Is MX Physically Demanding?

Are motocross riders the fittest athletes in the world?

Competitors in many sports like to think that their sport is the hardest to do, the most physically demanding. There are many lists of the fittest sports, with boxing and gymnastics commonly on top. See our discussion about the Fittest Sports for details. Motocross riders are rarely considered, but should be.

Ever since motocross failed to be listed on the ESPN List of The Most Demanding Sports, there has been great discussion on this site about the physical demands of motocross riding. There is no doubt that it is a tough sport. As well as a lot of anecdotal evidence of how demanding the sport is, many have pointed out that there have been a couple of scientific studies that have supported their assertions.

Motocross Demands

Motocross is a very physically and mentally challenging off-road motorcycle sport, which is raced on natural terrain with man-made obstacles. While undoubtedly the bike does a lot of the work for the rider, to manoeuvre and stay on the 200+ lb machine requires a high level of strength, power and endurance. The riders need to be light and strong, with good strength of the upper body, shoulder and arms, hand grip and legs. A study by Gay et al. found that during a motocross race heart rate is quickly raised, and the competitors average heart rate was between 92-96% of their maximum, indicating that there are very high demands on the aerobic endurance system. See more about fitness for motorsports.

 

Motocross bike on a dirt track

The Fittest Sport?

Motocross is definitely physically tough, though is it the most demanding of all sports? It is not an easy thing to measure and compare the fitness of athletes from different sports. You can compare fitness test scores of athletes, but there are issues of varying protocols and athlete levels, and there is not a lot of data on motocross riders for comparison. It is best to compare head to head battles. There are two oft reported studies which have directly compared motocross riders to other athletes, one in 1979 by the National National Athletic Institute and another in 2002 by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's (UMPC) Sports Performance Complex.

1979 study by the National Athletic Health Institute (NAHI)

A study was conducted in 1979 at the National Athletic Health Institute in Inglewood, California, founded by pioneer sports orthopedists Drs. Robert Kerlan and Frank Jobe. The original article apparently appeared in a Cycle magazine in early 1980, though this article or any research paper has not been sighted. The information below has been gained from various online reports.

The study compared athletes from a range of sports, including motocross (MX) racers. Other sports tested were American football, gymnastics, wrestling, basketball, soccer, baseball, wrestling, ice skating, track and field, marathon runners and maybe others. The motocross racers included Brad Lackey, Mike Bell, Danny Laporte, Jeff Ward, Kent Howerton plus several others. There was a large range of fitness tests conducted, including a treadmill VO_2maxtest, body fat levels using underwater weighing, bench press for upper body strength and leg press for lower body strength.

One report stated the highest scoring sports were found to be long-distance running, gymnastics, wrestling and motocross racing, while another said soccer was top over motocross.

2002 by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

A study was conducted in 2002 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's (UMPC) Sports Performance Complex, headed by Alan DeGennaro, the director of UPMC's Sports Performance Program and Brian Hagen, director for rehabilitation medicine at the sports complex. The testing began when the nation's best motocross racers traveled to Pittsburgh for the Steel City Nationals (Round 12 of the U.S. Motocross championships) in Delmont Labor Day weekend in 2002. A battery of tests was performed on about a dozen riders, including Broc Glover and Hannah.

The evaluations included some standard medical checks such as EKGs, blood samples, blood pressure, and more sport specific treadmill maximal oxygen consumption test, body fat levels using underwater weighing and skinfold measures, blood lactate acid buildup, upper body strength via a series of shoulder presses, bench presses and curls, lower body strength strength of quadriceps and hamstring muscles, grip strength, sit-ups, flexibility, and vertical jump power. These results were then compared to published results for other sports. No details of the conclusions of this testing have been found.

Conclusions

Without the specific details of the results of these studies, no conclusions about the claim of motocross riders being the fittest can be made. The lack of published physiological data of riders highlights the need for further study. The data so far indicates that the sport of motocross should be considered in all the discussions about the fittest sports, though there are several other sports worthy of the claim to be the world's fittest sport!

