Alright, it's time for the yearly re-cap of what we have learned this year. After probably hundreds or thousands of hours of reading and working with a group of kids I train, I have began to really see a pattern in what makes a successful athlete/bmx racer. Take a few minutes to read and think about some of the mistakes you make and how some of these could improve your racing.
1- First thing and I think the most important is the realization that no matter how strong you are, you can never out muscle shitty movement on a bike. You may be able to squat 600 pounds but if your mechanics of your start are not right, you will get blown away by a 14 year old kid wearing skinny jeans.
I can't emphasis this enough. This time of year is the BEST time to work on these problems. If your gate isn't right watch as much video of the professionals starting techniques and compare them to yours. Really pay attention to their mechanics, and sequence of movement. Don't just practice the gate the same way you have been doing, try to get out of your comfort zone. The worst thing you can do is to keep practicing your bad gate over and over and cementing that bad movement into your brain.
2- Keep it simple stupid. In the past few years, I was finding all these cool new exercises and figuring out how to incorporate them into my training. They're probably all great exercises, but I had to be honest, I wasn't that advanced that I needed all the variety, and didn't progress at the rate I should have. The most success I've had this year was when I did a program where I dead lifted 5 times a week. You varied the load and reps from 1 rep and 10 sets to 10 reps and 1 set depending on how you felt that day and what you did the previous days. Just focusing on this one lift and perfecting technique over the course of a month dramatically improved my dead lift.
The other program (which I'm currently doing) consists of basically 2 different workouts and 4 exercises. On paper it looks very simple and too easy. Turns out, when you focus on quality movement and creating tension, 4 exercises is more than enough and not simple at all. Go back to the basics every so often and re-learn what you may have forgotten.
3- Specificity is key. Lots of people try to do Crossfit, p90x, Riding a road bike, Insanity or Sweating to the oldies and call it training for BMX racing. They all may have some good things about them but none are specific to anything we do on the track. We already beat ourselves up enough by doing a thousand gate starts a year and taking some bad crashes. Lets not beat ourselves up by doing a ton of high intensity work for 10-60 min at a time. There's a time and place for that, but really a little will go a long way. Focus on creating a workout that mimics a race, or what ever part of the track you thing is your weakness. Think you're out of shape and need cardio? You actually probably would benefit more from working on specific strength and some breathing drills than you would from road biking for 80 miles.
4- Just because you can lift a heavy weight does not mean you're strong. I'm working with a few really talented, very quick racers. and two of them are in a weight lifting class in high school. One of them just dead lifted nearly 300 pounds the very first day of deadliftng. The other kid squats nearly that much. When I work directly with them though, I'm not totally comfortable having them pull any weight off the ground. They both lack the core strength and hip mobility to properly and safely do the exercise.
Our bodies are very clever, and can overcome many weaknesses. Those kids bodies are not ready for dead lifting or squatting nearly that much weight, but that doesn't mean they can't do it. Our bodies will figure out a way to lift a load, but you may not lift that load for long until you hurt yourself. Start simple and light and develop great movement before you start lifting several hundred pounds. Maybe start with body weight than progress to a single leg or single arm version of a lift to reduce load before lifting that barbell loaded with plates.
5- No matter how much you know, if you want to improve get a coach. I recently bit the bullet and bought a kettle bell program from another coach. 95% of the program is things I either do or have done. But, the way it's programmed and the frequency of what I'm doing seems to be working and also way more fun. A good coach not only designs a program around riding a bike but can also spot weaknesses in technique and prioritizes training. Listen to your coach!
6- Set specific performance goals! Try to come up with some kind of measurement of performance and test and re-test it to see if you have improved. Buy a SRM, G-cog, speedometer, tape measure, timing lights, starting gate with timer, anything that can measure your performance. If you can't afford a power meter or timing lights, use a tape measure and find your vertical leap and a standing broad jump. Maybe test it once a month or every few months to see if you improve.
I'm sure there is much more I could add to this list. Start working on these 6 things and I can almost guarantee you will be more successful in your 2013 racing season.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Core training
So I was reading a training post on vintagebmx.com today about core training. Although I agreed with the trainers reasoning for the importance of doing core training, I didn't fully agree with a few of the exercises he suggested. A few of his suggestions were probably not optimal, and potentially dangerous. I'm feeling like I should post on vintage a response to what I think would be a better and safer way of training the core, but don't want to come off as a dick and hijack his thread. I do feel it could be a safety issue so I do feel the need to post something. So here is the trainers post that I wanted to respond to.
Ok Boys & Girls, let's talk core work...
Yea, yea, I know you already do core work. Do you really? Are you doing the right core work?
Crunches, sit ups, plank work, hot yoga, etc., although good for you, and espeically good for those who are couch athletes with hurt backs and tight muscles - it's only maintenance work and barely scratching the surface.
Example...how much can you leg press? 4 million lbs? 5 million lbs? Probably...and it shows that most seasoned bmxers have some pretty incredible leg strength. But how come you can't squat half the amount of what you can leg press? Seriously?!?! Most peoples' legs don't give out on a squat. Their core folds over, right?
Now I'm not going to argue semantics, but the leg press is doing all your core work.
If you did some HEAVY core work, what do you think will happen to your squat? You guessed it, it will sky rocket.
Now how does this help a BMXer?
- bigger squat means more horsepower
- the stronger your core, the more your limbs (i.e. legs) can push off from - imagine that
- the easier it will be to lean back (and manuaul or have better sprint posture) as opposed to riding with your core over the bars
- you will become a chick magnet and all your wildest dreams with come true
Ok, Biggy Bird...what HEAVY core work should I be doing?
- Weighted Cable Ab Pull Downs (standing prefered)
- Banded Ab Pull Downs
- Sit Ups On A decline bench with weight on your chest or held behind your head (very advanced) - no need to go all the way down
- Kettle Bell Or DB side bends
- Landmines
- How someone toss a medicine ball back and forth while doing decline sit ups
- Banded side twists
- Front squat holds
- 1 arm deadlifts
- good mornings
- weighted planks (have someone put weight on you)
...is that enough for you?
If you can do more than 6 reps, it isn't HEAVY. How often: 1 to 3 times per week.
I highly suggest you start with lighter weights, look this stuff up on the Unversity of YouTube. If one of these hurts your back or private parts, you have 10 more to choose from
I totally agree that most bmxers need to develop the core. I started working with a group of top level experts this summer. I was blown away on how 2 of the kids had such a weak core they couldn't do a proper push up. The other racer was having pretty severe back pains and needed to see a physical therapist. Then a few days ago I saw a picture on Facebook of another top 17-18expert that was going in for back surgery. This is crazy, It's not just an old guy problem.
I think first we need to establish what is considered the core. When most people think of core they think abs. But really core stiffness comes not only from abs but also hips, shoulders, lats, chest, back and even the way you breathe, and how they work together. I define core as everything from the junk all the way to the neck.
