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Let’s Talk About.. The Body Work!
I want to talk about the body work, no not those gravel dings in your paint, or even the scratches you got when you followed a shiny red Indian down a gravel road and tipped over. I’m talking about you! The machine on top of the machine…Now I know you’re probably sayin…BUT SCOUT ! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? This is a motorcycle maintenance article. Never fear I am here to explain it to you!
As the temperatures start to warm up and we start doing those pre-ride checks, maybe we need to do a little pre-ride check of our own road worthiness. Those of us up north tend to be less active during our hibernation months and all those holiday celebrations don’t exactly help. This article is about checking in with the most important machine… our bodies, and it’s more than does my riding gear still fit.
Motorcycling is a physical activity, and to do it safely requires strength, mobility, endurance, and coordination. While it is entirely possible to go from point A to point B without any fitness routine, a stronger fitter rider can go further and is also better ready to handle those unforeseen situations that we have all probably been in at the end of a long day riding. While it definitely helps to be fitter, it is just as important to know your limits and know when you are done for the day. Riding past your endurance jeopardizes your safety and well-being. Physical fatigue leads to mental lapses and, I’m sure that we have all been there at some point. We need strong calves and thighs to pick the bike up off the side stand, to hold it up at stops, and (hopefully not) pick it up if it tips over. We need a strong core to help with cornering and riding our posture. Strong arms are needed for flagging down those ice cream stops and carrying and loading luggage. Our wrists twist the throttle and pull in the brake and clutch. Mobility is important to be able to actually do that head check, when changing lanes, not just glancing in your mirror. It also means actual-ly turning in the saddle to look behind you and make sure everyone is there, or checking cross traffic when pulling out.
Some of the best exercises for strengthening those riding muscles also require no equipment! Now, as some of you may know, I have been on a mission to be the best version of myself, physically, that I can be (And I ain’t no spring chicken). I found a great program at ImproveU Solutions, the founders Erin Attwood and Sarit Ashkenazi, personally reached out to me when I was looking for a way to be better to be a better me. They have a program called Rise Above on YouTube that is 12 days of body weight workouts and they are completely free to watch, and let me tell you…. They will make you sweat! They understand that we are all starting from different places and they give modifications that just about any-one who can ride a motorcycle will be able to do… if you just show up and try your best. Tell them Scout sent ya!
So what should you do to get started?
First start with light stretching, warm those muscles up and get them used to being worked a little bit. This alone will help with mobility. Then move on to some exercises that challenge you a bit more. Some of the best exercises that we as motorcycle riders can do are bodyweight squats, planks, calf raises, sit-ups, Russian Twists, wall sits/squats, Bench step-ups, Bicep curls with a weight or exercise band, and lastly Wrist flexors/ Extensors. Now let’s do some body work Ladies!!