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Hard Enduro is not a normal form of motorcycling. It is an extreme off-roading with several challenging maneuvers that you may not face during normal off-road riding. If you have ever experienced taking your bike off-road, you must know how challenging it gets. Hard enduro is for highly skilled off-road riders as it offers jumps, technical obstacles, and several navigation challenges. The hard enduro racing involves hundreds of laps, and it lasts for hours.
There are many professional riders who participate in hard-enduro racing. Being an extreme form of off-roading, hard enduro requires specialized training. Due to being the toughest form of off-road racing, it is also known as extreme enduro.
Remember, hard enduro is not a normal type of motorcycle riding. Even if you have experience riding a standard motorcycle for years, you will still be considered new in enduro riding.
Riders who participate in hard-enduro racing require specialized skills, practice, and training. The one very useful and significant element of hard enduro riding is strength. Other than the motorcycle, riders need to have good strength if they want to train for hard enduro. Continue reading this article to learn about the hard enduro strength training exercises you should perform.
1. Push-ups
If you are new to hard enduro and you want to train for it, start with the basics. Pushups are the most common form of exercise. They are the best exercise to start with. It not only helps you build strength, but pushups also help you stay in shape and build muscles. It mainly targets and tightens up your core muscles.
You don’t have to go to the gym for this exercise. The best thing about pushups is that you can do it anywhere. It is better to start small and then gradually increase the number of pushups daily.
As you get used to doing pushups over time, you can try the other variations as well, including:
- Clap pushups
- Close grip pushups
- Diamond pushups
- Pushups with feet elevated
- One-handed pushups
Your core and arm muscle strength are the most essential for hard enduro racing.
2. Pull-ups
The other most common exercise that only requires a rod to hang with is pull-ups. It mainly targets the upper body muscles and is highly used to build strength. You may find it simple at the start but as you start doing it, it gets tougher.
How to do pull-ups
- All you need to do is to hold the rod above you with your hands.
- Using your grip, arms, shoulders, and upper body muscles, force yourself to move upward.
- Keep pushing yourself up until your chin level coincides with the rod.
- Let your hands go straight again as you are hanging freely.
- Repeat this exercise as many times as you can.
- Ensure that you perform this exercise daily.
- Gradually increase the number of reps with every passing day.
This will increase your stamina. When you get pro at doing this, you can also try close-grip pull-ups. The strengthened upper body and arms are beneficial for hard enduro riding. You become more flexible and better while performing challenging maneuvers on hard enduro tracks.
3. PLanks
There are different types of planks that you can do but to start with, it is better to go with the
forearm plank.
How to do planks
- All you need is a flat surface or ground to perform planks.
- If you don’t want to get in contact with the ground, you can also use a mat.
- You must be facing the ground to perform planks.
- Only your toes and forearms should be touching the ground.
- Keep your back, hips, and legs straight as much as possible.
- Your head and neck must also be aligned with your body posture.
- Hold this posture for at least half a minute.
- Continue to breathe during this exercise.
- Gradually increase the duration of the plank as you get used to it.
- Planks, if appropriately done, target your core muscles and is a strength-building exercise.
- As you perform planks, you will feel pressure on your shoulder muscles, lower back, hips, neck, and abdominal muscles.
4. Squats
Squats are another beneficial exercise that mainly targets the lower body muscles. It strengthens your lower body muscles, including thighs, hamstrings, calves, ankles, and hips. It is also one of the best strength training exercises. It also strengthens your lower back which is one of the top requirements in hard-enduro racing.
Forget extreme enduro riding, even if you are planning to go for light off-roading, your lower body has to be stronger. You will not be able to survive difficult terrains, obstacles, and jumps if you don’t have a strong lower back.
Above all, if you continue doing squats regularly by gradually increasing the number of reps, it helps you improve athleticism and flexibility.
How to do squats
- Stand straight on the ground.
- Make sure you are barefoot.
- Slowly bend your knees.
- At the same time, lean your back slightly forward while keeping it straight.
- Keep your head straight and your face forward.
- Also, bend your elbows with forearms perpendicular to your arms and your fingers interlocked.
- Hold this pose for as long as you can.
- Continue to repeat this exercise for better results.
5. Deadlifts
Another highly recommended exercise riders should perform to build strength for hard enduro racing is “Deadlifts.” Deadlifts are quite simple to perform. However, you will require a barbell and weight to perform deadlifts.
Depending on your size, weight, and ability, choose a suitable amount of weight that you can use. You must gradually increase the weight and reps over time.
How to perform deadlifts
- Stand straight on the ground with the barbell in front of you.
- Reach the rod to pick the barbell up.
- Make sure to keep your hands straight.
- Don’t move your feet positions during the exercise.
- As you bow down to grab the barbell, make sure to keep your back straight.
- Grip the rod so you can pick it up.
- Pick up the barbell while keeping your hands straight and your elbows locked.
- As you stand up with a barbell in your hands, make sure your body is upright.
- Hold the post for as long as you can.
- Put the barbell down.
- Repeat the exercise for as many times as you can easily.
- Gradually increase the number of reps and weight.
Deadlifts are a very useful form of exercise as it target your whole body, particularly your hamstrings, lower back, thighs, hips, shoulders, and lower back.
6. Lunges
Another beneficial exercise that you should incorporate into your routine of hard enduro strength training is lunges. Besides building strength and endurance, it also helps in improving agility and flexibility. You become more mobile, and your body movement becomes fast, which eventually makes you a better hard enduro rider.
Lunges also involve stretching, which keeps your muscles relaxed, happy, and active. You can perform lunges anywhere you like.
How to perform lunges
- Stretch your right leg and take a big step forward.
- Bend both your knees at a right angle.
- Keep your back, hips, and face straight.
- Only your left leg’s toes, knee, and right foot should be touching the ground.
- Stand up in the same pose as walking while straightening your legs.
- Take the next big step with your left leg forward.
- This time, only your right leg’s toes, knee, and left foot should be touching the ground.
- Continue walking like this for as long as you can.
- You can also perform this while carrying a dumbbell in your hands.
Lunges are helpful in targeting your hip muscles, ankles, and knees.
7. Glute Bridges
One very favorite exercise of most fitness freaks is glute bridges. As the name indicates, it mainly targets the glutes, and your hip muscles. The other muscles that this exercise targets are calves, abdomen, and hamstrings.
To perform glute bridges, you don’t need to go to a gym. You can perform it anywhere efficiently.
How to perform glute bridges
- Lay straight on the ground while facing upward.
- Keep your hands straight and parallel to your legs.
- Also, keep your hands close to your body.
- Bend your knees.
- Lift your hips until your back, hips, and thighs are straight.
- Hold this pose for as long as you can.
- Set your body free.
- Repeat the same exercise.
8. Conclusion
Hard enduro is different from everyday riding. It demands you to train professionally to build strength. Riders who want to practice hard enduro riding must make a routine to perform strength training exercises. The exercises mentioned above include pushups, pull-ups, planks, squats, deadlifts, lunges, and glute bridges.
These strength training exercises will make you a better hard enduro rider. These training exercises will also prepare your body to perform best for extreme off-road riding. You will have improved agility, flexibility, strength, endurance, and athleticism.
