thinkmx motocross workout: getting started introduction If you re just getting started on a MX workout program this workout is the place to start. The purpose of this plan is to develop your overall body strength needed for specific training programs (off-season, pre-season, on-season) where plyometric training and higher intensity exercises are introduced. This workout routine will get you to the finish line feeling strong and having fun. Remember, a training plan is only a guideline. You will need to use your judgment in terms of adjusting workouts and doing more/less. Just finished the race season? After a long and successful season, it s a good idea to take a few weeks off and get involved in a few activities away from the track. This will allow your body to recover and prepare you to get into the next training phase where we get into the weight room and begin developing your strength. Use this training plan to develop proper technique and general full body strength, preparing your body physically for the next training phases before the next race season. Focus: Focus on developing proper technique and overall body strength. Start with lighter weight and higher repetitions to build muscular endurance and ensuring lifting technique is maintained. The ability to lift a certain weight over and over without fatiguing is very important during race season to maintain your pace for the entire moto and recover quickly for the next. Intensity: Intensity is a combination of the number of repetitions you complete and the amount of weight you are able to lift. Again, start with lighter weight and as you get stronger and have developed proper lifting techniques, slowly start to add more weight. As you move through this program the goal is to perform the same amount of repetitions with heavier weight while maintaining technique. Extra training/range of training: This program assumes you re getting to the gym 5-6 days a week, 3-4 days of lifting and 2-3 days of cardiovascular work. Every athlete no matter what sport he/she performs needs to develop a good aerobic base to allow for quick recoveries and when performing multiple events on one day or throughout the weekend. Be sure to alternate lifting days with cardiovascular training to give your muscles a day s rest to repair and grow. Do NOT add extra training on the rest days. Stretch and let your body recover. To add extra training, do two-a-days (2 workouts on the same day) on regular workouts days, or make your weekend sessions longer. Disclaimer. Consult with a physician before beginning this or any exercise program. If you experience any persistent joint or muscle pain, consult with a physician or sports medicine professional. If it feels hard, you are doing something right. It is making you stronger. Use good judgment in your exercise program. Questions? Need Help? If you have questions about this training program or are interested in a personalized training plan tailored to you and your racing schedule, contact the thinkmx team at info@thinkmx.com. 2010 thinkmx.com Page 1 of 10
thinkmx motocross workout: getting started workout at a glance Part 1: Cardio When to do it: 2-3 days a week. The goal of cardiovascular training is to build a strong aerobic base. Part 2: Strength Training When to do it: 3 days a week (take a day off in between). For the first week of the program use lighter weights with higher reps to start, slowing increasing the weight as you get stronger. As you move to more specific training programs (i.e. off-season, pre-season), the exercises will progress in difficulty and further simulate the demands of riding the bike. ** watch videos online at thinkmx.com for demonstrations on each exercise. In strength training section of the workout it outlines how many sets and reps of each exercise you should do, and at what tempo. 1 10 This means that you will do 1 set of the exercise 10 times. You do not repeat this exercise more than 1 time. For example, you will squat 10 times then move on the next exercise. For the tempo, count 2 seconds on the way down, pause for 1 second at the bottom, then count 2 seconds on the way up. Example weekly workout If you need to switch days up do so to fit your schedule, however ensure that you should have a day off or a cardio day between each lifting day. Do not perform two lifting days in a row. If you can only train 5 days a week, have one day where you do both a lift and a cardio session, performing the lift first so your muscles are fresh. MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Strength Training Cardio Strength Training Cardio Strength Training Cardio OFF 2010 thinkmx.com Page 2 of 10
