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Our Intermediate 52 class was 9 laps last weekend at the Oatfield at the OTHG National.
Closer to 20 minutes
There is a ya but…
My closest track is DT1 in Tulare so about 1:20 south of Madera Ranchos.
That is a pretty full day commitment and cost when you toss in fuel and food.
Now the ya but
I have two real close places to ride the mountain bike so I can get there and back in about 2.5 hours.
Frees up the day and I still have a blast.
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I find doing cardio everyday become easily over-trained with sore joints, lethargic etc. I also do circuit training with free weights with no rest between sets. I do this twice per week with 3 days off between weight training sessions. I
I turn 64 yrs this summer. I do ride everyday on my home track. Usually two 15 min motos in the morning and two in the evening. I just retired so I have time to ride everyday.
I HATE racing out of shape so I take it serious. Going to a race at 63 yrs old in poor shape on a 450 sucks. never again.
I'm 59, and try to take training serious (not always successful though).
Right now I'm not in my best shape, but plan on doing what I write in this post in the coming months, and race this summer.
I believe doing intense cardio and core are the most important for MX. Strength training is great too though, and can help prevent injuries.
For cardio, I mountain bike once or twice a week for 60-90 minutes, making sure there are climbs involved, and really push, keeping my heart rate in the 140s and 150s. I'll usually take one break along the way. When you're pushing hard, I feel it's important to do on most rides. If you don't need a break somewhere along the ride, you probably could step up the intensity a bit.
When I'm on track, I also run 5 miles around a lake here in San Diego once per week, and work on bettering my time.
I feel that once a week is a good balance. As long as I stretch ahead of time, my knees are OK with running, but I don't think it's a good idea to run endless miles long term.
When running, I keep my heart rate in the high 150s for the 5 miles, and try to run at a pace that is really hard, but that I can continue for the duration.
I have a technique to get faster, that's a little different than most, but quite effective. I'll post it separately if anyone is interested.
If doing cardio with intensity, your body needs to time to recover, so doing cardio every day can be counter productive, and I believe dangerous. When pushing hard, I believe doing cardio 2-3 times a week is probably plenty. I've found that pushing hard for 2 or 3 days in a row once in a great while is good too, but listen to your body, especially as we get older, and make sure that your recovery time matches intensity.
If doing cardio every day, the intensity needs to be quite less.
My suggestion is to find a pace that is hard, but that you can continue for 30 minutes or more, and test your limits. There's a balance between too hard, and not working hard enough to improve. I try to find the hardest pace I can go without having to stop. When you find the right balance, it feels great, and the results come pretty fast. I call it my comfortable level of discomfort.
I won't go harder than that, or I feel it could be dangerous. And I don't like to go slower, because I feel like I'm not going to get the gains I'm after.
For core I use an Ab wheel. It's pretty intense, but you get use to it.
I'm not one to do 100's of reps of anything. I'd rather get right to the point, and get the work done. Intensity over time.
I've found than when I'm doing core regularly, I simply ride faster, as it allows me to keep my weight forward, and to ride with better form.
I believe weights improve performance on the track, and reduce injuries.
The stronger your body, the more it can take both the stresses from different angles unique to motocross, and the occasional falls.
For me, I like to keep the reps down usually to 8-12, use supersets, and the stripping method, and rarely do more than 16 in any exercise.
Vitamins can help recovery, and your joints sometimes a lot.
Glucosamine with Chondroitin helps a bit with your joints.
Collagen supplements are great also, just for retaining our youth.
I've proven time and time again, that muscle recovery occurs faster, and I'm sore for a shorter amount of time, if I take protein powder.
So, the thing is, workout for what you want. If you're content with your fitness and with your riding, then that's great.
If you want to get super fit and a lot stronger, then get after it! It's very satisfying, and does make a difference on the track too.
Yes, it takes a bit longer to recover from a hard workout with weights or intense cardio, but I feel that at least half of what we lose with age we don't have to lose, and is us simply being unwilling to put in the intensity that we once did.
The truth is that age is going to take things from us. That doesn't mean we have to give them up willingly.
If age wants something from me, it's going to have to take it. I'm not giving it up for free. I suggest you do the same.
At our age many of our peers (who mostly don't do sports), talk about what they coulda', woulda', shoulda' done.
I tell them to get off the couch and go do it! (Most of them don't listen though)
Pursue your dreams, whatever they are! What else are you going to do with your time?
My point is that working out with intensity is worth it, and the results will surprise you!
I hope to see you on the starting line!
So I do weights twice week and cardio 3 times per week. One has to take in consideration that riding MX during the week can take a lot out of you also lead to over-training if you combine that with cardio and weights. So in the end listen to your body! if you are always sore and tired then that usually tells you time to back off. Try and stay fresh as possible and not over taxed all the time. rest is just as important as exercise !
I’m “only” 40...but I do P90X as often as I can...run several times week, mountain bike as often as I can, and ride as often as I can.
I’m busy...and if anything my training routine lacks consistency...but I just like to keep my body moving, and keep my heart and lungs used to workIng hard for about an hour straight as often as I can.
I don’t workout necessarily to be faster on my dirt bike, though that’s a nice side affect, it’s so I don’t get fat, and I like to be able to move, and have energy...getting old sucks.
