My biggest hurdle to over come at the moment in my racing has to be my fitness. I'm finding due to previous injuries my fitness or lack of has been just getting worse and worse and my mobility has been steadily declining which is now impacting on my riding and recovery times after riding. I'm just a little bit competitive and can't handle the thought of being beaten at the best of times but to lose out to someone because of a lack of personal fitness and focus on my part just isn't good enough to me so I have decided to get proper serious and start training everyday again. So because of this I went out yesterday and bought myself a new cardio home gym which from what I can see will be one of the best things for me based on my current injuries and needs. Now I know allot of guys on here take there training pretty seriously so my questions are does anyone use and or recommend any pre workout powders or post training drinks, bars or otherwise? I'm also keen to see what work out/training programs/gym's/gym equiptment other people are using for there racing or general fitness.

For me, at least for now, it's riding a bicycle and walking upstairs at work (8th floor).

I know the feeling of the down hill slope....Being a trucker my belly is a lil bigger and my legs are a lil weaker...Dont help that last yr my new rig was an automatic..I hate the damn thing...Then again im not payin for it either..lol..

I believe that one of the best bang for buck for a supplement is a good creatine supplement. Combine the creatine with a good whey protein. I don't think that the timing of when those supplements are taken is that important, just do so on regular time table. As far as training equipment goes I would recommend free weights and a road bicycle and mountain hiking. These are the things I employ. It takes a lot of work to ride well, and even more work when you're trying recover from an injury, good luck with your future endeavors.

I am a coach with team beach body and recommend their Shakeology. You can purchase it through my website: www.teambeachbody.com/brendintanner I have been on this system since last November and have lost 30lbs. If you'd like to know more feel free to PM me and I can help you as much as possible.

I believe that one of the best bang for buck for a supplement is a good creatine supplement. Combine the creatine with a good whey protein. I don't think that the timing of when those supplements are taken is that important, just do so on regular time table. As far as training equipment goes I would recommend free weights and a road bicycle and mountain hiking. These are the things I employ. It takes a lot of work to ride well, and even more work when you're trying recover from an injury, good luck with your future endeavors. My brother is mad keen for that creatine bizzo and he's a pretty handy soccer player so I assume his body is under allot of stress, it must be a reasonably good thing because a few people have said it's the go. On the whey protein side of things is that usually used for bulking up? I should point out that I don't want to necessarily bulk up more tone up, get my strength up and get my cardio fitness way up. My doctor recommended the recumbent bike due to my bad knees and back and I figured some extra light weights would help with the strength issue. If my knees where even sort of ok I would buy a bicycle of some kind for sure, maybe after surgery I may be able to go that path but it isn't an option at the moment. Thanks for the input people and keep it comin everyone, I appreciate the info.

My brother is mad keen for that creatine bizzo and he's a pretty handy soccer player so I assume his body is under allot of stress, it must be a reasonably good thing because a few people have said it's the go. On the whey protein side of things is that usually used for bulking up? I should point out that I don't want to necessarily bulk up more tone up, get my strength up and get my cardio fitness way up. My doctor recommended the recumbent bike due to my bad knees and back and I figured some extra light weights would help with the strength issue. If my knees where even sort of ok I would buy a bicycle of some kind for sure, maybe after surgery I may be able to go that path but it isn't an option at the moment. Thanks for the input people and keep it comin everyone, I appreciate the info. If you start taking Creatine, make sure you DOUBLE up on water intake. Creatine can pull fluid from you cells to supply your muscles and can fuck up yer kidneys if your not drinking enough water. Basicly...watch what you eat...do cardio and even light weights with alot of reps will help strength. make sure you stretch properly too. Alot of people forget about stretching and its just as important as cardio and weights. Oh..and on the protein deal...your body needs protein when your doing any kind of weight training. Thats what feeds your muscles. Its just not for high intensity muscle building. You can use chicken/fish/eggs as good source of natural proteins if you dont want to go the powder supplement way. Just remember to feed your body protein within 30min of a workout for max benefit. I usually bring a peanut butter sammich or some turkey lunch meat to the gym with me to eat after a work out.

