TAMPA, Fla. — The Monster Energy AMA Supercross event roared through Raymond James Stadium Saturday, and the riders who participated worked hard to get there, not just on the bikes, but on their bodies and minds, as well.
- Trainer Dylon Turner creates custom workouts for motocross riders
- Workouts focus on core strength, producing oxygen to handle intensity
- More Hillsborough County stories
Before revving their bike engines, motocross riders have to rev up their own engines in the gym.
Mastering the sport takes more than just hopping on a bike and hitting the gas.
“The physical side is to be able produce enough oxygen to handle that intensity and then mentally you’ve got to be able to train so when you start to make mistakes, you can focus ahead and stay focused on what you want to do and not focus on the situation you’re in,” said trainer and coach Dylon Turner.
Turner says he creates custom workout plans for his athletes based on information obtained in a blood sample.
He says that customization important because this sport can be dangerous, especially considering each bike weighs more than 200 pounds.
“So we base a lot around the core, because you have a 220-250 pound motorcycle and you’re balancing on it, too, and you have to react to what that does back into you and what’s coming ahead, too,” said Turner.
Rider Jeremy Martin agrees that strength could mean the difference between life and death if you are in a bad situation.
“Unfortunately, we can have some big crashes, so it’s important that we hit the gym and stay strong and we’re fit," he explained. "So when we do take that hit, we have a better chance of walking away, and I think it’s important, too, because if the motorcycle does get a little bit sideways on you and stuff like that, that you have the strength to wrestle it back underneath you."
Some fans out at the event today also ride for fun, and they gave us tips on how getting in the right mindset.
“You know, I’m almost 60 years old, and you start, when you’re a little kid and you can’t stop," said one fan. "We consider it a life sentence.”