Next we need to think about how we actually move on a bike and adjust our training to suit these movements. When we do gates, manual or sprint, it is optimal to maintain good, strong posture. For example think about Kyle Bennett and the way he rode a bike. When you look at pictures of him you will notice he had extremely good hip mobility and was able to get extremely low over jumps. But the other thing I notice is while he's sucking up a jump or doing a gate start, his spine was almost always perfectly straight. This is indicative of having a really strong core.
The cool thing about our body is when it senses core instability it tightens up to protect us from hurting ourselves. Think about walking on ice. When you walk across ice you take tiny steps and you're stiff as a board. Your body can tell it's unstable and locks up your muscles without you ever thinking to do it. This should be an important example of how the body works and why we need to create stability. Without stability you will never get the flexibility you need to ride a bike.
There's been a significant change in the way most coaches program core work recently because of some research that has been performed on pig spines. Dr. McGill basically put a pig spine in a machine that simulated ab crunches, and found out somewhere around 10,000 crunches the disc will start to bulge and herniate. Here's a video I found that much more eloquently describes how the spine works.
If you watched the video I think you might see why I have a problem with a few of the exercise suggestions from the other trainer. Heavy crunches, twists, and poorly performed good mornings can be really tough on your back. Another thing to think about is heavy back squats and the compression on the spine, but that's another post in itself. For my training I haven't done a crunch in probably 2 years and my abs and core have never been stronger, and I've never been more flexible. Well maybe when I was a little kid. Not only am I stronger and more flexible, but I rarely get any back pain after working out or riding my bike. I really think us racers need to consider how much stress doing gates and manualing jumps puts on our backs. It's really tough to get stronger and faster when you're in pain.
Below is a video showing a good way to check core stability. The video demonstrates the test pretty well and also shows a good example of some typical core weakness. Ideally your head, shoulders, and butt should all maintain a straight line while doing the test. You can lay a broom stick on those 3 points to check your form. If you watch the video you can see that this guy has some trouble maintain good posture. To test, start with hands by forehead, and if you lose form move hands down to chin and re-test. If you still have problems move hands down in line with shoulders. If you can't do that well, you have some work to do.
Here are a list of some exercises I would suggest to work on core stability.
-Stir the pot w/ exercise ball (as shown in previous video)
-Paloff Press
-Goblet Carries
-Plank
-Push ups
-Val slide core progressions (furniture sliders can be used for this also)
-Single leg opposite arm deadlifts
-Landmines
-Landmine lunges (tebow landmine)
-Arm Bar
-Single leg Skater Squat
The last video about breathing is something that helped me quite a lot. Take a few minutes to try it out and then try to adapt it to the other core exercises and notice how it feels. I noticed that when I took a breath and filled up the diaphragm, all the exercises became easier. It's also a method I use to help recover just after a race. As you come off the track you will be sucking air in uncontrollably. Try to breath in and fill up your belly. You should notice your heart rate come back down significantly quicker. You will see that some of the exercises are the same as what the other trainer suggested, but without coaching cues they are almost always done wrong. Take the time to watch the videos and learn from some great coaches on how to train the core and get the most out of your bmx training without hurting yourself.
Ok Boys & Girls, let's talk core work...
Yea, yea, I know you already do core work. Do you really? Are you doing the right core work?
Crunches, sit ups, plank work, hot yoga, etc., although good for you, and espeically good for those who are couch athletes with hurt backs and tight muscles - it's only maintenance work and barely scratching the surface.
Example...how much can you leg press? 4 million lbs? 5 million lbs? Probably...and it shows that most seasoned bmxers have some pretty incredible leg strength. But how come you can't squat half the amount of what you can leg press? Seriously?!?! Most peoples' legs don't give out on a squat. Their core folds over, right?
Now I'm not going to argue semantics, but the leg press is doing all your core work.
If you did some HEAVY core work, what do you think will happen to your squat? You guessed it, it will sky rocket.
Now how does this help a BMXer?
- bigger squat means more horsepower
- the stronger your core, the more your limbs (i.e. legs) can push off from - imagine that
- the easier it will be to lean back (and manuaul or have better sprint posture) as opposed to riding with your core over the bars
- you will become a chick magnet and all your wildest dreams with come true
Ok, Biggy Bird...what HEAVY core work should I be doing?
- Weighted Cable Ab Pull Downs (standing prefered)
- Banded Ab Pull Downs
- Sit Ups On A decline bench with weight on your chest or held behind your head (very advanced) - no need to go all the way down
- Kettle Bell Or DB side bends
- Landmines
- How someone toss a medicine ball back and forth while doing decline sit ups
- Banded side twists
- Front squat holds
- 1 arm deadlifts
- good mornings
- weighted planks (have someone put weight on you)
...is that enough for you?
If you can do more than 6 reps, it isn't HEAVY. How often: 1 to 3 times per week.
I highly suggest you start with lighter weights, look this stuff up on the Unversity of YouTube. If one of these hurts your back or private parts, you have 10 more to choose from
I totally agree that most bmxers need to develop the core. I started working with a group of top level experts this summer. I was blown away on how 2 of the kids had such a weak core they couldn't do a proper push up. The other racer was having pretty severe back pains and needed to see a physical therapist. Then a few days ago I saw a picture on Facebook of another top 17-18expert that was going in for back surgery. This is crazy, It's not just an old guy problem.
I think first we need to establish what is considered the core. When most people think of core they think abs. But really core stiffness comes not only from abs but also hips, shoulders, lats, chest, back and even the way you breathe, and how they work together. I define core as everything from the junk all the way to the neck.
Next we need to think about how we actually move on a bike and adjust our training to suit these movements. When we do gates, manual or sprint, it is optimal to maintain good, strong posture. For example think about Kyle Bennett and the way he rode a bike. When you look at pictures of him you will notice he had extremely good hip mobility and was able to get extremely low over jumps. But the other thing I notice is while he's sucking up a jump or doing a gate start, his spine was almost always perfectly straight. This is indicative of having a really strong core.
The cool thing about our body is when it senses core instability it tightens up to protect us from hurting ourselves. Think about walking on ice. When you walk across ice you take tiny steps and you're stiff as a board. Your body can tell it's unstable and locks up your muscles without you ever thinking to do it. This should be an important example of how the body works and why we need to create stability. Without stability you will never get the flexibility you need to ride a bike.
There's been a significant change in the way most coaches program core work recently because of some research that has been performed on pig spines. Dr. McGill basically put a pig spine in a machine that simulated ab crunches, and found out somewhere around 10,000 crunches the disc will start to bulge and herniate. Here's a video I found that much more eloquently describes how the spine works.