My doctor recommended the recumbent bike due to my bad knees and back and I figured some extra light weights would help with the strength issue. After my meniscus surgeries, the doctor recommended strengthening of the quadriceps to help the knees. He said that the stronger the quads are, the better it is for the knees, although he didn't explain the exact reasons for it. If you can't put weight on the knees yet, swimming is a great exercise. Also, the gym machine where you sit on the bench and extend your legs against weights is great as it doesn't put any unnecessary strain on the knees. I have ankle weights too, but they are not really heavy enough. On my bicycle I have the seat fairly low as to imitate the leg position from the motorcycle.

I don't believe in all these crazy new wave fad supplements etc. Off season I weighed 199lbs the most I have ever gone to. I was motivated and hit the stationary bike and had my friend who is a fitness model put together a meal plan for me. Its not horrible but takes dedication and persistence, but I lost 12lbs and saw 185.7lbs for the first time in several years. My energy is down a bit now after 2months in and haven't been training as much due to work and getting the bike ready for racing. If you have the time combine 30minute runs through the week with biking to stay fit. What is most important is to simply ride as often as your budget will allow, there is no substitute. Keep it simple! I"m turning Pro this year, and other than being athletic, I didn't train much last year, and only did 6 race weekends total and rode a higher than average level. This year as a pro in Nationals that won't cut it, so I amtaking this more serious. Good luck everyone!

For fitness I use an elliptical during the winter months and when it's nice I'm on my road bicycle as often as possible usually averaging 120-140 miles per week. For me there is nothing better on the planet than cycling when it comes to getting fit for motorcycle racing. I enjoy it so much that I even do some bicycle racing during the summer. As for supplements I float between different protein shakes for after a big ride just to help with recovery/rebuild. The only thing that I use religiously is Cytomax performance drink while cycling to help feed the ride, reduce acid build up and aid with recovery.

If you start taking Creatine, make sure you DOUBLE up on water intake. Yeah, I had read that once you start taking creatine that you will put on weight due to the need to take in so much water (initially anyway). After my meniscus surgeries, the doctor recommended strengthening of the quadriceps to help the knees. Agreed, to me the bicycle represents a way to work the lower body without putting any jarring stress on the knees which is great for me. My knees are that bad at the moment that to stand my knees are basically locked backwards, strengthening and building all of the muscles around my knees should hopefully make a big difference. I am looking at what may be best as a pre and post workout supplement to maximise my hard work. At this point I'd seriously consider taking powdered goat nuts if I thought it would help. Creatine seems like a better option though...:lol: What is most important is to simply ride as often as your budget will allow, there is no substitute. This year as a pro in Nationals that won't cut it, so I am taking this more serious. Exactly, I hit ride days as often as possible but even then I have two endurance races this year one of them in about a month and ride days although better than nothing they just aren't enough, but any extra laps I can do definitely helps and yeah its a hard workout to replicate. Taking my fitness more seriously, same as you has to happen if I want to give it my best. I spoke to guys at my work that used to race pro and they still train everyday, they reckon they trained so much they now just love the training and most now cycle competitively instead of racing moto's. For fitness I use an elliptical during the winter months and when it's nice I'm on my road bicycle as often as possible usually averaging 120-140 miles per week. For me there is nothing better on the planet than cycling when it comes to getting fit for motorcycle racing. I enjoy it so much that I even do some bicycle racing during the summer. As for supplements I float between different protein shakes for after a big ride just to help with recovery/rebuild. The only thing that I use religiously is Cytomax performance drink while cycling to help feed the ride, reduce acid build up and aid with recovery. Shit 120-140 miles, your a machine! It must be the best thing to do, nearly all racers at elite level seem to be borderline pro cyclists to. I remember reading up on guys like Casey, Bayliss and Vermuelen, all are mad keen on there pushies. Makes me think I'm on the right track, at least from the cycling at home on the new pain machine perspective.

