RETURN TO RACING:

COMING BACK FROM AN INJURY

For some of us spring time means better weather to go riding, getting outside to train, and a new season of racing. But for others it may be the first time you’ve thrown a leg over your bike since you sustained an injury. It may be that you’re a little scared of jumping that particular obstacle you used to do before the injury. What do I do now? Will I ever get back to where I used to be? Is this a sign for me to quit motocross? Hold on there before you make a decision that you might regret later on in life!! Let’s take a few minutes and talk about where we go from here……

Well let’s say you had an injury at the end of last racing season that required surgery. You decide to have that injury fixed since the season won’t begin for 4-5 months. After the surgery you begin physical therapy and the long road of rehab ahead. During the time off you dream about getting back on the bike and riding again. Now 4-5 months have past, you’ve rehabed that injury the best you could. Your doctor has released you from his/her care and allows you to get back on the bike.

So you get ready, put your gear on and starting riding at the track. You make a couple of slow laps and get ready to jump a couple of easy doubles. As you pull up to the jump you suddenly have second thoughts and grab the brakes. ‘What’s going on here’, you think to yourself. You try it again and with momentum you attempt the double only to come up short and almost crash in the process. You repeat it again with the same result. What to do what to do????????

Well for starters it is difficult for most people to get back on the bike and feel comfortable with riding again. To be able to tackle the jumps, whoops and other obstacles on the track again takes effort and confidence. Keep these things in mind as you return to racing this year:   

1)   Physical Preparation – Would you show up at the track without your gear? What about gas or chain lube? How about food? In order to be able to ride again you need to be prepared physically. Just because the doctor released you to ride doesn’t mean you should just jump on the bike the very next day. There is a lot physical preparation that should go into to your return to racing. After you have been released from physical therapy you should be able to continue working out on your own and begin a total body workout before you start riding again.

     Spending time on the road bike or at the gym is a great way to get back into shape. Also using the elliptical machines are great too!!! Make sure you have done your homework and be prepared physically before you get back on the bike. Let the workouts begin!!!!!!   

2)   Mental Preparation – A lot of athletes spend many hours training for their specific sport. They usually experiment with different training techniques and even hire trained professionals in order to attain their personal goals. One of the key aspects of proper mental preparation comes from within one's own self. Without being able to motivate yourself to work at a certain task, improving at what you do is next to impossible - which also applies to all things in life worth working for. For example, it is not enough to simply decide in your head while watching football one Sunday afternoon that you want to eventually become an NFL player. So, before spending a lot time and money on training for your sport, ask yourself - is this what I really want to do? Will I be able to motivate myself to give 110% each and every time? If the answer in both cases is yes - go for it! Never doubt yourself, always stay positive and fight the urge to stop or end a run early as every extra inch you go, every extra rep you do is one step closer to attaining your goals. The only one that can hold you back is you!

3)   Setting Personal Goals – I know you have heard this at least a dozen times and are probably thinking that I am just another guy preaching old material. Have you ever actually set goals and kept records of your progress? The importance of setting short and long-term goals for yourself is underrated. Without something to work towards or train for, how can you even become motivated to continue your training? I would be very surprised if the ones who are most successful in pro sports or anywhere else did not keep a journal. It is proven that this does in fact help! I urge you to give it a try, not for the sake of my ranting, but for the sake of your own personal benefit. It is very rewarding to review your progress over a long period of time and see how far you have come. This can also be a great motivation tool in convincing yourself that you can continue to make gains and become a better motocross rider.

Final Preparation – Well I hope this month’s information was helpful to you and that you can put it to good use. Just remember that when you return to racing from an injury, it takes time and most of all patience. You can attain your goals by putting everything down on paper and making all your goals (or dreams) come true.

