| Every form of atv racing has seen a steady increase | | | | of these would be wait shifting from side to side, |
| of participants in the last five years. | | | | pushing and pulling while moving up and down, and |
| Manufactures are producing race ready quads that | | | | pushing and pulling while moving side to side. Effective |
| can be purchased, modified minimally, and taken to the | | | | programs will incorporate multiple exercises, performed |
| race-track. This has allowed for greater competition | | | | in circuit style fashion, varying the speed and tempo, |
| and has opened the door for opportunities such as | | | | which in return will help to develop all of the bodies |
| sponsorships and national and international recognition. | | | | systems. |
| These high stake offerings have allowed the atv | | | | Programs should be integrated, having a variety of |
| athlete to become more aware of the importance of | | | | exercises challenging balance, reaction time, flexibility, |
| staying in shape in order to be highly competitive. | | | | strength, and power. Integration methods serve as a |
| ATV racing and riding is a physical sport and hobby | | | | beneficial tool by keeping the workouts from becoming |
| requiring strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination. | | | | repetitive and boring, allowing the athlete new |
| Like other sports, training can be an important tool to | | | | challenges each workout. |
| improve ones abilities out on the track or trail. With | | | | Progression is the next important component of a |
| increased strength, endurance, and flexibility, | | | | successful program. Progressive training ensures there |
| maneuvering an atv becomes more enjoyable and | | | | is a steady increase in strength and energetic output |
| safer. Whether you are a professional racer, | | | | from one workout to the next. This method will |
| recreational racer, or weekend warrior, a proper | | | | guarantee positive results as long as the athlete is |
| physical fitness program can enhance your riding | | | | consistent with his or her training. |
| potential and provide countless hours of fun. | | | | Structured programs should be periodized. |
| Exercise is a science with many philosophies and | | | | Periodization is a technique used to cycle workouts |
| disciplines, so choosing the correct way to train for a | | | | throughout the year based on the athlete's schedule. |
| specific sport can be difficult. My goal is to educate | | | | This method not only helps the athlete to peak for |
| and help racers and riders through articles like this one, | | | | optimal results, but also factors in time for rest and |
| so that the right programs can be chosen and | | | | recovery. |
| practiced with good direction from fitness | | | | The final and most important part of any fitness |
| professionals. | | | | program is that it has to be individualized. Each and |
| Traditional exercises over the last 25 years have | | | | every one of us is different, and participating in a sport |
| focused on training specific body parts and typically | | | | and hobby such as atving can lead to injuries. This is |
| perform exercises in a single plane of motion, which is | | | | why it is very important to work with a qualified, |
| an unnatural form of movement for the human body. | | | | experienced, and well-educated fitness professional. |
| Single plane exercises can lead to imbalances in the | | | | The fitness professional should also have knowledge |
| body reinforcing poor motor skills and injuries. Single | | | | of the sport and hobby, hopefully participating in it as |
| plane exercises are good for increasing strength and | | | | well. There are all levels of education in the physical |
| causing muscular hypertrophy but do not enhance | | | | fitness profession. There are certifications that only |
| human movement or performance. An example of a | | | | take a few weeks to obtain and there are college |
| single plane movement would be a standing bicep curl. | | | | degrees and certifications that take several years to |
| Functional training is a method of training where the | | | | achieve. Your best bet is to choose a professional |
| workouts compliment the movements and tasks being | | | | with the latter. Degrees in exercise and physiology, |
| performed while participating in the sport. Functional | | | | kinesiology, physical therapy, and certified strength and |
| training provides improved muscular balance and joint | | | | conditioning coaches are good examples of education |
| stability, helping to improve performance and eliminate | | | | to consider when choosing a fitness professional to |
| the number of injuries sustained while participating in | | | | work with. Continued education is also an important |
| that sport. All functional movements involve | | | | factor as well, exercise is a science that keeps |
| acceleration, deceleration, and stabilization. This method | | | | evolving as more is learned about the human body. In |
| of training allows the exercises being performed to | | | | my 24 years of working out I have witnessed the |
| utilize all three anatomical planes of motion: frontal, | | | | evolution of training and can tell you from first hand |
| sagittal, and transverse. An example of a functional | | | | experience that what is excepted as current |
| movement would be a lateral step press. | | | | philosophies today could very well change tomorrow |
| Atving is a full body activity requiring all aspects of | | | | due to new findings. |
| human movement to be functioning at the same time. | | | | The added benefits of a individualized, well structured, |
| Training for a sport like this requires multiple movement | | | | physical fitness program can be extremely rewarding |
| exercises involving all of the bodies systems including: | | | | no matter what level rider you may be. These benefits |
| cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, and nervous | | | | will not only play an important part of your chosen |
| systems. Program design should include movements | | | | sport but will also improve other aspects of your life. |
| that simulate movements while riding an atv. Examples | | | | |