Best Home Exercises
- Thread starter Kurt
- Start date
D-Zum
My 13 year old is faster than your President
#1 Bicycle or Swim or any type of cardio you prefer. The endurance/stamina gained is not only just healthy to achieve in general for your life, but makes those seven 20 minute sessions much much easier. Personally, I mix it up between biking and swimming. I quit running when I was 19 and went over 200 pounds. Just too much pounding on my ankles/knees/hips.
Then, for strength, whatever you enjoy....good old pushups for upper body strength on the brakes, situps and leg raises for core strength, and squats for legs.
And, don't forget diet. Exercise is half the equation, you compliment it by not living on a diet of Doritos, Funyons, Sodas, ice cream, and Twizzlers all day.
Which goes without saying, but I felt the need to state the obvious.
That's the very basics.
Track days consume your life...it's becomes all about losing a few pounds and being in better shape to help you gain a second or two on your personal best at every track, being able to ride every session from flag to flag.
Then, for strength, whatever you enjoy....good old pushups for upper body strength on the brakes, situps and leg raises for core strength, and squats for legs.
And, don't forget diet. Exercise is half the equation, you compliment it by not living on a diet of Doritos, Funyons, Sodas, ice cream, and Twizzlers all day.
Which goes without saying, but I felt the need to state the obvious.
That's the very basics.
Track days consume your life...it's becomes all about losing a few pounds and being in better shape to help you gain a second or two on your personal best at every track, being able to ride every session from flag to flag.
Kurt
Control Rider
Thanks Darren.
Swimming: I don't have a pool at home, and I find it to be even more booooooorrrrring than watching paint dry.
Bicycling: I LOVE it, but we moved to a rural area with narrow roads that is frequently traveled by wide construction equipment trucks and trailers that literally straddle both lines. Stationary cycling is even more boring than swimming. LOL
Diet: Good wisdom there... unfortunately.
Track days: I'm almost always the first one baking in the sun at pit out. I won't be back in till I see the checkers, and won't miss a session.
I only get 4-5 track days in per season, and after each one, I have a few stiff muscles for a part of the next day. I want to target those specific muscles.
I'm (hopefully & prayerfully) seeing the light at the end of the tunnel from a nasty case of sciatica that kicked my but to the moon and back for about a year. Mobility has been hard, painful, and in slow-motion. General exercise should finish off that miserable mess, and hopefully the light in the tunnel isn't on a train.
djhurayt
Member
that is going to happen, I'm new at this but, snow skiing is the same way. Towards the end of summer I would concentrate on ski specific movement muscles. Didn't matter the first couple of hard days of the season and muscles are gonna hurt. In other words it gonna happen, follow what D-Zum said and your on the right track. But, just a word of experience, don't know what age group you are, but its gonna get worse.
bmart
Control Rider
You can certainly wear yourself out in this sport. I get a lot less sore as I get older...and I haven't worked out in any way in 30+ years.
I chalk it up to working hard on my body position. I see a lot of young guns who get sore after just a few sessions. Some even wrap up their day and go home at lunch time! Generally, they are man handling the bike because they have strength/youth on their side...not a great way to conserve energy, but also not terribly safe as you can push the equipment beyond its intended use. Think about hanging on a handlebar while at lean, or trying to pull yourself back up using a handlebar while at lean. Bad ideas... Tires made these days will take a lot of abuse and hide a lot of rider errors, but everything has its limits. (Don't get me going on electronic aids.)
The same goes for legs. I hear so many people complaining about their sore thigh muscles. I used to be the same, then I realized that I was using way to much energy to force the bike around. Light inputs and good body position go a long way to keep you riding longer, safer, and from being sore when the fun is over.
I still get sore, but mostly just on the right side of my neck. A repercussion of looking back at folks I'm working with...with 150 MPH winds. You shouldn't be doing that.
Look me up if we're at the same track day. Until then...swimming is always nice to do!
I chalk it up to working hard on my body position. I see a lot of young guns who get sore after just a few sessions. Some even wrap up their day and go home at lunch time! Generally, they are man handling the bike because they have strength/youth on their side...not a great way to conserve energy, but also not terribly safe as you can push the equipment beyond its intended use. Think about hanging on a handlebar while at lean, or trying to pull yourself back up using a handlebar while at lean. Bad ideas... Tires made these days will take a lot of abuse and hide a lot of rider errors, but everything has its limits. (Don't get me going on electronic aids.)
The same goes for legs. I hear so many people complaining about their sore thigh muscles. I used to be the same, then I realized that I was using way to much energy to force the bike around. Light inputs and good body position go a long way to keep you riding longer, safer, and from being sore when the fun is over.
I still get sore, but mostly just on the right side of my neck. A repercussion of looking back at folks I'm working with...with 150 MPH winds. You shouldn't be doing that.
Look me up if we're at the same track day. Until then...swimming is always nice to do!
Kurt
Control Rider
Thanks. 60 this month. Still though -- I don't know how many 60 year old geezers drag their knees all over the place in the A group. So I don't feel so bad. LOL
WinterLean465
New Member
So sore quads (usually just the front of my thighs) are from using your legs too much? This was my second track day, less sore this time than the last but still sore. I assumed it was from having my weight on my feet and from sliding from one side to the other on the bike to get into position. Now, you have me curious what I may be doing wrong.
Kurt
Control Rider
I'll be at Road Atlanta on 10-20. And maybe 21st as well. You speak much wisdom. I'd love to pick your brains some more.Look me up if we're at the same track day. Until then...swimming is always nice to do!
Motofun352
Control Rider
Welcome to the group..
