Can you get faster in your 30s?

I've seen this before.

Yes.

Ask Justin Brayton

you can get better at anything if you really want to. 32 is still in the prime of your physical health imo. nothing holding you back. 

I'm the fastest I've ever been and I'm in my early 50s, still in great physical shape.  I didn't have the luxury of being able to ride MX in my youth and early years, only rode trails and single track in my teens.  Didn't start riding MX tracks until I was 40.  I've gotten progressively better since.  I'll never be anything beyond C class, and I don't care.  It's just a ton fun in my mind.  You don't stop riding when you get old.  You get old when you stop riding.  Can you get faster as you age?  Sure.  Just put in the work and practice.

Yes. You can improve your technique and ride smarter lines. 

I think the issues guys have acquiring skill have more to do with lacking the time or willingness to prioritize whatever skill among their other responsibilities and less to do with any arbitrary age

Enjoy it while you can because after about age 38 you slowly start dying lol

I’m 35, also took many years off or only rode a few times a year most of my 20s and I’ve recently picked up a fair amount of speed. Racing tomorrow for the first time since 2006. 

Absolutely, I’m way faster at 38 than I was at 28. I think it really depends on what your program growing up was, if you raced a ton from 65’s-big bikes around your mid 20’s it might be harder for ya. I started riding at 4 but my dad never once took me to a track and I had an xr100 until I was 16 and got a cr125. My first was I was 22. Started finding my speed around 24 and kept improving until 38. Lol well se what next year brings….

I continue to get faster, and my technique continues to improve at 61.  My friends are too.

I believe my fastest days are ahead of me.  So, Yes!

I just turned 35. I had a breakthrough a few months ago where I overcame some longstanding hangups and found a new level in my riding. I’ve improved quite a bit over the last few years. 

Sounds like it's time to turn pro. Good luck. 

Yes. I gained speed and consistency well into my 40s, then about 10 years ago I consciously decided to back it down just a bit so I could keep riding without as many crashes. At 58 I’m still sorta fast, but I kinda don’t care, I’m still having fun and staying mostly healthy. 

Neuroplasticity. Despite old beliefs, the brain keeps learning and adapting your entire life. As long as you put the time and effort in, progression will come whatever your focused on whether you’re playing piano or racing mx.

the body’s inability to recover and heal after years of abuse is another whole matter tho  

1. Trade that 450 for a 250.

2. Invest into your suspension setup. Don’t ride stock shit. Eventually, you speed will surpass a stock setup. 

3. Be consistent w/ riding, diet, hydration and workouts. Your moto muscle memory is already in place, just tune up the mind and body. 

yes 

I think the biggest challenge to overcome is if you care about getting hurt.. when I was in my 20’s I didn’t care the slightest if I ate shit and got hurt, for me it was all part of it.. now as I’m older, I understand the risks, yet would very much prefer to be off the ground haha

I was a pretty good intermediate when I was in my early 20's, "local fast" as I like to call it. But I didn't train ...at all. I just practiced once a week and raced on Sundays. I mostly quit from 25-30 years old and gained about 30 lbs. 

When I was 30 I started bicycling, dropped the 30 lbs. I had gained and was in the best shape of my life. Bought my first new bike in 10 years after I turned 31 and was faster then I was when I was in my early 20's basically because I was so fit. I was pretty fast for the next few years doing an occasional fall race when i could afford it if I got hurt but at about 34 years old i could tell my reflexes weren't what they were. I didn't get any faster after that and I became more timid over jumps.

In my late 30's I took up jogging and I can honestly say that jogging gave my legs better stamina over bicycling. I could ride sand whoops out in the desert for miles and feel fit.  

I love stuff like this!!!!! You are so on point. 

Just a slight bit of caution from someone who has had recent knee and hip surgeries in the past few years.  I felt great in my 30s running too.  Fast forward 2 decades later and I'm the recipient of a new hip and repaired knee.  I'm still physically very strong and overall in very good shape.  But looking back now I wish I had traded the running for biking.  I also gave up heavy weight training around 40 and went to lighter weights and much higher reps.  My joints are thanking me for that now.  Former riding buddy for years always lifted heavy weights and now his back and shoulders are so bad, he can't even get on a bike.  

For the purpose of riding longevity; cycling, MTB, swimming, light weight training (high reps), rowing, etc. are ideal for training for MX IMHO.

Of course you can be faster but (as with anything) it depends what your starting point was. You could be technically more attractive in your 30s and even 40s if you spent your 20s massively overweight  and drinking too much etc.

Assuming your were doing everything more and less right in your 20s before the hiatus then you're unlikely to be faster in your 30s. I don't know if it's so much physical thing as it is mental but things, and the risks we're willing to take, generally change as we get older... Personally I wouldn't worry about "potential". Whether you're a C class rider of an A class rider or even a pro really makes no odds to anyone. Just have fun. 

Yes, in my teens and 20's I was a skinny kid, in my 30's I gained a bit of weight and became more muscly and got a lot faster, still riding better now in my 60's than I did as a teen.

Not everyone "Peaks in high school". I feel like I rode my best when I was about 32. Could be other factors like maturity and the fact I lived in Florida during the Stewart/Carmicheal era and moto was great then.

I would say at 38 I’m a better rider than I was when I was younger, but not necessarily faster.  As others have said, with age comes risk management whether you like it or not.  And unless you’re single with no kids, no bills and a job that pays massive amount of sick pay if you get injured riding then we are generally less willing to take the bigger risks that come with getting up another level of speed. 

absolutely man!  stick with in and just keep it fun, but do a lot of it!  you can good at anything in your 30s still!

I would be surprised if someone was already really fast and then took it to another level in their 30’s. I think a lot of this getting better is when people go from being slow to medium-slow. Never say never though. Your family is the real priority. Don’t be like the guy who was going to divorce his wife to ride more (real thread, look it up lol). 

I was way faster in my 30s and even on now into my 40s then I ever was when I was in my 20s.  I never quit riding though.  You just learn so much over the years.  As a fellow TMXer stop by and say hi we can moto together sometime.  

I do agree with the guys talking about injuries though.  It hurts a crap load more I'm coming off a big one where I just took 6 months off.  We don't bounce back up so quick anymore.