Young Guns BMX Training Made Simple
With Paul Caldwell, Athletic Engineering
Paul Caldwell is the Owner, Operator and Head Trainer of Athletic Engineering in Mansfield, TX. As a successful multi-sport athlete, PC is passing on his gifts and experience to those who have a desire to excel at their particular sport or discipline. With a no-nonsence approach and simplified training messages, Paul teaches athletes of all sorts including high school football players and division-1 College level athletes to be the best that they can be. Paul Caldwell is also pretty darn good on the BMX track. He doesn't claim to be the most naturally gifted BMX athlete but with his hard-work approach to training he has made himself into a formidable competitor in the Vet Pro class. Paul has graciously agreed to being a regular contributor to the Young Guns experience by sharing simple training information and techniques geared toward our target audience of Young Guns. If you have questions for Paul you can email us and we'll pass them along. Good questions may even get posted on the site. You can also check out Paul Caldwell site here.
PC Releases BMX Training Book “40 Seconds to Glory”
Installment 3 – 3 Keys to Building a Successful Athlete
Jan.14, 2010
There are three components that go into building a successful athlete. Those things are training, recovery, and diet. In order to ensure that our young riders are dialed in, it is important to have balance between these three corner-stones.
It is already a pretty well known fact that training is very important. Every athlete that wishes to compete at the top of their sport needs to train his/her butt off. This is especially true of the young BMX athlete. Because there are so many different ways to ride a track, the BMX racer must practice, frequently. They must also train to make their body stronger, which will translate to more speed on the bike and help to prevent injury during the occasional digger.
Most young athletes and parents get stuck on the “training” leg and ignore the other two components of proper athletic development. This is an unfortunate error because it is through the recovery process and proper dietary practices that the improvements from training take place. Eventually, if the athlete continues to train without addressing their recovery and dietary needs, their body will break down.
“Recovery” in this context refers to rest and sleep. In order to make continued progress, an athlete must push themselves, then, rest. That means either back off, or refrain from, training. This “rest” should be built into the athletes’ daily, weekly, monthly, yearly training plan, according to their needs.
Sleep is also a very important component. The body does a lot of its “repairs” when we sleep. This allows us to wake up refreshed and ready to go both mentally and physically. Without proper sleep, the brain and the body will not function optimally and the athlete cannot perform at their best.
Perhaps the most neglected of all of these components is the diet of the young athlete. Far too many young BMX athletes are fueled with sugar-filled, nutritionally void foods and drinks. In order to perform at the highest level, it is important to provide the body with good, clean “fuel”/food. This will help ensure sustained energy levels throughout the day and avoid the “sugar crash.”
The 3 key components to building a successful young athlete are:
1) Train hard (and smart)
2) Rest thoroughly
3) Eat well
If you cover these three bases, with consistency, the results will speak for themselves.
It is already a pretty well known fact that training is very important. Every athlete that wishes to compete at the top of their sport needs to train his/her butt off. This is especially true of the young BMX athlete. Because there are so many different ways to ride a track, the BMX racer must practice, frequently. They must also train to make their body stronger, which will translate to more speed on the bike and help to prevent injury during the occasional digger.
Most young athletes and parents get stuck on the “training” leg and ignore the other two components of proper athletic development. This is an unfortunate error because it is through the recovery process and proper dietary practices that the improvements from training take place. Eventually, if the athlete continues to train without addressing their recovery and dietary needs, their body will break down.
“Recovery” in this context refers to rest and sleep. In order to make continued progress, an athlete must push themselves, then, rest. That means either back off, or refrain from, training. This “rest” should be built into the athletes’ daily, weekly, monthly, yearly training plan, according to their needs.
Sleep is also a very important component. The body does a lot of its “repairs” when we sleep. This allows us to wake up refreshed and ready to go both mentally and physically. Without proper sleep, the brain and the body will not function optimally and the athlete cannot perform at their best.
Perhaps the most neglected of all of these components is the diet of the young athlete. Far too many young BMX athletes are fueled with sugar-filled, nutritionally void foods and drinks. In order to perform at the highest level, it is important to provide the body with good, clean “fuel”/food. This will help ensure sustained energy levels throughout the day and avoid the “sugar crash.”
The 3 key components to building a successful young athlete are:
1) Train hard (and smart)
2) Rest thoroughly
3) Eat well
If you cover these three bases, with consistency, the results will speak for themselves.
Installment 2 – Basic Training
Nov. 9, 2009
The following is a program template that can be used with great effectiveness as an overall training plan for a young, pre-teen athlete.
SESSION I:Warm up with an easy 5 min. ride and a few “warm-up sprints.”
OR
Jumping Jacks/Burpees/Star Jumps/Shuffle Steps 3x30 seconds each.
SPRINTSFocus-Acceleration**Nx15-20 yards
Flat pedal, one foot starts. Watch the following video for an example of the set up and execution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrTWGZjGshM
Time each effort and give your athlete at least 2 minutes to rest. However, don’t use this rest period to a fault. Make sure the rider is ready to give maximum effort before they go again, as you will cease the sprint portion of this session as soon as they begin to slow down.