In my 20’s and early 30’s...I never had to exercise...id just ride my dirt bike and that was good enough...could eat whatever I wanted, never gained weight, always had plenty of energy. Not any more...did I mention that getting old sucks?
Is it possible to get into Mx shape in 2 weeks ? My upper body is massively pump up , my legs r now skinny & weak & zero cardio. 20 + hr days 7 days a week 2+ packs of cigs
Was in a rush in a dock just finished a 9 hr lvld. Yeah 9 hrs with no pay of course. I,m ovr this crap. I just talked to a Russian that’s been here since 99. I asked him why r the Russian,s so corrupt? Like steeling money not paying, etc. he said it’s a socialist country people fight to survive. The Russian moto is If you don’t blank- screw someone over. You don’t survive. They really r brutal. Anyway I hv a massive amount of healing to do. My upper body actually my whole body. is a pumped up mess. Having another epadural back injection on 7-15 . Whirlpool,sauna , epson salt ,ice bath& ice body parts for rehab. Am I missing anything ? It usually takes aprox 9 months of rehab to get normal. Trk is the worst beaten junk I ever drove since 1972 as a 5 yr old. That was a pu trk actually. But worse than off rd, or rail yard junk that was always the worst. Until the Eastern Europeans took the industry ovr.
I,m off the rd waiting on a few injections. I hope the shoulder nerve injection works. I get pain all the way down my arm through my fingers. I get arm pump in my rt arm on lap 2 , left arm never pumps up & I clutch a lot. A lot of stretching, 4 epson salt baths save the water & ice bath. Sauna, whirlpool , pool, speed sit-ups & working legs there getting stronger. Doing all that 7 days a week. Yesterday body started feeling stronger. I did 50 min of high intensity speed sit-ups like 4 days ago. Racer X vet series I,m doing 3 classes . I,m not getting tired on the 2nd Lap this yr. For legs I do curls on a machine lt wt but 12 reps 4-5 times. 15 lb bar bell in each hand then slow crouches. Legs getting stronger. Same bar bell 3-4 min with arms off to the side real fast using core. My arms get numb . Plan is to be able to sprint yet on lap 4 & finish strong. I hv a bad sinus infection that spread all ovr my head & has my rt ear infected, it makes it a little tougher. Antibiotics hopefully start working.
Pit Row
If you can….running. If not or also I’d be rowing and lifting . Box jumps.
I’m 49 but feel ready for the vet . Physically feel great. I can run a sub 6min mile. Lifts are on point . Body feels great.
Now my skills are another story lol
This thread started 11 yrs ago... all those plus 50 guys be plus 60 now... lol...
Im still here…turn 59 this June….still at it but everything hurts, vision and hearing is going away now too….slowing down at the tracks but still trying my hardest to keep riding …. Did a 2hr whooped out sand hare scrambles race last Sunday….Mtn. Bike today for little over an hr….….going to ride my 93 CR125 tomorrow…had a few beers after the race last Sunday…..life needs balance….Professional where are you? Need another CR125 training partner 😎
'93 CR125 was a great bike!
I had an '88. My friend had an '03. I loved the '03!
Ha , I turned 59 on 11-18 stuck in Green Bay it sucks here -30 feels like temp this morning . And 10 day forcast sucks too. Ever see this 94 cr125 vid , Ping said it’s competitive with new mod bikes. My cases R split on my mod bike , thinking about a 2mm stroker cranked 1 up 1mm down. When I finish injections I,m coming down. If you hv a spare room or a spot in the garage. That would work for me.
Plenty of room down here in Florida…wife says if I invite another riding buddy to stay , she’s leaving me…but garage may be an option…..my 93 is pretty much stock but still rips…going to be hot this weekend down here, I leaned out the needle 1 clip last nite for Orlando Mx…… trade some celebrex pills for whatever you are taking 💪
The first thing is jaw exercises and vocabulary enrichment, because shit-talking is key in 50+ and mandatory in some districts. Next is wallet-exercise. You'll need a fresh factory edition bike and a sweet enclosed trailer, because your days of happily loading a bike into a pickup after a day of riding are behind you. F&%k that s$*t. You'll also need some jangle for those post-race steakhouse trips with the crew...you're not driving through Taco Bell anymore. Lastly, you'll need to work on your low-impact endurance, because that bike and gear isn't going to wash itself when you get home. The days of getting home and tossing a dirty bike into the garage are way behind you. After that 2-3 hour drive home, you'll spend another 2-3 hours with a pressure washer, brush, compressed air and SC1, and don't forget to clean the filter. Not sleeping until your bike is showroom clean is part of the vet social contract and it requires some stamina.
Ride my road bike on a trainer for 35-45 minutes 3-4 days a week and push ups/sit ups. More because at 55 need to keep the winter lbs off as they don’t come off in summer as easy anymore
lol I’ve always said if someone made a machine that mimicked a motocross race , it wouldn’t sell because it would be to hard! But I guess the closest thing is a rowing machine
2026 training begins today? 🤷♂️
Sweet Yz….
Welp, 4 months off the bike at 41 years old made for a sketchy day. Crazy how quick it goes. I plan on getting out to a track nearly every week for the next month to get dialed back in.
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