thinkmx motocross workout: getting started part 1: cardio When starting a new workout program or during the off season, the goal of the cardio training is to build a good aerobic base that will help you recover quickly from the high intensity sections of a race and speed your recovery between races. The fitter your aerobic system is, the lower your heart rate will stay and your heart rate will recover quicker after hard bouts of work. This enables you to save your carbohydrate stores for the second moto. When beginning this workout, start around 30 minutes of continuous work. Slowly increase the cardio time up to 45-80 minutes while keeping your heart rate in the aerobic zone (heart rate between 75-80% of your maximum) throughout the cardio workout. To determine your heart rate zone Males: 220 - age = maximum heart rate Females: 226 - age = maximum heart rate 75% of maximum = maximum heart rate * 75% 80% of maximum = maximum heart rate * 80% Cardio training workout Cycle, run, or swim it doesn t matter as long as your heart rate stays even and between 75-80% of your maximum. Cycling is the most specific for motocross, however running is good as well. As you progress each week, increase your speed (if running) or resistance (if on stationary bike) keeping your heart rate in the same target zone. CARDIO WORKOUTS: 3 days a week WEEK Warm-up Cardio Interval Cool-down Total Workout Target Heart Rate 1 5 minutes 30 minutes 5 minutes 40 minutes 75% - 80% of max 2 5 minutes 35 minutes 5 minutes 45 minutes 75% - 80% of max 3 5 minutes 40 minutes 5 minutes 50 minutes 75% - 80% of max 4 5 minutes 45 minutes 5 minutes 55 minutes 75% - 80% of max 5 5 minutes 50 minutes 5 minutes 60 minutes 75% - 80% of max 6 5 minutes 55 minutes 5 minutes 65 minutes 75% - 80% of max 7 5 minutes 60 minutes 5 minutes 70 minutes 75% - 80% of max 8 5 minutes 70 minutes 5 minutes 80 minutes 75% - 80% of max 2010 thinkmx.com Page 3 of 10
thinkmx motocross workout: getting started part 2: strength training Warm-Up The warm up is designed to activate the muscles and prepare the body for specific movement patterns that will be incorporated in the workout. This gets your blood flowing and heart rate up. What you need: - resistance band 1. General Warm-Up (5mins) Pick any cardio machine Run, bike, row it s up to you 2. Squat Feet shoulder apart, chest up Lower hips towards ground in a controlled fashion Sit the hips back, knees over the ankles 1 10 3. Alternating Back Lunges A B Alternating legs Weight stays on the front leg Hip sit back as front leg stays at 90 over top ankles Arms work in opposition 1 20 2010 thinkmx.com Page 4 of 10
4. Squat to Row As you squat down, arms are extended, chest stays up, sitting hips back in regular squat technique As you stand up, drive elbows back, palms face the ribs, squeeze the shoulder blades together keeping the shoulders down Use a fairly light resistance band 1 10 5. Squat to Chest Press As you squat down, arms draw back to the front sides of your shoulders As you stand up, arms drive forward and together staying at shoulder height Generate power through the lower body, transfer power through core and movement expressed through the arms Use a fairly light resistance band 1 10 6. Pushups Make sure hands start beneath shoulders, shoulder-width apart Core is strong so body moves as one unit 1 10 2010 thinkmx.com Page 5 of 10
Complex 1 Overall body focus: lower back While on the bike your lower back is one of the major muscles groups used to stabilize your body while riding. Without a strong lower back it will hinder your ability to stay controlled on the bike increasing the pressure on your arms, shoulders and wrists. What you need: - Olympic bar with weight - Bench 1. Olympic Bar Squats *Why it works: Works your lower body on a stable surface to develop lower body strength needed to control the body and the bike. Push hips back like you re sitting in a chair knees over the ankles Back stays flat, chest stays up Try to sit back as far as you can so that quads are almost parallel with the ground 2 15-20 controlled 2. Flat Bar Chest Press *Why it works: Develops upper body strength in a position similar to holding the handle bars on the bike. Place hands on the bar shoulder width apart Bar should come down about an inch above the chest (arms at 90 o ) doesn t touch chest Finish with arms at full extension When lifting heavy weight, make sure you have a spotter 2 15-20 controlled 2010 thinkmx.com Page 6 of 10