STRENGTH:Perform 2-3 sets of each exerciseBodyweight Squats x AMRAP
Push Ups x AMRAP
Dips x AMRAP
Pull Ups x AMRAP
Lunges x 12-15 each leg
Step Ups x 12-15 each leg
Broad Jumps x 12-15
Supermans x 12-15
Reverse Crunch x 12-15
AMRAP= as many reps as possible. These are your “money” exercises and provide the numbers you should encourage your young athlete to beat the next time you perform the workout.
SESSION II:
*Should be performed with a minimum of 2 days rest after first session*
Warm up options the same as “Session I”
SPRINTSFocus- Maximum VelocityFlying 20’s **Nx35 yards
Clip pedals. Perform these by setting up three markers: One for your start, one at 15 yards and the final one at the 35 yard mark. This time you’re going to use a rolling start. As you hit the “start” marker, go as hard as you can until you hit the next marker. At this point, try to maintain your speed, without straining or “trying” to go faster. RELAX! This will work on your maximum speed. When times begin to slow down, stop sprinting.
STRENGTH:Same as “Session I”**Understanding “Nx?” ”N” represents the number of repetitions the athlete should perform of these exercises. Since our energy levels change every day, assigning a prescribed number of reps is guessing. This method allows the athletes body to tell us when it’s time to stop.
TRACK TIME:
Track time should be used for skill acquisition and practice. However, there should also be some structure to these practice sessions. There are several different ways to accomplish this. However, some are more efficient than others.
In the case of skill acquisition, the best practice is repetition. If your young rider is having trouble with their gates, have them focus on this during the first part of practice. If it’s the rhythm section, have them focus on that. Whatever their most current and glaring “need” is have them focus on that for the first 15-20 minutes of practice.
In terms of building overall ability and endurance, having your young rider perform half and full laps on the track, while timing their efforts, is a great way to get them to break the “first straight” mentality and start to build a strong base of speed endurance, while working on their skills, as well. Just as with our other “speed” work, you want to pull the plug when their times and/or form start to deteriorate.
This program is designed to challenge the young rider to push themselves, without pushing so hard that they burn-out. Because the most taxing elements of this workout are to be dictated by the athletes’ performance, there is no risk of over or under training them. By encouraging them to do the best that they can, you will get the best that they’ve got. As a parent, we can’t ask any more than that from our young athletes.
Paul Caldwell
http://www.athleticengineering.net
SESSION I:Warm up with an easy 5 min. ride and a few “warm-up sprints.”
OR
Jumping Jacks/Burpees/Star Jumps/Shuffle Steps 3x30 seconds each.
SPRINTSFocus-Acceleration**Nx15-20 yards
Flat pedal, one foot starts. Watch the following video for an example of the set up and execution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrTWGZjGshM
Time each effort and give your athlete at least 2 minutes to rest. However, don’t use this rest period to a fault. Make sure the rider is ready to give maximum effort before they go again, as you will cease the sprint portion of this session as soon as they begin to slow down.
STRENGTH:Perform 2-3 sets of each exerciseBodyweight Squats x AMRAP
Push Ups x AMRAP
Dips x AMRAP
Pull Ups x AMRAP
Lunges x 12-15 each leg
Step Ups x 12-15 each leg
Broad Jumps x 12-15
Supermans x 12-15
Reverse Crunch x 12-15
AMRAP= as many reps as possible. These are your “money” exercises and provide the numbers you should encourage your young athlete to beat the next time you perform the workout.
SESSION II:
*Should be performed with a minimum of 2 days rest after first session*
Warm up options the same as “Session I”
SPRINTSFocus- Maximum VelocityFlying 20’s **Nx35 yards
Clip pedals. Perform these by setting up three markers: One for your start, one at 15 yards and the final one at the 35 yard mark. This time you’re going to use a rolling start. As you hit the “start” marker, go as hard as you can until you hit the next marker. At this point, try to maintain your speed, without straining or “trying” to go faster. RELAX! This will work on your maximum speed. When times begin to slow down, stop sprinting.
STRENGTH:Same as “Session I”**Understanding “Nx?” ”N” represents the number of repetitions the athlete should perform of these exercises. Since our energy levels change every day, assigning a prescribed number of reps is guessing. This method allows the athletes body to tell us when it’s time to stop.
TRACK TIME:
Track time should be used for skill acquisition and practice. However, there should also be some structure to these practice sessions. There are several different ways to accomplish this. However, some are more efficient than others.
In the case of skill acquisition, the best practice is repetition. If your young rider is having trouble with their gates, have them focus on this during the first part of practice. If it’s the rhythm section, have them focus on that. Whatever their most current and glaring “need” is have them focus on that for the first 15-20 minutes of practice.
In terms of building overall ability and endurance, having your young rider perform half and full laps on the track, while timing their efforts, is a great way to get them to break the “first straight” mentality and start to build a strong base of speed endurance, while working on their skills, as well. Just as with our other “speed” work, you want to pull the plug when their times and/or form start to deteriorate.
