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Motorcycle Focused Gym Time


TimTheAzn

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Hey Guys, so I am a pretty avid gym goer and I've been looking for some workouts that are more focused on getting in better shape for riding. I know the basic muscle groups that I should focus on but havent found a good regime specifically targeted for motorcyclists. Has anyone had any experience with this? Any personal trainers out there? (Advice/ workout plans aren't free I know.)

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12 ounce curls... (j/k)

Right about this time of year I start hitting the weights for the upcoming season.

I do all kinds of excersizes though, try to get each group in shape.

Now that I have a S/S, I'm thinking squats, dead lift, bent over rows, all may become more of a priority.

Interested in everyone else's ideas myself too!

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I don't focus on "riding exercises" per se, but I do focus on muscular endurance rather than mass-building.  My knees kind of hurt periodically anyway, so that's part of it for me, but I tend to spend a good 10 minute stretching, and then I never do fewer than 15 reps.  25 is preferable.  Much lower weight than most other people at the gym.  To me, that simulates a race condition more than doing a 10 rep max at higher weight. 

I typically do dumbell lunges (15 per leg, working up in weight until I can't complete the set), then some ab stuff to rest my legs, then calf raises, then abduction and adduction machines, then more abs, then squats to end the workout.  I will do 45-135 lbs. "drop-sets" where I do up to 50 reps, rack the bar, peal off some weight, and then go until failure at the reduced weigh.  When I can't squat the bar anymore, I stretch more (vomit?) and go home.

On days I'm feeling less intense, I will do the quad extension machine instead of the squats, but even on that, I try to do lower weight and focus on going slow and holding my legs in the extended position.  I make 100 lbs. reps look really difficult even though I can probably do just as many reps at 200 lbs. with less deliberate form.  Again, riding is more about holding your body weight in a controlled manner, so i like to think form is more important than mass.

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39 minutes ago, dustinsn3485 said:

I've got a rowing machine that Ive started using. Kinda works everything. Like it most for the cardio.

I want a rowing machine. Used one way back in the day and loved it

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Forearm strength training, for riding, is a bad deal. The larger the muscles, the more restrictive they are to blood flow. This is the cause of arm pump. Focus on core strength, cardio, endurance, and stretching. Always do a stretch routine.

Fighting arm pump is something I struggle with. 11 years of wrenching professionally has left me with Popeye forearms. Before a race, I hydrate by drinking more than 1 gallon of water a day a few days out from the race. That week leading up to the race I do several forearm stretch routines. 1st looks like you're praying, palms together, elbows out, fingers to the ceiling. Next is hands opposite, backs of hands together, elbows out, fingers toward floor. In between these two stretches I roll the hands together to stretch the sides of the forearms. Do this for 15-20 minutes, usually while watching tv.

The best workout for riding = seat time. Riding uses muscles that no other workout can use.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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7 hours ago, blue03636 said:

Not really, you should treat the bars like boobs. Soft gentile touches. :) 

 

The corners come up a lot more often when you're on a smaller track.  Plus shitty drum brakes don't respond (at all) to soft gentle touches!

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Been doing elliptical workouts & bicycle mag trainer workouts over the winter just to offset winter eating & beer drinking. I will do the motorcycle specific exercises on the motorcycle when the weather breaks. I know my thighs will be a little sore after the 1st brisk ride or 2 but that goes away.  It's better just to be loose on the bike & let it do what it needs to do than to muscle up & try to fight the bike anyhow.

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