Lance Armstong and Michael Phelps are apparently 6% or less....but they don't have to physically handle a 150 pound piece of high-torque machinery over the toughest terrain that any motorized vehicle traverses, like trials riders routinely do.

What percent body-fat are Dougie, Bou, Raga, Fuji, etc.? Or better yet, what % would they ideally LIKE to be?

At 46 years-old, what body-fat percentage would be the very very best for me, trials-wise? Is it closer to the body-fat percentage of Iggy Pop on free heroin day, or documentary-maker Michael Moore on free Hot Fudge Sunday day? I'm tracking my body fat percentage occasionally (I'm not really looking at my WEIGHT, per se, any more, if you can believe that!) and would like to find the best goal to shoot for.

Lance Armstong and Michael Phelps are apparently 6% or less....but they don't have to physically handle a 150 pound piece of high-torque machinery over the toughest terrain that any motorized vehicle traverses, like trials riders routinely do.

What percent body-fat are Dougie, Bou, Raga, Fuji, etc.? Or better yet, what % would they ideally LIKE to be?

At 46 years-old, what body-fat percentage would be the very very best for me, trials-wise? Is it closer to the body-fat percentage of Iggy Pop on free heroin day, or documentary-maker Michael Moore on free Hot Fudge Sunday day? I'm tracking my body fat percentage occasionally (I'm not really looking at my WEIGHT, per se, any more, if you can believe that!) and would like to find the best goal to shoot for.

I used to be as slim as Perce but I have let myself go recently.

Maybe I'm not the ideal bmi.

Bit serious this, at 47 I'm still glad to be breathing!!!

As long as you can ride the rest is immaterial.

Obviously fine dining and good wines has done nothing to harm my performance (if only).

I admire your resolve.

i suspect if you had the physique of Armstrong but rarely rode your trials bike you'd be poor but if your had that of cyril smith but rode for 8 hours a day you'd be great

time on the bike is first and foremost the thing you should achieve after that a physique that you feel personnaly comfortable with for your lifestyle is desirable

as a former cyclist i starved myself to be thin and rode my bike 4 hours 6 days a week my heart rate was 42 bpm and i was half decent.. that came at a cost within 5 years i'd blowen a knee and buggered my heart

so ride your bike enjoy you'll improve and keep and eat healthy.. all things in moderation

funtrials?? what bodyfat % should i be? the two don't stack up...

as long as you're not too fat you cant grip enough to hold you on and the bike isnt squashed flat i dont think it matters. Seriously though, if you are bothered about fitness for trialling think about muscle endurance, core stability/strength, flexibility and general aerobic fitness. Easily acheived with balanced diet some basic gym work and something such as mountain biking or running a few miles a week. i would be very surpirsed if even the very top lads new their %bodyfat, but they will all have a balanced diet and a fitness programme based on the aforementioned factors. like bmi, %bodyfat is a very poor fitness indicator - i stand by this as a rugby player. i have to......

ps.i hope theres a burger van there on sunday.......

This was a thread that was always asking for trouble!

Balanced diet

Burger in each hand ??

Balanced diet with variety

Burger in one hand - can of stella in the other ????

Never seen a Rabbit on a trials bike so stay away from too many salads.

On a slightly serious note I find if I get much over 13 1/2 stone I feel restrticted on the bike. Keep to below 13 and feel much better - I'm 5.10 and 44yrs old

Bike fit is better than anything

Trials is a good way of maintaining / losing weight.

My missus has some of them superfandango scales and I have noted that I can lose 3% bodyfat in one hard practice session / trial. Now if only I could stay off the pies / beer in between sessions.......

Being fit and having a 6-9% bodyfat always helps. But, I learned a long time ago never to judge a motorcycle competitor by their shape, weight, height or width.

Never seen a Rabbit on a trials bike so stay away from too many salads.

I like the logic!

I've never seen a cheetah on a trials bike so I'm religiously avoiding eating gazelles, too. :-)

Trials is a good way of maintaining / losing weight.

My missus has some of them superfandango scales and I have noted that I can lose 3% bodyfat in one hard practice session / trial. Now if only I could stay off the pies / beer in between sessions.......

Impressive.

I too lose a ton of weight after a long ride! Riding is the key, like you folks have been saying. I wonder how much of that is water weight loss, however, and not fat loss. If I eat the exact amount of food (and do my usual activity level) the next day I gain more weight that day than I do on non-rode-the-day-before days, so I think I need to take billy's advice and drink more water during a trials/practice.

But, I learned a long time ago never to judge a motorcycle competitor by their shape, weight, height or width.

Balderdash! None of my local competitors who are overweight can beat me in a trials and...wait...uh...hmmmm.....oh nevermind...(now where's that "delete post" key?)....

Edited September 25, 200916 yr by Funtrials

Being fit and having a 6-9% bodyfat always helps. But, I learned a long time ago never to judge a motorcycle competitor by their shape, weight, height or width.

Raga looks about maybe 7-8% body fat (not to be confused with BMI, by the way) in a video I've seen of him at Jordie's swimming pool. Should I shoot for that, or should I shoot for MORE than that because at around 24 years old he's half my age? I've heard a person around 46 years old needs to ideally add some % to their "youthful ideal body-weight" figure as they age.

For my 71+- year old dad should it be even more body fat than for me? I'll let him know after I get responses....he's now training 5 days per week (cue Rocky XVIII theme-song.)

Also, if down the road I ever want to GAIN body fat how exactly do you folks actually recommend that I go about doing that and...oh...wait....nevermind....(an image of 2 golden-arches just flashed across my mind)....nevermind.

Also, why not just shoot for basically eliminating body fat altogether like singer Iggy Pop on free heroin day? Health reasons, I believe?

Yes, riding and endurance/strength training and diet are all at least as important as body fat, arguably. I appreciate the feedback you guys give me and all of us on this great forum!

Funtrials Posted Today, 01:09 PM

QUOTE (jimmyl @ Sep 25 2009, 05:08 AM) *

Never seen a Rabbit on a trials bike so stay away from too many salads.

I like the logic!

I've never seen a cheetah on a trials bike so I'm religiously avoiding eating gazelles, too. :-)

OH but those Gazelles are sooo damn tasty......especially with a little garlic, sea salt, and lemon pepper.

Impressive.

I too lose a ton of weight after a long ride! Riding is the key, like you folks have been saying. I wonder how much of that is water weight loss, however, and not fat loss. If I eat the exact amount of food (and do my usual activity level) the next day I gain more weight that day than I do on non-rode-the-day-before days, so I think I need to take billy's advice and drink more water during a trials/practice.

Not got time to reply about body-fat levels as I'm off out so I'll try and explain it for you tomorrow. On top of the water I recommended in the other post I always weigh my athletes before a competition and if their weight changes by the end I have them drink the same amount that they've lost. For reference during last years Scott and this years Scottish and a marathon I did a few years back my weight stayed stable. If it was that easy (i.e go and run for hours and loose weight) the nation wouldn't have a problem. Most of what I see clinically in most people is either water loss or them being in a high stressed catabolic state.