References

• "UPMC starts study of ways to cut down off-road motocross injuries", By Pohla Smith. Published Tuesday, July 23, 2002, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
• "Are motocross riders athletes? Bikers and researchers say yes", Pocono Record, Aug 30, 2002.
• "Motocrossers As Athletes", p106, Cycle World Magazine Jan-Feb 1981.
• Transcript of interview of Brad Lackey by Bobby Myers about his participation in the 1979 NAHI study.
• "The Exercise Intensity of MX and SX Racing", By Gay, D; Keen, J; Riel, R; Evans, M; Milek ,M; Furman, T; Casillas, E; Augustine, S (senior author) University of Florida HSC - Jacksonville and Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute. link

Other Studies

• "Physiological characteristics of top level off-road motorcyclists". Gobbi AW, Francisco RA, Tuy B and Kvitne RS. BJSM. 2005; 39:927-931. - comparing off-road motocross, enduro, and desert rally motorcyclists. Motocross riders had more muscle mass, more strength, and greater aerobic power. link
• "Cardio-respiratory and neuromuscular responses to motocross race", Department of Biology of Physical Activity. University of Jyväskylä. by Tomi Konttinen. 2005. link
• "Cardiopulmonary loading in motocross riding Tomi Konttinen", Keijo Häkkinen, and Heikki Kyröläinen, Journal Of Sports Sciences Vol. 25 , Iss. 9,2007
• Saltin, B. 1975. Motocross-ajajan maksimaalinen hapenottokyky ja syketaajuus ajosuorituksen aikana (Motocross rider's maximal oxygen uptake and heart rate during the riding performance). Teoksessa: Husqvarna 250-360 CR. Owner's manual. American edition. Värnamo. Sweden. 1976
• "Anthropometric Characteristics and Performance Capabilities of Highly Trained Motocross Athletes Compared With Physically Active Men", Bach, Christopher W.; Brown, Ann F.; Kinsey, Amber W.; Ormsbee, Michael J. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research December 2015 Vol. 29 - Issue 12: p 3392–3398. - results suggest highly trained MX athletes possess certain physiological adaptations that likely result from sport-specific demands compared with physically trained men.

Unverified

Here are a few more mentions of other studies that I have found online, but were unable to find any more evidence. Let me know if you have details to add or can verify the details below.

• "extensive tests were done by the Swedish Physiological Institution way back in the mid-1960's. The researchers names were Bengt Saltin and Goran Agnevik."
• "In the late 60's early 70's some Swedish Sports scientist (maybe from Husqvana) did a study which found MX to be the most physically demanding sport in the world ... Professional Tennis came in second. "
• "In the 90's German scientists compared many top German sports people and Pit Beirer came out as fittest of them all."

Endurance Exercise May Be a Speed Bump That Slows Down Alzheimer’s

It’s never too late to start healthy habits that can reduce your risk.

By Elizabeth Millard

Oct 4, 2019

 

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• Endurance exercise can reduce the progression of atrophy in a part of the brain associated with memory among people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found.
• Exercise can improve blood vessel health and boost the production of compounds that support developing brain neurons, experts believe.

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Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and previous research has discovered that the rate of progression and changes in brain atrophy—or the loss of nerve cells called neurons in your brain—often varies by individual, making the condition even tougher to predict and treat.

But a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease joins a growing tide of research about one possible speed bump for dementia and Alzheimer’s: regular exercise.

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center compared cognitive function and brain volume in 70 sedentary, older adults with memory issues and mild cognitive impairment. They separated them into two groups, one doing aerobic exercise and the other concentrating on stretching.

The dose of aerobic training was based on each individual’s fitness level, assessed with VO2 testing, But no matter what their starting point, every participant in that group progressively increased the frequency and intensity of their exercise sessions over time, starting with three times per week for about a half hour at 75 to 85 percent of max heart rate.

By week 26, they were doing four to five sessions per week for about 40 minutes per time, at 85 to 90 percent of max heart rate for the workout.

The stretching group participants stayed at below 50 percent of max heart rate and focused on full-body stretches, with resistance bands introduced about halfway through the program.

