MOVEMENT AND SKILL ANALYSIS OF SUPERCROSS
BICYCLE MOTOCROSS
Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw
JOHN F. COWELL,1 MICHAEL R. MCGUIGAN,1
1
Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand; and 2School of Biomedical,
Health, and Environmental Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC1y0abggQZXdgGj2MwlZLeI= on 02/26/2024
ABSTRACT
Cowell, JF, McGuigan, MR, and Cronin, JB. Movement and
skill analysis of supercross bicycle motocross. J Strength
Cond Res 26(6): 1688–1694, 2012—The purpose of this
study was to develop a greater understanding of Supercross
bicycle motocross (BMX) via notational analysis. Union
Cycliste Internationale (UCI) categorized Elite riders
(n = 26) were the subjects of the analysis; this event
occurred during the UCI BMX World Championships. Video
footage was captured and analyzed using QuicktimeTM and
VideoMotionÓ software. The movement patterns and time
spent pedaling, jumping, and ‘‘pumping’’ were determined
for each run. On average, the Elite Men took 39.62 6 0.78
seconds to complete a track, using 30.45 6 3.2 pedal
strokes and spent 11.83 6 1.11, 9.64 6 1.79, and 17.05 6
1.51 seconds pedaling, jumping, and ‘‘pumping,’’ respec-
tively. The Elite Women took 40.95 6 0.91 seconds to
complete a track, using 33.65 6 5.06 pedal strokes
and spent 14.40 6 2.17, 6.28 6 1.41, and 17.80 6
1.83 seconds pedaling, jumping, and ‘‘coasting and
pumping,’’ respectively. The dominant movement patterns
investigated for the start, takeoff, landing, and pumping
were hip (;30 times per lap) and knee extension (;30 per
leg per lap) and horizontal shoulder abduction and
adduction (20 times per lap). Future research is needed
to identify the power and acceleration profiles of the sport,
which would be paramount for determining the best practice
in testing and preparing BMX athletes. Exercises that
specifically target the extensors of the hips, knees, and
ankles and the muscles responsible for horizontal shoulder
abduction and adduction are recommended.
KEY WORDS video, cycling, jumping, pedaling
Address correspondence to jfcowell@mac.com.
26(6)/1688–1694
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Ó 2012 National Strength and Conditioning Association
the TM
1688 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
AND JOHN B. CRONIN1,2
INTRODUCTION
F
or strength and conditioning coaches to address the
programming requirements of athletes, a knowledge
of the physiological and/or mechanical character-
istics of the sport is necessary. In many sports,
a ‘‘needs analysis’’ has been performed where the specific and
dominant movement patterns have been identified (6,8). This
needs analysis is a key component to understanding the kinetic
and kinematic requirements of a sport, and it is from the
information this analysis provides that specific programming
can be derived. With regards to the bicycle motocross (BMX),
this understanding is in its infancy given that the sport was
introduced as an Olympic sport in 2008 and therefore before
this was of little interest to sport scientists and practitioners
alike. The sport began in the U.S.A. in the late 1960s, and
although it has matured since then, the main characteristics of
the sport such as the dimensions of the bicycle, the 8-rider
mass-start format and inclusion of jumps and banked turns
remain. A traditional BMX track as specified by the American
Bicycle Association (www.ababmx.com) is similar in length to
a Supercross BMX (SBMX) track; however, certain features
and obstacles such as the start ramp (2–3 m high) are much
smaller in scale. Part of the reason for this is that although the
SBMX track is contested solely by professional male and
female athletes, a standard track must cater to racers of all ages,
often as young as 5 or 6 years old. The SBMX racecourse has
an 8-m-high start ramp with a downhill slope that is initially
18° and then progresses to 28° after approximately 5 m and
the track tends to be between 300 and 400 m in length, 6–8 m
wide, and negotiation of the course may take anywhere from
30 to 50 seconds to complete (2,5,7,9). The race is a 1-lap event
that commences when a mechanical gate falls, releasing the
(maximum of ) 8 riders onto a course consisting of a start hill,
jumps, and banked turns. In this configuration, the Olympic
caliber racers are able to reach peak power and cadence within
6.0 m and 1.6 seconds (4). Because of the high relative
contribution of technique to overall success, the rider who is
able to first establish the best position and successfully
negotiate the obstacles on the course without having to
contend with other riders are both significant influences on the
outcome (9).
Although the basic characteristics of an SBMX track are
known, the physiological, mechanical, and technical demands

