Fitness for Vet Riders!

SPRINT HARDER, RECOVER FASTER & FINISH STRONGER 

BY CAMERON PURCZYNSKI

It’s no secret that solid aerobic conditioning is absolutely foundational for every motocross racer, regardless of age or skill. And even in this renaissance era of smart-watches, heart-rate monitors and AI-powered training apps, there remains a critical gap in the understanding of not only how to build a solid aerobic base but also the value it adds to your performance. This is especially true when it comes to the specifics of zone 2 training or base training.

While most are familiar with base training, many question the value of training at such a low intensity when motocross is such an intense sport. Here are three reasons I would invite you to reconsider.

(1) Understand that aerobic activity occurs at an intensity where the metabolic pathway being used is most sustainable. This is because it produces minimal cellular waste, and the body is able to refuel and replenish as you are exercising. It should be obvious that those who are the most aerobically conditioned will be able to last the longest and finish the strongest in a moto.

(2) You cannot sprint indefinitely. Physiologically, the human body can produce repetitive movements at max force outputs for durations no longer than seven to nine seconds, and even near maximal outputs are limited to between one and three minutes. This means that contrary to popular belief, you cannot really sprint for even a relatively short 10-minute moto. You may be at max effort, but max output is an entirely different thing. However, your ability to recover between sprints while still exercising and to go again is heavily determined by your level of aerobic conditioning. In short, racers who are well conditioned aerobically will not only be able to have more "at bats" to sprint in a moto, but will also require less time between sprints to recover. This is crucial when that little extra intensity is needed to make a difficult pass, or make up time after a bad start or costly crash.

(3) When you are well conditioned aerobically, not only are you able to go longer and recover faster between bouts of max effort riding, you are also able to ride at higher intensities while still keeping your heart rate relatively low. Think about the time we spend in zone 2 heart rate, for example. I personally may only be working at a heart rate of 110–128 BPM (my current numbers), but over time, as my conditioning improves, I can achieve greater outputs, which equals more distance per unit of time (speed) while staying in that very sustainable zone. Any one of those reasons should be enough motivation to get your base training in, but many racers still have a difficult time getting it done. I believe that there are a lot of contributing factors to poor adherence, but, chiefly, I think it has to do with two false assumptions.

One: A belief that productive exercise needs to be hard, and the first time a racer spends an hour pedaling or rowing in zone 2, he feels like he is barely exercising.

Two: Because at the outset it feels relatively easy, athletes assume that they already have great aerobic conditioning and that their time would be better served with more intervals or strength training. The misunderstanding here is that this is the one realm of training that actually becomes perceptively more difficult to do the more conditioned you become. To the untrained athlete, it doesn’t take much work to put them in zone 2. For the well-conditioned racer, it takes significantly more force output to remain in that same heart-rate zone. That means more work for the muscles, more sweat, more energy cost and usually more suffering. You’ll know you are making solid progress when your base training feels less like a walk in the park and more like pushing your bike up a mountain.

Note: Properly assessing your true heart-rate training zones is essential for the best results, and heart-rate calculators have a large margin for error. E-mail cameron@gainslinger.com, and I’ll send detailed instructions to properly obtain your accurate training zones.

Cameron Purczynski is a human performance specialist devoted to helping racers achieve breakthrough performance by combining evidence-based training and sports nutrition with his experience as a professional off-road racer. To learn more or access no-cost training materials, visit gainslinger.com/race-ready.