Search the Community

Whether you are an aspiring pro racer or a weekend warrior, it is very important to make sure that you are getting the most beneficial workout possible! In my opinion, the most important training tool you can purchase is a Heart Rate Monitor or (HRM). A HRM’s lets you know if you are pushing too hard or not hard enough during your workouts. Using an HRM also helps you get to the desired level of fitness and prepares you for racing or casual riding. You can find reasonably priced heart rate monitors at about any sports store. It doesn't have to be the fanciest one on the shelf but you do want to make sure to purchase one that comes with a chest strap! Chest Strap HRM’s allow you to see your heart rate at any given moment, whereas the wrist-watch-only models can take up to ten or fifteen seconds to get a reading. (This can be very frustrating during a workout!) 👍 There are three key features you should be looking when purchasing an HRM. It should have the ability to show you your average heart rate, max heart rate, and total calories burned. For a little more money some HRM’s have the ability to download your heart rate patterns to your computer in a graph format. Note: If you get this feature you can track were your heart rate spikes (up and down) are during your workout period or ride, which is a great way to figure out what affects your heart the most. I have included a "Recommended Heart Rate Zone" graph that represents different levels of performance based on your age. This is a great starting point to finding your best heart rate zone! If you are a serious racer, I recommend trying to work out in the "Peak Athletic Performance Zone.” This zone is designed to make you push your heart rate each and every time you work out! Note: If you are a serious racer then you need to be pushing hard during each and every workout! Now if you just want to lose weight and get a good workout routine, start in the "Fat Burning/Weight Control Zone.” This will help you shed some of that winter coat before the season starts! Note: No matter what you are looking to accomplish there is a zone for you! This pictured chart helps you find the starting point to your specific level of fitness. Training at a consistent heart rate will make you stronger and faster for an extended period of time. Note: To read the graph, find your age at the bottom then scroll up the left hand side and you will find your recommended heart rate level. (For example if you are 40 and looking to maintain or lose weight you should be keeping your heart rate in the 110-125 range.) The "Recommended Heart Rate Zone" graph is just the starting point. The next step is to ride with your heart rate monitor on. This will allow you to pin point the level you need to be working out at. Once you ride/race with your heart rate monitor a few times, take notice to your average heart rate. Note: If you are riding with an average heart rate of 160 and you go to the gym and your average is 135, you are not doing enough to get your heart ready for the demands of riding! Most riders average a heart rate of 160BPM (Beats Per Minute) while riding. If you fall into that category, try to work out with an average of 160BPM or higher. Note: The goal here is to have your heart prepared for the demands of riding your bike! Now the graph is a great tool but in my opinion using your average riding heart rate and matching it to your work out hear rate is the best practice. Note: The graph is just a starting point. The riding is the target point! Everybody is different so try and track your heart rate levels and then compare them with the results you are having on the bike. Some riders have better results running slightly lower heart rates the week before the event and then pushing their heart rates higher the week after the event. My personal results were always better pushing my heart rate levels higher the week leading up to the event and then toning it down a bit the week after the event. Try experiment with both ways to see what works best for you! Now, if you have races every weekend it gets a little more difficult. If that the case, I would keep my heart rate levels up high for 2-3 days, and lower 1 day. In closing remember that each person is different! It took years to figure out the system that worked best for me so continue to listen to your body. It’s better for you to have a good quality workout than to go workout when you are tired and have a lackluster performance. Always practice quality over quantity and I promise that the hard work you put in during the week will give you the best results on the weekend! Good luck on your pursuit to becoming a stronger and fitter rider. When you work at it and get into good shape it makes riding the bike a lot more enjoyable and safer! Have a great day… I look forward to seeing you at the races! Jason Raines #100 www.RainesRacing.com