If you watched the video I think you might see why I have a problem with a few of the exercise suggestions from the other trainer. Heavy crunches, twists, and poorly performed good mornings can be really tough on your back. Another thing to think about is heavy back squats and the compression on the spine, but that's another post in itself. For my training I haven't done a crunch in probably 2 years and my abs and core have never been stronger, and I've never been more flexible. Well maybe when I was a little kid. Not only am I stronger and more flexible, but I rarely get any back pain after working out or riding my bike. I really think us racers need to consider how much stress doing gates and manualing jumps puts on our backs. It's really tough to get stronger and faster when you're in pain.
Below is a video showing a good way to check core stability. The video demonstrates the test pretty well and also shows a good example of some typical core weakness. Ideally your head, shoulders, and butt should all maintain a straight line while doing the test. You can lay a broom stick on those 3 points to check your form. If you watch the video you can see that this guy has some trouble maintain good posture. To test, start with hands by forehead, and if you lose form move hands down to chin and re-test. If you still have problems move hands down in line with shoulders. If you can't do that well, you have some work to do.
Here are a list of some exercises I would suggest to work on core stability.
-Stir the pot w/ exercise ball (as shown in previous video)
-Paloff Press
-Goblet Carries
-Plank
-Val slide core progressions (furniture sliders can be used for this also)
\
-Breathing and bracing drills
The last video about breathing is something that helped me quite a lot. Take a few minutes to try it out and then try to adapt it to the other core exercises and notice how it feels. I noticed that when I took a breath and filled up the diaphragm, all the exercises became easier. It's also a method I use to help recover just after a race. As you come off the track you will be sucking air in uncontrollably. Try to breath in and fill up your belly. You should notice your heart rate come back down significantly quicker. You will see that some of the exercises are the same as what the other trainer suggested, but without coaching cues they are almost always done wrong. Take the time to watch the videos and learn from some great coaches on how to train the core and get the most out of your bmx training without hurting yourself.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Gym programming for athletes
The title of this article should have actually been "Why your workout sucks and is making you slow", but I decided on something a little more positive. When I go to the gym I almost always see guys doing dedicated workouts solely for either a single body part, or maybe an upper body split. Usually it's just shoulder day or arm day. One of my good friends at the track even told me he did heavy dead lifts the day before so his next workout was going to be a shoulder day. My response was, why not take it a step further and just do your right shoulder today? I was being sarcastic, but I want to give you some explanations why single body part workouts and workout splits for athletes suck.
Reason 1: Frequency
If you do an upper/lower body split 4 times a week, and you do the same lifts each time you only practice that lift 8 times a month. Usually people only do 15-30 reps of each exercise, which adds up to 120 or 240 reps a month. Now if you skip a workout or two you may be down to doing a single lift 6 or 7 times a month. I don't know if you've ever tried to learn to play guitar, memorize something for a test in school or learning to pop a wheelie, but only practicing "Stairway to Heaven" 6 times in a month will not make you as proficient as Jimmy Page.
Getting stronger isn't just about building bigger muscles, it's also about motor control learning and making your movements efficient. Teaching your muscles to contract harder and faster more often is what will make you a better and stronger rider, not breaking them down to exhaustion a few times a week. Swinging a kettlebell 3-4 times a week will help you to learn proper hip hinge and hip explosion much better than once or twice a week. Popping a wheelie twice as often will help you learn to ride wheelies much quicker...It's just good math.
Reason 2: Symmetry
Your shoulders are not designed to work independently of the rest of the body. When you push or pull something your whole body is involved to a degree. Every muscle will fire when you pull up for a jump or do a gate. You're only as strong as your weakest link. So if you isolate and dedicate your workouts to just shoulders, arms, or legs then you will not fully develop the whole chain it takes to power a movement. Not only does this lead to under performance but also could contribute to injuries.
When we tap manual a jump, we power the movement by shifting our weight by a quick pull, then powerfully extend the hips to catch backside. Then shift weight forward and pull the bike up again as we get over the next jump. As the wheels approach the landing we will extend the hips and pump the backside as aggressively as possible. This is a chain of events that the whole body performs to properly tap manual a jump. If we lack the hip range of motion we can never get into the right position to stay low over a jump. If we lack the hip, core, or shoulder stability we will also not be able to power this movement. Now think about your gate, jumping, turning, how many different movements it takes to complete a lap. This is one reason why working the whole body is so important to bmx.
Reason 3: Recovery
You may be surprised by how easy some athletes work out. From all the P90X infomercials, CrossFit and Nike commercials you would think that to be considered a good workout you need to bring yourself to the brink of exhaustion, and barely be able to walk out of the gym, a little bleeding is also a touch. The reality is, if you train this hard, your body will struggle to recover from a really hard workout. Add life stresses (work, wife/husband, kids) on top of a bunch of hard workouts and you will never be recovered enough to see your full performance. If you single out body parts and crush them with a hard workout, that body part may not be recovered for the next days sprint session or track day.
I can't imagine working out biceps and triceps for a full hour, but I see guys do it all the time. These are relatively small muscles and don't require a full hour of stimulation to get them bigger and stronger. The key to gaining performance is optimizing how much stimulus your body can handle and then recovering. This allows for super compensation and also helps you to feel fresh and energetic for your next workout. Just like studying for a test, your body gets better by giving it some information often and resting. I like the analogy of studying for a test. You can study every night for 30 min all week or you can stay up all night studying the night before. What one do you think works the best?
How to optimize your programming
Body part training and split training has it's place, but I really don't see a reason to do either for bmx, especially in season. An upper/lower body split may be good for off season when your goal is to gain strength and you're not adding to the stress by racing. But only use it as a method to develop strength that fits into your larger plan. For example the months of December and January maybe used to work solely on gaining some strength since most tracks are closed and weather is bad. But even if you split into upper body and lower body, I think doing most upper body work while standing or in a stability challenging position is optimal.
As the race season approaches, you will want to start focusing not only on gym strength but applying that strength to bike speed. Gym sessions should be quick and focus on compound lifts that require the whole body. Get in, stimulate some growth and get out, recover and repeat. Within that you may have things you would like to emphasise. Earlier in the season, focus on getting stronger and transition into more speed work. To optimally change the body, pick a goal and work on that. You can't train for power lifting and a marathon at the same time. Work on getting mobile, getting stronger, then get fast! This is where having a coach will really help you stay on track.
Most of us are not bodybuilders, power lifters or distance runners. We are not training to compete in CrossFit games. We are Bmx racers that train to do a lap quicker than the next guy. Our training needs to reflect that goal.
"The goal is to keep the goal the goal" - Dan John
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Great articles and videos you should be checking out
My first RaceFit blog post in a long time contains many articles and videos that I think everyone interested in training should see. It starts off with some videos on mindset, setting goals, and then gets more into the actual training tips. Take a look around and maybe bookmark some of the authors and coaches, and study some of their work. Hope you enjoy!