Training With An Injury

I’m sure we all have had an injury during our racing season at one time or another. It’s a tough road to go down. But if you can stay focused, you can beat the system and return to track as soon as possible. If you have an injury, chances are you will need to take some time off to rest, recover and regroup. But if you don't want to lose your fitness from not exercising (detraining, deconditioning) there are ways to work out while recovering from your injuries. Remember it only takes 3 days of doing nothing to start losing the conditioning you have built up.

The Comeback Kid

Before you perform any exercises after an injury, be sure to get the approval and recommendations of your physician. Follow those recommendations so you can resume your training.  Studies have shown that you can maintain your fitness level even if you need to change or cut back on your exercise for several months. In order to do so, you need to exercise at about 70 percent of your VO2 max at least once per week. Even if one body part or joint is immobilized, there's no reason that you can't find other ways to stay fit while rehabilitating by using crosstraining. Just be creative and have the flexibility to try new things. Most athletes find it hard to train through injury, but it is possible and not  difficult to accomplish. The key is to maintain the right attitude and protect the injured part until it heals. Here are some ways to continue working out while recovering from four common injuries:

Ankle & Foot Injuries
With an ankle or foot injury, you have a lot of exercise options. If your doctor approves it and you are able to, using the rowing machine or a stationary bike with one leg, or swimming are possibilities. Work with your doctor or trainer to find other non-weight bearing cardio exercise you can do and spend 30-60 minutes about three times a week on that exercise to maintain endurance.

Leg and Knee Injuries
Leg and knee injuries can be limiting for most athletes. Almost all endurance exercise requires flexion and extension of the knee joint, so developing a new routine may be frustrating. Single-legged cycling, kayaking, using an upper body ergometer (hand cycle) are options. Swimming may be possible if you use a pull buoy so you don't kick or use your legs.

Elbow and Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder and upper body injuries often allow the most possibility for continuing traditional cardio exercise because the lower body can be exercised fully. Walking, stair climbing, stationary (hands-free) cycling and the elliptical trainer are all possibilities. In addition, circuit training routines will maintain strength and power in the non-injured muscles and joints.

Low Back Injuries
Back injuries can be difficult to recover from. Talk with your doctor about the specific type of back injury you have and what your exercise limitations are before you begin any activities. Walking, swimming or recumbent cycling are safe for those with low back pain. This will help you maintain cardiovascular fitness as you recover.

Guidelines for Safe Return to Sports

* These are guidelines only; you should follow your physician's advice regarding return to sports.

A NEW YEAR AND

You can look in Webster’s, Wikipedia, etc. will give you a lot of different definitions for goals/goal setting. Goal Setting involves establishing specific, measurable and time targeted objectives.  The theory of goal-setting suggests that it's an effective tool for making progress by ensuring that participants are clearly aware of what is expected from them, if an objective is to be achieved. On a personal level, setting goals is a process that allows people to specify then work towards their own objectives - most commonly with financial or career-based goals.

Goal setting also requires motivation. You need to understand why you want the goal. When we talk about goal setting it often gets described as just writing down your goals. The most important element is often left out. That is finding your motivation. If you want to get to your goals quickly you have got to clarity on why you want it. What does it mean to you? Why do you need it in your life? And the stronger and more important the why - the more motivation you will have to pursue that goal.

I EATING RIGHT………RIGHT??????

The age old question of what to eat and how much to eat always starts us off on the wrong foot. We live in a world were there energy supplements, powders, drinks, etc. that entice us to spend a lot of money for a increase in performance. While I do agree there are products out there that help us boost our training performance legally, you can always go to the local grocery store for everything you need. Where do you start? By making a list of course of the foods you like to eat. Then marking off those foods that are junk (non-essential foods that the body can do without). Yes take those treats out that are not good for you. You know what those are!! Replace those with the right carbohydrates and proteins needed to fuel our body.

As physically demanding as our sport is we need to properly fuel out body so we can go out there and finish those motos with minimal fatigue. How much do we need ?  The carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and potatoes; are needed for fuel in our muscles and are stored there until the appropriate time the muscles need them. Proteins are needed to help build, rebuild, and repair muscle tissue. These consist of chicken (grilled is my favorite), fish (mainly salmon for the antioxidants), and some low fat dairy products too. Also you can add some protein energy bars into your diet as well for a quick snack.