3. Bent-over Olympic Bar Row *Why it works: By doing this exercise in a bent-over position, it conditions your lower back to be engaged for a longer period of time. Using an overhand grip, bring the bar up and back towards the belly button Keep elbows close to the body Squeeze through shoulder blades in finish position Chest should be facing the ground, back flat and knees slightly bent 2 15-20 4. Alternating Back Lunge with Overhead Bar Press *Why it works: Increases the demands and the need for stability in the lower back. Bar should be ½ the weight you used for chest press Start by stepping back with one leg as you press the bar overhead with the upper body nice and tall and back flat Keep all the weight on the front foot and bend both knees when in the lunge position Front knee is over top the ankle 2 12-15 /leg 1-2-1 5. Stability Ball Plank *Why it works: This exercise is one of the best exercises for general core strength. Body stays flat Elbows underneath the shoulders * Make it harder: add a slight rollout the elbows will be pushed away from the body 2-3 while the rest of the body maintains the same position. The only movement should come from the shoulders 2 30 secs Controlled 2010 thinkmx.com Page 7 of 10
Complex 2 Overall body focus: core stability While on the bike a strong core is essential to stabilize your body while riding. Without a strong core you are forced to grip harder increasing the pressure on your arms, shoulders and wrists. A good rider squeezes the bike with your legs and controls the bike with their body. What you need: - 1 box/bench - 1 set of dumb bells - Olympic bar with optional weight added - Squat rack + 2 towels - 1 medicine ball - Cable machine 1. Dumbbell Step Up to Knee Drive *Why it works: By coming to a balancing point on top, works the stabilizer muscles of the lower and upper body while moving quickly through the exercise works on your conditioning. Alternating feet Step up with one foot limiting the amount the back leg pushes off the ground Drive the knee up, hold the balance position, then step down in controlled fashion Support dumbbells with the shoulders, keeping shoulder blades down and back 2 15 /leg 1-2-2 2. Olympic Bar Chest Press *Why it works: Integrates entire body into chest press. One end of the bar will be on the ground, the other will be held by a single arm Lower bar down and to the side of your body as you sit into a squat working arm stays at 90 o, away from your body Control motion on the way down and explode back to the starting position. Do not let your shoulders rotate. This will add the oblique s and more core into the exercise 2 15 /arm 3-1-1 2010 thinkmx.com Page 8 of 10
3. Supine Towel Pull-up *Why it works: Great exercise for overall back strength. The addition of the towels increases the demand on the forearms to improve your grip strength. Start with the body in a flat position hanging directly underneath the bar with heels on the ground, toes pointing to the roof Palms will start facing away from you and twist toward you as you pull up (working the grip strength) Pull chest all the way up to the bar, then release arms into full extension. Keep the body flat the entire time 2 To failure 1-2-1 4. Lateral Squat with Med Ball Press *Why it works: Helps develop lower body strength in multiple planes of motion. Medicine ball helps to increase the stability and strength in your lower back and shoulders. As you step to the side make sure the foot and knee stay pointing forward, push hips back so that knee stays over the ankle. Opposite leg should be completely straight On the step, press the medicine ball straight forward Controlled deceleration and strong push back to start position 2 15 /leg 2-2-1 5. Lateral Cable Mini Rotation *Why it works: Excellent for core stability. This exercise will progress further during the preseason workout. Hands move shoulder to shoulder should not move outside your body line Maintain hips as stable as possible 2 15-20 /side Short quick 2010 thinkmx.com Page 9 of 10
thinkmx motocross workout: getting started Print this sheet to bring with you to the gym once you ve mastered the proper form/technique of each exercise. Watch videos online at thinkmx.com for demonstrations on each exercise. Warm-up Any cardio machine 1 5mins Squat 1 10 Alternating Back Lunges 1 20 Squat to Row 1 10 Squat to Chest Press 1 10 Pushups 1 10 Complex 1 Olympic Bar Squats 2 15-20 controlled Flat Bar Chest Press 2 15-20 controlled Bent-over Olympic Bar Row 2 15-20 Alternating Back Lunge with Overhead Bar Press 2 12-15/leg 1-2-1 Stability Ball Plank 2 30secs controlled Complex 2 Dumbbell Step Up to Knee Drive 2 15/leg 1-2-2 Olympic Bar Chest Press 2 15/arm 3-1-1 Supine Towel Pull-up 2 To failure 1-2-1 Lateral Squat with Med Ball Press 2 15/leg 2-2-1 Lateral Cable Mini Rotation 2 15-20/side short quick Cool down and stretch 1 5mins Equipment Needed - resistance band - 1 box/bench - 1 set of dumb bells - olympic bar with optional weight added - squat rack + 2 towels - 1 medicine ball - cable machine 2010 thinkmx.com Page 10 of 10