"Bmx racing Goal setting" by Greg Romero
Death by chair, how much do you sit?
Touch the wall deadlifts for biking
Biggest lies you've ever been told by Martin Rooney
"Weightlifting vs. Powerlifting which is right for you?" by Allen Hedrick
"Olympic lifts and dumbells" by Allen Hedrick
25 lessons from my 25 years in the iron game by Jason Ferruggia
25 lessons from my 25 years in the iron game part 2 by Jason Ferruggia
"Tapping into the ride changing power of your mind" by James Wilson
The art of flipping the switch by Allie Mckee
Distance running for speed athletes by Mike Boyle
Ninja Warrior bedroom
Another way to build maximal strength by Chad Waterbury
Neuro-muscular development for legs by Chad Waterbury
40 day "Easy Strength" program by Dan John
"Unleash the power of the jump squat"
Are kettlebell swings better than deadlifts?
Exercises to improve your standing pedaling
3 steps to fix your KB swing for mountain biking
TylerVision videos "How to dynamicaly warm up" by Tyler Brown
TylerVision "How to tap manual" by Tyler Brown
This video has almost nothing to do with Bmx training
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Early specialization in sports
Here's an interesting blog post by Elsbeth Vaino that looks
into how some of the best athletes in the world got to the top. Parents this
maybe something to think about before you dedicate your kid to only racing BMX.
I also think BMX is one of the greatest sports for your child to play to
prepare them for any other sports.
To have success in our sport, you need to
have all the qualities of a great athlete. You must possess great reaction
time, sprinting ability, balance, a positive mindset, and overall athleticism.
Maybe playing soccer or basketball along with BMX could help develop some
athletic qualities that may be lacking.
http://elsbethvaino.com/2012/06/does-early-specialization-help/
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Real Power
Lately I've been reading alot of fitness articles that have changed my mind about strength training and my bmx training. I realized how I may have slowed myself down by training. I may have over complicated many things that didn't matter and put off the things that do. I'm don't think that my training was bad, it just wasn't what I needed. I also think many older riders are making the same mistakes. Let me explain.
Tyler Whitfield is a freak of nature. I spend alot of time thinking about how someone like Tyler is so quick, powerful, and skilled. Genetic freak of nature? Absolutely. But that just isn't all of it. He's probably not what you think of when you think of strong. I'm sure most of the guys that are over 35 years old are much stronger than Tyler, but can't even come close to matching his second and third pedal out of the gate. So what is it?
First thing that got me thinking was a program by the strength coach Dan John. Dan was an athlete throwing discus and weight lifting, but is probably much better known now for his writing. He has an incredible gift for explaining complicated concepts to everyday people. He also has unique ways of training. Instead of making training complex he likes to simplify. Pick stuff up, push stuff overhead, and carry stuff is his motto. Simple, but the concept that really got me thinking was his "Easy Strength" program. The program consists of a few exercises, a lower body pull/push, upper body push/pull and carry something. Do the same workout 5 times a week for 8 weeks in a row and only do 10 reps max of each exercise. You do the same lifts but you will change up the weights and rep counts. On days you feel strong you may do 5 sets of 2 reps with a heavier weight and towards the end of the week when you may not feel as strong you may do 1 set of 10 reps at a light weight. The key to the plan is never lift enough weight that you can't recover for the next days workout. You train your body, mind, and CNS to successfully lift the weight.
I did this program for a total of 6 weeks, and I missed a few workouts. Some weeks I only go 3 sessions in and others I got all 5. My results really amazed me, as I went from struggling to dead lift 265# to doing 305# for 5 easy reps. This was without ever really doing what most people would call a hard workout. I was in and out of the gym in under an hour every time. The best thing I found was that I never felt worn out and could go out and do sprints, ride trails or interval training anytime I wanted.
So what does Tyler Whitfield have to do with this program??? I realized true strength and power doesn't come from just from strength. By doing Dan Johns' program, I learned how to properly dead lift by doing dead lifts. I don't think my muscles got all that much stronger while doing this program, but I do think they learned how to work together in an efficient movement. Tyler's power comes from efficiency in gate technique and riding technique, then adding power on top of all that efficient movement. Below is an example of poor gate start mechanics and really good gate start mechanics (i'll let you determine which is which). I doubt the guys doing bad gates are significantly less strong than Willoughby and Graves.
So how do we develop this? Well that is what I'm pondering now. I think the answer lies in one of Dan Johns' quotes. "If it's important to you, do it everyday". I'm working on doing more speed work now instead of gym work. Lots of sprints, gates, plyos, jump rope, skips, hops, running and anything to develop the power that many older racers seem to be missing. I'm adopting the "easy strength" workout to sprint and gate work. My goal is to do sprints and gates 5 times a week. Even if it's only 1 or 2 sprints one day, at least I'm learning the proper pedal technique and developing the power qualities that older guys lack.
One more thing that has caught my attention was a website called MovNat. Movnat is basically learning how to properly move the way you did when you first started to move. Little kids move much more fluidly then adults. There are ways of caputuring some of those movement patterns and that's what MovNat is. What's the difference between you and you 15 years ago? You were probably quicker than you are now. Why is that? Probably because you played more, worked less, rode your bike more, did less driving, and had more fun. I really liked the example of the guy trying to pull himself up on the logs. The first video he's trying so hard to get up and fails every time. In the second video he effortlessly swings his legs and gets right up. Movement efficiency and the ability to be loose and tighten up his muscles is the difference in successfully climbing and not. This is also the difference between Tyler's riding and mine, not gym strength.
Tyler Whitfield is a freak of nature. I spend alot of time thinking about how someone like Tyler is so quick, powerful, and skilled. Genetic freak of nature? Absolutely. But that just isn't all of it. He's probably not what you think of when you think of strong. I'm sure most of the guys that are over 35 years old are much stronger than Tyler, but can't even come close to matching his second and third pedal out of the gate. So what is it?
First thing that got me thinking was a program by the strength coach Dan John. Dan was an athlete throwing discus and weight lifting, but is probably much better known now for his writing. He has an incredible gift for explaining complicated concepts to everyday people. He also has unique ways of training. Instead of making training complex he likes to simplify. Pick stuff up, push stuff overhead, and carry stuff is his motto. Simple, but the concept that really got me thinking was his "Easy Strength" program. The program consists of a few exercises, a lower body pull/push, upper body push/pull and carry something. Do the same workout 5 times a week for 8 weeks in a row and only do 10 reps max of each exercise. You do the same lifts but you will change up the weights and rep counts. On days you feel strong you may do 5 sets of 2 reps with a heavier weight and towards the end of the week when you may not feel as strong you may do 1 set of 10 reps at a light weight. The key to the plan is never lift enough weight that you can't recover for the next days workout. You train your body, mind, and CNS to successfully lift the weight.