I’M READY TO GET STARTED!!!!!!!

Hopefully this information will help you as you begin training for a new season of racing where ever you are. Remember to change things up in your workout to make it interesting, stay motivated, and eat the right foods. Keep in mind also that ‘you get out of it what you put into it.’ As always we would be more than happy to help anyone put together a training program that’s right for you. Good luck and let’s get to the gym!!!!!

HYDRATION: WHAT WORKS?? WHAT DOESN’T WORK??

I had an athlete ask me the other day a multitude of questions. How do I know how much water to drink? Is it ok to drink water only? How much is too much? As a Certified Athletic Trainer, I have to deal with a variety of things in sports medicine. That also includes keeping athletes hydrated and away from the dreaded heat illnesses.

There’s a lot of information out there that tells us the ins and outs of what to drink, what not to drink, buy this, buy that product. For the most part what I would like to explain to everyone is how to stay hydrated for motocross and training. To do this we have to understand how we get to hydration and just what happens when we become dehydrated (not enough water in our bodies).

DEHYDRATION: THE INVISIBLE MONSTER

Dehydration impairs athletic performance whenever body fluid level falls below 98% of normal. The primary cause of dehydration is sweat loss, an essential body process which facilitates the release of body heat into the environment. When athletes don’t replace what they lose in sweat, the physiological function of the body’s heat management system is compromised, placing both the athletes’ performance and physical well-being at risk.

DEHYDRATION FACTORS

Exercise Intensity

Since heat is a byproduct of muscular activity, when an athlete’s exercise intensity increases, so does internal body temperature. The athlete’s body then has to regulate that temperature by sweating more, meaning that the harder athletes work, the more sweat they will lose.

Environment

Elevated environmental temperatures activate the sweat mechanism and cause sweat rates to increase. The humidity of an environment also plays an important role by restricting the evaporation of sweat, which in turn restricts heat loss from the body.

Clothing & Equipment

Minimal, loose-fitting clothing helps promote heat loss by exposing sweat-laden skin to the air, allowing the sweat to evaporate more easily. Heavy clothing and equipment (e.g., football pads and helmet) can trap heat and sweat against the skin, forcing the body to produce more sweat to cool itself.

Genetics

Heredity assures that every athlete sweats differently. Those athletes with a sensitive sweat mechanism experience a more severe response to changes in internal body temperature, which predisposes them to higher sweat rates—and higher risks of dehydration. At the other extreme, some athletes are very efficient sweaters, producing only enough sweat to cool their bodies effectively.

Fitness & Acclimatization

An athlete who is “more fit” will sweat sooner—and sweat more—than an athlete who is “less fit.” The same is true for athletes who are accustomed (acclimatized) to exercise in the heat.

THE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE

Cardiovascular Response

Dehydration strains the cardiovascular system by reducing blood volume. For every liter of fluid lost during prolonged exercise, body temperature rises by 0.3°C, heart rate elevates by about eight beats per minute, and cardiac output (the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute) declines by 1 liter/min.

Internal Temperature Regulation

In addition to being responsible for nutrient and oxygen transport, the cardiovascular system also helps regulate body temperature by transferring heat produced by muscles to the skin. As dehydration increases, it becomes more and more difficult for the cardiovascular system to maintain a safe core body temperature, which rises 0.3°C for every liter of fluid lost during exercise. Over a prolonged period, this temperature elevation could lead to heat illness, a serious health risk.

Cognitive Performance

Dehydration can also negatively impact an athlete’s decision-making performance, especially when the environment is warm.

WARNING SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION

Sweat loss reduces blood volume and increases the concentration of sodium in the blood. This stresses the cardiovascular system and contributes to a faster increase in body temperature. Dehydration results in a number of symptoms that are important to remember.

