Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126008
Left: Bimbo on the "erg-cycle" testing for body horsepower. Taking the load (in foot-pounds) he is working against and the speed of the cycle (in RPM) testers figure Jim can sustain about 0.2 to 0.25 horsepower. (One horsepower is 33,000 foot-pounds of work per minute; a human can do about 6500 to 7000 foot-pounds per minute.) Team Husqvarna's training camp in Sweden developed it for the World Champions of Motocross; now the man iii charge tells how you can do it yourself at home. Right: Oxygen-absorption testing at Stockholm. It's with equipment like that that researchers can measure an athlete's oxygen capacity and check out the effects of training, smoking, drinking, lack of sleep. Far right: Intemational slalom-ski racers also train at the Husqvama camp. Looks like they left some of their props behind for the MXers to use. By Roland Arrehn, Racing Director, Team Husqvama, Sweden As promised in part 11of this series, I will describe some other workouts adapted to motocross riders but that also apply to enduro riders and slalom skiers. Work time: 70 seconds Rest: 20 seconds Total time : 20 - 30 minutes Start and rest position: Standing with 90 degree bend in your knees, distance between your feet corresponding to the distance between the footpegs of your motorcycle. Perfonnance: After signal given by your coach - jump up and down in a steady (regular) speed (while trying to damage the ceiling with your head) for 70 seconds. End work after signal from the coach. Same signal also indicates beginning of rest period (20 sec.). Resting must be done in start position. Thus, no stretched legs during the rest periods. bike. The first races you enter are to be included in your schedule as training. You have to decide by yourself when, and with what race, your season actually starts. . During the season, between races, you also need some training, because racing itself is not enough to keep one really fit during a (compared to other sports) very long season. Here is how Brad Lackey and most other top riders are training between the Grand Prix races. Monday Rest Tuesday Cross-country run Wednesday Cross-country run and training Thursday Riding (At least two 45-minute motos). Friday Rest (preparing the body for the race with carbohydrate-rich meals). Saturday Practice Sunday Race B. Static leg muscle training Testing your body horsepower Work time : 10 seconds Rest time: 5 seconds Total time: 10 - 20 minutes Start positions: Same as preceeding exercise. Co-trainee standing three-four feet behind you, prepared to jump up on your back and act as basic load during working time. Performance: After signal from coach, co -trainee jumps up on' your back. By next signal from the coach co-trainee jumps down from your back and you can rest for five seconds. Start position to be kept. Hands not to be propped up on your knees. These exercises are also used by slalom skiers as slalom skiing has much in common with motocross . riding. That is why we also have had the Swedish Slalom Olympic and World Cup teams as guests at our training course. Heart capacity is often the factor determining the ability to perfonn heavy work for long periods. . It is therefore a fully satisfactory yardstick of maximum work capacity. This test is based on the fact that after a correct program of training, th e ability to absorb oxygen increases and the pulse rate is slower for the same amount of work. The most common methods of measurement are the ergometer cycle test and the step test. Of these, the step test is the most suitable for the individual, since with this method it is possible for anybody to test himself without special equipment. General rules for testing I. You should have slept soundly and be well rested. It is best to test in the morning. 2. You should not eat anything within two hours before the test. 3. You should not smoke within one hour before the test. (Motocross riders are advised to abstain anyway.) 4. Light clothing should be worn. 5. Do not test if you are sick. Materials Chair, bench, box or the like about 40 cm (15-inches) in height. Watch or clock with second hand. Work To .carry .o u t a step test, step up and down from the A. Jumps Training schedule 24 After race season is over - put your bike in the garage and forget about it for at least a month or so! Relax and do all the other things you didn't do during the season, Go out for a two-mile cross-country run once or twice a week to keep fi t, After a while you will get "hungry" for a ride again, and now it's time to begin your preparations for next season. Start to tune-up your body. After awhile also include .your "special trainirig" by practicing on your chair continuously for five minutes, each time with the same foot first and at a rate of 30-step-ups and 30 step-downs per minute. This can be timed such that you are standing on the chair with both feet after the first second and are back down on the floor with both feet after the second second, etc. Carry out each step-up and step-down with the left foot first. When standing up on the chair your knees should be straight, your hips slightly thrust forward .and your head held high in a relaxed stance. Hold your anns naturally. It is extremely important to learn these movements correctly from 'the start, so that the work involved in each test is as identical as possible. Thisjs so that the results of several tests can be compared. Pulse . ' After five minutes, sit down and rest for precisely ond minute. Then take your pulse for 30 seconds. Doubl9 the result and make a note on the test sheet. (Best way: of feeling your pulse is to lay the flat of your hand against your heart on the left side of your chest or plac ' your fingertips over the carotid artery which you wi! find just behind the larynx.) Assessing test results The test method described above provides a measure of the work capacity of the heart, taking into accoun the weight of the body, as the body is lifted up eac time you step onto the chair. You could also enter the results on a graph so that you can see at a glance ho your physical condition improves. When you have measured your body-horsepower, you must not forget that it's very easy to ruin the condition you have got. Just in case you think you are too good here is how to blow 'it all. Five good ways of destroying your condition Smoking Beside nicotine, tobacco smoke also consists of carbonmonoxide, which is absorbed by the blood and! considerably reduces the oxygen transportation. The acute effect is a pulse increase together with an irritation of the air-passages and also air-passages' mucous membranes become narrower. During i re st only six-seven litres of air per minute