Guidelines for Weight Control - With Jason Raines We’ve all seen them. You know; the videos and commercials for several different workout machines or programs that all promise real results for only 3 easy payments of $19.99. Now, don’t get me wrong there are tons of legitimate systems out there that work great but most fall short to teaching you the real basis of losing weight and staying healthy. Is it because they don’t know..? Or is it because the hope you fall off the wagon and buy their next best thing that’s going to give you the body you’ve always wanted..? I’ll let you decide that one! 👍 Energy Balance Now, losing or gaining weight and staying in shape really depends on your energy balance. What is energy balance? Well, energy balance is a deposit and withdrawal system in which you deposit calories in the form of food and you withdraw calories in the form of daily living and exercise. The formula is very simple, if you deposit more than you withdraw, then you will be at risk of gaining weight. If you withdraw more than you deposit, then you will lose weight! Both describe an energy imbalance in which either one will make you gain or lose weight. Pretty simple right! Losing Weight To lose one pound of body fat, you have to create a 3500 caloric deficit, either by exercising more or eating less, or even both! By cutting your caloric intake by 500 calories a day for one week (500 calories per day x 7 days) you should be able to lose one pound. Below is a formula to help you figure out how many calories you need each day to reach your weight loss goal or to maintain your current weight! Step 1: Take your healthy body weight (as determined by the chart below) and multiply it by ten. This is the number of calories you need daily to maintain your basic daily functions. (The table above shows healthy weight ranges for men and women. The lower number is for smaller boned people, the higher number for bigger boned people and the middle numbers are the midpoint range.) Step 2: Select an activity from the chart below that best describes your activity level. Multiply that by your healthy body weight. Sedentary = 3 (No Exercising, Housework or Gardening) Moderate = 4 (You exercise, garden or do housework 3-5 times per week for 20 minutes each session. Also you use stairs and walk briskly.) Active = 5 (You exercise 3-5 times per week for 60 minutes each session plus walk briskly and use stairs.) Very Active = 7 (You exercise 3-5 times per week for 90 plus minutes each session. Or you do more than one 60- minute workout session a day. Also, you use stairs and walk briskly. You may have other daily physical activity as well. Competitive recreational athletes usually fit into this category.) Extremely Active = 10 You exercise 5 or more times per week for 120-plus minutes each session. Or you do workout more than 90 minutes each day. You use stairs and walk briskly. Most professional athletes fit into this category. Step 3: Add the totals from steps 1 and 2 to get the number of calories you need to lose or maintain your current weight. Example: Suppose a man whose healthy body weight is 165lb, and he is a Very Active person. Here is how we figure the formula out. Step 1: 165 x 10= 1,650 Step 2: 165 x 7= 1,155 Step 3: 1,650 + 1,155= 2,805 Based on this formula, if he takes in 2,805 calories and he is currently 195lb he will lose weight and reach the 165lb. mark or maintain his current weight of 165lb if he is already there. Remember: If you are trying to lose weight, this formula should help you lose around one pound per week if used correctly. Step 4: Take the Calorie total and divide it by the total number of meals per day (5), and then take that number and then you will have how many calories you need to intake at each of your meals (5 is recommended). Example: 2,805 calories divided by 5= Around 560 calories per meal. Thank you so much for talking the time to read this months tip! If you have any questions please feel free to Email or IM me at anytime! Have a great day! Jason Raines #100 About me Like Us on Facebook Additional Tips (video)

Enjoy! - Jason Find us on Facebook

>>> discuss this tip

Stretching decreases injuries and is a vital part of riding your best. Here's a video on what stretches to do and how to do them right. Enjoy! Jason Raines >>> discuss this tip About Jason Raines

Discuss this tip About Jason Raines More tips & training resources

Thanks for Watching! - Jason Raines http://www.rainesracing.com >>> discuss this tip

