Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
I've run through the entire visualization protocol laid out in the Raw Method tapes on every start I've ever done since the mid 80's
Then when I finish my last moto it's "where's my cold beer".
On a side note, I liked to be left alone. My brother tried to get me pumped up while sitting there waiting. It did nothing but make me more nervous.
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
The danger level may not be as high as moto, but the same principles apply. Its all a process. Follow the process and you will be fine, with the biggest factor being remaining composed. Do some breathing, do your checks, then relax, go through your set up process, and, importantly, just be ready for the gate drop.
We do this for fun, regardless of what level you compete at. Especially at bigger events when it comes to finals time, I try to take a moment to take it all in. Embrace it, enjoy it, you do this sport because you love it.
If you can shake the nerves a touch and remember to enjoy it, it all comes a lot easier.
“Stay on the front of the bike”
“Keep your damn feet down: BOTH of them!”
It worked on both starts last Saturday!
I’m pretty much horrible.
Pit Row
Another bit of related advice I got was to think about nerves as your body getting ready to perform at its best. Your heart rate is elevated and your focus improved because your body is priming itself for peak performance, and these are good things! It's priming itself for what's to come, and getting ready go naturally. Obviously you're never going to get rid of nerves, so why not see them as an advantageous function rather than a detriment?
Everyone deals with nerves differently though, my dad used to get pissed when I would be yawning on the line at my bmx races, but that was just my bodies natural reaction. I still do it to this day whenever I race or I'm nervous about anything.
Usually thinking of how stupid the sport is,all the money spent, all the risk involved... But once we're in gear and the revs are up, I'm just watching for that pin to rotate going through the motions.
If I'm on the line for our Jr (C class) moto, I try to go as far outside as possible on the gate. I'll be 35 this year, those kids get stupid. Not in it to win it, so I relax, fist bump the guy next to me and I use the gate drop as a practice for getting out of the gate, battle it until I get in to 3rd gear and usually let off a bit to allow the carnage to unfold and avoid it. Then just pick my way up the field.
Vet motos we shoot the shit, joke around with each other. It's relaxed and a blast, but when the gate drops I'm going for it and doing my best to show them an 8 year old 250f can beat their brand new 450 to the first corner.
When I'm doing harescrambles, I focus on NOT getting the holeshot, coming from the moto world, it's nothing to come in to the first corner hot, banging bars, the off road guys here are not used to it and don't appreciate it much. When we get to the actual trail the fast guys are breathing down my neck, so I usually just take it easy on the start. And for the next few hours I just wish we were on a moto track, I get my butt handed to me off-road.
Post a reply to: For those of you that race, what are you thinking on the line?