Gary Semics outdated?

brimx153
Profile picture for user brimx153
Posts
3344
Joined
5/3/2012
Location
IE
brimx153 5/29/2017 5:27pm
5/29/2017 5:27pm
bd wrote:
Heads Up - Gary Semics, Donnie Hansen, Ryan Hughes, Baker etc are constantly studying the sport and athletes. As the sport eveolves, so do their classes...
Heads Up - Gary Semics, Donnie Hansen, Ryan Hughes, Baker etc are constantly studying the sport and athletes. As the sport eveolves, so do their classes. That said, has body postion, cornering, braking changed?
brimx153 wrote:
"body postion, cornering, braking changed?" Yes they all have changed since 2 stroke days Ryano teaches a way different way of riding than he did say...
"body postion, cornering, braking changed?" Yes they all have changed since 2 stroke days

Ryano teaches a way different way of riding than he did say 13 yrs ago ,
752dad wrote:
1975[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/29/198127/s1200_IMG_3146.jpg[/img]
1975

for a start every top pro sits further back in corners on a 4 stroke ,in two stroke days you sit as far as u can up front . . braking is totally different , so many top guys coast through there turns now ie dungey, or brake early and power around the whole turn ie k roc, rather than brake to the apex and get on the power then either being on the brakes or power never coasting which is what gary teaches . i think there s alot gary teaches that is still the same today like the standing up attack position ,over griping the bars ,standing on ur toes etc etc , but i do think alot has changed since 4 strokes came along too .
4
GIwasB4
Profile picture for user GIwasB4
Posts
2584
Joined
7/24/2008
Location
Beverly Hills, CA, USA
GIwasB4 5/29/2017 6:57pm
5/29/2017 6:57pm
2017 125 class
This is it
1
dadofagun
Profile picture for user dadofagun
Posts
2056
Joined
3/28/2015
Location
Satan's Hollow, OK, USA
Fantasy
639th
dadofagun 5/29/2017 7:04pm
5/29/2017 7:04pm
philG wrote:
Basics are basics..
kiwifan wrote:
Absolutely...
Basics are the foundation. Period.
1
wsc96
Profile picture for user wsc96
Posts
1019
Joined
8/26/2013
Location
AU
wsc96 5/29/2017 7:06pm
5/29/2017 7:06pm
brimx153 wrote:
for a start every top pro sits further back in corners on a 4 stroke ,in two stroke days you sit as far as u can...
for a start every top pro sits further back in corners on a 4 stroke ,in two stroke days you sit as far as u can up front . . braking is totally different , so many top guys coast through there turns now ie dungey, or brake early and power around the whole turn ie k roc, rather than brake to the apex and get on the power then either being on the brakes or power never coasting which is what gary teaches . i think there s alot gary teaches that is still the same today like the standing up attack position ,over griping the bars ,standing on ur toes etc etc , but i do think alot has changed since 4 strokes came along too .
Are they really coasting through the turns though or are they just not hammering the throttle all the way through? Gary teaches to go from braking to throttle without coasting but doesn't teach that it has to occur at the apex of the corner.
1
1

The Shop

See All »
wsc96
Profile picture for user wsc96
Posts
1019
Joined
8/26/2013
Location
AU
wsc96 5/29/2017 7:14pm
5/29/2017 7:14pm
... or that it is from braking to full throttle. Quite the opposite actually.
1
wfo4ever
Profile picture for user wfo4ever
Posts
789
Joined
8/3/2014
Location
USA
wfo4ever 5/29/2017 7:24pm
5/29/2017 7:24pm
You really should know how to ride before you race. Gary Semics can help you 'Grasshopper".
1
oldblood
Profile picture for user oldblood
Posts
1860
Joined
4/21/2016
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
oldblood 5/29/2017 8:37pm
5/29/2017 8:37pm
Ironic, I was just telling my boy today at the sand track. Accelerating or braking, never coasting. (One of Gary's points),Would love to have him take a class from Gary.
2
lostboy819 5/29/2017 10:37pm
5/29/2017 10:37pm
You know what never gets outdated ? Set up two barrels 50 feet apart and run them in a figure 8 best practice ever , braking, corning,throttle control and its fun.
5
brimx153
Profile picture for user brimx153
Posts
3344
Joined
5/3/2012
Location
IE
brimx153 5/30/2017 10:00am
5/30/2017 10:00am
wsc96 wrote:
Are they really coasting through the turns though or are they just not hammering the throttle all the way through? Gary teaches to go from braking...
Are they really coasting through the turns though or are they just not hammering the throttle all the way through? Gary teaches to go from braking to throttle without coasting but doesn't teach that it has to occur at the apex of the corner.
loads of guys teach coasting through corners , no brakes or throttle . You can t do it in every turn ,and there is deff a place to go from braking to throttle without coasting which gary teaches .
2
aroark247
Profile picture for user aroark247
Posts
556
Joined
2/25/2014
Location
USA
aroark247 5/30/2017 10:16am
5/30/2017 10:16am
bd wrote:
Heads Up - Gary Semics, Donnie Hansen, Ryan Hughes, Baker etc are constantly studying the sport and athletes. As the sport eveolves, so do their classes...
Heads Up - Gary Semics, Donnie Hansen, Ryan Hughes, Baker etc are constantly studying the sport and athletes. As the sport eveolves, so do their classes. That said, has body postion, cornering, braking changed?
Who's Baker?

