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/126821
Total Tra ining for Motocross By Jeff Spencer Paperback, 124 pages $14.95 pl us shippi ng Total Training, P.O . Box 3721 , Glendale, CA 91201 When J eff Spencer talks, motocrossers a n d o ff-road ri ders in ge nera l listen intentl y. As th e trainer for H onda 's MX team from 1980 through 1983, Spencer-was the mastermind behi nd th e tr ain in g a nd nut rit ional programs as we ll as th e inj u ry prevention a nd m anageme nt p rac tices th a t ca rried many of the co untry's best riders to countless wi ns as well as n u merous championships. Wh a t Spencer has learned in yea rs of helpin g th e best he has p ut down o n pa p er in th e for m of the boo k Tota l Trai ning for Mo toc ro ss. Spencer's approach is both refresh ing and readable compared to some of the other books of its typ e. Spen cer begins by writing. " T o be s uccess ~u l in off-road racing, a ride r must contnbure ( I ) physica l potentia l. (2) superior physi ca l conditioni ng , (3) proper nu tri tio nal habi ts, and (4) a so un d 'men ta l a ttitude to th e race effort." A complica ted form u la to be sure, but Spencer ha s succeeded in detai ling th e recom mended p ro cedures in suc h a wa y th at th ey are not bo ring to read, and m or e importantl y, are easy to foll o w . . P robably th e best p art of th e bo ok is wo ven th ro ug ho u t each cha p ter; mo st of the ideas a nd practices th at Spen cer di scusses are not m er el y p rese nted, th ey are backed u P . by quot es and/ or rider pro files o f th e best . Bob H annah , Mark Barnett, R o n L ech ien, Dick Burleso n , J eff · Ward, Ri ck J ohnson , Danny LaPorte and man y ot he rs reveal the ir th oug h ts in regard to trai n ing a nd winning . Those littl e tid bits a lo ne shou ld mak e th e book worth its pri ce to near ly a ny ri de r. Streng th . end ura nce and flexi bility tra in in g compose ro ugh ly h alf o f t he book, wit h chapters o n injury p reventio n a nd care; nu tri tio n , rid ing, a n d the psycho logy of motocross a ls.o included. Rem em ber, th e em p ha sis h ere ison total traini ng. T o rea p full benefits, yo u must fo llo w Spencer's program every ste p of the way . Th~ t task is made eas ier by three chart s In th e back of th e book ; o ff-season, preseason and raci ng season traini ng sched u les are ni cel y la id o u t fo r you. You eve n ge t a short a natomy lesso n, as we ll as learn si m p le things · suc h as how to tak e yo ur pulse. T he bo ok is h eavi ly illustrat ed ; th e o ver 80 photograph s a nd 15 d rawin gs are gen era lly well done. I! yo u' re w illing to spe nd a few · n ig hts not wat ch in g tel evision a nd inst ea d page throug h th is q ui ck read in g book, yo u 'll be better off th e next time you ride o r race. All yo u need to kn o w a bo u t tr ai n i n g is there ' in black an d w hite. We recomme nd it h ighly fo r the MX er a s we ll as enduro o r tra il r ider . Tom Koln~wskic ~ Right out of the showroom,tooavs And the bikes we build around -t nern are " , ., . best dirt bikes are much the same uncompromisingly tested to do the.same. in price and performance. Which leaves you a clear choice. Choose But most machines that start the season a bike that only gives you its best when strong, don't end up that way. you give It your t ime and money. can-am does. And a gOOd part of the Or see your can-Am dealer, He'll make reason Is Rotax. Our engines have built a sure you spend a lot less time l':l the workpowerful reputation around the world by shop t hrough the week. And a little less backing up incred~ 7[j) m7[jj} ~ gate and the flag ' t ime between the Ible performance m with unmatched C on weekends. reliability. " II All season long! T H E · -Tredemerks of Bombardier Inc. R o T A X RID E ,