Shit 120-140 miles, your a machine! It must be the best thing to do, nearly all racers at elite level seem to be borderline pro cyclists to. I remember reading up on guys like Casey, Bayliss and Vermuelen, all are mad keen on there pushies. Makes me think I'm on the right track, at least from the cycling at home on the new pain machine perspective. I got into it strictly to stay in shape for road racing and trackdays but it quickly became a serious love of mine. And there really is nothing better as far as cross training goes, you work all the same muscles that you use on the motorcycle and your cardio ends up being serious over kill for road racing. I can do 20 minute sessions at a trackday back to back to back and finish the day wanting more. 45-60 minute stints in an endurance race are a walk in the park. The best part is that it's zero impact so it won't screw up your knees, in fact in most cases it will improve them which it did for me after a decade of of being a runner. As you pointed out, there's a reason all the top level racers use cycling as the core of their fitness routine.

Actually the best all around work out you can do to prepare for racing a motorcycle is martial arts sparing. Not UMA, MMA, UFC etc. type fighting but standard karate/Kung-fu sparing. Lots of kicks and punches. The hard part is finding a good sparing partner. People think that this is hard on the knees but actually it strengthens the knees and is actually low impact, at least to your knees. Your chins and forearms will get a bit of a beating so good pads are a must. I can eat well but the main problem is keeping weight off and for that you have to find something that really kill your appetite.

I can eat well but the main problem is keeping weight off and for that you have to find something that really kill your appetite. Yeah, I hate the feeling of not being full while still feeling the volume of food in my stomach. :( This usually happens to me when I eat mostly carbs. I find that "heavy" items, like meat or especially nuts (peanuts, almonds, etc.) work great for me.

Actually the best all around work out you can do to prepare for racing a motorcycle is martial arts sparing. Not UMA, MMA, UFC etc. type fighting but standard karate/Kung-fu sparing. Lots of kicks and punches. The hard part is finding a good sparing partner. People think that this is hard on the knees but actually it strengthens the knees and is actually low impact, at least to your knees. Your chins and forearms will get a bit of a beating so good pads are a must. I agree on the fitness aspect of martial arts and the benefits of sparing as martial arts was something I was involded with for many years. I have to say I have never been that fit since, not even close. After my major accident though I simply couldn't participate any more. Martial arts is fine for people with semi normal knees just not smashed ones like mine.

After my meniscus surgeries, the doctor recommended strengthening of the quadriceps to help the knees. He said that the stronger the quads are, the better it is for the knees, although he didn't explain the exact reasons for it. If you can't put weight on the knees yet, swimming is a great exercise. Also, the gym machine where you sit on the bench and extend your legs against weights is great as it doesn't put any unnecessary strain on the knees. I have ankle weights too, but they are not really heavy enough. On my bicycle I have the seat fairly low as to imitate the leg position from the motorcycle. Low seat is bad but most people ride with their seat lower than it should be. When the pedal is in the 6 o'clock position you want to have a slight bend in the knee but it should be fairly straight. If your seat is too low your knee joint will be going beyond 90 degrees at the top of the pedal stroke. It's hard on the knee joint to push when it's in this position. For fitness I use an elliptical during the winter months and when it's nice I'm on my road bicycle as often as possible usually averaging 120-140 miles per week. For me there is nothing better on the planet than cycling when it comes to getting fit for motorcycle racing. I enjoy it so much that I even do some bicycle racing during the summer. As for supplements I float between different protein shakes for after a big ride just to help with recovery/rebuild. The only thing that I use religiously is Cytomax performance drink while cycling to help feed the ride, reduce acid build up and aid with recovery. I got into it strictly to stay in shape for road racing and trackdays but it quickly became a serious love of mine. And there really is nothing better as far as cross training goes, you work all the same muscles that you use on the motorcycle and your cardio ends up being serious over kill for road racing. I can do 20 minute sessions at a trackday back to back to back and finish the day wanting more. 45-60 minute stints in an endurance race are a walk in the park. The best part is that it's zero impact so it won't screw up your knees, in fact in most cases it will improve them which it did for me after a decade of of being a runner. As you pointed out, there's a reason all the top level racers use cycling as the core of their fitness routine. +1. I spend a lot of time in spin classes during the winter and lot of time on my tri bike and mountain bike in the summer. I took a year off moto racing in 2011 and replaced it with mountain bike racing and triathlons. I do love both road riding and mountain biking but they're very very different. Since Christmas of 2010 I have dropped about 65lbs and my leg strength and cardio are ridiculous. I can average a heart rate of 160+ for over an hour and have been pushing 630lbs on the leg press without much fuss. I fully admit that I'm a sprint rider though, I have a hard time slowing myself down so I can go for about 90 minutes max then I'll be bonking. One thing to keep in mind is that cycling doesn't work the upper body at all and one thing I'm concerned about is "looking like a cyclist" so this winter I have been putting in more time in the gym with weights to build some upper body strength. I'm not hoping to bulk up but the upper body strength will definitely be helpful in coaxing an angry 10R around a race track. As far as supplements and nutrition go, I don't get too fancy. I eat lots of lean protein (chicken) and lots of fruits and veggies and supplement that with protein shakes and glutamine. The main reason for the supplements is to promote faster recovery. In the winter spin classes I'll ride about 100-120 miles a week so being able to ride hard every day (sometimes twice a day... like today) is important to me.

