3 weeks to train?!

Ok, so lets say that there is hypothetically a big BMX race at the end of the month and you really haven’t started training.

I’m sure that isn’t you. But in case it is, here is how I would structure training to get the most benefits in the shortest time.

From the time I’m writing this, Grands main events are just under 4-weeks away (28 days to be exact).

That means with travel, most of you will have just 3 more weeks to physically and mentally prepare to be at your best.

Good news is there is still time. Bad news is there isn’t much of it.

Typically training programs would consist of sprints, gym, track time, mental training, etc.

You would include all of them and manipulate the volume and intensity of each depending on how close to the race you are.

Well, we ain’t got time for all that.

I’m a big believer of a well rounded, holistic type of program. But with just 3 weeks, we need to go hard in one direction.

You’re unique and will have unique needs so I can’t tell you exactly what direction you should go but I will help guide you.

Strength Training

Some of you that have read my previous newsletters and watched my videos may think I’m a hater of strength training.

But I’m really not.

I just think a lot of people bias their training too much in that direction and don’t pay attention to possible negative consequences.

In this particular case, 3 weeks isn’t long enough to see more benefits than consequences.

A few things that come to mind are soreness, fatigue, and non specific adaptions.

Going hard in the gym just a few weeks prior to a big race would not be a smart idea if you haven’t been lifting consistently. You’re going to experience a lot of soreness and fatigue from the new stimulus. This will most likely not be ideal for your riding for at least a couple days after. Depletion of energy stores, central nervous fatigue, delayed onset muscle soreness, and motor control impairment can be experienced up to 3 days after a heavy session.

The benefits of strength training usually take at least several weeks to be noticed. And with that, gym strength is not very specific to riding a bike.

Squatting may look like pedaling a bike, but it’s not pedaling a bike.

With those reasons in mind, I wouldn’t spend my time or energy working on building gym strength. Save that for the off-season.

Endurance Training

Endurance training for BMX?

Yeah, hear me out.

The time you have between laps at Grands is usually more than enough time to fully recover from the previous lap. Even if you race 2 classes, you will have time to race, cool down, nap, eat Cracker Barrel, and take another nap before you need to warm up again.

On paper endurance shouldn’t be a problem, BUT I found that it really was an important factor.

First, consider the short time you have for practice.

If you’re out of shape, you will be limited in the quantity and quality of your practice laps. You do a few first straights and you’re already huffing and puffing trying to recover. You may not fully be able to charge that long rhythm section that will be critical to practice.

Second, the length of the race “weekend” is substantially longer than most other races.

I found Sunday evening races to be quite exhausting. Those are the most important laps of the whole weekend. So being able to put in quality laps, late in the weekend is super important.

Third, the Grands track is usually a little more “wide open” than other national tracks. There is often room to make passes from behind. The straights are usually a little longer than typical. This will benefit a rider that is able to lay down the power a little longer than others. If you’re out of shape, you will be exposed.

I’m big on low-intensity cardio work during certain parts of the season. But this isn’t that time. We only have 3 weeks of training. We have to go HARD!

High-intensity interval training would be where I put a lot of my effort, particularly if this hasn’t been a big part of my training.

You can see some really good increases in fitness in a short amount of time with consistent, and intense intervals.

You don’t have to be a sports scientist to structure a decent interval training program. Here are a few things I would consider…

Start with intense but short efforts. I’ve made the mistake of going hard for too long right away and it completely wrecked me for the session. It’s real hard to do more intervals when you’re about to puke. Start with something like max effort hill sprints for 6-8 seconds. Recover for 90 seconds, and repeat a lot, like 10-20 efforts. If that was too easy, increase work time and reduce the recovery time on your next session.

Long efforts are important too. I would do at least one or two sessions per week doing longer efforts (approx. 2-3 min in length at 80ish % effort) to expose your body to a different stimulus. This will improve your ability to use oxygen more efficiently as you adapt.

Bike skills are obviously super important so I would try to incorporate riding my bike in as much of these intervals as I can. Things like sprinting up a small hill and doing those short sprints on the track can be great things. But just be careful that you’re not riding in fatigued state where you would be sloppy and make mistakes. Another way to get more bike time would be to first do your riding/skill work, and finish your sessions with your high-intensity intervals.

Partial lap and full lap efforts would be the most specific form of high intensity intervals you can do. If you have access to a track, this would be where I would spend as much time and energy as possible.

Bike Skills

I’m a huge believer in always emphasizing bike skills. Unfortunately, it takes years to build high level skills. 3 weeks definitely isn’t enough time to take you from novice to expert level in the skill dept. But, you can take what you have and try to fine tune them.

Try to ride as frequently as possible. Even if you can’t get to the track, take some time each day to at least roll around, practice some turns, hit some manuals.

Try to spend so much time with your bike that you two become one.

Mental Training

Honestly, the best thing you could do in these last few weeks before a big race would be to train your mind.

Being confident, dealing with pressure, and handling negative thoughts are easier said than done.

Big races will expose your weaknesses.

You can’t just show up to a big race and expect to handle things well.

Mental training starts well before the race.

In these last few weeks, before each effort you do at the track. Before each hill sprint. Take a minute to breathe and visualize a lap around the track as vividly as possible.

By seeing yourself in your head do lap after lap, you will reduce the anxiety when you get to the race itself.

Go all in

However you structure these last few weeks of training, I would encourage you to go all in on one or two things. Focus all your energy on what will give you the biggest return. Do that very consistently. Get off your phone a little earlier than normal and get good quality sleep. Reduce junk food. All these little sacrifices over the next few weeks are what will help you truly believe that you should be able to beat the other 7 people on the gate.

1996 was my second Grands I attended. I scored a sweet Schwinn co-factory Schwinn sponsorship prior to this race. I did my best to look and ride like my hero, Brian Foster. It may have been 28 years since I doubled at Grands as an intermediate.  The 7 foot tall trophies are now gone but the memories will remain with me for the rest of my life. I hope you are able to experience similar memories from riding a bike.