This program is designed to challenge the young rider to push themselves, without pushing so hard that they burn-out. Because the most taxing elements of this workout are to be dictated by the athletes’ performance, there is no risk of over or under training them. By encouraging them to do the best that they can, you will get the best that they’ve got. As a parent, we can’t ask any more than that from our young athletes.
Paul Caldwell
http://www.athleticengineering.net
Installment 1 – Young Guns Mount Up
With BMX being in the Olympics now, it’s finally being looked at as a “sport.” And just like all sports, it’s important that the athletes approach their training as though they are preparing for a sport and not just for a hobby. That is…if you want to be successful.
I have had the great pleasure of training many different types of athletes over the course of my career as a performance enhancement coach. The one thing that I stress to all of my athletes is: “Performing your sport is supposed to be fun! You pay your dues, in practice and in training.” What I’m saying to them is: “If you do the hard work in your practice and in your training, you can show up for “game time” confident and ready to have fun.”
On the flip side of this coin, if an athlete does nothing more than go through the motions in practice and doesn’t do anything to make themselves better they will be at the mercy of fear and uncertainty, worrying about their competition. Therefore, it’s best to do your homework.
The absolute best way to improve a young rider’s skills on the BMX track is to get them to the track as often as possible, so they can work on their skills. The most important thing for the kids is that they have fun. The most important thing for the parents to do is they allow their young racer to enjoy their track training time, while keeping the young athlete aware of their goals.
I have found the best way to accomplish all of these goals is to make training into a game, or a personal competition where they are challenged to beat their previous “best effort.” For example, I will have my young athletes perform certain drills for time. (All things related to “speed” are to be recorded into the athletes “training log*.”) The next time we perform the same drill, I challenge them to beat their previous time.
*All workouts that can be timed or counted should be recorded in a notebook as a reference base.In planning the training of a young rider, it’s important to cover all of your bases and lay a good foundation of discipline and structure. This will not only help them in their BMX racing, it will also serve them well later in life in striving for their goals. And while you want to make sure they’re “doing their homework,” you don’t want to burn them out.
In this forum, we will discuss all of the elements that go into developing the young BMX athlete. In doing so, we will lay the foundation from which to build champions in the future. In the next installment we will share with you a basic training outline that can be used with great affect for our pre-teen BMX athletes.
Paul Caldwell
www.athleticengineering.net
I have had the great pleasure of training many different types of athletes over the course of my career as a performance enhancement coach. The one thing that I stress to all of my athletes is: “Performing your sport is supposed to be fun! You pay your dues, in practice and in training.” What I’m saying to them is: “If you do the hard work in your practice and in your training, you can show up for “game time” confident and ready to have fun.”
On the flip side of this coin, if an athlete does nothing more than go through the motions in practice and doesn’t do anything to make themselves better they will be at the mercy of fear and uncertainty, worrying about their competition. Therefore, it’s best to do your homework.
The absolute best way to improve a young rider’s skills on the BMX track is to get them to the track as often as possible, so they can work on their skills. The most important thing for the kids is that they have fun. The most important thing for the parents to do is they allow their young racer to enjoy their track training time, while keeping the young athlete aware of their goals.
I have found the best way to accomplish all of these goals is to make training into a game, or a personal competition where they are challenged to beat their previous “best effort.” For example, I will have my young athletes perform certain drills for time. (All things related to “speed” are to be recorded into the athletes “training log*.”) The next time we perform the same drill, I challenge them to beat their previous time.
*All workouts that can be timed or counted should be recorded in a notebook as a reference base.In planning the training of a young rider, it’s important to cover all of your bases and lay a good foundation of discipline and structure. This will not only help them in their BMX racing, it will also serve them well later in life in striving for their goals. And while you want to make sure they’re “doing their homework,” you don’t want to burn them out.
In this forum, we will discuss all of the elements that go into developing the young BMX athlete. In doing so, we will lay the foundation from which to build champions in the future. In the next installment we will share with you a basic training outline that can be used with great affect for our pre-teen BMX athletes.
Paul Caldwell
www.athleticengineering.net
All personal training information shared on the Young Guns BMX site is for educational and resource purposes only. It is there to help you make informed decisions about fitness training. It is NOT a substitute for or an addition to any advice given to you by your physician.
Before adhering to any fitness training advice on this site or any other sources you should consult your physician. You are solely responsible for the way information on Young Guns BMX is perceived and utilized and therefore do so at your own risk.
In no way will Young Guns BMX, Athletic Engineering or anyone associated with these organizations be held responsible for any injuries or problems that may occur dut to the use of this website or advice contained within. Young Guns BMX will not be held responsible for the conduct of any companies, organizations or websites recommended within this site.
For questions or concerns please email us
Before adhering to any fitness training advice on this site or any other sources you should consult your physician. You are solely responsible for the way information on Young Guns BMX is perceived and utilized and therefore do so at your own risk.
In no way will Young Guns BMX, Athletic Engineering or anyone associated with these organizations be held responsible for any injuries or problems that may occur dut to the use of this website or advice contained within. Young Guns BMX will not be held responsible for the conduct of any companies, organizations or websites recommended within this site.
For questions or concerns please email us