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Warming up for a DH Race.

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nowlan

Monkey
Jul 30, 2008
496
2
Gentleman.

Just wondering what people are doing for Warm ups prior to a race run besides spinning on a stationary to get the blood flow going. I have some ideas and generally do random stuff but if anyone would like to share some good routines that has experience at the National or WC Level it would be excellent to hear.

Thanks.

Chris.
 
Downhillbiker23

Downhillbiker23

Monkey
Aug 25, 2011
526
0
West Milford, NJ, 'MERICA
Well, I for one race CAT 2 18 and under and do a few simple things to warm. I consume a some water so i am not dehydrated or get dry mouth on course
I also rest before the race, usually sit down in my pits and chill for an hour or so between practice and race. just to give my legs some time to relax and body some time to replenish

I usually then get the top of the mountain and spin to get the blood flowing, do deep breaths and drink some water. this calms the nerves and gets my head in the game
 
DirtMcGirk

DirtMcGirk

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm
Feb 21, 2008
6,379
1
Oz
ICEBALL585 said:
I don't race... but if I did I imagine my warm up routine would involve beer and Slayer.
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When I was racing it was 2 Miller High Lifes and either Slayer or the Rollins Band. Worked well for me.
 
Jim Mac

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
My 2007 warm up routine consistently involved singing DIO at at the top of my lungs at and to Jonkranked. Worked like a charm! Aren't we all just rainbows in the dark? LOOK OUT!

 
bizutch

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Jim Mac said:
My 2007 warm up routine consistently involved singing DIO at at the top of my lungs at and to Jonkranked. Worked like a charm! Aren't we all just rainbows in the dark? LOOK OUT!

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If you were only atop a polished Intense at the start gate and singing DIO, you could literally just scream at the top of your lungs " I'm the man on the silver mountay e yah e yaaaannnn!!!"
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
I usually stretch a little after practice ends, grab 1-2 beers, a sammich, and wait my turn.

I may take things a bit more seriously if I was a Cat 1 or pro racer...but I'm not, I'm a slow weekend warrior/cat 3 guy
 
N

nowlan

Monkey
Jul 30, 2008
496
2
Comming from a forum that has 30 page discussions on Head Angels and weather or not a Neck Brace is worth it or not, I figured id get a few more serious responses on that "fitness" Side of the sport. I guess im crazy thinking its important even though Im not at a World cup. :(
 
Jim Mac

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
nowlan said:
Comming from a forum that has 30 page discussions on Head Angels and weather or not a Neck Brace is worth it or not, I figured id get a few more serious responses on that "fitness" Side of the sport. I guess im crazy thinking its important even though Im not at a World cup. :(
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I would hazard a guess that 40% of those 30 page threads were inside jokes, etc!

OK, I will attempt a meaningful contribution, though I have not raced in almost 2 years:

*controlled breathing - call it meditation, whatever, but it helps to keep your heart rate in check and your mind focused. Call it a mental warmup.
*Prior to going off, I would do a little riding about, slightly sprinting uphill.
*While lining up, I would then stretch, roll my shoulders to relieve stress and again focus my mind/breathing.
*EDIT: Then I would song DIO!
 
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jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,982
24,535
media blackout
nowlan said:
Comming from a forum that has 30 page discussions on Head Angels and weather or not a Neck Brace is worth it or not, I figured id get a few more serious responses on that "fitness" Side of the sport. I guess im crazy thinking its important even though Im not at a World cup. :(
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oh don't worry, this thread will hit 30 pages.
 
rockofullr

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
nowlan said:
Comming from a forum that has 30 page discussions on Head Angels and weather or not a Neck Brace is worth it or not, I figured id get a few more serious responses on that "fitness" Side of the sport. I guess im crazy thinking its important even though Im not at a World cup. :(
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Most of us don't have "pits" to chill in or bother to bring a stationary to pedal on before the race so you may have to go somewhere else for WC level pre race prep advice.

What works for me is the following:

Eat a banana ~ 1hr before start time. This gives me some energy but won't upset my stomach when I need to exert myself.

Work up a sweat ~ 30 min before start time. This usually means pedaling around in an easy gear. Then I stretch out for a few minutes.

