By Zaihan Mohd Yusof

YOUNG riders these days - they do not seem to let up.

They rev up their engines, overtake you closely and speed down the track, leaving older ones like me (I'll be 39 in two days), literally, in the dust.

No matter.

Older riders have experience on our side.

And with regular exercise, off-road practice sessions and proper nutrition, we can take on the young Turks - easy.

But first, we would have to get rid of the bad habits.

The usual kopi-o and two half-boiled eggs before a gruelling off-road session aren't going to do it.

Knowing which cornering lines are better isn't going to make me a faster rider from the get-go, too.

I find that I lose strength as the laps increase.

Vital component

In the mud-slinging world of endurance and motocross races, strength is a vital component for winning.

Said a nutritionist from Nature's Farm, Ms Rita Lye: "Overall body strength will help prevent the effects of cumulative fatigue."

That means the stronger you are physically, the better your body will be able to take the abuse.

Riding may look simple but dirtbike racers need upper body strength to lift, jump or turn the bikes over rough terrain, hills and obstacles.

Strong arms control your bike through bumpy terrain.

Powerful abdominal muscles help you endure the hit over potholes.

Sturdy legs and knees means better steering, and you can better absorb the shock of impact after jumps.

Ms Lye, whose company promotes Twinlab, a brand of sports nutrition, likened strength training to weightlifting.

Like the latter, strength training will "increase the amount of force your muscles can exert on a particular object. With incremental load levels, the muscles will increase in size and adapt".

Bulking muscle mass will allow those sinews to exert higher levels of force for longer periods before exhaustion sets in.

While working the core areas like arms, thighs and stomach for strength-building are vital, so is eating right - before, during and after exercise.

That tip comes from Mr Nasser Mansoor, spokesman for 2X SFB, which imports Science in Sport (SIS) nutrition.

Mr Nasser, 50, a former motorcycle racer, said that riders must have adequate nutrition during periods of high-intensity training to maintain body mass.

He said: "Just like a motorcycle, what you put in your body in terms of 'fuel', will determine the energy you get out of it.

"If you use poor 'fuel', you will not be able to get good performance."

So, forget about the greasy roti prata or chao guo tiao. Such "poor food makes you feel 'heavy' and lethargic", he said.

Also pay attention to when you eat.

Added Mr Nasser: "The right nutrition will only be effective if consumed at the right time and in the right amount.

"You will need to load up on your carbohydrates and proteins within 20 minutes after an intense work-out as your muscles are 'hungry'."

Carbohydrates, the 'go' foods that give energy, are present in foods such as pasta, wheat bread, brown rice and potatoes.

The recommended intake of carbohydrates for strength training is 5gm to 7gm for each kg of body weight, said Ms Lye.

So, a 70kg male needs between 350gm and 490gm of carbohydrates per day.

Next are proteins, the 'grow' foods which help build muscles. You'll find them in foods such as fish, eggs and beef.

They are also found in powdered supplements like Twinlab's Mass Fuel Extreme and SIS's Build and PSP22.

But these are meant to complement your daily food intake - not to replace it.

Seek advice from gym trainers or nutritionists before embarking on your new fitness programmes, Mr Nasser added.

This article was first published in The New Paper.