity
to ride very similar bikes and equipment. Since
the majority of the ATV’s are so similar in
power and handling characteristics, racers are always
looking for that extra competitive edge over their
competition. Many racers choose to get there ATV
engines tuned e.g. high compression pistons, port
and polish the head, ignition modules etc. A lot
of riders neglect the one thing that they can do
to improve their overall performance, that doesn’t
cost anything, takes very little time and can make
a huge difference- FITNESS! Think of all the times
in a post race interview you have heard ‘
I ran out of steam’, ‘I died towards
the end of the race’, ‘I couldn’t
maintain that speed any longer’. Racers often
think that because they ride during the week, that
it is enough fitness training for them. To reach
the top in any sport you must always go above and
beyond what everyone else does!
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This next series of Fitness articles for ATVriders.com,
will explain the different components of fitness,
and methods you can do to improve them. ATV racing
comes in so many forms, such as Desert Racing, Motocross,
Cross Country and Flat Track. It is important to train
specifically for each type of racing that you participate
in. The energy systems used in each of these forms
of racing differ greatly. For example, in a 20 minute
motocross race your body will work and use completely
different energy stores and muscle fiber types than
in a 2hr Cross Country or Desert race. If you train
your body specifically for each type of event you
will see huge gains while on the racetrack.
Cardiovascular training (aka Cardio) is any type
of exercise that trains primarily the heart, lungs,
and muscles. With the correct training you can improve
the efficiency of these components.
Heart:
One of the first things that improves
with cardio exercise is the ability of the heart
to pump blood around the body. In order to keep
all of your muscles moving and working correctly,
there needs to be a constant supply of oxygen. Oxygen
is carried to the muscles by the hemoglobin located
in the red blood cells, and is delivered to the
active muscles. If not enough oxygen is supplied
to the muscles, performance drops and muscles fatigue.
Most people have heard of Lactic Acid- this is a
waste product formed in the muscles when not enough
oxygen is available, causing pain in the muscles
and performance levels to drop. With the correct
type of cardiovascular training the threshold on
which someone can perform without a build up of
lactic acid is increased. As a person becomes more
cardiovascularly fit, the heart does not need to
work as hard to pump the same amount of blood around
the body. At rest a person’s heart rate when
fit will be lower than that when untrained. A typical
normal resting heart rate would be about 60bpm,
as a person becomes more trained it will begin to
lower (e.g. Lance Armstrong has a resting heart
rate of below 40bpm!). Following cardiovascular
training, the muscular walls of the heart become
stronger, bigger, and thicker, allowing more blood
into the heart and pumping it out to the muscles
that require it.
Another change that occurs as a result of cardiovascular
training occurs in the blood. With training the
amount of red blood cells and hemoglobin increases,
as well as aerobic enzymes and hormones that help
with energy production. The higher amount of hemoglobin
in the blood, the greater the ability to transport
oxygen to the muscles leading to an improved performance.
Another improvement in the cardiovascular
system through training is the ability of the body
to thermoregulate. Through training the body improves
the way it can disperse the heat produced by exercise.
This allows the body to run ‘cooler’
and lessens the chance of the body to overheat.
The body becomes more efficient in pumping blood
to the surface (hence why your face goes red when
your working hard!) so that you cool down quicker
and run a lower core temperature.
Lungs:
The body extracts oxygen from the air using the
lungs. The lungs have a high blood flow and it is
here where the oxygen from the air is absorbed by
hemoglobin ready to be distributed to the muscles.
With endurance training the body has an enhanced
ability to extract the oxygen, this is due to the
improved blood flow through the lungs and the increased
level of hemoglobin. A cardiovascular trained person
will also experience a slower breathing rate during
rest and during exercise. So a trained racer will
not breathe as heavy or as deeply as a person that
has not been training. This can be seen immediately
after a race, when several Pro’s give interviews
and do not look at all out of breath.