I spend a lot of time in spin classes during the winter and lot of time on my tri bike and mountain bike in the summer. I took a year off moto racing in 2011 and replaced it with mountain bike racing and triathlons. I do love both road riding and mountain biking but they're very very different. Since Christmas of 2010 I have dropped about 65lbs and my leg strength and cardio are ridiculous. I can average a heart rate of 160+ for over an hour and have been pushing 630lbs on the leg press without much fuss. I fully admit that I'm a sprint rider though, I have a hard time slowing myself down so I can go for about 90 minutes max then I'll be bonking. One thing to keep in mind is that cycling doesn't work the upper body at all and one thing I'm concerned about is "looking like a cyclist" so this winter I have been putting in more time in the gym with weights to build some upper body strength. I'm not hoping to bulk up but the upper body strength will definitely be helpful in coaxing an angry 10R around a race track. As far as supplements and nutrition go, I don't get too fancy. I eat lots of lean protein (chicken) and lots of fruits and veggies and supplement that with protein shakes and glutamine. The main reason for the supplements is to promote faster recovery. In the winter spin classes I'll ride about 100-120 miles a week so being able to ride hard every day (sometimes twice a day... like today) is important to me. Can't get into the mountain bike stuff myself. I've got a lot of buddies that do it up here but every time I think about picking up a nice MB I decide to put the money into my road bike or 10R instead. I hear you on the upper body aspect. In 08 and 09 I also replaced most of my racing with crits and day races and started to "look like a cyclist". I added a power tower to my routine this year, in between ride days I use it to keep some upper body strength and I'm already noticing a difference. The downside is that I'm not dropping winter weight as quickly as I'd like but as you point out it should help muscle the 10R around. You should seriously consider adding some kind of endurance supplement to your bottles while riding like Cytomax. It feeds you while you ride helping you maintain your max effort longer. I can hold an average BPM of 160 for two hours no problem on water alone before I start to bonk. But if I've got two large bottles of Cytomax on board and a couple gels I can do it for closer to three hours before I see a real decrease in performance. The best part is the reduction of lactic acid build up while riding and the faster recovery times as a result.

Actually the best all around work out you can do to prepare for racing a motorcycle is martial arts sparing. Not UMA, MMA, UFC etc. type fighting but standard karate/Kung-fu sparing. Lots of kicks and punches. The hard part is finding a good sparing partner. People think that this is hard on the knees but actually it strengthens the knees and is actually low impact, at least to your knees. Your chins and forearms will get a bit of a beating so good pads are a must. I can eat well but the main problem is keeping weight off and for that you have to find something that really kill your appetite. Martial Arts is no doubt a solid work out, but I can't agree that it's the best with respect to a training regiment focused on road racing a motorcycle. I have an acquaintance here that's really into Jiu Jitsu, has been for a long time. He started cycling last year and immediately noticed the improvements it made on his race bike. The extreme cardio nature of cycling has also helped him in JJ tournaments. Something to consider. :thumbsup:

