In this episode of BASIC, we take a high-level look at Pro BMX racing straight from the USA BMX rulebook. We cover what it means to race Pro, including expectations around sportsmanship, conduct, and being a role model, as well as a simple breakdown of Pro, Junior, Vet Pro, and eligibility by age. This is meant to help riders and parents “look behind the curtain” and understand what racing at the Pro level actually involves—even if that goal feels far off right now. We also shift into practical off-season guidance as the holidays approach. I share simple, realistic ways to stay active without overcomplicating training: riding when you can, basic bodyweight movements like push-ups, planks, squats, and lunges, and maintaining a healthy balance with food and rest. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s consistency, staying healthy, and building a foundation so you’re ready when the season ramps back up.

This week I talked about amateur class creation, and move up procedures and how that applies to you and your riders. It's a lengthy topic and it could be a little bit confusing, but there's definitely some highlighted details that are helpful, especially for new riders getting started in the sport. I also talked about the Action Sports Club and sponsorship a little bit and I have included a link here if you want to check that out. It's something I have found personally helpful if you're looking to spend more time racing and at the track and you wonders represent brands that you believe in and trust check that out below. We will be back next week to talk about pros and classification just for the heck of it. https://theactionsportsclub.com/handbook?am_id=adamoravetz548

When do you stop, breathe, and refresh? When you think of rest, what comes to mind?Maybe it’s sitting in a chair with your feet up and zoning out.Maybe it’s a vacation or doing something you love — something that restores you. Rest isn’t optional. It’s essential for training and performing your best in BMX racing. It’s easy to think of training as only doing the work: push-ups, squats, sprints, gym time, track laps. But even if you do all of that, you can still hit a wall. Usually, it comes down to two things: 1. You’re not training the right energy system in your body. 2. You’re not getting the right amount of rest between efforts. BMX is a high-intensity, high-power sport. Every time you push from 0–120 seconds, you burn through your short-term energy reserves. A lap rarely lasts more than 60 seconds — but you still need to refill the tank before your next effort. How to Refuel and Recover: - Hydrate. Water first. Electrolyte drinks can help, but they don’t replace hydration. - Breathe. Stop and focus on your breathing for 3–5 minutes after each hard effort. - Move lightly. A slow spin or walk for 5 minutes helps your body refill its energy stores. - Snack smart. Go for oranges, bananas, carrots — simple, clean fuel for recovery. And maybe most importantly — take a break. Talk with friends, grab some water, think about your next effort.Always aim for quality over quantity. How do you rest between efforts? What’s one thing you’ll do differently next time you train?

I’ll try not to ramble, but hey, it’s me. And all my opinions are mine. Not always based on anything other that my perceptions. ;-) Just got us timing chips. Isaac thinks it “looks cool” on his bike while I have another agenda. I’ve been riding against riders with a large variety of skills and age ranges. And I’ve found it difficult to gauge improvements. One race I’ll be racing an older rider and another I’ll be up against “kids” 15-20yrs younger than me. So even if I win, I’m not sure if it’s luck, my mad skeelz or I just wasn’t fast enough to be in the crash that wrapped up everyone else. This is where I believe using the chip to track performance can help. And I think can be used as a training tool for kids to self evaluate. Make the timer the competition! By making the competition by about personal records, it takes the variability of competition out of the equation. Though there will be times when other riders cause you to be slower, little things like being in the way and not hearing my bell to get out of my way, or getting shut out on a cornering move. Young riders (older riders too) might be upset by not finishing as well as they wanted to. But if we remove the other riders from the equation and see that even though we didn’t do as well as we “wanted” based on other riders, but we took 1.5 seconds off our track time?!!!! That’s an AWESOME improvement! I recently raced and on my first lap set a personal record for my gate time and lap times! Felt great about that. Transferred and went to final. On final I hesitated coming down the starting hill. And my lap time also reflected my hesitation. But looking at my time I was forced to think about how that hesitation at the start ended with a 2nd place finish vs 1st. I know I hesitated because of a crash a week before when I got tangled with they rider next to me, and I let up (also theory tested and validated that skipping a single pedal stroke will put you behind). I’ve been told a good gate start is everything if you’re racing to win. And a chip will give you unbiased evaluation of how good your gate really was. Add to it the rest of the lap time and how you felt vs the time. This total picture may help you understand that you felt great because you came off the gate like a rocket was attached to your back side, came out of the corners on fire and flew through the rhythm sections like a fighter jet. Or maybe it felt great because you felt smooth, in control, and didn’t crash or get squirrelly.

In this session we kicked off a new series walking through the USA BMX rulebook together. I showed where to find the new rulebook class inside BASIC Skool, why understanding the rules actually helps you race with more confidence and better strategy, and then we zoomed in on membership—what options exist, which one fits different families, and how all of this ties into becoming part of the BMX community, not just signing a form. We wrapped by talking about being the kind of person who welcomes new riders at the track and how powerful that simple “hey, can I help you get started?” can be. Topics covered in this episode: - New USA BMX Rulebook walkthrough series (how it will work each week) - Where to find the Rulebook class and “Start Here” module inside the BASIC Skool classroom - Why understanding the rules = better race strategy (not just “legal stuff”) - Example: how knowing total points can change how you ride your motos - Overview of sanctioned events and what “sanctioned track” means - Membership basics: why you need a membership to ride practice or race - One-day trial membership – what it includes and when to use it - 60-day trial membership – limitations and when it makes sense - Balance bike annual membership (5 & under, open class, exposure over points) - Inclusion for riders with special needs on balance bikes - Electric stability cycle membership (where it applies and track differences) - Full annual membership – the standard choice for most riders and families - Gold card membership – added benefits for heavy national racers - Secondary sports accident insurance and what it’s there for - Proof of date of birth and keeping your membership current - Why you should carry your membership card (especially at new tracks) - The importance of track staff, USABMX support, and asking for help - Culture piece: being the welcoming person for new families at the gate - Encouragement for Grands week + a reminder to practice gratitude