Off Road Skills course - fitness and safety

[bcs_gsa]

Hi there,

I see a fair few of you here have done the courses with the Off Road Skills team. I'm scheduled to do level one at the end of March. Having only gotten into adventure/enduro bikes and interested in off road riding since last year, I have had hardly any off road experience barring a few dry runs along the Ridgeway trail. So, I'm seriously looking forward to learning the correct way to handle a machine like my GSA off road.

My question to you all is one of fitness. While I'm a fairly healthy and strong individual in my 30s, at 6' and 130kgs (~20st) I'm probably 30kgs over weight (fairly stocky build). Like everyone else, I've started the new year with a plan to lose weight and improve my fitness. However, I'm concerned that regardless of how much effort I'll be able to put in I may not be fit enough for the course.

So, any recommendations? Should I be okay, or should I push the date back and give myself more time to improve fitness wise? Any fat blokes here attend the course and make it through okay?

Furthermore, while this a course and not a racing event is there any recommendation on whether knee and or neck braces are needed?

Thanks,

 

[Timolgra]

General fitness definitely helps any off road riding particularly when things go wrong but is no substitute for being 'bike fit' when of course, things are less likely to go wrong.

Knee braces, strong boots, lightweight clothing including gloves yes, full body armour is up to you but a bust rib hurts like hell.

Neck brace? who knows if it'll be needed if you break your neck you'll wish you'd had it....... so it's personal choice.

 

[Smug]

Couple of guys I know had to pack it in after the first day because they were too knackered to ride. You do need to be fit.

I did level 1 last year and had no problems. I thought that the course was pitched just right and I would probably have struggled if it had been a three day course.

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

I did it in 2007 and considered driving straight past on day 2 it was knackering !! The first Day I did it on a 1200 which nearly killed me , and I am fairly fit , 2nd day did it on a cross challenge and absolutely loved it . I'd advise a 650 or 800 the 12's are hard work if its your first time

 

[Smug]

I did it on the new 1200 and don't think that it would be any harder to ride than an 800. If you want to take your GSA off road it would be best to do it on a 1200.

Be good if you could shed some of that 30kgs excess weight.

 

[bcs_gsa]

I did it on the new 1200 and don't think that it would be any harder to ride than an 800. If you want to take your GSA off road it would be best to do it on a 1200.

Be good if you could shed some of that 30kgs excess weight.

Thanks Smug, yip, I've probably made life challenging for myself. Selected the 1200 as I have a 1200GSA that I'd really like to get to grips off road. I think having something to aim for will also assist me in trying to shed some poundage although three months may be somewhat optimistic. I'm hoping that even if I may not be able to do everything, if I can at least listen and understand the mechanics behind riding off road it might still be worth it. I may contact the school and see what they recommend, if anything, in my case.

 

[Andy B]

Make sure you take a Camelbak for constant supply of water and stay away from the 1200's! Having owned GS's and GSA's for some years, and had to pick them up from time to time I knew damn well that if I had to spend a lot of time picking big bikes up I'd soon flag. i wouldn't consider myself to be either fit or unfit but I am only about 25lbs off you. I chose the 800. 650 is too small and underpowered for your (our!) weight. 800 was right for me. On the second day in the afternoon you'll get the option to swap bikes so if you want to try a 1200 that'll be your chance. Don't make it any harder than it needs to be at the outset otherwise you won't get the most out of it. If you're not falling off then you probably aren't trying hard enough, but try and keep your energy reserves for riding and developing technique, not picking the damn things up!

Have fun - it's something to be savoured not feared! Lot's of laughs!

 

[Timolgra]

If you're not falling off then you probably aren't trying hard enough,

Rubbish, if you're falling off it's because you're shite

 

[DrAlf]

I haven't done the course but I have ridden offroad quite a bit. I'd imagine that you'll be standing on the pegs a lot and moving your weight around. Expect your forearms and thighs to get a good work out. Worth hitting the gym or taking up running to get the most out of the course. Expect to fall off quite a lot too. I'd wear body armour, lightweight gloves, good MX boots and a pair of chaps.

It'll be a brilliant experience. Very jealous indeed. Enjoy.

 

[david a hall]

Just go have fun, do what you can and leave what you can't, the guys down there don't force anyone to do anything they can't do. You will learn a different style of riding, you will not master that in one weekend. You will be nervous to start with but feel elated at the end if not a bit knackered.
Green salads from now on.

 

[Trekker3]

From what I saw of level 1 you will be fine, it focus's on basic off road riding techniques that will give the inexperienced a good grounding.
You are also taught how to pick the bike up properly, so if the bike goes down you can apply the right technique.
The 1200 GS will seem like a toy compared to your GSA so definitely stick to that. When you've finished level 1, book your level 2, it moves things along considerably.
Improving your fitness/health is always a good thing but the main thing is stop worrying and just go and enjoy yourself.

 

[Possu]

Don't overdress, if you do you'll soon be stripping off layers, even in cold weather I only use a Merino top (two if it's snowing), armour and an unlined jacket. If you're not sweating, you're not trying.