On my bicycle I have the seat fairly low as to imitate the leg position from the motorcycle. Low seat is bad but most people ride with their seat lower than it should be. When the pedal is in the 6 o'clock position you want to have a slight bend in the knee but it should be fairly straight. If your seat is too low your knee joint will be going beyond 90 degrees at the top of the pedal stroke. It's hard on the knee joint to push when it's in this position. :+2: to what Caboose said! A low seat height is not only bad for your knees but your robbing yourself of power output. If you spend more than 20 miles a week on a bicycle you owe it to yourself to get get a professional fitting at a reputable shop. Being fit correctly will reduce the risk of injury, increase your comfort and help with efficiency in your pedal stroke. All of these combined mean more fun/time on the bicycle. :idea:

Can't get into the mountain bike stuff myself. I've got a lot of buddies that do it up here but every time I think about picking up a nice MB I decide to put the money into my road bike or 10R instead. I hear you on the upper body aspect. In 08 and 09 I also replaced most of my racing with crits and day races and started to "look like a cyclist". I added a power tower to my routine this year, in between ride days I use it to keep some upper body strength and I'm already noticing a difference. The downside is that I'm not dropping winter weight as quickly as I'd like but as you point out it should help muscle the 10R around. You should seriously consider adding some kind of endurance supplement to your bottles while riding like Cytomax. It feeds you while you ride helping you maintain your max effort longer. I can hold an average BPM of 160 for two hours no problem on water alone before I start to bonk. But if I've got two large bottles of Cytomax on board and a couple gels I can do it for closer to three hours before I see a real decrease in performance. The best part is the reduction of lactic acid build up while riding and the faster recovery times as a result. My tribike is a 2003 Guru Trilite that I practically stole from the seller. Full Ultegra components, Mavic Cosmic Eliete wheelset, computer with cadence sensor, aluminum frame with carbon fork and carbon rear triangle. As far as aluminum frame bikes got it's very fast. Keeping in mind that my rides are usually sprint distance (19-28miles) I can usually manage 21-22mph. Its a great little bike. My mountain bike was also a bargain, it's a 2003 Cannondale Jekyll. I spend about 1/5th of what my friends do on bikes and it doesn't make any measurable difference... I'm still faster than them. If you know what to look for when buying used bikes you can save a ton of cash buying used. If you're afraid to fall mountain biking may not be for you.. i fall often. By September my arms and legs usually look pretty rough!! I forgot to mention that I do use an electrolyte replacement mix. I have found that I can go for about an hour with just water. If I am going longer than that I start to bonk and need something extra. I use the sugar free Sqwinchers mix and am pretty happy with it. There's a ton of good options out there though, but not many are sugar free and zero calorie. Winter helps me since I don't have the urge to go ride outside. I can do weights for 30-45 minutes before a spin class. 3 times a week.

I wouldn't start with creatine unless your wanting to gain weight, (which I don't think you are). It is good to have a pre workout bar or shake of some sort, to help with energy once you get going. If your anything like me, I work out after work. Which is 5 hours after my last meal. So your body has pretty much used up all the energy that you ate for lunch before you even start working out. If you have some kinda of energy/protien before you work out, it will help you stay motivated to keep going. Good luck man!! Nothing feels better than being in shape!

A low seat height is not only bad for your knees but your robbing yourself of power output. I'm not so concerned about the power output, as I am interested in exercising my quads in the same position as they are in on the motorcycle. On a bicycle, with the seat adjusted to the optimal position, most of the muscle force comes when the leg is more extended than on a motorcycle. As for the knees---that's a thing to keep in mind, but given that I'm not pushing too much weight, I don't think it will be a problem.

I'm not so concerned about the power output, as I am interested in exercising my quads in the same position as they are in on the motorcycle. On a bicycle, with the seat adjusted to the optimal position, most of the muscle force comes when the leg is more extended than on a motorcycle. As for the knees---that's a thing to keep in mind, but given that I'm not pushing too much weight, I don't think it will be a problem. Without getting too much into it here, that's not really how it works. Lowering your seat doesn't really accomplish what you're looking for because you don't get a proper extension of the muscle groups you're using while on the bicycle. I'd do some more research if I were you and ensure that what you're doing is actually accomplishing your goal and not causing long term issues with your joints.