I did this program for a total of 6 weeks, and I missed a few workouts. Some weeks I only go 3 sessions in and others I got all 5. My results really amazed me, as I went from struggling to dead lift 265# to doing 305# for 5 easy reps. This was without ever really doing what most people would call a hard workout. I was in and out of the gym in under an hour every time. The best thing I found was that I never felt worn out and could go out and do sprints, ride trails or interval training anytime I wanted.
So what does Tyler Whitfield have to do with this program??? I realized true strength and power doesn't come from just from strength. By doing Dan Johns' program, I learned how to properly dead lift by doing dead lifts. I don't think my muscles got all that much stronger while doing this program, but I do think they learned how to work together in an efficient movement. Tyler's power comes from efficiency in gate technique and riding technique, then adding power on top of all that efficient movement. Below is an example of poor gate start mechanics and really good gate start mechanics (i'll let you determine which is which). I doubt the guys doing bad gates are significantly less strong than Willoughby and Graves.
So how do we develop this? Well that is what I'm pondering now. I think the answer lies in one of Dan Johns' quotes. "If it's important to you, do it everyday". I'm working on doing more speed work now instead of gym work. Lots of sprints, gates, plyos, jump rope, skips, hops, running and anything to develop the power that many older racers seem to be missing. I'm adopting the "easy strength" workout to sprint and gate work. My goal is to do sprints and gates 5 times a week. Even if it's only 1 or 2 sprints one day, at least I'm learning the proper pedal technique and developing the power qualities that older guys lack.
One more thing that has caught my attention was a website called MovNat. Movnat is basically learning how to properly move the way you did when you first started to move. Little kids move much more fluidly then adults. There are ways of caputuring some of those movement patterns and that's what MovNat is. What's the difference between you and you 15 years ago? You were probably quicker than you are now. Why is that? Probably because you played more, worked less, rode your bike more, did less driving, and had more fun. I really liked the example of the guy trying to pull himself up on the logs. The first video he's trying so hard to get up and fails every time. In the second video he effortlessly swings his legs and gets right up. Movement efficiency and the ability to be loose and tighten up his muscles is the difference in successfully climbing and not. This is also the difference between Tyler's riding and mine, not gym strength.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Jump rope like a boxer
I've never been able to jump rope very well, let alone sing any songs while doing it. I also never really saw any benefit to jumping rope. For some reason I gave it a try last week. Down in my basement where no one can see me I picked up a kids jump rope and gave it a try. After wacking myself in the ankles and back of the neck a bunch of times, I finally started to get the hang of it.
Since I've changed my view on the value of rope jumping after starting to get better at it. Instead of a silly thing that you do to work on coordination, it's a great condtioning exercise. It teaches you to stay loose and bouncy. Jumping rope for more than a minute is almost impossible when you're tight and forcing the rope around. You have to be light on your feet and keep good timing (two things I lack). I think this may transfer into bmx racing by teaching you to stay loose, breathe, fix muscle imbalance, and help overall endurance.
I use these as a transition from my warm up to my plyometric jumps and skips. They are really like a bunch of mini plyos. Give them a try and let me know what you think.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Fast>Strong
Here's a link to a great article by Coach Jason Ferruggia, about some simple ways to improve athleticism. I recently heard that on average people above 30 years of age lose 1.7% of their power (speed) for every 1% of strength. This is probably why a 135 pound 14 year old kicks your butt down the first straight. You may want to start incorporating more of these into your training program.
http://jasonferruggia.com/5-ways-to-improve-or-maintain-your-athleticism/
http://jasonferruggia.com/5-ways-to-improve-or-maintain-your-athleticism/
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
New training plan teaser
My computer took a crap today. The dang thing won't even turn on. Thank god for the iPad. I had an idea for my next blog post talking about my current training program, how it's working and why I like it.
The gym program is quite different from a normal program, and different from anything I've ever done. I've also started working with a heart rate monitor to get a baseline for my general fitness and state of recovery. I want to get more data, but the real reason for teasing the new post is I hate typing on the iPad so I'm going to try and write a post at the end of the week. I'm hoping my program might inspire a few of the people who read my blog to give the program a try and report back with the results. Have a good week, enjoy the early spring and train hard!
The gym program is quite different from a normal program, and different from anything I've ever done. I've also started working with a heart rate monitor to get a baseline for my general fitness and state of recovery. I want to get more data, but the real reason for teasing the new post is I hate typing on the iPad so I'm going to try and write a post at the end of the week. I'm hoping my program might inspire a few of the people who read my blog to give the program a try and report back with the results. Have a good week, enjoy the early spring and train hard!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Speed and Quickness Drills
Just a couple videos I found on the internets that you may want to consider adding to your programs. This would be a great drill to work on your reaction time, balance, and quickness. If you're having trouble with your random gate starts, this might be a way to help you react when that light comes on.
Below is another good article on improving foot speed. This is a very important quality to develop, to maxamize the power in your sprints. These exercises would fit in well at the gym, after your warm up and before your plyos and lifts. Also a good drill to do when your outdoor sprint sessions get rained or snowed out.
http://blog.stack.com/2011/05/11/improve-foot-speed-even-when-fatigued/
Below is another good article on improving foot speed. This is a very important quality to develop, to maxamize the power in your sprints. These exercises would fit in well at the gym, after your warm up and before your plyos and lifts. Also a good drill to do when your outdoor sprint sessions get rained or snowed out.
http://blog.stack.com/2011/05/11/improve-foot-speed-even-when-fatigued/
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Great blog post from Nate Green
I ran across Nate Green's blog at the beginning of the year. He has tons of great posts on everything from health and exercise to food. This post isn't bmx specific but If you read it with bmx in mind you will probably find some good things to help you in life and racing. Take some time to read this one, and check out some of his older posts.
http://www.thenategreenexperience.com/blog/the-hero-blueprint-11-tenets-of-an-awesomely-rich-life
http://www.thenategreenexperience.com/blog/the-hero-blueprint-11-tenets-of-an-awesomely-rich-life
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Smoothie Recipie
Thursday, February 23, 2012
"Paleo diet" review
As of today I've stuck to the "paleo diet" for one month. For those of you who have no clue what a paleo diet is, it's basically everything you eat now except breads (wheat), dairy, and beans. Nothing weird about this diet, no coffee enemas (although they don't tell you not too), no pills that cause your heart to race, just really tasty food.
I've never tried a diet before for a few reasons. First, I love to eat. No really, I love to eat! I probably eat more than 99.9% of the world population. Ask my wife or my friends if you don't believe me. If I wasn't eating I was thinking about what I was going to eat. I could get hungry for my next meal while I was eating. It would be hard for me to go more than 3 hours without food. The second reason I've never dieted before was I wasn't conscience of what the food actually did to my body. Food was food, and I just believed to be healthy, stay away from fatty foods, eat a few salads, and get 6-8 servings of whole grains.