At the end of a year, both groups showed evidence of slightly improved neuropsychological scores, and scored about the same on cognitive tests. Memory and executive function—which includes things like reasoning and problem-solving skills—also improved for all participants.

But when the researchers looked at how the buildup changed of amyloid—a type of plaque that’s considered a hallmark of Alzheimer’s and dementia because it destroys neurons in the brain—they saw some important differences:

Those in the exercise group who had amyloid buildup at the start of the study experienced slightly less volume reduction in their hippocampus—the part of the brain involved in memory—compared to those in the stretching group.

This is a big deal because previous research has shown that people who have more amyloid beta also tend to experience more shrinkage in that part of the brain.

So if exercise can keep the amyloid in check, then that could mean dementia could progress at a slower rate. The reason why aerobic exercise has this effect isn’t clear yet, according to lead author Ron Zhang, Ph.D., professor of neurology and neurotherapeutics at UT Southwestern. But, he told Bicycling, it may have to do with how exercise enhances brain neurotrophic factors—molecules that support developing neurons—and blood vessel function, which could both reduce the harmful effects of amyloid on your brain cells.

He added that further studies need to be done, especially in large, randomized, controlled trials, to determine how much exercise is needed for the best effect, especially since people can respond to exercise differently.

“But, for now, it would be safe to say that engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity not only benefits your heart, but also your brain,” said Zhang.

How to Take the Perfect Nighttime Bath or Shower That Will Put You to Sleep

New research shows the optimal time and temperature in order to wind down for the night.

By Danielle Zickl

 

Aliaksandra Ivanova / EyeEmGetty Images

• According to a new study published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews, taking a hot shower or bath one to two hours before bedtime can help you fall asleep faster.
• This is because your body temperature plays an important part in regulating your sleep/wake cycle.
• However, if you take a shower or bath too close to bedtime, it’s too late to have any effect—and it may even disrupt the natural circadian process controlling sleep.

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Getting a good night’s sleep is important not only for our performance as an athlete, but also so we don’t feel like a zombie going about our other daily activities and responsibilities. Sipping a cup of tea, reading, or meditating are all things that help people wind down before bed.

But how about a sleep aid that pulls double duty? Taking a warm bath or shower—you needed to do that anyway, right?—can help you get an adequate amount of shuteye, according to a new review published in Sleep Medicine Reviews.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin reviewed 5,322 studies to figure out if “water-based passive body heating”—a.k.a. a warm shower or bath—before bedtime can help improve sleep. They looked at how presleep showers or baths affected things like how long it takes to fall asleep, total sleep time, sleep quality, and sleep efficiency—or the ratio of total sleep time to time spent in bed.

Their findings? When people took a bath or shower that was between 104 and 109 degrees Fahrenheit one to two hours before they wanted to head to bed, they were able to fall asleep about 10 minutes faster on average.  According to lead study author Shahab Haghayegh, Ph.D.(c), of UT Austin’s department of biomedical engineering, body temperature is important in regulating your sleep/wake cycle.

“It’s an essential factor in achieving rapid sleep onset and high-efficiency sleep,” Haghayegh told Bicycling. Translation: It makes you nod off faster and spend more time in bed actually sleeping as opposed to just laying there staring at the ceiling.

Warm baths and showers stimulate the body’s thermoregulatory system—or the system that regulates your body’s core temperature, Haghayegh said.

“Therefore, if baths are taken at the right biological time—one to two hours before bedtime—they will aid the natural circadian process and increase one’s chances of not only falling asleep more quickly, but and getting better sleep.”

In other words, the hot water raises your body temperature, and the resulting fall in your body temperature as you cool off mimics the drop in body temperature that signals it’s time to go to sleep.

However, if you take a shower or bath too close to bedtime, Haghayegh said, it’s too late to have any effect—and it may even disrupt the natural circadian process controlling sleep.

But not everyone knows exactly what temperature their bath or shower water is. So how can you tell that your bath water is the right temperature if you don’t have a thermometer handy?

According to Haghayegh, your water temperature should feel warm to a little hot. So as long as you feel comfortably hot—but not hot enough that you’re scalding your skin—that should be about the right temperature.

