funtrials

I'm after, say, about 60% endurance (I used to get winded, up until last Sunday at least...I've lost a ton of weight recently), and about 20% strength, and about 20% heart-health (heart-attacks and strokes are prevalent in my family.) Good point about too short of rest period for strength, I'm hearing more and more about that being the case.

Seriously, because of your previous posts on the subject, I've increased my every-day water consumption by about one glass of water per day (using the 0.033 number you gave in a previous post.) I've also increased my event-day water consumption from about 32 ounces per LOOP to about 38 ounces per loop. Thanks for the water advice...I think it helps a decent amount, as per last Sunday's trial. Just THINK how much power you have....you're able to cause people who you've never actually met, who live half-way around the world (USA), to have to pee more often every single day. :-)

Look, you've given me lots of advice, so I'll try to return the favor and give you a little advice from my many years of experience: try to keep your feet on the FOOT-PEGS while in the section and you won't have that problem. Also, it's LOWEST score that wins...kinda like golf. On my first event back after a long retirement I thought I was doing great as I was OUT-SCORING my competitors by a huge margin...then I realized something... :-) Always lookin' to help.

I think Ryan Young finished just a few points back of Chris Florin (a younger top 5 US Champ Class rider at the time) at a big trial just a couple years ago, if I remember correctly. Well, with a name like "Young"...

Our copy is not white at all. We are constantly quoting techniques from that video to each other. In fact I just said "Jap Zap" to my riding partner today when we were discussing techniques for going over logs...that's the lingo used in that video.

Powerbars (their more carb-type vs. their more protein-type) or bananas, the morning of the trial, which is better?

I have a trials tomorrow, so I "carbed-up" for the 2-3 days preceeding the trial. And purposely haven't ridden for the 3 days preceeding the trial (bike could break and can't order parts soon enough, my 46 year-old body needs pletny of time for full-on trials-day optimum recovery, etc....I guess) Also haven't, on purpose again, weight-lifted or done cardio for the 2.5 days preceeding the trial day. Should a person "electrolyte-up" BEFORE a trials, as well as take them during the trial? And if so, how much and for how many days?

Jools, maybe you are leaning on the bars more than is, god knows, good for you. I have 20mm spacers under my handlebars (hard to put on though.), and that might help. Also, if bars are tilted too far forward I bet that puts too much weight on them. Maybe also try putting more weight on your knees, instead of leaning against the handlebars. I think world riders don't particularly lean against the bars very much, as such. I know you said you've worked on handlebar issues, but who knows, maybe handlebars are actually the problem?

What about doing (maybe you've done this) weight-lifting for that particular muscle 3 (not 1, not 2, not 3 sometimes but not always) times per week RELIGIOUSLY? Any thoughts on that folks? I also, during a trials, drink electrolytes and a carb powder mix.

Yes, I'd love to see some of the up-coming British lads train-up and give the Spanish boys are real big-time run for their money, as in a British 1-2-3 like Dougie-Graham-Colley did at at least 1 or 2 world rounds (indoor or outdoor, I can't exactly remember.) I don't have to rest, well usually, more than maybe 30 seconds to 2 minutes (I TRY to keep it real short, however) between weight-lifting sets doing that circuit, and I lift for maybe 90 minutes (+ 30 minutes cardio) two times per week (lately), plus ride 2-3 days per week. So am I "avoiding pump" already? Not sure what that exactly means.

What? I don't understand.

Hey, you're on a motorized vehicle, no need to WALK. You don't hear Lewis Hamilton, Jeff Gordon (NASCAR), Michael Schumacher etc. complaining if they can't walk the day of an event.

You wrote: "if we want weight loss then we could cut out rest period between sets down (maybe 30 seconds only), however if your looking to increase strength then you'd need to use a different time-scale." What about doing a circuit, ie picking 3 different body-part exercises (legs, shoulders, abs, for example), and doing them in a circuit (legs for 11 reps then head right to the shoulder exercise then right into the abs exercise) and only resting between each of the exercises as long as it takes to catch your breath? Weight loss AND, since the legs exercise for example, has a long-enough rest between leg muscle-use, strength gains??

Good info, as always, Billy. Hope you recover quickly.