fundamental to negotiating a track have not been investigated.
For the strength and conditioning practitioner, an understand-
ing of these demands in particular the movement patterns, their
frequency, and duration serves as the foundation for developing
a program for performance enhancement. Given this
information, the purpose of this study was to quantify the
Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw
frequency, duration, and type of movement patterns and skills
used in Elite SBMX racing. From this knowledge, the basis for
a specific training program that uses the identified character-
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC1y0abggQZXdgGj2MwlZLeI= on 02/26/2024
istics of SBMX racing can be created.
METHODS
Experimental Approach to the Problem
The study was descriptive in nature and consisted of collating
data of multiple riders (n = 26) from video analysis of the Time
Trial (TT) event of the 2010 BMX World Championships in
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The riders negotiated the course
solo at a maximum pace, and this provided data specific to the
TT component of SBMX racing where the riders are ranked
according to course navigation in the shortest elapsed time.
Subjects
The riders to whom we had video access who were used in this
study were Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) categorized
Elite (‘‘Elite’’ defined as age $19 years) Men (n = 16) and Elite
Women (n = 10) with a mean age of 22 6 4 and 22 6 3 years,
respectively. The TT filming occurred at the 2010 World
Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Access to
the timing data is in the public domain and available from the
UCI (http://www.uci.ch), so written consent was not supplied.
Procedures
The subjects were filmed navigating an entire SBMX course.
Each rider traversed the course once in competition, and the
footage captured provided a video record of the time the athletes
were spending at various points on the track and the principal
movement patterns. They were filmed from a perspective that
allowed video capture for key strategic events along the course
such as the start, jumps, and other obstacle sections that are
typical of an SBMX course. Each rider was timed to specific
points (based on film footage) on the track (beginning with
the first movement of the bicycle and ending at the finish line)
by means of individual video frame analysis where one frame
represented 1/25 of a second. Video footage was captured
and analyzed using QuicktimeTM (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA,
USA) software and the joint angles corresponding to the
respective movement patterns were quantified by Video-
MotionÓ (Objectus Technology, PA, USA) software. The data
on start gate reaction time, speed at the bottom of the start
ramp, and total elapsed time were measured using Swiss
TimingTM (Corgémont, Switzerland) and OMEGA Electro-
nicsTM (Biel, Switzerland) photo finish cell technology, and
the times were accurate to 1/1,000 seconds and the speed to
1/10 km h. To determine reliability of data collected via
notational analysis (NA), another 2 raters analyzed the video
according to the procedures and criteria outlined.
Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
the TM
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research | www.nsca-jscr.org
The measuring points were defined for pedaling, pumping,
and jumping and each section of the track. Pedaling was
characterized by forward rotation of the cranks with a full
revolution of the crank being one pedal stroke. Jumping was
measured as the moment the front wheel leaves the ground to
when the rear wheel touches down. If the riders were neither
pedaling nor jumping, then they were either pumping or
coasting. Although pumping, the riders were attempting to
generate speed over obstacles while maintaining ground
contact at all times. ‘‘Coasting’’ occurred just before or just
after a jump. It was in this ‘‘transition’’ phase that the rider either
sets up for the takeoff of the next jump or was moving from
landing a jump to commencing pedaling. For the purposes of
this study, these 2 categories were combined as ‘‘pumping.’’
The start was outlined beginning with the first movement of
the bicycle and ended the moment the front wheel touched the
dirt surface of the track. The first straightaway was defined as
the distance from where the start ramp meets the track surface
to landing from the last jump. The second straightaway was
measured from the end of the first corner to where the rider
landed from the last jump. The third straightaway distance was
quantified as starting at the end of the second corner extending
to the top of the final obstacle (small jump). The fourth and
final straightaway began as soon as the third corner was
completed and extended to the finish line.
Statistical Analyses
Twenty-six riders were analyzed, and their respective times at
specific points on the track were recorded. At any given
position of the track, there was a corresponding frame number,
and each frame number represented 1/25th of a second. The
first movement of the bicycle at the start was defined as
‘‘Frame 0,’’ and the frame number at the finish line was
associated with the recorded finish time of the lap. From these
2 numbers, we were able to create specific algorithms for
the individual rider where a certain frame number could be
converted into time. These points served as references to
determine how the data in Table 1 (time to the drop/kink in
the start ramp, to the bottom of the start ramp, jumping on the
first straight, pedaling on the first straight, coasting/pumping
on the first straight, total time on the first straight, jumping on
the second straight, pedaling on the second straight, coast-
ing/pumping on the second straight, total time on the second
straight, jumping on the third straight, pedaling on the third
straight, coasting/pumping on the third straight, total time on
the third straight, jumping on the fourth straight, pedaling on
the fourth straight, coasting/pumping on the fourth straight,
and total time on the fourth straight) was measured.
The movement patterns at the start and during takeoff/
landing/pumping and time spent pedaling, jumping and
‘‘pumping/coasting’’ were determined. Movement patterns were
also categorized as hip flexion/extension, knee flexion/extension,
and shoulder horizontal abduction/adduction. Each time one of
these movement patterns occurred, it was quantified, and this
calculation was based on the characteristics of the track. Each
VOLUME 26 | NUMBER 6 | JUNE 2012 | 1689
 Supercross BMX

