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Foundational Movements for Motocross: The Squat

Welcome back to the Moto Strong Blog, where I share my training tips to improve your riding skills and fitness! Today's topic is part two of the Foundational Movements for Motocross series and today's blog is all about the SQUAT. 

Why is the squat a foundational movement for motocross?

Think back to my last post about the hip hinge (and the picture of J-Mart blitzing the whoops) and think about how he got in that position from seated in the corner to standing just before the whoops. Boom! You got it, he performed the concentric portion of a squat.
Now, think about how many times a rider performs that same movement each lap, whether on a SX, MX, or XC course. The number of squats a rider performs in a 20 minute Supercross main is probably in the several-hundreds. The squat mainly occurs while transitioning from standing to sitting and back to standing, and also while the bike dances around under your legs through braking and acceleration bumps, up jump faces, on landings, etc. Everybody that has ever ridden a dirt bike knows that that a rider's legs are never completely static during a race or ride (hence why you get so sore!!). At every moment, the quads, hamstrings, and glutes are working in conjunction to keep a stable position on the bike, much like when a rider squats in any fashion during a gym session.

My point: everybody needs to squat! Racers, riders, professionals, weekend warriors, even the dog and grandma (especially if they ride!).
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Do motocross racers need to be able to squat crazy numbers? Not necessarily, but I'm a coach that believes high absolute strength is never a bad thing. The stronger a rider's squat is, the less energy the body expends performing bodyweight squats on the bike. Regardless, the focus should be less on moving big weight and more on technique. 

RANT TIME: Everybody in professional racing is so worried that lifting heavy will bulk riders up. I don't see Marvin Musquin starting to look like Weston Peick any time soon no matter how heavy he lifts. Everybody performs so much aerobic exercise that the effects begin to cancel out, so there's no way they get bulky. Rant over.

How to squat to improve your riding.

In my honest opinion, any squat that you perform is going to do the job. Single-leg or double, low-bar or high-bar, rapid or slow, front or back, at the end of the day it's not going to make a huge difference. Programming more squat movements into your off-the-bike training will improve your bike fitness tremendously. Motocross is such a dynamic sport because the input to the bike and body are never exactly the same between laps, so squatting with a variety of techniques throughout the year can make you a better and more adaptable rider.


Questions? Shoot me one below, I'm happy to help. 

Thanks for tuning into the Moto Strong Blog once again, can't wait to share more with you in the next one!

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