The bottom line? Taking a hot bath or shower one to two hours before hitting the hay can help you get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Danielle Zickl Associate Health & Fitness Editor Danielle specializes in interpreting and reporting the latest health research and also writes and edits in-depth service pieces about fitness, training, and nutrition.

4 Heat Stroke Prevention Tips to Ride Healthy and Happy All Summer Long

Human performance experts give the lowdown on how to stay cool when the temperatures rise.

By Michael Nystrom

Let’s reflect for a moment: It’s Stage 2 of the 2013 Tour of California, and the peloton faces a 200-kilometer day from Murrieta to Palm Springs. After a hilly route that included a 4-mile climb to the finish, Javier Acevedo and Tejay van Garderen ride under the flamme rouge together, indicating 1 kilometer to go. Acevedo throws down a last-minute acceleration, not only securing him the win, but also the leader’s jersey.

If you don’t remember this stage for Acevedo’s breakthrough performance, perhaps you remember the conditions. The peloton faced temperatures reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit, with pavement temps measuring even hotter. A few riders abandoned on the final climb (with Pieter Serry in serious condition) due to the heat, and those who crossed the finish line collapsed on the tarmac, suffering blisters and burns on exposed skin. Naturally, this brought up criticism of the race organizers and questions of when a race should be shortened (or canceled) due to dangerously hot conditions.

While we’d never advise anyone to ride in such extreme conditions, this stage serves as a solid reminder to take the right precautions once the mercury starts to rise. Here, experts share their best heat stroke prevention tips so you can protect yourself from overheating and ride happy and healthy all summer long.

Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke

Before we break down how to monitor and limit the effects of heat, let’s dissect the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The distinction isn’t always clear cut, but symptoms of either should be addressed immediately.

“Heat exhaustion symptoms include heavy sweating, cool clammy skin, fast weak pulse, nausea or vomiting, feeling dizzy with headache and maybe fainting,” says Andy Pruitt, founder of Boulder Center for Sports and a medical consultant for Specialized Bicycle Components.

To treat heat exhaustion, Pruitt recommends moving into the shade as soon as possible, loosening clothing, wetting the body for evaporation, and sipping on water or eating ice chips. “Get medical help if your symptoms begin to change toward heat stroke,” he says.

On the other hand, “heat stroke symptoms include fever, hot red skin, fast pounding pulse, severe headache, nausea or vomiting, mental disorientation, or loss of consciousness,” says Pruitt. If you or a fellow rider are experiencing any of these symptoms, he says the treatment is simple: Call 911. “Move the person to the shade, douse the body with water or an ice bath, do not give food or water, this is a medical emergency.”

As mentioned, the lines are slightly blurred between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, so if you’re uncertain which one you’re experiencing, it’s always safer to err on the side of caution and contact a medical professional immediately.

Heat Stroke Prevention

Diagnosing your heat-related condition can prove to be difficult, but there are some surefire ways you can prevent an issue from happening.

1. Use Your Data

Utilizing your heart rate monitor and power meter can help quantify some of the effects of riding in the heat. Generally, riders with these two devices know what metrics to expect on an average ride, so if something looks off, it probably is.  “On hot and humid days when heart rate values are high relative to power output, it can be a sign the body is heating up and mechanical efficiency is declining,” explains Todd Carver, Head of Human Performance at Specialized Bicycle Components. “Part of this heart rate increase is an autonomic cardiovascular strategy to send more blood to the skin for cooling, and part of it is an increase in HR to maintain cardiac output while the heart’s stroke volume is declining due to dehydration.”

Make sure to stay on top of your hydration plan. Pruitt says you can consume twice as much of a cool, diluted sports drink as you normally would. Replacing the electrolytes you lose through sweat is extra important when riding in the heat.

70 calories per serving, available in a women’s specific formulas to manage blood plasma changes during the menstrual cycle.

2. Keep Your Cool

To mitigate the effects of heat on the body, Carver recommends stopping to frequently fill your bottles with ice cold water, and squirt some water over your head and down your back throughout the ride. We saw this at the Tour of California, especially after the race when riders were resting on wet towels soaked in icy water. Some pros have even been known to stuff pantyhose with ice and stick them in their jerseys to keep their core temperatures down.