TABLE 1. Temporal characteristics of a Supercross BMX race (men, n = 16, women, n = 10).

Description Time (s)—men* CV (%)–men Time (s)—women* CV (%)–women

Start gate reaction time (s) 0.53 6 0.14 0.60 6 0.02

Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw

Speed at bottom of start ramp (km
h21) 56.89 6 1.75 52.9 6 1.41

Total elapsed time (s) 39.67 6 0.81 40.95 6 0.91
Time cornering (s) 13.92 6 0.42 2.42 8.02 6 0.39 4.72
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC1y0abggQZXdgGj2MwlZLeI= on 02/26/2024

Pedal strokes 30.45 6 3.20 3.82 33.65 6 5.06 3.82

To drop/kink in start ramp (5 m, 18° slope) (s) 1.43 6 0.06 0.14 1.46 6 0.07 0.30
To bottom of start ramp (s) 2.62 6 0.07 0.22 2.74 6 0.67 0.15
Jumping on first straight (s) 3.07 6 0.19 1.86 2.77 6 0.20 1.56
Pedaling on first straight (s) 6.98 6 0.66 0.71 5.49 6 0.64 5.87
Coasting/pumping on first straight (s) 3.71 6 0.55 2.89 4.40 6 0.82 0.83
Total time on first straight (s) 9.16 6 0.21 1.21 9.48 6 0.22 0.67
Jumping on second straight (s) 4.33 6 0.63 1.11 3.00 6 0.53 4.36
Pedaling on second straight (s) 2.51 6 0.60 0.00 1.52 6 0.19 3.62
Coasting/pumping on second straight (s) 3.63 6 0.94 2.93 4.83 6 0.76 3.04
Total time on second Straight (s) 12.57 6 0.40 0.53 6.48 6 0.26 0.21
Jumping on third straight (s) 2.01 6 0.30 0.00 0.52 6 1.14 0.00
Pedaling on third straight (s) 1.73 6 0.32 1.85 0.49 6 0.32 3.92
Coasting/pumping on third straight (s) 7.42 6 0.42 2.11 5.55 6 1.11 1.10
Total time on third straight (s) 10.89 6 0.66 1.17 6.816 0.21 2.07
Jumping on fourth straight (s) 0.49 6 0.63 0.00 0.00 6 0.00 0.00
Pedaling on fourth straight (s) 0.65 6 0.19 4.06 1.71 6 0.27 4.90
Coasting/pumping on fourth straight (s) 2.31 6 0.58 5.59 3.02 6 0.35 1.56
Total time on fourth straight (s) 6.92 6 0.09 1.14 3.43 6 0.11 0.89
*Values are given as mean 6 SD.

