self evaluation of track day progress....

[obed]

I have made some progress, but in truth not a great deal during my two track days...but I think I have figured out what is slowing my progress...
I have no interest in racing but I do want to learn to be able to ride my sport bike to the best of my ability...
I think my two biggest problems are my 47 years of riding, and my being out of shape...
I am 61 years old and sit at a desk all day, I get very little exercise and I tire easily...
I saw some accidental video of my riding, other guys posting video of their rides and they followed me a little before going around me...
it opened my eyes a bit...
it seems I am doing better in the morning, the first few sessions...
my style and body position is not great, but it is better than before coming to the track days...
but I noticed that as the day wore on and I got tired, I seemed to lose focus and would revert back to the bad habits picked up in 47 years of cruiser highway riding....
so I think I need to work on getting into better shape and maybe not tire out so soon, the longer I can keep focus the more apt I am to be able to improve...
I think maybe I need to work on doing some squats to improve my leg strenth and some sit ups for my stomach... and just overall indurance...
any exercise recommendations from y'all?

[kibitzer]

Lots of people like bicycle riding. Low impact and stamina building.


My personal preference is hitting the stairs. About 30 flights a day up and down in the office building I work at. It hits just about every muscle you rely on and it's done wonders for my stamina on the track.

[triumphant675r]

You could also to a halfday. I did a half day at msr on Saturday, and it was just right. I didn't want to keep pushing through a whole day because I knew even if I felt fine riding all day, each session I'll get a little faster, but a little more tired, till I'm pushing too hard, and too fatigued, that's when mistakes are made. Did you have plenty of Gatorade to go with your water? I find having snack helps, pb&j, potato chips.

My legs seem to go first, I'll get that shaking in the calf area, so I make it a point to really stretch my legs in the morning and after every session.

[ciao_strada]

I think you got the idea...

Riding the whole day at the track is very physically demanding. Ive been an office potatoe and really felt it my last two td's. Exercising semi-hard the day before only seemed to backfire and make me tire quicker lol

In addition to your plan of stamina and ab building, I would add lower back building. Leg, back, and side abs are the major muscle groups used IMO

[Peregrine]

Pre Edit- Wow, this turned out to be really long. :eek3:

I talked to my best friend, who is a really good personal trainer, about this exact same thing two weeks ago after GSS kicked my ass. My friend is into the idea of compound lifts for general fitness for practical application and this is basically what he suggested for a "beginner"/injured (I was in a car wreck) motorcycle fitness workout for first 2-3 months of training before getting more hardcore.

First, I would be careful with the squats (and deadlift), they are bad for an 18 year old if done improperly and if you have the typical degeneration of your spinal column plus lower flexibility you might be in a position where you have to do them absolutely perfect not to injure yourself. I'm 40 with back problems, I still squat but I've got someone checking my form almost ever time I move up in weight. At the very least get a personal trainer.

This workout is designed to have two alternating workouts at 3x a week with two days off (so on MWF off SS) so workout A and workout B would look like ABA week one and BAB week two etc. I put an A/B or E (every workout day) next to exercises.

Suggested for legs (setsxreps)- (you'll notice only 5 reps, this is for strength training, after six weeks I will start doing endurance training so the reps will jump to 15 for the leg stuff)

E- Squats 3x5 (because of my injury this and deadlift are low weight so my legs don't feel it much but my lower back is what is really getting the workout)
A- Deadlifts 1x5
E- Weighted lunges, 3x10
B- One legged dead lifts, 3x5

Core-
E- Regular Plank
E- Left Plank
E- Right Plank
(For all three- Your goal is to be able to do the each two times for 3 min straight)
E- Hanging leg raises
E- Decline crunches (weighted at some point)

Upper Body-
(3x5)
B- Standing overhead press
A- Bench press
B- Pendlay Rows

You'll notice that only the Bench Press ignores the core completely. All the others hit the core of your body in some way which helps develop the stabilizer muscles which are the little muscles that need to be strong for real world application (this is where isolation exercises fail).

All of the exercises except abs are to be done until your form is about to break down so the perfect session is one where your form is starting to get iffy (but not off yet) on your last rep of your last set for that exercise.

Hope something here helps, may not be perfect for you but maybe it will give you or others some ideas. All of these are available on youtube to see what they are.

DISCLAIMER- I am just repeating the stuff my friend told me, so in some way I may have something off but I'm pretty sure it's accurate, just don't ask too many questions. lol

[floyd600]

every track day I feel like I did a whole day of work out... my legs are the most part that are sore at the end of the day (I must be doing something right) as you rely on them when putting all the weigh on the pegs and not the seat.

I used to work out every day.. a little bit of running with upper, lower, back... etc.. little areas of my body every day.

After my 1st accident I stopped going back to the gym.. I'm no longer flexible and can't run, or move as much as I used to.

I am doing everything I can to try to keep my self up to shape and i'm trying to go back to the gym... working on it

I work in front of a computer all day from 7 am to 6pm monday to saturday so by the time I get home I dont wanna do anything.. I'm gettin fat and old.. :sad:

[Solracer]

every track day I feel like I did a whole day of work out... my legs are the most part that are sore at the end of the day (I must be doing something right) as you rely on them when putting all the weigh on the pegs and not the seat.

