Should i do motocross

Competitors in many sports like to think that their sport is the hardest to do, the most physically demanding. There are many lists of the fittest sports, with boxing and gymnastics commonly on top.

See our discussion about the Fittest Sports for details. Motocross riders are rarely considered, but should be. Ever since motocross failed to be listed on the ESPN List of The Most Demanding Sports , there has been great discussion on this site about the physical demands of motocross riding. A online vote of the world's most demanding sports listed motocross at the top, and in our vote it is currently 5th.

There is no doubt that it is a tough sport. As well as a lot of anecdotal evidence of how demanding the sport is, many have pointed out that there have been a couple of scientific studies that have supported their assertions.

Motocross is a very physically and mentally challenging off-road motorcycle sport, which is raced on natural terrain with man-made obstacles. The riders need to be light and strong, with good strength of the upper body, shoulder and arms, hand grip and legs. A study by Gay et al. Share on whatsapp. Share on facebook. Share on email. Share on twitter. Share on telegram. Share on print. What dirt bike discipline do you want to improve? Discover how. Is mindset everything? What is fake or real about how athletes think see more.

Our coaches test famous training apps: Nike, 8fit and Freeletics review see more. Best dirt bike apps of see more. Coconut water: do you really need it? Blog Performance personal service. In motocross, racers and riders tend to try to learn the sport on their own. Often, there is a little bit of instruction from a family member or friend, but ultimately, motocross is the school of hard knocks. If you are interested in becoming a better motocross racer, either just for fun or to try to become the next Ricky Carmichael, here are some ideas on how you might be able to go outside the normal experience to achieve your objectives.

Find an instruction program. There are many places that you can find instruction on how to ride. The best instructors are the ones who have a ton of experience instructing. Many top racers who have not come up through an education program have no idea how to explain what it is they do to ride and go fast, let alone what to say to a rider to get them to actually reproduce the technique.

As an example, at MX, our senior instructors have come up through the education programs, watching others teach. And then they spent time as junior instructors to learn how to relate to each age, personality type, and skill level.

Then, finally they become Senior Instructors, and even then they, like all of us, learn even more through their experiences as they continue to teach.

When we first started MX, we spent a lot of time researching different instructing techniques, and it still took years for us to refine our instruction into what it is today. So, look for an experienced instruction program. Go slow and build confidence. If you jump the gun too soon, you risk injuring yourself. Building motocross skills is not just about learning to do various stunts but also about learning to ride dirt bikes safely. Right motocross skills basically mean knowing:.

These are a few skills you must learn to ride safely on the tracks. As you develop your skills , you will be at ease with yourself and enjoy the rides more. While we are on the subject of safety you will absolutely want to have all of the motocross gear to keep your body safe including but not limited to:. Taking private lessons from a professional comes in quite handy as you would then be able to work on your basics much more effectively.

If you take to the tracks right off the bat, it can be hard to learn things. Your focus would then be more on jumps and other fancy stunts that you may not be up for yet. Another important thing is to mix things up or try different tracks. When you work with a professional , you are likely to ride on a variety of tracks and track conditions.

Professional guidance is recommended over self-learning. It quickens the pace at which you learn different skills , which makes you a better and safer rider in a significantly shorter time period. If you are thinking about the dollars you might have to spend for the tutelage , you must also think about the money you may have to spend on treating your injuries , in the event of an accident.

Not to mention, the pain and suffering you would go through due to the injuries would be pretty significant too.