training for motocross

[reichard117]

i just bought a left over cannondale caad8 and its pretty much for training for motocross. i dont know how many or if anyone on here rides dirt bikes like myself but im new to cycling and i need a good work out. im in decent muscular shape, but i have no cardio whatsoever, therefor i am trying to see what people reccomend for a cardio and small muscular gain
if i could i would like to get some core workout with riding cause crunches are workouts in the gym are my least favorite

anyone's input or direction to where i can find some of these training programs would be a big help
thanks, jesse

 

[vspa]

i know (not personally) a rally raid moto rider who regularly climbs a cat. 1 climb, we are talking about 30 km uphill, say once a week in certain periods during the year. That is a bit extreme i think for you, if you are new to cycling. I think 2 to 4 hours flat rides (between 70% and 80% maximum heart rate) would be ok both as an start and as a constant training program, to get you aerobic capable in sports. You picked a good bike, caad 8 cannot be described as a left over bike !

 

[reichard117]

Thanks, guess nobody on here knows much about racing dirt bikes

 

[swampy1970]

You get no core workout on a bicycle but bikes are great for providing non-weight bearing aerobic exercise, which you'll probably appreciate after being pummelled on a dirt bike.

Start off by getting your saddle and bars in the right position for you and then just go ride the darned thing for a couple of weeks or so. Find somewhere you consider fun and interesting and up the pace. As cycling really isn't a strength limited sport you're not going to gain huge amounts of muscle, sure you'll gain some, but not much, leg muscle but it's probably not going to help you that much on the 'cross bike.

If your races (I'm presuming you race the motocross bike) are pretty short and intense then I'd include some shorter intervals on the bicycle, 1 and 2 minute efforts really hard uphill riding lots out of the saddle and through in some well paced 5 minute efforts too - but get a couple of month or two of hard, but steady paced aerobic work in first to get some fitness and to ensure the bike fit is all good. The last thing you'll want to do is to mess your knees up on a bicycle and then having to ride the cross bike at speed.

 

[reichard117]

sweet thanks i just got my first semi distance ride today, 9 mile in 40 minutes
may be slow to most of you guys but it is constant up hills with some down hill runs
im loving road bikes more and more

 

[teamhonda15]

what up man. I'm a fast B rider, could probably go A if I rode a little more but anyway just riding the bicycle is going to help with cardio a lot. If you do intervals to increase leg strength or hills, it will help when standing on the pegs. But in general just ride the bicycle when you can, and get your legs burning; strength will come. Say your going around a flat right hand turn, stand up putting all your weight on your left peg and try to be smooth on the throttle around the corner. The bicycle will help with stuff like that. But not being lazy on the mx bike is the most important thing to being fast. Cardio is super important with 20 minute plus 2 motos or whatever you run so ride the bicycle as much as possible. Don't gauge your bicycle workouts by miles; do it by hours. 1,2,3 hours, whatever you can with heart rate at 70 to 80 percent of your maximum like stated previously. Doing your cardio on the bicycle and riding your dirtbike = winning combo.

 

[Gregrems]

Howdy, I'm a cyclist turned semi-moto. I would recomend just doing a bunch of climbs on your bike. It's a way different perspective hitting the pedals vs. hitting the grip.

 

[moto 1]

I'm vet intermediate moto crosser. Took up mtn biking 20 years ago to help with my cardio also. Became so addicted to biking I ride 3-4 days a week and moto 1. day. Still best thing ever for the motocrosser. I do not get tired on my dirt bike.Can run full 20 minutes flat out.
Good luck.