Retro fitness: A game changer

Here's a shot of David Bailey spinning the crank, this must have been 1983 or 1984.  It was the start of the defined fitness component in motocross.

I stated "defined" as many prior MX riders worked to stay fit, but Johnny O'Mara and Bailey took it to another level.  Bicycles came into the game as did trail running.  It was the convergence of endurance sport and motorsport...both of the two-wheeled variety.

It seems that motocross fitness and training saw the normal bell curve of activity. Few riders during the inception of motocross performed additional exercise or training.  Then it became all the rage in the mid 1980's.  In later years, Bob Hannah would comment the new era of riders weren't fit and weren't strong; many couldn't hang on for a 30 minute +2 lap moto.

A top motocrosser may not be dependent on an ancillary fitness program. However, some of the best I have known were kings of fitness and it translated to the race track.