About Jason Raines Discuss this tip

Fitness and Nutrition with 6 time AMA Hare Scramble Champion Jason Raines Pre-Ride/Race Nutrition One of the biggest questions off-roaders and motocrossers have is, “What do I eat the days before and the day of the race or ride and when’s the proper timing to eat these meals?” The tips below are based on a race scenario but most of them are just as important for the trail riders as they are for the racers. You never know what can happen and being nutritionally prepared is just as important as being mechanically prepared! It has taken many years to come up with the right diet. This system will help you be the strongest and most nutritionally prepared before every race or trail ride you line up for. REMEMBER: (Everybody's body is different and you never want to try something different the day of an event. Always test something new a few weeks prior to an event!) Here are a few suggestions to help you be stronger from start to finish! Days Leading Up to an Race or Ride: DO NOT hammer water the day before the event! I see so many riders decide to get hydrated 1-2 days before the go ride, by that time it’s way too late and your body is just going to flush it out. You should start hydrating at the latest 5 days prior to an event. Drink moderate portions, your body can only absorb so much fluid (32 ounces) per hour so drinking too much too fast doesn't do you any good and it just runs right out. So drink smart the week before the event, that way you are fully hydrated and ready for the battle! (Note: If you have trouble finding the time to drink during the day, try wearing you’re a hydration system so your fluid is easy to access!) I personally start electrolyte loading 2 days prior to an event. A performance drink like Accelerade combines electrolytes, carbohydrates, vitamins, calories and protein. The week prior to an event, it is also good to up your carbohydrate intake. You want to maintain a good diet but the week leading up to the event you want more of your meals to be focused on higher carbohydrate levels! Below is a guide to give you the percentage of your diet that needs to be focused on carbohydrates. Eating pasta, baked potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice, etc. are good choices to help get your body become fully ready and energized for the event. 6 Days before event- Usual Diet-60-65% Carbs 5 Days before event- Usual Diet-60-65% Carbs 4 Days before event- Usual Diet-60-65% Carbs 3 Days before event- Usual Diet-70%Carbs 2 Days before event- Usual Diet-70%Carbs 1 Day before event- Usual diet 70% carbs There is a good list of foods high in carbs here: http://www.buzzle.co...rate-foods.html Day of The Race or Ride Timing is a big key the day of the race, you want all that work you have put in leading up to the event to pay off. Remember, you do not want to eat too late or too early. Eating too late will make you feel heavy and tired because your body is trying to process the food. If you eat too early, your body will have already processed the food and you will not be able to get the nutrition and energy you need. Most of the time races start at 1:00pm, but if your event or your ride starts earlier or later, adjust your time accordingly. 7:00am - Breakfast My breakfast is a Banana and a meal replacement drink (boost, slim fast, etc.) I like the meal replacement drinks in the morning because they are very easy to digest and give you all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs for one full meal. 11:00am - Lunch Always eat your lunch about 2 hours before you race or ride. This is very important; eating your meal at the right time will let your body process the food properly. This will give you all the energy when you are sitting on the line without feeling heavy. The most common lunch for top off road racers is 1 or 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a banana. The PB&J gives you a good rounded meal that includes carbs, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. (Note: Make sure to use all natural peanut butter and jelly so they are not too high in sugar.) 12:00pm One hour prior to the rider or race, you NEED to lay off drinking your fluids. You can sip if you get thirsty, but try and slowly drinking. This lets you bladder be drained so that you won't have to stop on the side of the trail 2 laps in or 15 miles in if your trial riding! 12:00pm 1 hour before the racer or ride, I personally take 2-3 Tylenol. Tylenol helps you from cramping. I have also known riders to grind the Tylenol up and mix it in their drink system. 12:30pm 1/2 hour from the start, when you are about ready to head to the line, I normally take 4 tums to help me clam my stomach and tums has also been known to help with arm pump. 1:00pm All your hard work has been done and now you are ready to put the hammer down from start to finish! Hope this helps you in your quest to accomplish your goals! I look forward to seeing you on the trail or at the races... Have a Great Day! #100 Jason Raines 👍 Want to discuss this tip? Do it in our Health & Fitness Forum.

About Jason Raines More tips & training resources

Ride Hard! - Jason Raines http://www.rainesracing.com About me Discuss this tip...