. I hate working out...exercise for the sake of exercise is just a plain waste of time. Go cut down 20 big trees, clean up the mess, cut, split, stack the firewood. When you're done you've got your exercise AND you have something to show for your work. Another trick is pick rocks from the field and stack them on the rock wall...It will kick your *ss all day long. Finally...drink martini's...that's all I got. 
Kurt
Control Rider
I'm right there with you, Jack. Even general exercise for a specific goal is wasted time end effort. When I lived in the north, I spent one summer running almost every day to get into shape for a heavy ski season. Wouldn't ya know; both activities use different leg muscles, so I crashed and burned when I hit the slopes.Welcome to the group..
I do lift weights, but usually on the end of a fork.
CBRtist
Well-Known Member
https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/how-to-get-in-motorcycle-shape
One of the best riders I know is all ass and thighs, light, and has incredible endurance.
One of the best riders I know is all ass and thighs, light, and has incredible endurance.
Bow chica wow wow. If you're doing it right
tdelegram
Control Rider
That’s the sound your 675 made chasing Greg!
Arumann
New Member
I'm not at all convinced that working out is a waste of time. There are a lot of benefits to getting started doing sports, and I'm sure you all know them. I started my fitness journey two years ago to lose weight. I feel more energized two years from now, and I feel confident when I see how good I look. Now I get to a smart body weight scale to maintain my weight. It's all about your goal. When you have a goal, you work on it! So, I would advise you to train the entire body and to lift weights mainly.
NothingClever
ATP/3C
It's still the off season so I thought I'd revive a dead thread lest we forget to tune up the body while we have the opportunity.
First, a friendly reminder for those of us that exercise* why fitness helps track (and street) riding:
What I like about both of these machines is they are suited for any age. They are ultra-low impact and can be used at a very beginner pace or all the way up to ultra-high aerobic thresholds if desired. I like the potential of these machines to support life long fitness. I belong to a global forum and there's an English contingent in their 70s and 80s that are rowing MONSTERS! At age 54, I'm not interested anymore in high-impact athletic activities so the RowErg and the SkiErg complement my goals.
Also, I definitely like my TRX suspension trainer, resistance bands and kettlebells along with my Rogue plyo boxes (and some marvelous shin scars...the biggest one a souvenir from the gym in Qatar).
I also have a vertical knee raise station. I've nearly worn out the arm straps and the push-up station but I admit I don't use the pull up feature often enough (OK, not at all).
Open water swimming when I'm near the ocean. Lap swimming when I'm not.
Cycling.
Long distance trail hikes.
* Not trying to convince all you folks that don't like exercise to suddenly take up exercise. You do you.
First, a friendly reminder for those of us that exercise* why fitness helps track (and street) riding:
- Optimized mental alertness.
- Better coordination and agility to provide smooth inputs to the bike.
- Endurance and enjoyment.
What I like about both of these machines is they are suited for any age. They are ultra-low impact and can be used at a very beginner pace or all the way up to ultra-high aerobic thresholds if desired. I like the potential of these machines to support life long fitness. I belong to a global forum and there's an English contingent in their 70s and 80s that are rowing MONSTERS! At age 54, I'm not interested anymore in high-impact athletic activities so the RowErg and the SkiErg complement my goals.
Also, I definitely like my TRX suspension trainer, resistance bands and kettlebells along with my Rogue plyo boxes (and some marvelous shin scars...the biggest one a souvenir from the gym in Qatar).
I also have a vertical knee raise station. I've nearly worn out the arm straps and the push-up station but I admit I don't use the pull up feature often enough (OK, not at all).
Open water swimming when I'm near the ocean. Lap swimming when I'm not.
Cycling.
Long distance trail hikes.
* Not trying to convince all you folks that don't like exercise to suddenly take up exercise. You do you.
motorider
New Member
My two cents on this topic (and I'm 50), is that any exercise is beneficial. Thirty minutes every other day is what my personal goal is. But whatever you can fit into your schedule is better than nothing!
1. Like @r6blondie said, Functional Fitness are foundational exercises (squats, planks, etc) and most do not require equipment, https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/functional-fitness-adults
2. Be active, walk more places instead of drive, walk the dog, walk your neighborhood
3. If you work in an office, take the stairs, get up from your desk and walk around every hour, take a walk at lunch
4. On the weekend, walk the mall with the rest of the old people
The machines I have at home are a basic elliptical/stationary bike and a base model treadmill. I rarely run due to my knees, so I do a lot of walking/fast walking, elliptical/bike, and functional fitness exercises. Hope that helps!
1. Like @r6blondie said, Functional Fitness are foundational exercises (squats, planks, etc) and most do not require equipment, https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/functional-fitness-adults
2. Be active, walk more places instead of drive, walk the dog, walk your neighborhood
3. If you work in an office, take the stairs, get up from your desk and walk around every hour, take a walk at lunch
4. On the weekend, walk the mall with the rest of the old people
The machines I have at home are a basic elliptical/stationary bike and a base model treadmill. I rarely run due to my knees, so I do a lot of walking/fast walking, elliptical/bike, and functional fitness exercises. Hope that helps!
Good timing for this. I decided to get in shape to prepare for my track day coming up in May. So I started doing core exercises and even joined a gym. I'm 60 and in good shape overall but I was concerned about the rigors of a track day. So it's actually a nice motivation for me to get in shape. I bought a soft mat and do a bunch of stuff on that and do some light lifting at the gym. It feels great to be doing this. I used to work out a lot in my 20's and 30's so it's been a long time since I've been to a gym!