Smiling, shy and carefree. He seems already focused, focused on the work that awaits him. Simple and determined.
Andrea Dovizioso, a MotoGP driver class 1986, is ready for training in the gym.
Andrea Dovizioso, a MotoGP driver class 1986, is ready for training in the gym.
Andrea Dovizioso has been playing in the World Championship since 2001 and holds the highest number of Grand Prix contests - two hundred and seventy-five.
We asked Andrea about his training; when he started and the changes throughout his preparation.
We asked Andrea about his training; when he started and the changes throughout his preparation.
How important is MotoGP physical training?
Motorcycling on asphalt is an adrenalin sport, not only for the spectator. It requires a neurogenic cardiovascular effort, i. e. the stress to which the pilot activates his nervous system with a consequent increase in heart rate.
The emotional component of the pilot is especially important in competitions, as it is this, which determines the increase in heart rate. Technical skill has always been considered a primary characteristic in motorcycling, to the detriment of athletic skills.
The driving style doesn't change - Andrea points out, but we all know that the final performance also depends very much on the athlete's training, nutrition and lifestyle.
The emotional component of the pilot is especially important in competitions, as it is this, which determines the increase in heart rate. Technical skill has always been considered a primary characteristic in motorcycling, to the detriment of athletic skills.
The driving style doesn't change - Andrea points out, but we all know that the final performance also depends very much on the athlete's training, nutrition and lifestyle.
First of all, there are moments and moments in life: when you are fifteen or sixteen and you start ridingeriously and enter the world of preparation. Before, you were only riding in motion. It was only a bit of fun. Once you start to race in the World Championship there is a need to evolve, to work.
I had various experiences with three athletic trainers and they were all very interesting, very different but very interesting. As I said before, at every moment in life there is a perfect solution or training. In some moments, there was intense training and in others when I was younger, it felt more like fun and I had much more freedom. Then I had another athletic coach for 5 years. Until last year.
I had various experiences with three athletic trainers and they were all very interesting, very different but very interesting. As I said before, at every moment in life there is a perfect solution or training. In some moments, there was intense training and in others when I was younger, it felt more like fun and I had much more freedom. Then I had another athletic coach for 5 years. Until last year.
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Then I started training with Technogym method. I'm doing a totally different experience from what I've done so far. I'm 31 years old and my body has already the strength base. In this training path (started mid-season), we didn’t have to start from scratch, although he has a different mentality from the trainers with whom I have worked until now.
We have worked completely on other aspects because my physicist is quite contracted, closed and I do not always have the openings and levers. Perhaps I don't use them in the best way possible, being just as small as most pilots. We have therefore focused a great deal on stability, core stability and the levers. No painful amount of work has been done. I've never been forced to get out on my bike and train for so many hours for endurance and breathing tactics.
We've worked more than ever before, on aspects I've never worked on for very long in my career. I've discovered so many things and it was nice to get important results - in quotation marks - even with little effort.
Often one thinks about preparing for a time when the more you work the better. But that is not the case at all. In some cases, knowing exactly what the physique is and how it works, understanding what the athlete has in front of you and identifying the traits is the only working solution. And it is very difficult.
I have to admit that I discovered a different world this year.
Even when I'm expecting a very tough workout mentally, I'm not worried. In the past, I knew that I had to prepare as much as possible, so I had to get there prepared which also meant with the food from the day before. I was often asked for exercises and maximum benefits, but today we work much more specifically and in less time. With quality, and this quality has its own scope then on the bike. Even if there are exercises in the gym that are totally different from the bike.
I discovered new exercises, and parts of my body that I didn't believe were weak. By working on it, they have also improved performance on motorcycles. I believe that we can still improve.
We have worked completely on other aspects because my physicist is quite contracted, closed and I do not always have the openings and levers. Perhaps I don't use them in the best way possible, being just as small as most pilots. We have therefore focused a great deal on stability, core stability and the levers. No painful amount of work has been done. I've never been forced to get out on my bike and train for so many hours for endurance and breathing tactics.
We've worked more than ever before, on aspects I've never worked on for very long in my career. I've discovered so many things and it was nice to get important results - in quotation marks - even with little effort.
Often one thinks about preparing for a time when the more you work the better. But that is not the case at all. In some cases, knowing exactly what the physique is and how it works, understanding what the athlete has in front of you and identifying the traits is the only working solution. And it is very difficult.
I have to admit that I discovered a different world this year.
Even when I'm expecting a very tough workout mentally, I'm not worried. In the past, I knew that I had to prepare as much as possible, so I had to get there prepared which also meant with the food from the day before. I was often asked for exercises and maximum benefits, but today we work much more specifically and in less time. With quality, and this quality has its own scope then on the bike. Even if there are exercises in the gym that are totally different from the bike.
I discovered new exercises, and parts of my body that I didn't believe were weak. By working on it, they have also improved performance on motorcycles. I believe that we can still improve.