Muscles:
The muscles are the work center of the body; they
provide the strength to absorb a hard landing and
also the endurance to hang onto the bars for a 2hr
endurance race. The muscles get their energy from
stored fuel sources of carbohydrates and fats. Oxygen
combines with carbohydrates and fat in the muscle
to produce energy. With correct cardiovascular training
the muscles are more efficient in taking the oxygen
from the blood. This adaptation occurs due to the
increase number of capillaries (the smallest blood
vessels) in the muscles. The duration and intensity
of your particular race, whether it be a motocross
moto or a cross-country race determines which fuel
your body will use.
Training
for your type of Race!
Now that you have a brief understanding of the changes
that occur in your body through cardiovascular training,
it is time to look at how to specifically train
for your event. There are crucial things that need
to be identified prior to designing a cardiovascular
training program…..MX/TT or XC?
To understand the following information
you will first need to determine your age predicted
maximum heart rate; First determine your maximum
heart rate:
-
Take the number 220
-
Subtract your age from it (e.g.
220 – 25 yrs = 195 )
- The result is your age predicted Maximum Heart
Rate. (HRmax)
The following workout information assumes the rider
will be using a Heart Rate Monitor. These units can
be purchased from many retail sports stores or online
fitness shops (they can be purchased for as low as $40).
The company that I recommend is www.polarusa.com,
they produce the most accurate and well-manufactured
products. When exercising you will wear a heart rate
monitor strap across your chest, the data is transmitted
wirelessly to a special watch. While cardio training
you can wear the watch on your wrist, and when riding
you can strap the watch to your handlebar for easy visibility.
Please note that
I have purposely excluded a weight-training schedule
in the following workout. Weight training is a VERY
IMPORTANT component for ATV racing and should NOT
BE EXCLUDED! I will explain the benefits of weight
training in a future article on ATVRiders.com
Motocross:
Most motocross races last approximately 15-20 minutes
in length, and are extremely intense and demanding.
A typical race will produce higher heart rates than
seen in other forms of racing. At the start gate most
racers heart rates will go up due to nerves, excitement
and adrenaline. A typical heart rate while sat on
the line can actually be double of a racer’s
resting heart rate. Once the gate drops and the race
begins, heart rates can go up to approximately 80-90%
of their HRmax if not more. The harder and more often
you train the longer and faster you can ride. It is
import to train specifically at the same intensity
and duration to that you will experience while racing.
For motocross this means that your cardiovascular
training/riding should incorporate periods of 80-90%
of your HRmax. To determine your training zone, you
will multiply your HRmax by the percentage intensity;
So a 25-year-old Motocross Racer would need to train
within a heart rate zone of 156-176 bpm.
e.g.
Target Training Zone 80-90%
195 x 0.8 = 156
195 x 0.9 = 176
The next criteria to consider are the duration and
frequency of your cardiovascular training. I would
recommend the following basic schedule as a guideline
to improving your cardiovascular fitness for motocross
racing.
Sunday: Race Day
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: Interval Training- Running or Cycling
Warm-Up for 5-10 minutes, light exercise and stretching.
You will perform 10 X 1 minute maximal effort sprints,
followed by 30 seconds of active rest (e.g., slow jogging
or slow pedaling), before the next sprint. Try and beat
the distance reached each time. After completing this
part of the workout, you will rest for 3 minutes. You
will then repeat the 10 x 1 minute sprint/rest sequence.
You have now completed 20 minutes of intense/near maximal
exercise. After completing the sprint/rest phase of
the workout, you will now jog or cycle at an intensity
of 70% of your HRmax for another 20 minutes. You will
then perform a light cool-down for 5-10 minutes followed
by a stretching routine. Wednesday: ATV
Practice
Ride 3 x 20 minute moto's trying to keep your heart
rate at around 80% of your HRmax, have 5 minutes of
rest in between motos. Finish off with bike set-up,
free riding, practice starts etc.