My tribike is a 2003 Guru Trilite that I practically stole from the seller. Full Ultegra components, Mavic Cosmic Eliete wheelset, computer with cadence sensor, aluminum frame with carbon fork and carbon rear triangle. As far as aluminum frame bikes got it's very fast. Keeping in mind that my rides are usually sprint distance (19-28miles) I can usually manage 21-22mph. Its a great little bike. My mountain bike was also a bargain, it's a 2003 Cannondale Jekyll. I spend about 1/5th of what my friends do on bikes and it doesn't make any measurable difference... I'm still faster than them. If you know what to look for when buying used bikes you can save a ton of cash buying used. If you're afraid to fall mountain biking may not be for you.. i fall often. By September my arms and legs usually look pretty rough!! I forgot to mention that I do use an electrolyte replacement mix. I have found that I can go for about an hour with just water. If I am going longer than that I start to bonk and need something extra. I use the sugar free Sqwinchers mix and am pretty happy with it. There's a ton of good options out there though, but not many are sugar free and zero calorie. Winter helps me since I don't have the urge to go ride outside. I can do weights for 30-45 minutes before a spin class. 3 times a week. I need something with calories! When you're burning 800-1000 per hour they need to be replaced as often as possible, at least in my case. The big reason I've stuck with Cytomax is the reduction in lactic acid. It's got all the other stuff you need but it definitely helps reduce the burn during a hard effort and gives me a faster recovery for back to back ride days. My road bike is a 2008 Parlee Z4, full SRAM Red, Ritchey Carbon and Dura-Ace C24 carbon clinchers. I love my Parlee as much as my motorcycles, a rolling work of art. I got a smoking deal on it through a friend who runs a team but the cost was still ridiculous. :crackup: As for MTB's I'm not going to lie, the falling part is a factor that kind of keeps me away. I'm not afraid of getting hurt, but I am afraid of missing my true passions because of an injury. I'd hate to get side lined from road cycling or track time because of a broken collar bone. Yup, I'm a pussy. :crackup:

Without getting too much into it here, that's not really how it works. Lowering your seat doesn't really accomplish what you're looking for because you don't get a proper extension of the muscle groups you're using while on the bicycle. I'd do some more research if I were you and ensure that what you're doing is actually accomplishing your goal and not causing long term issues with your joints. Ok, I consulted with a friend of mine, who is a physical therapist. He confirmed that it's bad for the knees and suggested some isometric exercises to improve muscle performance on track. He never mentioned anything about the muscles not getting a good workout. As a matter of fact, from what I remember from reading some time ago, muscles develop the most efficiency in the range of motion used in repetitions in workouts. Hence the book recommended strength exercises in a full range of motion. It's not really that significant for this anyways... In any case, thanks for the input.

For a full body work out try Kettlebells, when it comes to cardio do it before you start your Kettlebell workout or on your off day. Check out http://www.mikemahler.com/online-library/articles/kettlebell-training/kettlebell-training-exercises.html a lot of special operators use/take them on deployments. KB's aren't the holy grail of fitness tools/workouts however they will whip your ass and take your fitness to the next level.

Ok, I consulted with a friend of mine, who is a physical therapist. He confirmed that it's bad for the knees and suggested some isometric exercises to improve muscle performance on track. He never mentioned anything about the muscles not getting a good workout. As a matter of fact, from what I remember from reading some time ago, muscles develop the most efficiency in the range of motion used in repetitions in workouts. Hence the book recommended strength exercises in a full range of motion. It's not really that significant for this anyways... In any case, thanks for the input. Awesome! Stick with the bicycle, I guarantee if you make a habit out of it strength while riding the motorcycle will not be an issue. I do a light upper body routine on a power tower but when it comes to my legs cycling is the only love they need. Good luck!