Please don't tell me Aldon Baker. That guy does not know shit about technique or literally anything about riding mx. All he is, is a physical trainer.
1
7
GarySemics
Profile picture for user GarySemics
Posts
435
Joined
12/17/2012
Location
Lisbon, OH, USA
GarySemics 8/6/2021 5:10am
8/6/2021 5:10am
TbonesPop wrote:
What GS teaches in terms of content and the fundamentals will never be outdated, ever. So there is still massive amounts of value in the videos...
What GS teaches in terms of content and the fundamentals will never be outdated, ever. So there is still massive amounts of value in the videos. I do think there is an "opportunity" for GS to put together some additional more modern videos using new A/V technology to "refresh" many of the lessons as well as diving more into the nuances of the some new MX techniques - granted there isn't anything new that is earth shattering or going to make anyone go from avg Joe rider to RV or JS. A refresh would be nice, but certainly not a necessity. Again, the fundamentals taught in his videos are timeless.
Thanks for your positive message. I do have a lot of new videos but they are only available in my Video On Demand streaming and downloading subscription. Over 100. https://www.semicsmotocrossvideos.com/
29
2
Maverick313 8/6/2021 7:20am
8/6/2021 7:20am
aroark247 wrote:
Who's Baker? Please don't tell me Aldon Baker. That guy does not know shit about technique or literally anything about riding mx. All he is, is...
Who's Baker?

Please don't tell me Aldon Baker. That guy does not know shit about technique or literally anything about riding mx. All he is, is a physical trainer.
Baker watches top guys train all the time. You really think he hasn't learned a lot about technique from Carmichael, Stewart, Villopoto, Dungey, Roczen and many other riders. Just because he wasn't a racer doesn't mean he doesn't understand what it takes to go fast. Many coaches in other sports can't perform as there students do.
4
1
mxpappy711
Profile picture for user mxpappy711
Posts
264
Joined
6/11/2009
Location
Hummelstown, PA, USA
mxpappy711 8/6/2021 7:39am
8/6/2021 7:39am
Line up beside him for a race. He is still fast as hell. Plus you could just ask him, he seemed like a nice guy when I met him. He will give you an honest answer
1
MetricHotrods 8/6/2021 7:59am
8/6/2021 7:59am
kkawboy14 wrote:
Randy Yoho advice to me 30 years ago, "how much did you spend on all this stuff to race? Spend $50 on lessons, you won't regret...
Randy Yoho advice to me 30 years ago, "how much did you spend on all this stuff to race? Spend $50 on lessons, you won't regret it!" Best advice I ever got!
He was my coach growing up. Those Saturday classes with him, and Kenny. Haha. Spun my clutch lever straight up. "if you're clutching the shit out of it everywhere you're in the wrong gear!"

Semics is very relevant. I use his arm exercises with success.

1
profeshenal125 8/6/2021 8:10am
8/6/2021 8:10am
I bought a bunch of Gary,s video tapes years ago, there great. It messed me up watching them too much, at one race all I was thinking about was perfect technique in the race. I,m better off just letting go and not thinking at all. Just react quickly to what is happening. Just like a basketball ball game, a play is designed for ya to win the game. The play gets broken down and you react naturally with out thinking and win the game. Having perfect body position and 2 sided tape on your triggers- clutch and brake levers helps.
6
MetricHotrods 8/6/2021 8:18am
8/6/2021 8:18am
profeshenal125 wrote:
I bought a bunch of Gary,s video tapes years ago, there great. It messed me up watching them too much, at one race all I was...
I bought a bunch of Gary,s video tapes years ago, there great. It messed me up watching them too much, at one race all I was thinking about was perfect technique in the race. I,m better off just letting go and not thinking at all. Just react quickly to what is happening. Just like a basketball ball game, a play is designed for ya to win the game. The play gets broken down and you react naturally with out thinking and win the game. Having perfect body position and 2 sided tape on your triggers- clutch and brake levers helps.
Bro, you tape a finger to each lever?

