It’s something we all wish we had more of. It’s something we know could give us the edge come race day or even just to feel better on the odd Sunday trail ride – but why is it always the last thing we struggle to tackle. Well, every month ill be sharing not only some tips and tricks when it comes to getting fitter for riding but also allowing you to understand the physiology of why, what and how we can become highly tuned athletes.

As a Strength and Conditioning Coach working with high performance athletes across a wide range of sporting codes, it wont catch you by surprise when I tell you riders are one of, if not thee fittest when it comes to full body strength and fitness conditioning. There are only a handful of sports which demand extreme heart rates, risks of heat stroke and dehydration, stress and anxiety – all of which are different codes of motorsport – the rest are just games.

The reason why riders are faced with these insane demands is not only due to the fact that ‘riding is hard’. The sensory inputs of a rider are working overtime when it comes time to throw a let over the bike. Listening to engine notes to get the perfect upshift, visually looking for the fastest berm or rut, inhaling the oxygen poor fumes of carbon monoxide coming from the surrounding bikes. Added to this, the physical component of riding a bike makes this environment extremely demanding.

With all of the above taken into consideration, it is only fair to assume that all you DRD Magazines readers out there know your working hard when your in the bike. Elevated heart rates are something that is often brought up in many forms of motorsport by broadcasters. But, when it comes to heart rates and fitness, what do the numbers mean and how can you use your own numbers to your advantage.

When we talk about heart rates we are talking about how many times the heart is beating on a per minute basis. In an extremely loose estimate of your max heart rate or MHR can be calculated with 220-your age = your max heart rate. Riders of various types will all sit over and above 85% of their MHR for any given time. We call this Anaerobic fitness. This is where the majority, if not all riders are working.

So often I get asked the question “What kind of training should I be doing to get fitter for riding?” and the answer every time is “Ride more”.  The more often you ride or race during the year the better you’ll perform; it’s a proven fact! There are however constraints in our sport which don’t always allow you to ride every day or week of the year – whether it be time of year, location, weather, budget etc. These things are all respectable reasons, however, how do we make sure we are in peak physical/mental condition when the season does come around? By becoming aware of your working heart rates whilst on the bike you will become aware of what intensity you will be required to work at whilst in the gym or training.

Also, when you aren’t in condition you will be more likely exposed to things like dehydration due to the excessive amounts of stress on the body without the prior conditioning before riding. By using supplements like Ryno Power Electrolytes, CarboFuel and Endurance will help overcoming these circumstances.

So, the long and short of it, if you can’t ride every day best you come in and see us at Formula Fit or join your local gym and let the hard work begin!