The more I have learned about nutrition the more I see that the typical "American" diet is making us all fat. There are many virtues of good fats and cholesterol that our modern diet isn't providing. What it does provide is too many carbs and Omega 6 fatty acids that are making us fat and sick. Carbs are a fuel source for our body but so is fat, and when we have an overload of carbs our body’s wont burn fat for fuel. When we eat those 6-8 servings of whole grains that the food pyramid suggests we never let our bodies use our fat storage, and it starts causing problems; Fat-assitis and that wiggly-underarm syndrome. The "Paleo" way of eating has you getting more fats and proteins from meats, fish, avocados and nuts and less carbs from breads, and pastas.
On the "paleo diet" you try to eat as if you only had the food that a caveman would have eaten. I don't go as far as hunting and trapping wild animals in my subdivision, but I do order a southwest chicken salad instead of a Big Mac. When you say the word "diet", your mind automatically thinks hunger pains and crappy bland food. That's the best thing about this diet so far. The food is really tasty! I also go much longer between feedings, and my cravings for breads and sweets are much more controllable. I don't feel like a strung out junkie looking for a hit of snickers or a shake. When I'm done eating I feel really satisfied, not like I'm on a diet. My normal foods consist of Sweet Potatoes (for carbs), sausage, meat, avocados, coconut, almond butter & delicious bacon.
So far this diet is working really well for me. I kicked my carb addiction and eliminated most of the processed foods. I didn't take any measurements or weigh myself before starting the diet, but I can visually see I'm much leaner and more muscular. Energy levels are up and no weird stomach aches and pains. I highly recommend anyone that’s looking to drop some fat and/or improve health give this diet a try for a month. Below are some of my favorite paleo foods and a good article on why we're getting so fat.
Spicy stuffed poblano peppers
Sweet potato & apple pancakes
lettuce wrapped burger
Garlic mashed cauliflower - add a couple pieces of bacon and chives, and try this it's way better than you think.
Good article on how food effects the bodys metabolism
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Quickie with THoff
Really good interview with Tony Hoffman. Tony caught my attention last year when he began posting up videos and articles about training for bmx. I really liked what he had to say and how he was always thinking about how to get better. I asked him a few questions and this is what he had to say.
Since this is a training blog, What do you feel is the most beneficial type of training?(Thoff) I believe that all aspects of the race should be trained. It's how you cycle those demands through a season that determine how well rounded you are in competition. Power, Speed, Muscular Endurance, & Strength all need to be addressed. IMO you can't have one without the other.
What exercise do you feel developes a powerful gate start?
(Thoff) I think fundamental methods like a squat, deadlift in the gym but most importantly a strong flat ground sprint that is short in distance (4-6 revolutions) and downhill sprints to improve the speed of your legs. The gym is great but if you don't do sprints the gym is a waste of time.
What other sports/hobbies you do for either cross training or just for fun?
(Thoff) I don't really do much outside of training for my personal objectives on the BMX circuit. During the summer when I have time to recharge my endurance I will ride with the local road race group. We do 27-33mph on flat and it's pretty intense, I love it though!
What was your first race bike and what year did you start racing?
(Thoff) I had a chrome Robison SST. I started racing in 1996 and stopped in 2002. I returned and started racing pro in May of 2009
Do you have any ritiuals before getting in the gate?
(Thoff) I always pray before I load into the gate... Not to win the race or for safety but I quickly make an acknowledgment to God that I am thankful for the opportunity having been through my past struggles to compete with the top athletes in the world.
How do you get over a fear of a trying something on a track like a jump you know you have to do?
(Thoff) This is a good question... I find myself not trying to think about it much. Another thing I like to do is follow a rider who's abilities I trust to give me a speed check through the section.
Any plans after your Elite career is over? Vet, amature, Road bikes, MTB, or something else?(Thoff) My plans will be to further the Freewheel Project my non-profit organization http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fthoffonline.com%2Ffreewheel-project%2F&h=VAQGY4GHJ, possibly get into some coaching with a few athletes and definitely race road bikes on the crit circuit
Anything else, Shout outs, props?
(Thoff) There are many ways to reach peak performance, i've found a lot of people try to over complicate the process and or make it seem that you are not smart enough to do it on your own. If you train create a way to measure your progress or regression. If you can see your results objectively you can make the changes or tweaks necessary to enhance your performance. Your body is the best coach in the world. Learn what it's telling you.
I'd like to thank God first and all of my sponsors. Haro Bicycles, GU Energy, SRM power meters, Freelap Timing, Gaerne Shoes, DT Swiss and of course RaceFIT for the opportunity to share.
Since this is a training blog, What do you feel is the most beneficial type of training?(Thoff) I believe that all aspects of the race should be trained. It's how you cycle those demands through a season that determine how well rounded you are in competition. Power, Speed, Muscular Endurance, & Strength all need to be addressed. IMO you can't have one without the other.
What exercise do you feel developes a powerful gate start?
(Thoff) I think fundamental methods like a squat, deadlift in the gym but most importantly a strong flat ground sprint that is short in distance (4-6 revolutions) and downhill sprints to improve the speed of your legs. The gym is great but if you don't do sprints the gym is a waste of time.
What other sports/hobbies you do for either cross training or just for fun?
(Thoff) I don't really do much outside of training for my personal objectives on the BMX circuit. During the summer when I have time to recharge my endurance I will ride with the local road race group. We do 27-33mph on flat and it's pretty intense, I love it though!
What was your first race bike and what year did you start racing?
(Thoff) I had a chrome Robison SST. I started racing in 1996 and stopped in 2002. I returned and started racing pro in May of 2009
Do you have any ritiuals before getting in the gate?
(Thoff) I always pray before I load into the gate... Not to win the race or for safety but I quickly make an acknowledgment to God that I am thankful for the opportunity having been through my past struggles to compete with the top athletes in the world.
How do you get over a fear of a trying something on a track like a jump you know you have to do?
(Thoff) This is a good question... I find myself not trying to think about it much. Another thing I like to do is follow a rider who's abilities I trust to give me a speed check through the section.
Any plans after your Elite career is over? Vet, amature, Road bikes, MTB, or something else?(Thoff) My plans will be to further the Freewheel Project my non-profit organization http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fthoffonline.com%2Ffreewheel-project%2F&h=VAQGY4GHJ, possibly get into some coaching with a few athletes and definitely race road bikes on the crit circuit
Anything else, Shout outs, props?
(Thoff) There are many ways to reach peak performance, i've found a lot of people try to over complicate the process and or make it seem that you are not smart enough to do it on your own. If you train create a way to measure your progress or regression. If you can see your results objectively you can make the changes or tweaks necessary to enhance your performance. Your body is the best coach in the world. Learn what it's telling you.
