THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUS WHILE RIDING

ÿWhen we think of race day, we think of getting our bikes ready and getting our bodies in their best possible physical condition. Something that is often forgotten, but is of great importance, is a rider’s mental condition. The intense sport of motocross not only challenges a rider’s body, but he mind as well. This week we will talk a little about mental preparedness and what you can do to stay on your ?A’ game, giving you the edge over your competition.

Attitude

One of the main things that a rider can focus on is their attitude. It is important to always stay positive. Every rider needs to realize that not each lap will go as smoothly as it did in practice and not every race can be finished in the top three. Despite all your training, everything will not always go perfectly.

It is to any rider’s advantage to use the things that happen on the track as learning experiences and not to look at them as failures. The unexpected things that occur will make you mentally stronger and give you the abilities to adjust faster and improve more quickly. The most important thing is to stay positive not only when things are good, but also when they aren’t looking so hot. This will give you the right attitude: a winning attitude.

Confidence

As a rider, you have to stay confident in your ability to succeed. You may not win every race, but you can aim to improve. Having that inner confidence gives a boost in your performance: knowing you have the skills to reach your goals.

Confidence comes from a series of goals achieved whether they be faster moto times, making the holeshot, lapping a fellow racer who has previously lapped you or improving your overall time on the track. Set goals and work to accomplish them and with that your confidence will improve and make you a force to be reckoned with on the track.

Relax

When race time approaches it is crucial you stay relaxed. The more you tense up and let your nervousness take control, the worse performance you are bound to have. When the pressure is on, often times riders will get tense and try too hard. It is never beneficial to do this. Each rider has their set rhythm and pace, their natural flow. When you get nervous and let that take over, it will throw things off balance and most likely end negatively.

One way to stay relaxed is to visualize the track in your mind before the race. Take the time to walk the track before practicing on it and then take some slower laps to get a feel for the jumps and turns. This will help to give you an overall sense of calm and will help you maintain your true riding abilities when the heat is on.

Prepare

When you get on your bike at every race, you need to know you put everything into this competition that you could. You should be confident in knowing that you fine tuned your body and your bike for the challenge and that all your gear is safe and ready to roll.

A few important things to work on are your strength, speed, endurance, flexibility and quickness. This training will need to be done weeks and even months before a race. There are personal trainers and training facilities that will help you with these things, along with family and friends or team mates. The more prepared you are physically, the more confident and relaxed you’ll feel on the track.

As for your bike, a few items to check out before you race are the wheels and tire pressure, fuel and oil, air filter, spark plugs, brakes and levers, cables and controls, chain and chassis and the suspension. Knowing that your bike is safe will most definitely give you piece of mind while you ride.

Finally, you always need to have your gear maintained and in the best possible condition. Check all your gear for cracks, chips or tears and make sure all buckles and straps fasten properly. Items to check would include your helmet, goggles, knee braces or knee/shin guards, chest protectors, boots, elbow guards, gloves and kidney belts. You will always be more focused when you ride if you know that you are riding safely.

Fun

Don’t forget, you participate in this sport because you enjoy it. Every time you get on your bike, whether you are out for practice, a relaxing Sunday ride or a Saturday race, you will be more focused if you remember how much you love this great sport of motocross. The flying dirt and mud, the smell of exhaust, all the early mornings, traveling across the country, friends you’ve made, riders you’ve beat and who have beat you, the thrill of it all?you can’t live without it!

If you lose sight of that, the great fun you have when you’re on your bike, then you won’t ride the same. You have to concentrate and focus on the task at hand, but you need to remember to enjoy it along the way. Race smart, race hard, race safe and race because you love it!

“EVS ? Winning with Safety”