pedal stroke would have a corresponding knee action and each
jump or obstacle would have a corresponding action at the torso.
The movement at the start was unique, so it was categorized
separately.
Means and SDs were used to represent centrality and spread
of data. The statistical analysis was principally descriptive in
nature. Reproducibility of the results was established by
comparing the variables of interest as quantified by 3 sepa-
rate raters. The interrater reliability was determined using
a coefficient of variation (CV = [SD/mean] 3 100) and the
mean 6 SD was calculated using Microsoft ExcelTM (Microsoft
Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA) for pedaling (seconds),

Figure 1. Time breakdown of skill spent per straightaway for (A) male (n = 16) and (B) female (n = 10) riders.

the TM

1690 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
 the TM

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research | www.nsca-jscr.org

Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC1y0abggQZXdgGj2MwlZLeI= on 02/26/2024

Figure 2. Movement patterns in the start position of the track: A) setup and B) movement.

jumping (seconds), and pumping/cornering (seconds). The
CV was not determined for reaction time, speed, or total
time because these figures were supplied by the UCI and
therefore not calculated based on video footage.
RESULTS
Reliability
As can be observed from Table 1, the CVs of all the variables
of interest ranged from 0.00 to 5.87%. In terms of the 3 skill
levels of interest, which represented the cumulative data, CVs
for pedaling, jumping, and coasting for the men were 0.71,
0.96, and 2.14%, and 1.75, 1.56, and 0.87% for the women,
respectively.
Movement-Skill Analysis
The specific values (times and speed) for each of the variables
of interest for men and women can be observed in Table 1.
The Elite Men riders averaged 39.67 6 0.81 seconds and
30.45 6 3.20 pedal strokes to complete the SBMX track. Of

Figure 3. Movement patterns in the takeoff/landing and pumping portions of the track. A) Ascent/setup, (B) Landing/descent.