I'd like to thank God first and all of my sponsors. Haro Bicycles, GU Energy, SRM power meters, Freelap Timing, Gaerne Shoes, DT Swiss and of course RaceFIT for the opportunity to share.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Check up from the neck up
I slacked the past couple of days with updating my blog. I'm sorry, but i'm making it up to you today. Here is a link to probably the most helpful article I've ever read. I'm serious about this. Read it and give it a try at the next race. I did some of the breathing and relaxing before my races last weekend, and had some of the most consistent gates I've ever had. Not only is it good for concentration but also very helpful for recovery by getting your breathing under control. I hope my competition isn't reading this one.
Check out the article and all of James Wilson's stuff here --> http://www.bikejames.com/strength/check-up-from-the-neck-up-tapping-into-the-ride-changing-power-of-your-mind/#comments
Check out the article and all of James Wilson's stuff here --> http://www.bikejames.com/strength/check-up-from-the-neck-up-tapping-into-the-ride-changing-power-of-your-mind/#comments
Just in case you thought you were strong
You might be able to squat 500 lbs, but can you do a handstand while balancing on a pair of dumbells?
Quickie with Sam Willoughby
Tomorrow is my birthday, and I hate the fact that i'm getting older so I don't like to celebrate. I feel like if anyone should be giving any credit for my birthday it should be my Mom. She did do all the hard work afterall. So as a thank you to Mom, here's a quick interview with her favorite bmx guy pro Sam Willoughby.
What is your favorite exercise for developing powerful gate starts?
(Sam) I guess Squats are the simplest and most effective
What are the biggest mistake you've seen or have made in training?
(Sam) Over training is a very easy thing to do in a power sport
If you could do any trick on a bike what would it be?
(Sam) A double back flip would be a good one forsure
Big thank you to Sam Willoughby for answering a few of my questions. I didn't want to bother him too much. I'm sure he's having a hard time this week after his favorite supercross racer messed himself up. Thanks again Sam and Thanks Momma for all you do!
What is your favorite exercise for developing powerful gate starts?
(Sam) I guess Squats are the simplest and most effective
What are the biggest mistake you've seen or have made in training?
(Sam) Over training is a very easy thing to do in a power sport
If you could do any trick on a bike what would it be?
(Sam) A double back flip would be a good one forsure
Big thank you to Sam Willoughby for answering a few of my questions. I didn't want to bother him too much. I'm sure he's having a hard time this week after his favorite supercross racer messed himself up. Thanks again Sam and Thanks Momma for all you do!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Tebow landmine
I named this move after J.C's favorite Q.B. This is one of my favorite explosive full body exercises. I just started using them in my program, and really love that it requires a powerful drive from the legs and shoulders and a strong core to do these. Also it really shows you your right/left strength imbalances. To do these grab the bar and get down in your best Tebow pose and drive your leg into the ground and punch the weight to the sky. Start light and work your way up. I'm using the bar and 75# and it's pretty heavy for me. For more of a core challenge, drive with opposite foot from the working arm.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Quickie with Stephen Larralde
When did you start racing?
(Stephen) Started racing when I was 10 years old 1991
Since this is a training blog, do you actually train for bmx?
(Stephen) Yeah I go to the track when I can, that is good practice, however since lake perris shut down it is tough to get out to a track since they are all like 1 hour away. I also do the gym but that is only for the gun show haha.
If so what's the fav exercise to get quicker?
(Stephen)Really nothing I do at gym makes me faster, but I do, do road rides about 2 times a week and I think that helps for my cardio.
You seem to have a mental edge on the competition even though sometimes (sundays) you may not have the physical edge. How do you mentally prepare for a race?
(Stephen)You know, I really don’t know what it is, when the mains come around my mentals head a different way it’s like something comes over me and I get to a place where I need to be. I mean most of the time on Sundays I feel like I have been hit by a semi truck!! But you know what once the main comes it seems as if that is all forgotton. I think this has a lot to do when I was young, I have never been the type that gets nervous and seem to put it together when it counts. I just know what I came here to do and let it loose at the end.
I know you like to wakeboard for some crosstraining. Who's your fav rider?
(Stephen) love wakeboarding even though I think I did it once last year ha ha. I like rusty malonaski, I think I spelled it right. He goes big! I also like byerly because he is old school ledgend!
Is there a wakeboarding trick that you want to learn but too scared to try?
(Stephen) I have a few tricks in the bag like all back flip rotations and 360’s. the trick I actually like the most and am terrified to do is a air reighly. It just scares the crap out of me. however I heard it is pretty simple.
I see you're in love with Rockstar energy drinks, what's your fav flavor?
(Stephen) Actually driking one right now!! ha ha I love the Rockstar zero carb! All time favorite.
Best moment in bmx racing?
(Stephen) Well of course the best moment was winning the world’s last year.
Is there going to be a Larralde carrying on the name in bmx in the future?
(Stephen) Haha I doubt it, I don’t want to be around bmx all my life, just kidding if they want to ride then let um ride. I hope they choose something along the lines of baseball or something traditional. Ha ha
For those of you who don't know Stephen is a really nice guy and a really good racer. It may have to do with all the excess Taurine and vitamin B in his system. Thanks again Stephen!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Quickie with Superstar MTB trainer James Wilson
James Wilson was nice enough to answer a couple questions about training for BMX. For those of you who don't know James, he's a really bright guy that has trained some of the top Mtb guys. I love all the videos he puts out, and I'm happy everytime he graces us with a new blog post. Check his site out at bikejames.comQuestion #1- What in your opinion is the single best exercise to develop the gate start?
(James)- While kettlebell swings and snatches are hard to beat, I really like banded swings for developing max power. I like swings better than the traditional Olympic lifts since they are a forward projection of energy as opposed to the upward projection of energy seen with Olympic lifts plus they are easier to learn. Since you want to project your energy forward out of the gate and not up swings are actually more specific in my opinion.
Question #2- What do you think is the most common mistake people make in training?
Question #2- What do you think is the most common mistake people make in training?
(James)- Following a program designed for another goal. General fitness programs like Crossfit and lifting sports like Olympic lifting and power lifting all have different goals than riding and while you can learn something from their approaches a lot of riders confuse general "principles" with specific "methods". Riding a bike requires a mastery of specific movement patterns and fitness laid on top of those patterns and blindly using other approaches can lead to less than optimal results.
Question #3- If you could learn one trick on your bike what would it be?
(James)- The only trick I have is keeping the wheels rubber side down and not crashing but if I could do any trick I think that a tailwhip would be pretty sweet.
Thanks again to James for taking the time out of his day. I plan to ask others in the BMX, MTB, and strength and conditioning fields similar questions and hopefully get some good answers.