Levers and stability are fundamental on the bike. The driving style doesn't change much anymore, it's so many years that I'm running on motorcycles and everyone has their own position. The strength base is always very important, when there are bases after you can work on other aspects. If you don't have some stability and the right strength, it becomes much more complicated working on other details.
We do a lot of work on the levers and we do exercises with instability.
We do a lot of work on the levers and we do exercises with instability.
It's all a talk of levers, and it's all about balance.
In the championship, I have often felt a feeling of comfort on the bike.
And I've hardly ever reached my limit, which happens in almost every race because everyone is pushing 100%. Instead, I managed to control myself during the races, which was very difficult for me in the past. They are all small things that can make a big difference when you have to pull out 100% of the 45 minutes of the race.
This year we have availability all season, we can start first for a more complete job. We intend to do a few more sessions of strength since we can start early and from that we have a good base and can work on all the details that interest us during the rest of the season. Because strength training can still be done when you're away from the bike.
You don't need to be strong in motion, but it's the basis for building other aspects that are more important.
You don't need to be strong in motion, but it's the basis for building other aspects that are more important.
I usually always do all the activation and warming up first, then go to the tools. It depends on the day and type of training. For example, today I think we will be doing strength training. So we go above (in the Pure zone), three or four specific exercises of strength increasing the weight, and then at the end of training we always do the abdominals.
Not long. This is also another novelty for me. In the sense that in the gym, between warm-up and workout, I don't spend more than an hour and a half in the gym. It’s not much at all, because on certain types of stress there is a precise time to work. And it is not that the more you work the better, rather it is the opposite. So I am happy.
I'm the one who comes home right away from the races, trying to spend as much time as possible at home.
One, because I am good in Emilia-Romagna and, second, because I still have a family, a daughter and I have the pleasure of being present as much as possible.
And then being at home to have your own routines I think it is very important. It's nice to travel, it's nice to go to so many places, but you need to create your own recovery routine.
Recovery is one of the most important things, I have always felt it as a priority, but Cuzzolin has shown me that it is really important. You can train as much as you like, but if you don't make the right recoveries, training is less important. On the contrary, you must always train according to how you are on that day.
Another aspect is deciding what kind of intensity you need to train according to how you wake up. Start with a test, and feel how you are. This is very important during the season. I return home as soon as possible, which may also mean Monday morning, after the race. A day of rest. Then during the workout, we always see what happens, as a result of my physical condition.
One, because I am good in Emilia-Romagna and, second, because I still have a family, a daughter and I have the pleasure of being present as much as possible.
And then being at home to have your own routines I think it is very important. It's nice to travel, it's nice to go to so many places, but you need to create your own recovery routine.
Recovery is one of the most important things, I have always felt it as a priority, but Cuzzolin has shown me that it is really important. You can train as much as you like, but if you don't make the right recoveries, training is less important. On the contrary, you must always train according to how you are on that day.
Another aspect is deciding what kind of intensity you need to train according to how you wake up. Start with a test, and feel how you are. This is very important during the season. I return home as soon as possible, which may also mean Monday morning, after the race. A day of rest. Then during the workout, we always see what happens, as a result of my physical condition.
It depends. During the summer, for example, we decided together on other sports to be included in the preparation. This year I have inserted motocross, which has always been my passion, and I don't want to take it away. However, while studying in detail the workouts I do on motocross, we found out that they are also excellent for the race season. Of course the risk is real, you can hurt yourself and so the team is not very happy but the level of training quality is excellent. Great work at cardio level, and you're on a bike.
Then we tried the kart and watercraft. We agree according to the time I have at home to get into the gym workouts, with outdoor activities.
It's very important because the gym needs to be done, I've always prepared myself a lot but it's inevitable, it's too important to do so many kinds of sports in order to be versatile and a good all-rounder.
It's true that we have to be fast and competitive in motoGP but in the end there's no chance for us to do a lot of tests on the bike. So you're never 100% ready, because of the position, it's uncomfortable and so extreme. So doing so many things helps. I am happy because I have fun. My trainer agrees with this, getting the recoveries right and doing specific training sessions.
Everything is already planned in advance: before entering the other sports.
Then we tried the kart and watercraft. We agree according to the time I have at home to get into the gym workouts, with outdoor activities.
It's very important because the gym needs to be done, I've always prepared myself a lot but it's inevitable, it's too important to do so many kinds of sports in order to be versatile and a good all-rounder.
It's true that we have to be fast and competitive in motoGP but in the end there's no chance for us to do a lot of tests on the bike. So you're never 100% ready, because of the position, it's uncomfortable and so extreme. So doing so many things helps. I am happy because I have fun. My trainer agrees with this, getting the recoveries right and doing specific training sessions.
Everything is already planned in advance: before entering the other sports.