When can we go ride together? Call Hillbilly , too.
2
1
murph783
Profile picture for user murph783
Posts
1355
Joined
3/2/2011
Location
USA
murph783 8/6/2021 8:24am
8/6/2021 8:24am
I do think the coasting thing has changed. You can go pretty damn fast, far more consistently on a 450 by backing down the aggression say 15%. I coast sometimes and just use the engine braking in the interest of not upsetting the chassis on the way into a corner any more than necessary to get set up and come out faster
crf584
Profile picture for user crf584
Posts
35
Joined
11/20/2018
Location
USA
crf584 8/6/2021 8:40am
8/6/2021 8:40am
Here's some data for you. When my son was new to riding/racing in C class we did a 3 hour private lesson with Gary all they worked on was cornering and body position. He went from a 30th place kid locally to a 15th place kid racing the same people on the same tracks. Gary is good.
14
1

Pit Row

See All »
TeamGreen
Profile picture for user TeamGreen
Posts
37597
Joined
11/25/2008
Location
Thru-out, CA, USA
TeamGreen 8/6/2021 8:56am
8/6/2021 8:56am Edited Date/Time 8/6/2021 9:08am
murph783 wrote:
I do think the coasting thing has changed. You can go pretty damn fast, far more consistently on a 450 by backing down the aggression say...
I do think the coasting thing has changed. You can go pretty damn fast, far more consistently on a 450 by backing down the aggression say 15%. I coast sometimes and just use the engine braking in the interest of not upsetting the chassis on the way into a corner any more than necessary to get set up and come out faster
Dubach preaches this when he's helping someone learn to NOT beat themselves up out on the track.

Based on the OP, I get the feeling that there are those that think the game has changed AND that some of the older/OG coaches can't keep up with it...?

Well, that's funny.
People like Johnny O, Marty Smith (Kinda still hurts to say type that...my Moto-Hero that made me want to ride), Roger D, Jeff Ward, Doug Dubach, David Bailey...etc. ....seem to know EXACTLY what's goin' on and all the How/Why/When/Where that's necessary to "help build the modern racer".

While we're here: Who's coaching/training the Lawrence Brothers?

Then there's Aldon, right? Anyone around think he's a young-dude or something? Grinning

As for Gary? Sure, his syllabus is mega-strong on fundamentals; but, I've seen the dude address stuff that even the fastest riders learn from. My favorite Semics Training Subject: Turns. Period. He tears them down to finite little issues without the rider even realizing it. I'll bet he's got more than a few videos on turns & probably even address a proper "turn track" and how to use it.
8
mooch
Profile picture for user mooch
Posts
1853
Joined
2/16/2008
Location
USA
Fantasy
59th
mooch 8/6/2021 9:24am
8/6/2021 9:24am
Someone brought up Jeannie Carmichael and that she coached RC even though she doesn't ride. Have wondered about this before...Does she actually teach riding technique or is it more being a whip cracker to make sure he put his time in at training?
profeshenal125 8/6/2021 9:39am
8/6/2021 9:39am
mooch wrote:
Someone brought up Jeannie Carmichael and that she coached RC even though she doesn't ride. Have wondered about this before...Does she actually teach riding technique or...
Someone brought up Jeannie Carmichael and that she coached RC even though she doesn't ride. Have wondered about this before...Does she actually teach riding technique or is it more being a whip cracker to make sure he put his time in at training?
I,m sure it was both in the beginning. On 85,s and 125,s more on pushing laps of different sorts. I should add Gary,s videos helped me. You drill it into yourself, go to the track and perfect it. Like 6 days a week basketball practice. You work on a certain move for hours, doing it when your tired at the end of practice it shows up if you got it down. If you can’t pull a technique perfectly when your exhausted, you don’t have it down.
1
STLSharky
Profile picture for user STLSharky
Posts
464
Joined
11/12/2016
Location
Edwardsville, IL, USA
STLSharky 8/6/2021 10:05am
8/6/2021 10:05am
rippinruts wrote:
What do you guys think? I have seen some of his lessons, and they seem pretty good. But obviously riding style and pace has developed alot...
What do you guys think? I have seen some of his lessons, and they seem pretty good. But obviously riding style and pace has developed alot every year. Is the basics still the same as they were 10 years ago? and 20 years ago?
Riding has evolved many times, yes basics are basics but people like Gary Bailey (best in my opinion) films consatntly and studies new ways of riding etc to keep up.
2
Panic_Rev
Profile picture for user Panic_Rev
Posts
686
Joined
7/13/2012
Location
Fayetteville, AR, USA
Panic_Rev 8/6/2021 10:11am
8/6/2021 10:11am
Suicidal_Tendencies wrote:
The best coach is seat time.
You can practice bad form all day long...
17
queen of spodes 8/6/2021 12:22pm
8/6/2021 12:22pm
Still have my old DVDs he made back in the 90s when everyone was still on smokers
1
ProKawi24
Profile picture for user ProKawi24
Posts
2147
Joined
2/20/2018
Location
Herald, CA, USA
ProKawi24 8/6/2021 2:28pm
8/6/2021 2:28pm
I think it was back in 99, my dad said he had taught me everything he knew and I wanted to step things up. He got me the whole VHS (yes....VHS) collection of Semics videos. While my friends were playing video games I was tearing through these tapes, practically wore them out. I can't say enough how much they helped me from cornering, braking, I especially learned a lot about seat bouncing. What was really cool too was he had a whole video on fitness and nutrition. There were special arm exercises that dramatically improved my arm pump.