Thursday: Interval Training-
Running or Cycling (Same as Tuesday)
Friday: Running or Cycling
Perform 1 hour of cardiovascular endurance
training either on a bike or running. Keep your intensity
around 60-80% of your HR max for the whole duration.
Saturday: Rest Day / Bike Preparation
Sunday: Race Day
Please note this
Cardiovascular training schedule should be used in
addition to your ‘on-bike’ practice time.
The examples of running and cycling are used purely
as a guide, since most people have a bike and the
ability to go for a run. If you have other fitness
equipment available i.e. Step machine, Rowing Ergometer
or Swimming, these activities are suitable to substitute
into the above workouts.
Cross-Country:
Races usually last for 2 hours if
not more, with varying terrains and intensities. Sometimes
you might be battling with the bike in a tight rough
section, and at other times you might be holding the
throttle wide-open, resting your body in a field section.
The sport of cross-country racing is very demanding
and hard to train for; the conditions can vary extremely
from lap to lap. Getting stuck on a steep hill, or
mud hole is not uncommon. At times riders heart rates
can be as high as a motocross racer, but in open field
sections drop to much lower intensities. The training
for cross-country racing must reflect both these high
and lower intensity levels.
Sunday- Race Day
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: Long Duration Interval Training-
Running or Cycling
Warm-Up for 5-10 minutes, light exercise and stretching.
You will perform 3 x 10 minute intervals of exercise
at an intensity of 60-70% HRmax, followed by 2 minutes
of active rest (e.g., slow jogging or slow pedaling),
before the next bout. Try and beat the distance reached
each time. After completing this part of the workout,
you will rest for 5 minutes. You will then repeat
the 3 x 10 minute exericse/rest sequence. You have
now completed 60 minutes of exercise. You will then
perform a light cool-down for 5-10 minutes followed
by a stretching routine.
Wednesday: Short Duration Interval Training
Warm-Up for 5-10 minutes, light exercise and stretching.
You will perform 10 X 1 minute maximal effort sprints,
followed by 30 seconds of active rest (e.g., slow
jogging or slow pedaling), before the next sprint.
Try and beat the distance reached each time. After
completing this part of the workout, you will rest
for 3 minutes. You will then repeat the 10 x 1 minute
sprint/rest sequence. After completing the sprint/rest
phase of the workout, you will now jog or cycle at
an intensity of 70% of your HRmax for another 20 minutes.
You will then perform a light cool-down for 5-10 minutes
followed by a stretching routine.
Thursday: ATV Practice
You will ride 1 hour at as close to race speed as
possible, on your Cross Country Practice track or
local trails. After completing this you will rest
for 10 minutes. This is a good time to check over
your bike, fuel-up and drink plenty of fluids. After
10 minutes its time to restart your bike for another
hour of practice. You have now completed 2 hours of
ride time, the same length as your next race!
Friday: Long Duration Interval Training
(Same as Tuesday)
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Race Day
Please note this
Cardiovascular training schedule should be used in
addition to your ‘on-bike’ practice time.
The examples of running and cycling are used purely
as a guide, since most people have a bike and the
ability to go for a run. If you have other fitness
equipment available i.e. Step machine, Rowing Ergometer
or Swimming, these activities are suitable to substitute
into the above workouts.
Following the above BASIC workouts will definitely
help your riding reach the next level. Of course some
of you might not be able to dedicate this amount of
time to working out during a busy week at work. So
try and do as much as you can and you will see a huge
difference on raceday!
About the Author:
Residing in New Jersey, Phil Cole is a GNCC racer that
works full time for a large corporate fitness company.
He holds his Bachelors and Masters Degree in Exercise
Physiology. Phil is a certified by the National Strength
and Conditioning Association as a Strength and Conditioning
Specialist, he is also certified by the American College
of Sports Medicine as a Health Fitness Instructor. Phil
has worked with numerous top athletes and racers over
the years, and is available for consultation to both
individuals and Race Teams. He can be contacted via
email at ATVFitness@hotmail.com.
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