VOLUME 26 | NUMBER 6 | JUNE 2012 | 1691

Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
 Supercross BMX
this time, the least amount of time was spent on the fourth
and final straightaway, which was also the shortest, and
the volume of pedaling, jumping, and coasting/pumping
decreased proportionally as detailed in Figure 1A. The
quantity of pedaling on a straightaway gradually decreased
from approximately 7 to approximately 0.65 seconds. This
Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw
same descending trend was similar for jumping with the
riders spending approximately 3 seconds in the air on the first
straight and ,0.5 seconds on the fourth straight. Coast-
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC1y0abggQZXdgGj2MwlZLeI= on 02/26/2024
ing/pumping on the other hand gradually increased as
the race progressed (from ;3.7 seconds on first straight to
;7.4 seconds on the third straight).
The Elite Women riders competed on a modified track where
their second and third straightaways were different from that
used for the men, thus allowing them approximately 3 more total
pedal strokes than for the men. Despite this difference, a similar
trend in skill use was observed as depicted in Figure 1B.
The women pedaled for approximately 5.49 seconds on the
first straight and approximately 0.49 seconds on the third
straight. They spent no time at all jumping on the third straight
compared with approximately 3 seconds on the second straight.
The third straight was predominantly pumping/coasting with
a minor amount of pedaling (;1.7 seconds).
The relative and unique movement of the body at the start is
represented in Figure 2 (hip extension and shoulder adduction)
and predominant movement patterns for the lower and upper
body were hip and knee extension/flexion (;30 times per lap)
and horizontal shoulder abduction/adduction (20 times per
lap), respectively (Figure 3).
DISCUSSION
With regards to the accuracy of the data presented, 3 raters
analyzed the video footage with reference to the criteria
described previously and detailed in Table 1. The CV was
used as a representation of the percentage of variation among
the 3 raters. In this study, the CV ranged from 0% to a
maximum of 5.87% for the variables of interest (Table 1). It
would seem that the procedures outlined for this NA are of
an acceptable reliability.
An SBMX race is composed of 5 sections: the start, the first
straight, the second straight, the third straight, and the
finishing straight. Each of these sections requires a slightly
different skill set, and the performance on one section is likely
to influence performance on subsequent sections. The start in
an SBMX race is the section of the race that sets the tone for
all things to follow. The attempt to generate the most speed
out of the start gate created a movement pattern that was
unique to the entire remainder of the race and how well the
start is executed appears foundational for overall success. In
the TT, the start was crucial to overall elapsed time; in a race
however where the rider position among his or her com-
petitors is the determiner of success as opposed to total
elapsed time, the rider was attempting to generate as much
speed as quickly as possible to best establish position on the
track against the other competitors.
the TM
1692 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
After descending the start ramp, a distance of approxi-
mately 10 m exists before the take-off of the first jump, and
roughly half of the riders chose to pedal there with no clear
advantage or disadvantage in doing so as determined by the
total elapsed time. The entire distance of the first straightaway
was approximately 80 m and consisted of 3 jumps. The
distances between the jumps and the scale of the jumps
dictated that the riders spent almost as much time in the air as
they did pedaling (;36 vs. ;43%, respectively). If the start
ramp was included, the riders spent more time on the first
straightaway than on any other.
The second straightaway consisted of 4 jumps and started
with a 2- to 3-second effort of pedaling out of the first corner
and to the first jump. Even though the jumps tended to be
shorter in distance, they were higher thus sending the riders
higher in the air than did the jumps on the first straightaway.
Also, because the jumps were in quick succession, there was
little time to pedal. The riders were jumping approximately
42% of the time (and another ;30% of the time coasting or
pumping) leaving only approximately 28% of the time for
pedaling. Because of the increased time spent in the air during
the second straightaway, jump setup, flight trajectory, and
landing technique appeared to determine elapsed time. The
second straightaway was unique in that it split into 2 paths.
The Elite Men took 1 path, often called the ‘‘Pro Straight,’’
whereas the Elite Women took the other called ‘‘the Women’s
Section.’’ Despite their differences, both straightaways had
similar skill requirements.
The third straightaway, often referred to as the ‘‘rhythm
section,’’ was very similar to the second straightaway in that it
was split into one section for the Elite Men and one for the
Elite women. The third straightaway may have been the most
physically demanding of the 4 because of the constant effort
the riders exerted. Typically, the third straightaway had very
little jumping and therefore very little time for recovery from
pumping effort. The riders were pumping often as much as
approximately 60% (for the men) and approximately 95% (for
the women) of the time depending on the track and the rider.
It has been suggested that jumping provides some degree of
recovery and because the third straightaway had none or
almost none, the athletes were working for 8.52 6 1.13
seconds, the longest continuous and concentrated effort of
the entire lap (1).
The finishing or fourth straightaway was the shortest in
distance, and TToutcome did not appear to be altered during
this section. The average time spent on the fourth straight was
4.78 6 0.48 seconds, and this was broken down into
approximate values of 54, 41, and 5% coasting/pumping,
pedaling, and jumping respectively.
Three predominant movement patterns, hip flexion/extension
(;30 times per lap), knee flexion/extension (;30 times per
leg per lap), and shoulder horizontal abduction/adduction
(;20 times per lap) were observed throughout the TT. These
movements were used often in conjunction with pedaling and in
nonpedaling portions of the track. From the video analysis, it was

