If you're into moto and you're serious about the sport, chances are that you're serious about the topics
of injury, injury prevention, and maintaining or improving the state of your general health. This is especially true if you've
been sidelined by an injury and ended up sitting on the sidelines with the spectators full-time. And if you haven't been
injured – well, let's just say that the odds are following your every move. So let's take a moment to talk about
these issues.
There's no doubting the importance of training in the world of motocross. Generally
speaking, there's two components of the training topic. The first is riding. Like a bronc rider, you've got to put
the hours in the saddle to improve. The other side of the training coin is physical training, keeping the body strong, flexible,
and tough.
The most effective strength training program targets the sport or activity that the
athlete is training for. Football players, for instance, will indulge in a completely different regimen than you will. The
specific exercises you need are designed to promote balanced strength training in the areas that are most likely to be injured.
For moto riders, these areas are recognized as being the wrist, knees, and shoulders.
By balanced
strength training, we mean that opposing muscle groups should be strengthened and brought into balance. On the upper body,
this means the triceps balancing the biceps and rounding it out with the helping muscles – the traps, the pecs, the
deltoids, and the muscles associated with the rotator cuff. Keeping these muscles toned keeps the possibility of injury in
check.
What's the consequence of imbalance in these muscles? You leave yourself open to injury
– strains, sprains, and tears. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. If you're in the middle of a ride when
an injury occurs, you risk taking a nose dive. That's where the really devastating injuries are likely to show up. Broken
bones, getting run over, and trashing your bike. So get in the gym and get busy. Your body and bike will thank you!