Inspirational video
Coach G's videos pale in comparison to the motivation that this video gives me to push that extra mile.
Sam Reynolds and the Road to Whitestyle Vital MTB
Sam Reynolds and the Road to Whitestyle Vital MTB
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Single leg training
I've noticed most trainers have there philosophy that shapes the way they program their gym work. Some guys are into kettle bells, others love to do super heavy squats and deadlifts. Others have drank the P90X or Crossfit koolaid. I have subscribed to the idea of single leg training. Many of the top strength coaches believe and use this method in training their pro athletes.
To me, single leg training makes the most sense for bmx training and most sports. Training should be specific to what you're training for. When you pedal you drive the front foot down while your back foot un-weights on the upstroke. At no point in your pedal stroke is both legs driving down simultaneously (hopefully). We walk, run, and pedal one leg at a time; why shouldn't we train that way?
Single leg training also allows you to lower the overall load on your spine during squats, but impose the same load on the leg being trained as bi-lateral training. This can be good for people with back problems and prevention of future problems from too much spinal compression. I like the core demand and balance that lifting off of one leg gives you (two major qualities of a good athlete). Single leg work will also help minimize muscle imbalances that we have developed from doing thousands of gate starts with our dominant leg forward. Another thing I've noticed while doing single leg squats, S. L. dead lifts, and S.L. split squats is the tempo at which you perform these is much safer than the tempo than when you're on two feet. Try doing a single leg squat or dead lift quickly and you will probably fall over as you lower too quickly. You will do this a few times and quickly figure out the eccentric part of single leg work needs to be done at a slower pace, but the concentric portion of the lift can be just as explosive as bi-lateral squats.
I'm not telling anyone to give up bi-lateral training totally, but give some single leg work a try. Here is a good article on the virtues of including single leg training to your lower body training written by a very smart strength coach.
Jake
Video here --->share
To me, single leg training makes the most sense for bmx training and most sports. Training should be specific to what you're training for. When you pedal you drive the front foot down while your back foot un-weights on the upstroke. At no point in your pedal stroke is both legs driving down simultaneously (hopefully). We walk, run, and pedal one leg at a time; why shouldn't we train that way?
Single leg training also allows you to lower the overall load on your spine during squats, but impose the same load on the leg being trained as bi-lateral training. This can be good for people with back problems and prevention of future problems from too much spinal compression. I like the core demand and balance that lifting off of one leg gives you (two major qualities of a good athlete). Single leg work will also help minimize muscle imbalances that we have developed from doing thousands of gate starts with our dominant leg forward. Another thing I've noticed while doing single leg squats, S. L. dead lifts, and S.L. split squats is the tempo at which you perform these is much safer than the tempo than when you're on two feet. Try doing a single leg squat or dead lift quickly and you will probably fall over as you lower too quickly. You will do this a few times and quickly figure out the eccentric part of single leg work needs to be done at a slower pace, but the concentric portion of the lift can be just as explosive as bi-lateral squats.
I'm not telling anyone to give up bi-lateral training totally, but give some single leg work a try. Here is a good article on the virtues of including single leg training to your lower body training written by a very smart strength coach.
Jake
Video here --->share
Hey MeatHead! Instead of shredding your biceps, give this one a try next time you're at the gym
This is a good bmx specific exercise that will develop your core, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. It also challenges your balance.
New year, new blog, new goals
Reflecting back on 2011, I was a failure. I had goals last year. My goal was to be in the running for Nag 1 going into the grands. Well not even close, Ouch! In 2010 I made my BMX comeback after an almost 9 year hiatus. That year I ended up making every main and getting a bunch of 2nd place finishes at nationals and a 5th at the Grands. I earned a Nag 6 plate for the year, and was really stoked with it. 2010 wildly surpassed any expectations I had for my comeback to BMX racing.
That December I took almost a month off of racing and any real training to think about the next season and mentally and physically refresh myself. I started doing some research to learn how to improve my training, and found a few fitness/strength podcasts that I listened to religiously while working for the next few months. I started reading all the blogs of the coaches I listened to and started to really get into the concepts of functional strength training. I was fascinated by the way the body works, and how it all relates to movement, and more importantly to us how it relates to making us more powerful for our BMX racing. It completely changed my mind and my gym protocol. Back squats were replaced with rear foot elevated split squats and planks and pyloff presses took the place of ab crunches. But most importantly a sore back and tight immobile hips were replaced with flex ability, strength and pain free movements.
Although I'm fortunate now to have a good job, it is becoming less and less satisfying by the day. My new focus is to combine my two passions and help others become better, faster, and healthier racers. So my new goal this year is to take the steps to becoming a fitness coach that specializes in helping BMX learn how to train properly and efficiently. Goals don't change the world, actions do! First step was to become a certified USA Cycling coach. I'm happy to say I just received my card in the mail yesterday. Next step is studying for the NSCA personal training certification.
So although my racing in 2011 was a failure, I didn't totally fail. I figured out how to combine what makes me happy in life and turn it into a job. So now I have a huge goal that might take many years to accomplish, but I’m really excited about it.
I started the RaceFit blog to post my thoughts on training, and other articles and videos I think are interesting and pertain to training for BMX. Do you have any questions, advice for me? Please leave me a comment below; but take it easy on me I majored in Welding in high school not spelling and grammar.
Jake
That December I took almost a month off of racing and any real training to think about the next season and mentally and physically refresh myself. I started doing some research to learn how to improve my training, and found a few fitness/strength podcasts that I listened to religiously while working for the next few months. I started reading all the blogs of the coaches I listened to and started to really get into the concepts of functional strength training. I was fascinated by the way the body works, and how it all relates to movement, and more importantly to us how it relates to making us more powerful for our BMX racing. It completely changed my mind and my gym protocol. Back squats were replaced with rear foot elevated split squats and planks and pyloff presses took the place of ab crunches. But most importantly a sore back and tight immobile hips were replaced with flex ability, strength and pain free movements.
Although I'm fortunate now to have a good job, it is becoming less and less satisfying by the day. My new focus is to combine my two passions and help others become better, faster, and healthier racers. So my new goal this year is to take the steps to becoming a fitness coach that specializes in helping BMX learn how to train properly and efficiently. Goals don't change the world, actions do! First step was to become a certified USA Cycling coach. I'm happy to say I just received my card in the mail yesterday. Next step is studying for the NSCA personal training certification.
So although my racing in 2011 was a failure, I didn't totally fail. I figured out how to combine what makes me happy in life and turn it into a job. So now I have a huge goal that might take many years to accomplish, but I’m really excited about it.
I started the RaceFit blog to post my thoughts on training, and other articles and videos I think are interesting and pertain to training for BMX. Do you have any questions, advice for me? Please leave me a comment below; but take it easy on me I majored in Welding in high school not spelling and grammar.
Jake
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