found that the number of knee flexion/extensions that occurred
was a by-product of the number of pedal strokes; therefore, there
was interrider variation, whereas the number of hip flexion/
extensions and horizontal shoulder abduction/adductions were
determined by the quantity of jumps on the track, so there was no
variation among the riders. Hip and knee extension/flexion and
Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw
the horizontal shoulder abduction and adduction occurred
during pedaling and during pumping. At the start, the riders were
staged in a somewhat crouched position with their hips just
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC1y0abggQZXdgGj2MwlZLeI= on 02/26/2024
behind the seat at an angle of approximately 90° to the torso as
shown in Figure 2A. As the start cadence sounded and the gate
dropped, the rider drove the hips forward, virtually meeting the
handlebars at an angle of approximately 130° to the torso, and
the knee angle remained at a fairly constant approximately 165°
through this movement (Figure 2B).
The movement of the arms in relation to the torso while in
the jumping and pumping sections of the track is illustrated in
Figure 3. On the ascent of a jump, the arms were tucked with
the hands close to the shoulder at an angle of approximately
60–70° of abduction to the torso (Figure 3A). Upon landing
or descending the jump, the rider further abducted the
shoulders to an angle of approximately 90–125° (Figure 3B)
to the torso, depending on the type of jump or landing. In
the ‘‘Rhythm’’ section (third straightaway) of the track where
the rider was pumping, the objective of the rider was to
generate as much speed as possible by alleviating gravita-
tional forces on the ascent (by ‘‘absorbing’’ the take-off ) and
accentuating the gravitational forces (by pushing down on
the bike) on the descent. In other words, the rider allowed the
bike to come close to him or her in an attempt to absorb the
jump and then pushed the bike away on the landing to
accelerate down the backside of the jump.
The riders were pedaling 32.7 6 2.7 pedal strokes per lap
and despite the approximate 8% difference among the riders
and this skill being only used for approximately 30% of the
track, this appeared to have a significant impact on the other
approximately 70% of the race. Furthermore, because of the
complex nature and technical demands of the sport, not only
was it important to be able to demonstrate the transgression
of skills during a lap, as shown in Figure 1, but also to
understand more deeply the underlying statistics as shown in
Table 1, for it is from these figures that the reader can gain the
deepest understanding of the underlying processes involved
in a lap of an SBMX track.
Certain limitations of this particular study are (a) data were
derived from one specific SBMX track, which will most likely
have unique properties; (b) the analysis was of a TT where the
rider is solo and does not have to contend with the milieu of as
many as 7 other riders and he or she will have to contend with
a maximum of 7 other riders, and the corresponding riding
behavior will most certainly have to adapt accordingly; (c) the
25-Hz video recording may not have been precise enough to
capture the video data in such detail as to identify greater
differences in technique or expose greater variation in interrater
reliability; and (d) because much of the video was obtained
Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
the TM
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research | www.nsca-jscr.org
from an external source, the consistency of the means by which
it was captured cannot be completely verified.
It is apparent from our analysis and the status of research
into SBMX that there is a need for further research using more
precise means of video NA and better technology to capture
cadence, speed, accelerometer, and power data. Optimizing
strength and conditioning programming necessitates that
certain variables pertaining to performance in SBMX must be
quantified. With accurate capture of power output, and when
the respective characteristics of power output as they pertain
to performance (peak power, time to peak power, repeat
sprint/power output ability, fatigue, power:cadence relation-
ships) have been reliably quantified, then the interventions