3. Avoid High Heat

When possible, try to exercise outdoors when it’s not extremely warm, suggests Pruitt. Schedule your rides during the early morning hours for a #dawnpatrol spin or late afternoon before the sun sets. This allows you take advantage of the cooler temps throughout the day without being stuck on an indoor trainer to get the miles in.

4. Adjust Your Kit

Hot days are not the days to reach for that all black kit, no matter how light or breathable the fabric. Instead, Pruitt says to opt for a light-colored, loose-fitting kit—bonus points for mesh vents in high heat areas such as the underarms or back. Choose a well-ventilated helmet and wear a wet cloth or sun cap to keep your head cool. And always, always Wear sunscreen of at least 30 to 50 SPF on exposed skin.

Michael Nystrom Freelance Writer Michael Nystrom is a two-time IRONMAN finisher and a former editor at Active Network, Muscle & Performance and Oxygen Magazine.

How to Exercise to Cut Your Age-Related Fitness Decline in Half

The benefits of breaking a sweat persist even 10 years later, new research shows.

By Danielle Zickl

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• The benefits of being aerobically fit and participating in high-intensity cardio in middle age can last for up to 10 years, according to a new study from the journal Frontiers in Physiology.
• But low-intensity exercise can also benefit your metabolic health—like blood pressure and insulin levels.

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There are tons of reasons why you might love being on your bike: to get from point A to point B, to chase that PR, or simply just to stay in shape. Regardless of your motivation, the physical benefits of cycling—among other forms of exercise—can stay with you for longer than you might expect, according to new research from the journal Frontiers in Physiology.  

Researchers followed up with participants of a different study—published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that ran from 1999 to 2003—10 years after the fact to see what their current health was like.

The 2003 study involved 384 sedentary, overweight people between the ages of 40 and 65 years old who had to either remain sedentary or start exercising regularly for eight months. Those who had to exercise were randomly split into the following three groups: low amount of moderate-intensity exercise, low amount of vigorous-intensity exercise, and high amount of vigorous-intensity exercise. Those who exercised in any capacity saw improvements in their aerobic fitness, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and waist circumference.

So, to figure out what the lasting impact on these improvements might be, researchers gathered 104 of the previous study’s participants for a new “reunion” study. First, they filled out medical history and physical activity questionnaires. Next, they had their heights, body masses, resting blood pressures, and minimal waist circumferences measured. Finally, they underwent a maximal treadmill exercise test to measure their cardio fitness.

The results? The participants from the 2003 study who either remained sedentary or who did a low amount of moderate-intensity exercise were less aerobically fit. They lost 10 percent of their aerobic capacity in the 10 years that followed—a rate that was twice as high as those who performed vigorous activity in the original study. 

People start naturally losing aerobic fitness after around age 28 or so due to a 1 percent decrease in max heart rate per year, says study coauthor William Kraus, M.D., a professor of medicine Duke University’s Division of Cardiology. This suggests that vigorous activity could stave off the age-related decline in fitness more than moderate activity, possibly because vigorous activity helps strengthen your heart, improving its ability to pump blood to—and strengthen—your lungs and other parts of your body, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

But while those who did moderate-intensity activity didn’t gain as much cardio benefit, they still experienced metabolic benefits, such as no increase in blood pressure and a decrease in fasting insulin and glucose levels. Lower fasting insulin and glucose levels means you have less of a chance at developing conditions like obesity and diabetes.

And while researchers aren’t totally sure why vigorous exercise helps maintain a good level of cardio fitness in the longterm, but low or moderate exercise helps maintain good metabolic health, they are working to understand the connection better.

Bottom line: Your hard rides can help preserve your aerobic fitness for years to come, but don’t dismiss the health benefits of lesser-intense exercise. Make time for both in your daily life—say, walk a little more each day, even if you have a workout scheduled for later that day.

“One does not have to do vigorous exercise to have some very substantial health benefits—particularly on blood pressure and glucose control (like diabetes prevention),” Kraus said.