When I'm at the top waiting for my start I mostly try to visualize the course and move around enough to stay loose.
 
p-spec

p-spec

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2004
1,278
1
quebec
ELECTROLITES,spin on a trainer with a cadence of 90 for a few minutes to get the blood flowing.
 
profro

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
Cutties.

They always helped me get loose and comfortable with the bike since the last practice run was usually hours before my race run. One time before a Snowshoe race I jack-knifed and flipped over the bars right in front of everyone. Good times.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Aug 25, 2003
42,146
13,340
Squirtin ketchup n' mustard on charred flesh
nowlan said:
Comming from a forum that has 30 page discussions on Head Angels and weather or not a Neck Brace is worth it or not, I figured id get a few more serious responses on that "fitness" Side of the sport. I guess im crazy thinking its important even though Im not at a World cup. :(
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That's because in the real world it's 90% rider, 10% bike. On RM it's 250% bike, -35% rider.
 
SCARY

SCARY

Not long enough
Apr 6, 2003
1,287
4
I need more of these green square things^^
I try to get up to the top as late as possible to avoid getting nervous and overthinking.This year I was a little too close and rolled off the lift only to be in line for 45 seconds.

Usually I do sprints to push a little lactic acid into my legs and then spin a bit so it flows out.Doing upper body stretches and shoulder "windmills" to take the tension out and loosen the upper body a bit.Again,my preference is to do this at the bottom and minimize my wait time at the top.

One time in the early 2000s at Big Bear I was at the top long enough to fall asleep.Everyone was yelling at me and I did my run from a dead sleep,didn't have time to fasten my helmet and barley got my goggles on.....It was not my best result
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
jonKranked said:
the 50+'ers here in the northeast are probably more serious than sam hill
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i said old"er" not oldest!

kidwoo said:
That's because in the real world it's 90% rider, 10% bike. On RM it's 250% bike, -35% rider.
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your math is borked



On a serious note I don't get all crazy with my warm ups, I just loosen the legs up, grab a beer, make sure I am well stretched out, and just go have fun.
 
N

nowlan

Monkey
Jul 30, 2008
496
2
rockofullr said:
Most of us don't have "pits" to chill in or bother to bring a stationary to pedal on before the race so you may have to go somewhere else for WC level pre race prep advice.

What works for me is the following:

Eat a banana ~ 1hr before start time. This gives me some energy but won't upset my stomach when I need to exert myself.

Work up a sweat ~ 30 min before start time. This usually means pedaling around in an easy gear. Then I stretch out for a few minutes.

When I'm at the top waiting for my start I mostly try to visualize the course and move around enough to stay loose.
Click to expand...
Oh im by no means a Pro. Trust me, I dont bring a spin bike to the top. That is kind of what I was getting at, I want to know what other people are doing without spinners up top to warm up. Just trying to generate some ideas and different discussion. I figured people know on here probably were in looking in the hospital windows watching Hills women give birth, so they might not know what goes on up top as well. :)
 
gemini2k

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
I sit in the start gate and start rattling off as many excuses as possible for my forthcoming poor performance for those fellow racers around me to hear.
 
worship_mud

worship_mud

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2006
1,464
2
i get a little metal sawblade and put a few scratches in my stem. a minute or two before the start i get all fussy after i "noticed" my stem is "broken"! i start cursing and complaining that "i'm in the shape of my life" and "that f*cking POS stem" and "my f*cking idiot of mechanic" and "damned, i can't race!!!" and leave the starting hut, deeply disappointed.
at home i order a new stem "so this POS won't leave hanging in the dry again"....

it's a win-win situation: everybody thinks "he's in such a great shape" and "he's such a determined racer" and i get a new stem!
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,077
5,995
borcester rhymes
kidwoo said:
No it's not. Add 250% to -35% and you get 215% bike as the leading factor in whether the average RM rider sucks.

Have you ever actually been on ridemonkey?


That math is fcking flawless.
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tis true. It's a proven fact that the number of knobs you have on your suspension is proportional to how well you can do. If you don't have both hi and lo speed rebound, compression, preload, and lockout, you may as well just post about it on the internet.
 
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