Don’t Wait for the Warning Signs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dehydration’s warning signs only occur when the body is already dehydrated. An athlete’s best bet for peak performance is to drink to minimize weight loss during exercise but avoid over-drinking.

WATER OR WHAT ELSE????

As a Certified Athletic Trainer, I am a big supporter of Gatorade because of what they do for our organization, the NATA (National Athletic Trainers Association) and the studies that have taken place through the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Gatorade is specially formulated to give athletes what water cannot.

Studies have shown that athletes who hydrate with Gatorade outperform athletes who hydrate with just water in a number of key performance measures, including the ability to exercise longer before succumbing to fatigue, maintain a faster sprint speed in the second half of a competition period, and exhibit higher explosive power both overall and later in exercise.

The studies show what the inventors of Gatorade revealed over 40 years ago when faced with the task of determining why many Florida Gator players were both underperforming and succumbing to the affects of heat and heat related illnesses. When it comes to optimal field performance, water isn’t enough.

REHYDRATE

Maintaining an adequate hydration level helps assure peak performance and science shows that no other sports drink formula can be absorbed faster than Gatorade. This  prevents the bloating and discomfort that can be caused by other flavored beverages. Also the flavor of Gatorade is formulated and athletically tested to taste best when an athlete is dehydrated. Dehydration can cause athletes to stop drinking before they’ve consumed an adequate amount of fluid to replace what has been lost.

When athletes sweat, they lose electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride that are essential to hydration and muscle function. Unlike water and other beverages that are not scientifically formulated, Gatorade is lab-tested to ensure it replenishes the electrolytes lost in sweat while maintaining thirst so athletes will adequately ingest enough fluid and electrolytes to stay well-hydrated.

Working muscles need energy to fight fatigue. Gatorade has the right amount of carbohydrates to enable it to be absorbed as fast as water and quickly provide performance-powering fuel to working muscles. Research shows that more than 6% carbohydrate is not better—a higher concentration of carbohydrates takes longer to absorb and won’t further improve performance.

1) HYDRATION GAMEPLAN

1) PRE-TRAINING and COMPETITION

Drink 17-20 oz. of Gatorade one or more hours before an exercise, training, or competitive session, and another 7-10 oz. immediately before initiating activity. Athletes who hydrate with Gatorade ensure that they are replacing the vital electrolytes and fluids they’ve lost in sweat, while refueling their muscles for their next training or competitive session.

2) 2) DURING TRAINING & COMPETITION

Drink 28-40 oz. (7-10 oz. every 10-15 minutes) during every hour of exercise. Drink small volumes at regular intervals to keep weight loss at a minimum. For some athletes, that might mean 4 oz every 15 minutes, for others, that could mean 16 oz or more every 15 minutes. Each athlete has unique hydration needs; that’s why it’s essential that athletes weigh themselves before and after training and competition.

3) POST-TRAINING AND COMPETITION

Drink 20 oz for every pound of weight lost. Studies have shown that athletes are more apt to fully-hydrate with flavored beverages than unflavored beverages. Gatorade’s flavors are tested and retested at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to ensure that they taste great under any conditions, and taste even better when an athlete is dehydrated.

Sounds like a word from our sponsor right? When you use a product enough and see the results that the company is talking about, you can stay healthy and hydrated. Hey it’s August and we still have some warm weather ahead of us. If we want to continue to participate in motocross and training in these warm conditions, you need to stay hydrated. How much water? More than the typical 8 ounces a day that’s for sure. Even if you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, the duration of your exercise and the type of activity you're engaged in. During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia (an abnormally low concentration of sodium in your blood), which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising too.

So as you can see it’s very important to stay hydrated not just by water but by a beverage that will help you stay hydrated. Do your research and listen to your body as well. Becoming dehydrated is no laughing matter. Let’s train right so we can continue racing. Happy Motoing!!!!!!!