Michael, 50% increase in 5-6 months (60 -> 90) isn't bad, actually. I've heard that often 30-100% increases in strength are obtainable in the first 6 months+, or so. Billy, yes, I'll ignore my "1 rep maximum" mostly, and focus on my 11 rep maximum. Yes, riding is definitely #1. TUT is a good concept, I'll definitely keep that in mind. Ok, I just wrote on my PDA to do more of the following "10-12 reps with a tempo (rate at which you do 1 rep) of 3-0-3 meaning 10 reps would take a minute." But why do most people not do this, are they after SIZE of muscles instead of the ENDURANCE that we trials riders need? They seem to do a quite fast tempo, such as almost as fast as they can move the weight w/out basically "throwing" it on the up-stroke, and w/out losing control on the down-stroke? Yes, Michael, I'll look for personal improvement....and not worry what Lion Woods (or whatever his name is ) and his 1 rep max. bench press numbers.

I'm starting a weight-lifting program, and even though I'll never be a Dougie Lampkin I'm just wondering how much a typical world/national level trials (or enduro/motocross) rider can "bench press". The one where you lie on your back and push the barbell up at a right angle to your body, with both arms. Also, how much can YOU bench press? I'm a bit embarassed at my own bench press figure, so let's just say that it has plenty of room FOR IMPROVEMENT (that's, uh, a good thing, right?) Some athlete by the name of "Tiger Woods" can reportedly bench 300 lbs. Tiger is what, some sort of massive sumo wrestler or something? Probably some massive NFL lineman or "Strong-man competition" winner! One report says "Tiger's personal trainer estimated Tiger Woods' bench press (1 REP MAX) to be around the 300 pound mark." Wait....hold on a second...he's a freaking GOLFER...so I should be able to bench at LEAST, what, 300-400 pounds, right!? Ok, I'm off to the gym to try to bench 400 pounds! Top trials riders don't particularly LOOK real "strong", but are they? Maybe they just don't have large "body-builder" type muscles, so they don't APPEAR "strong", but I assume that they are quite strong, if they do regular training? Or do they focus on ENDURANCE, and forget about massive 1 rep strengh?

Out experimenting today. Sometimes a FLOATER turn (front wheel in the air, since it's so tight) is a good option to consider. The trick I keep finding (and Ryan Young's video says this for sure) is to STAB down on the INSIDE foot peg! Put all your weight on that inside peg, for just a second, in a violent motion. The difference is amazing.

Excellent feedback. Toni Bou look out! For getting enough carbs I've narrowed it down to four choices: 1. Powerbars (the thick paste kind of bar.) Something like 42 grams of carbs per US Gov't sized serving, which is about the most carbs I've ever seen on those Gov't labels. I can eat it before each loop in a trial. 2. Specialized athlete-designed carb powdered mix I buy in a health-food store, mixed in my drinking water (can drink it during, and before, the trial...very quick) 3. Pasta. I've seen Colomer eating it during a trial, and many people recommend it. 4. Bananas (or other fruit??) What are your thoughts on which of these four I should choose?

billy, thanks! (Actually, thanks to all who replied!) I've copied the important bits into my trials to-do list.

Pull up on the inside handle grip (in the direction that you want the front end to go, when doing a front-end hop.) Really helped my brother.

A GasGas dealer/mechanic told me today that 225 is the maximum (from 125.) Thinking about one for family member, in the future.

I was HOPING to "eat my way into a national championship", oh well. What's this thing called "practice" that you refer to? I'm not exactly a "whale", but more of a "walrus". Seriously, though, good advice about common sense...I think one thing I can do is simply try to increase the nutritional content of my foods, such as replace TV-dinner potatoes/corn with fresh broccoli, and potato chips with salads, etc. I am starting to lose a good amount of weight, fortunately.

Now THERE'S a plan! Yes, I like to balance an equal amount of Twinkies with an equal balanced amount of Hot Fudge Sundays.

Maybe try "reducing" your dampening (rear shock), so the back end will spring up more. Lots of dampening would seem to make rear-hopping extremely impossible, I think. Might reduce traction, though. But would help get over big logs better, as well (I think.)