aiming to increase performance in these characteristics can be
appropriately evaluated. For example, when attempting to
determine whether pedaling in a certain portion of the track is
advantageous, the pedaling cadence to power output and
acceleration relationship would be beneficial to evaluate the
efficacy of such a strategy.
As the ability to understand the relationship between these
variables increases, specific on-the-bike coaching can develop.
Furthermore, with the dominant movement patterns exhibited
by the riders having been identified, will increasing strength
and/or power in these movements increase the performance
benefit of the respective skill? It is suggested that future
investigation into developing strength and power of the riders
as demonstrated in movements specific to SBMX to overall
performance be conducted.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
An entire SBMX race is completed in #40 seconds. Within this
timeframe, the efforts of the riders are intermittent and varied.
Unlike other cycling events where the riders are pedaling
virtually the whole time, SBMX racers are only pedaling for
30–38% of the race, that is, approximately 10–14 seconds. With
regard to the principle of specificity, it is the belief of the authors
that the conditioning of an SBMX athlete should be specific to
these physiological requirements and although aerobic con-
ditioning may have some benefit particularly in recovery
between multiple races (;5–6 races per day), we believe that
the conditioning program should focus almost primarily on
anaerobic alactic and lactic energy system development (3).
Exercises that strengthen the hip and knee extensors such
as the squat or deadlift (start and pedaling) and the muscles
responsible for horizontal shoulder abduction and adduction,
for example, the bench press and barbell row (pumping and
jumping sections) may be beneficial to SBMX performance.
Strength and conditioning specialists may want to pay
particular attention to bar movement velocity because it
pertains to the respective skill, be it pumping or the start.
Specific attention to eccentric strength for landing the jumps
and hypertrophy for crash-induced injury resistance may also
be indicated. Further specificity of programming would
benefit from an understanding of when, how, and how often
these actions take place.
VOLUME 26 | NUMBER 6 | JUNE 2012 | 1693
 Supercross BMX
REFERENCES
1. Allen, H and Coggan, A. Training and Racing with a Power Meter (2nd
ed.). Boulder, CO: Velo Press, 2010. pp. 254.
2. Campillo, P, Doremus, T, and Hespel, JM. Pedaling analysis in BMX
by telemetric collection of mechanic variables. Braz J Biomotricity 1:
15–27, 2007.
Downloaded from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr by BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCyw
3. Delecluse, C, Van Coppenolle, H, Willems, E, Van Leemputte, M,
Diels, R, and Goris, M. Influence of high-resistance and high-
velocity training on sprint performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 27:
CX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3i3D0OdRyi7TvSFl4Cf3VC1y0abggQZXdgGj2MwlZLeI= on 02/26/2024
1203–1209, 1995.
4. Herman, C, McGregor, SJ, Allen, H, and Bollt, EM. Power
capabilities of elite bicycle motocross (BMX) racers during field
testing in preparation for 2008 Olympics. Med Sci Sports Exerc 41:
306–307, 2009.
the TM
1694 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
5. Hodgkins, T, Slyter, M, Adams, K, Berning, J, and Warner, S.
A comparison of anaerobic power and ranking among
professional BMX racers. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33: S246, 2001.
6. Iwai, K, Okada, T, Nakazato, K, Fujimoto, H, Yanamoto, Y,
and Nakajima, H. Sport-specific characteristics of trunk muscles in
collegiate wrestlers and judokas. J Strength Cond Res 22: 350–358, 2008.
7. Slyter, M, Pinkham, KK, Adams, KJ, Durham, MP, Moss, CK, and
Wenger, TE. Comparison of lower body power output between
expert and professional bicycle motor cross racers. Med Sci Sports Sci
33: S157, 2001.
8. White, D and Olsen, P. A time motion analysis of bouldering style
competitive rock climbing. J Strength Cond Res 24: 1356–1360, 2010.
9. Zabala, M, Sanchez-Munoz, C, and Mateo, M. Effects of the
administration of feedback on performance of the BMX cycling gate
start. J Sports Sci Med 8: 393–400, 2009.