As someone else said, a Camelbak or similar is the way to go, better to sip regularly rather than drink loads from a bottle at once when you stop.

 

[Nutty]

I've done the course, so here are my pointers.

Stick with the 1200. It's heavier than the 800, but is easier to pick up, as it doesn't lie down flat, due to the cylinders.

Take your own armour/ clothing, as the shite they rent you has no armour, and is rubbish (apart from the boots, which were good).

Try and get some exercise going before you go, as the fitter you are, the easier it will be. I work out 5/6 days a week, and didn't have an issue, but some of the bigger chaps were really struggling.

Drink lots of water, and eat the energy bars they give you.

That's about it, but if I think of any more, I'll update. Re the weight, you won't lose 30 kilos by March, but by eating sensibly and exercising regularly, you can lose around 2lbs a week (10 kilos in 12 weeks).

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Giles]

You're only 'fit' at what you train at. Ok that's a bit of a broad statement, but if I was going to, say do the three peaks challenge, then swimming fifty lengths a day, or cycling 30 miles a day, ain't gonna get me through the challenge half as well as if I went running and hill climbing.

So get out on your bike as much as you can, give yourself some really long bike days, get up on your feet, sit ...stand ...sit ... stand ...

You can survive a hard off road day by either good technique (whilst being unfit) or shite technique (but yer really fit).

I don't think you've got either ....

 

[Timolgra]

You can survive a hard off road day by either good technique (whilst being unfit) or shite technique (but yer really fit).

I don't think you've got either ....

That's a very cruel thing to say ............................................ but fair

 

[bcs_gsa]

From what I saw of level 1 you will be fine, it focus's on basic off road riding techniques that will give the inexperienced a good grounding.
You are also taught how to pick the bike up properly, so if the bike goes down you can apply the right technique.
The 1200 GS will seem like a toy compared to your GSA so definitely stick to that. When you've finished level 1, book your level 2, it moves things along considerably.
Improving your fitness/health is always a good thing but the main thing is stop worrying and just go and enjoy yourself.

Thanks Trekker3, some positive motivation is appreciated. Hopefully I can use this deadline as motivation to get myself to the point where I can fit into a BMW Rallye Suit

 

[bcs_gsa]

I've done the course, so here are my pointers.

Stick with the 1200. It's heavier than the 800, but is easier to pick up, as it doesn't lie down flat, due to the cylinders.

Take your own armour/ clothing, as the shite they rent you has no armour, and is rubbish (apart from the boots, which were good).

Try and get some exercise going before you go, as the fitter you are, the easier it will be. I work out 5/6 days a week, and didn't have an issue, but some of the bigger chaps were really struggling.

Drink lots of water, and eat the energy bars they give you.

That's about it, but if I think of any more, I'll update. Re the weight, you won't lose 30 kilos by March, but by eating sensibly and exercising regularly, you can lose around 2lbs a week (10 kilos in 12 weeks).

Let us know how you get on.

Thanks Nutty, that is positive advice, and that's kind of what I'm aiming at. Lose a some weight, increase my current fitness level and basically just get out there an begin enjoying the sport/hobby.

 

[bcs_gsa]

You're only 'fit' at what you train at. Ok that's a bit of a broad statement, but if I was going to, say do the three peaks challenge, then swimming fifty lengths a day, or cycling 30 miles a day, ain't gonna get me through the challenge half as well as if I went running and hill climbing.

So get out on your bike as much as you can, give yourself some really long bike days, get up on your feet, sit ...stand ...sit ... stand ...

You can survive a hard off road day by either good technique (whilst being unfit) or shite technique (but yer really fit).

I don't think you've got either ....

No I don't and that's why I'm worried! That said I ride my GSA every day, commute into London and 4/500 miles a weekend. Road only, and not strenuous by any means but my muscles have good bike control memory as it were. I'll take the advice offered here and upgrade the effort and fitness level over the next few weeks however. Hopefully if I do that it'll be enough to get what I want from the course, and that's mainly knowledge. Understand what I should be doing so I can practice that further on improve my skills. Right now I have all the gear but no idea as they say.

 

[Giles]

No I don't and that's why I'm worried! .......

Bike fitness will count for a lot, just getting on, off, on, off .... so yes, try and engineer some sort of fitness programme that involves working hard with two wheels.

Tension is also a demon that makes you tired, and new off roaders are (quite understandably) incredibly tense. You'll get really tired from that alone! Between now and March, when yer riding, (when it's safe and you're maybe not on the M25) stand up. Ride for as long as you can like that - play .... ride one handed whilst stood up - and not just in the straight bits Do as much as you can to safely push your comfort zone in terms of 'whooooa I don't like that..' so that you learn to do things on your bike without suffering from tension.


Watch a good off roader who just makes it look so easy and relaxed ?? It's 'cos he is relaxed ...

 

[Giles]

Ohhh .... and never wear brand new kit on a day like this - you'll have enough on your plate without new stiff gloves or the like to contend with ...