Pumped Up
Tips And Tricks On Riding Stronger and Longer
ATV Rider has teamed with Steve Bubel who owns and runs www.mxconditioning.com.
Steve has counseled hundreds of athletes with varying skill levels that range from weekend warriors to World Champions. In this issue we will be covering the second of our three installments regarding proper diet and nutrition before, during and after riding or work out sessions.
Part II- Proper Intake During Competition
In long-duration events, one hour or longer, fueling "on the run" is critical to maintain performance. For shorter events lasting less than one hour, in-race fueling is unrealistic and, indeed, unnecessary. However, the multi-event nature of short races (multiple heats, motos, ect.) makes the downtime between crucial for rehydration and replenishment of carbohydrates, electrolytes and to a small extent protein. We will use a 155 pound rider as an example for the following scenarios.
Water
Dehydration has been shown to impair aerobic exercise, so staying properly hydrated is crucial for peak performance. Given the typical hot, humid conditions as well as gear we ride in, I would estimate sweat loss to be between 34 and 50 ounces for every 30 minutes of aggressive riding. To remain body weight stable means consuming that much fluid after a 30-minute moto or twice that much per hour during longer events.
Preventing dehydration also starts well before you are even on your quad. Start your day well hydrated and try to drink about 17 ounces of fluid 1 to 2 hours before competition. Never rely on your thirst to start drinking because when you are at that point, you are already on the road to dehydration.
Carbohydrates
Regardless the amount and timing, the fluids that you take in should also contain 4-8% of carbohydrates because water alone is not enough. This means that every 34 ounces of water you ingest should have between 40-80 grams of carbohydrate. The amount will depend on the intensity and duration of your riding period as well as the size of the rider. For longer events, taking in .32 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per hour has been shown to improve endurance performance by acting as an immediate source of energy.
Shorter, more intense events demand greater utilization of glycogen- carbohydrate stored in your muscles. This means that our rider would consume a drink that contains 85-105 grams of carbohydrate per hour between motos to recharge your body. Finally, the type of carbohydrate consumed can make a difference and glucose is of the primary importance.
Electrolytes
The electrolytes of greatest concern for exercise performance are sodium and potassium. Both are lost in sweat and need to be replenished as they play critical roles in exercise and rehydration. While most sports drinks will replenish what you need, if you find that you are a "salty sweater" and are more prone to cramping, you may consider supplementing your drink with additional sodium.
Protein
While it's not a significant source of energy during exercise, protein can aid in recovery by suppressing training-induced muscle catabolism and boosting immune function. During periods of heavy training and/or multi-day races, it is a good idea to have a protein drink when you're done for the day.
Trial and Error
While the information we've given you will meet the needs for most racers and hard core recreational riders, I still recommend that you take time in your training to establish your own requirements. Measure your weight before and after an intense training session lasting 30 minutes to an hour to gauge your rate of sweat loss and figure how to recover properly.