Here in the south east we are heading into some hot and humid weather and making sure your body is prepared for the heat as important as getting your bike prepared for the event! Preparing for the summer sweat will keep you safe, strong and ready to face the elements with confidence. Proper Hydration is key, as if your body can't cool itself, you will end up with heat stroke and an IV bag. I see this happen a lot in the first few months of summer because the heat sneaks up on us. Here are some helpful hints on getting properly hydrated: Proper Hydration Water makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. You can live up to 40 days without food, but you’ll die within a week without water. Depending on your size, you lose about 4 cups of water per hour of exercise. If it is hot and humid, that number doubles to 8 cups of water lost per hour! So if you are losing it that fast, it has to be replaced and proper hydration before, during and after exercise has to be utilized. You need to drink a minimum of eight to ten 8oz glasses of fluid each day. You need to be on a scheduled plan to drink more often during the day. In some cases, it is a good idea and very convenient to just wear a camelback around while you are doing daily activities. Water is the best think to drink, hands down before and event. There are many types of waters out there (natural, spring, well, drinking, distilled, purified etc.) and over 600 brands. Out of all of these I would recommend purified water because it gives you strict control over your mineral and chemical intakes. If can’t force yourself to drink plain old water, you can use a “water flavoring” powder. If you choose a sports drink, make sure it does not have a lot of sugar in it. Always pick sports drinks high in electrolytes, vitamins and minerals. Below, is a listed a few preferred drinks instead of water. Leading up to the race, I try and drink 1 gallon of water a day (especially in summer) 3 days prior to event day. Your hydration level should be attained days before the race, not the day of the event. If you start too late and drink too much, it will just cause you to have to use the bathroom a lot. You have to start early! The day of the race, drink until 1 HOUR before the event, and then within the 1-hour countdown until race time, sip fluid very moderately. What this does is lets all the water wean out of your system so you don’t get 2 minutes into the event and are looking for the nearest bathroom. During the event, use a carbohydrate/electrolytes/protein combined sports drink supplement in your drink system. It is specifically designed to replace the nutrients you are losing during through exercise and sweat. After the race you should have some kind of recovery drink readily available. You should be drinking the recovery drink within 30 minutes after the race. Always drink some type of post workout/recovery drink high in protein. After an event your muscles are depleted and are needing some nutrients. Drinking a good quality recovery drink will also help in being sore the day after an event. Preferred Drink List -Purified Water. You just can't go wrong with plain old water! Accelerade R4 This is a post workout recovery drink. This product replenishes your muscle glycogen levels, reduces post workout muscle damage and helps you come back stronger! We use this product before and after the race with great results. We prefer the chocolate flavor; and mix it with either water or milk. Accelerade Restore This is a post workout recovery drink. It has fewer calories and sugars than Accelerade R4 does. This product is designed for workouts lasting less than an hour, so it is a good post workout drink if your events are less than one hour. Accelerade Ready to Drink This is a sports drink that is higher in calories than most sports drinks. Combined with protein, electrolytes, minerals, and carbs. This is a great drink to use a few days leading up to an event. This product is basically the “Accelerade” product in a non-powder form. Accelerade This is a great product that we use in our drink system. It is the only product that is on the market that combines carbohydrates, electrolytes and protein. It comes in many flavors and also is available with caffeine. Our favorite flavors are Orange, Orange w/caffeine and Fruit Punch. It also tastes ok when warm after your ice melts in your drink system on those hot days. Accelerade Hydro This is the “light” version of the original Accelerade product with fewer calories and less sugars but it still has good vitamin, mineral, carbohydrate and protein content. Propel This is a good product that has some vitamins and minerals in it without a high sugar content. When it comes to a better offering of vitamins and lower sodium, Propel does the trick, making it a more desirable choice for body replenishment MORE HEAT TIPS: -Using drilled or vented hand shields to keep the hands cool will help in blister prevention. -Loose fitting clothes or even better if you can, wear the vented gear. Most gear companies offer full vented gear and this is a huge advantage on the hot days. -When Practicing, wear a t-shirt or sweatshirt under your jersey to get your body comfortable as well as use to being hot. -Sweat absorbing pad above goggle to keep sweat out of your eyes. -Wick dry socks to keep feet dry and less likely to develop blisters. Always remember in anything we do, preparation is the key. Hot summer rides can be very enjoyable if we are ready for them. Happy trails! Jason Raines http://www.rainesracing.com

Finally, A Fun Way To Work Out With Your Friends! W/ Jason Raines

- About Jason - Raines Riding University

...discuss this tip