If I remember correctly, I think it was Brandon Jesseman who was used a lot in those videos for examples?

And who could ever forget Poindexter LMAO.
5
LKHill
Profile picture for user LKHill
Posts
851
Joined
9/8/2020
Location
USA
LKHill 8/6/2021 6:16pm
8/6/2021 6:16pm Edited Date/Time 8/6/2021 6:18pm
brimx153 wrote:
most top riders nowaday would say that the Basics have changed since 4 strokes have come along . i think the OP is saying that GS...
most top riders nowaday would say that the Basics have changed since 4 strokes have come along . i think the OP is saying that GS still teaches how to ride a 2 stroke when alot of trainers have changed there techniques for how to ride a 4 stroke . ie Doug D , Seb T, Ryano ,DV ,Keefer ,Grant L etc etc .


I agree with the OP the techniques of riding the 4 stoke is different in corners ,
Say What?

I
tmphotoart 8/6/2021 10:05pm
8/6/2021 10:05pm
Outdated . . . Your lack of moto history respect is showing . . .

Try racing two 40min motos on a 1974 Husqvarna in leathers on a 100degree afternoon and let us know how your up-to-date riding techniques fare. Your left hand will get the death grip trying to pull the clutch lever all moto - no easy pull hydraulics, son.



Riding techniques have evolved with the increasing development of equipment and there is no one else that has more direct riding experience applied to teaching the younger generation than Gary Semics - his experience spans over 5 decades of moto eras. If you think he's outdated, you don't know jack about mx.
12
HusqFan3
Profile picture for user HusqFan3
Posts
719
Joined
4/30/2018
Location
Sammamish, WA, USA
HusqFan3 8/6/2021 10:25pm
8/6/2021 10:25pm
TbonesPop wrote:
What GS teaches in terms of content and the fundamentals will never be outdated, ever. So there is still massive amounts of value in the videos...
What GS teaches in terms of content and the fundamentals will never be outdated, ever. So there is still massive amounts of value in the videos. I do think there is an "opportunity" for GS to put together some additional more modern videos using new A/V technology to "refresh" many of the lessons as well as diving more into the nuances of the some new MX techniques - granted there isn't anything new that is earth shattering or going to make anyone go from avg Joe rider to RV or JS. A refresh would be nice, but certainly not a necessity. Again, the fundamentals taught in his videos are timeless.
Yea would be great if he didn't overlay entire segments with obnoxious rock music so you could actually hear what he's saying... No questioning the actual content though. No one provides the level of detail required to actually learn as GS.
3
mccread
Profile picture for user mccread
Posts
5934
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
mccread 8/7/2021 12:51am
8/7/2021 12:51am
Not at all. It’s still the same fundamentals. Ryan Hughes is teaching techniques Stefan Everts was using in 1990!
2

Post a reply to: Gary Semics outdated?