I used to work out every day.. a little bit of running with upper, lower, back... etc.. little areas of my body every day.

After my 1st accident I stopped going back to the gym.. I'm no longer flexible and can't run, or move as much as I used to.

I am doing everything I can to try to keep my self up to shape and i'm trying to go back to the gym... working on it

I work in front of a computer all day from 7 am to 6pm monday to saturday so by the time I get home I dont wanna do anything.. I'm gettin fat and old.. :sad:

Id hate to see you in you SKINNY prime... :rofl:

[BaoPee]

my daily workout equipment

[floyd600]

Id hate to see you in you SKINNY prime... :rofl:

I used to be nothing but bones... :rofl:

[floyd600]

my daily workout equipment

I think thats all of us on here...:D

[Solracer]

I used to be nothing but bones... :rofl:

I got you beat, graduated HS 5'11" @ 128lbs lol

[kibitzer]

I got you beat, graduated HS 5'11" @ 128lbs lol

Did you eat that guy?

[obed]

Floyd... fat and old... this old man calls bullshit...
remember I was pitted right by you last Saturday...
I have underwear older than you....
You do not know how good you made me feel, when I was ragged out and you looked at me and said "Pops, you going to make it?" thanks for trying to encourage me, but I was done for the day...
and I got a kick out of the little girl that was there with your friends... she kept playing "peek-a-boo" with me using the back of her chair to hide behind...her mother noticed and thought the child was bothering me.. I told her not to worry, the girl knows a grandpa when she sees one... y'all being there actually made my day a little better....in a way that is part of the attraction of track days for me... how friendly and helpful everyone is...

[floyd600]

Floyd... fat and old... this old man calls bullshit...
remember I was pitted right by you last Saturday...I have underwear older than you....
You do not know how good you made me feel, when I was ragged out and you looked at me and said "Pops, you going to make it?" thanks for trying to encourage me, but I was done for the day...
and I got a kick out of the little girl that was there with your friends... she kept playing "peek-a-boo" with me using the back of her chair to hide behind...her mother noticed and thought the child was bothering me.. I told her not to worry, the girl knows a grandpa when she sees one... y'all being there actually made my day a little better....in a way that is part of the attraction of track days for me... how friendly and helpful everyone is...

:rofl::rofl: I know.... :rofl:

[floyd600]

I got you beat, graduated HS 5'11" @ 128lbs lol

I was 130lbs my whole HS.. now I'm 155lbs :D

[Solracer]

Im now 185 :( :rofl:

[floyd600]

Im now 185 :( :rofl:

FAT ASS!!!! :rofl:

[dinosaur]

grab that extra large pizza and we will see you at GSS! don't worry mike after each track day even my hair hurts for a few days, and you've see my dew! haha

[steve899]

Obed , the lighter you are the easier it is, that's true. but it's all about focus. the more I focus the faster I go. When my focus is gone , for whatever reason, I always stop riding. The many Hi sides I almost had when I raced was due to one thing , Lost focus. Track Riding is a thinking man's Sport.

[steve899]

Dinosaur, I'll take a slice of that Pizza. got to maintain my 202lbs.

[kalanie]

My personal preference is hitting the stairs. About 30 flights a day up and down in the office building I work at. It hits just about every muscle you rely on and it's done wonders for my stamina on the track.

Its a nonsurgical booty lift too

Track days are the PERFECT excerise
I feel thinner and toned after one TD
If it isnt at the track I'll jog around my neighborhood

Obed,whatever excerise you do,strengthen your abs and thighs.

[The BeastMaster]

Obed
Did you see yourself in my video? If so let me know. Also let new know at what time and what you looked like and I'll see if your in any other sessions that I have recorded but not posted. If I can find more of you I'll put it all together and upload it to youtube so you can see more.

[blaknwite]

Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle.
Builds the muscles we use on the track

...oh ..and biscuits and gravy.:thumb:

[kibitzer]

Its a nonsurgical booty lift too...

Can you submit before and after pics for the forums interest?

[kalanie]

Can you submit before and after pics for the forums interest?haha I dont make use of the stairs like you do.
You must have buns of steel by now.

[kibitzer]

Not everyone is as happy about that when I start cracking walnuts at the company parties.

[Jredford]

I am 51 and mountain bike 3-5 days per week. I am not fast but do have the stamina to complete a track day.

Also riding a MB in the heat acclimates me for the heat in the summer.

[THE DEAN OF LEAN]

I know everyone tends to focus on body position and while its very important dont make it a deal killer. Go out ride have fun, work on one or two things at a time. Thats what trackdays are for. If you want to change your bp after 47 years make it incremental. Start with butt off and make sure u get it off every corner and over exagerate it! Thats one thing most
People dont do! But if u spend the first couple sessions with your butt way off the seat then after lunchit will be perfect! And then you will know what it feels like to have it roght ten focus on getting your upper body off the bike! Double days are
Perfecr for chamging things like bp. I know ill be at tws on oct 1-2 working on a few things and i may be the slowest guy out there on sat bit come sunday i should be able to hang

[kalanie]

Not everyone is as happy about that when I start cracking walnuts at the company parties.

They call your butt cheeks the nutt and cracker