<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(antfan @ Aug 10 2007, 09:06 PM) [snapback]84116[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
10 Aug 2007
NO REST FOR WEST
While half the paddock left Laguna Seca to spend the summer break in that bastion of decadence, Las Vegas, and Valentino’s allegedly living it up on the Med, Kawasaki factory rider, Anthony West, is busying himself at a sports centre in the British midlands.
The 26-year-old Australian is spending a week with health guru, Professor Tony Head, at Bicester in Oxfordshire, training his mind and body and getting in to shape for the rest of the 2007 MotoGP season.
"I could hardly get out of bed this morning," groans West, just a couple of days in to the brief but strenuous programme. "My legs didn’t want to move."
So what brought this about? Wouldn’t he rather be sunning himself on a beach than sweating it out on a running machine?
"Well, yeah," concedes Anthony, "but I did stay on in America for a week after the last race. My girlfriend, Belinda, and I stayed with some friends in Santa Cruz and did some surfing and stuff. They live almost right on the beach so we were just hanging out. It was good: it was the first bit of holiday I’ve had in a while."
So it’s not all been a sweat. But still, out of a three week break in an otherwise manic schedule, it takes dedication to surrender precious free time in favour of a sweaty gym and guaranteed exhaustion.
Tony explains why it was necessary:
"It’s a natural break in the season," he says, "so with no racing, there’s time to focus on what Anthony can improve upon and how. And why. There’s a lot of theory: why certain exercises are good for certain things; what food is most useful for his body and what isn’t; that sort of thing. We’re not here to hammer through some mad regime but to make sure Anthony knows what to do and what to eat and drink… With different training and practical demonstrations, he can get the gist then continue after we’ve finished without having someone standing over him, telling him what to do."
The week’s schedule is made up of five half days. Each day involves around two hours worth of theory, including the principles of training and how it can help strength, speed and endurance on the bike, then it’s off to the gym for another couple of hours to put it in to practice.
"My aim," continues Tony, "is to get him up to speed and training effectively and safely. Obviously, we can’t significantly change his overall fitness in one week but it’s all about setting him on the right course."
And the mentor seems pretty impressed with his pupil.
"Anthony seems very keen to adopt these techniques he’s being taught. His aerobic fitness is already good, and he’s got a lot of stamina, but we’re going to make it all even better. His knowledge and activity levels are improving quickly and the aim is to give him all the information he needs so he can transfer it to his racing in MotoGP."
Anthony, however, doesn’t sound quite so convinced.
"He’s trying to kill me," he remarks of Tony. "The physical training is hard work. We’re doing running, rowing, cycling, swimming, circuit training… "
Does Tony stand on the sidelines, waving his arms about and yelling instructions?
"No," grins Head. "I don’t believe in asking anyone to do something I’m not willing to do myself."
So they train together.
"… And of course, we’re not at all competitive," says Tony, slyly.
On the nutritional front, it’s all about educating Anthony to understand the difference between snacking on a muesli bar, for example, rather than a bag of crisps.
"And I’ve had to stop drinking Red Bull," says West, smirking.
But he’s already feeling the benefits.
"I never used to eat breakfast but Tony told me to start. Now, I’ll have some bread and cereal or something and yes, I can feel I’ve got more energy in the mornings. Also, it means I’m less likely to get hungry between meals and snack on the wrong kind of food. I’m also drinking a lot of water, which is definitely a good thing."
But has he ever actually felt his body suffering half way through a race?
"Occasionally, yeah. Sometimes, I feel great the whole way through but I have felt my energy levels drop before and that’s what we’re here to stop. Before, I’ve not always prepared myself properly before a race; now, I’m getting a much better understanding of what I should be doing: basically, eating the right food and making sure my body’s well hydrated."
And, for a man who takes his 800cc Ninja ZX-RR ride very seriously indeed, West is keen to get stuck in.
"The level of racing is higher now," he says. "If you want to be at the front, you’ve got to do something different: and we’re working now, in the summer break, to try and give me an advantage. Just as bodybuilders or sprinters need their own regime, in MotoGP, you’re riding at the maximum level and I need to do all this to make me faster and more consistent."
He’s hoping he’ll start feeling the advantages as early as the next round in the Czech Republic.
"Not just physically, but in my head, too. And I’ll carry on with some mountain biking and running in the few days left between leaving the UK to go home (to Austria) and going to Brno."
It’s an impressive workload but Westy does admit he needed persuading to take him away from the beach:
"I wasn’t exactly mad keen on the whole idea to begin with," he admits. "I wanted a holiday. But if you want to do well, you’ve got to sacrifice a few things and that means not partying like everyone else during the summer break."
MotoGP means too much, huh?
"Yes," says West, determinedly. "I want to be good so I’m giving it everything I can."
The Med, it seems, can wait…
"I still feel dead, though." And, with that, Tony drags him off for another 10km run…
I like the quip about Red Bull, dunno if he meant it in the way im inferring it, but they dropped him as a personal sponsor after KTM gave him the axe in 2005..
antfan...Ant has got to put the time inn!!! You know motoGP is "not a picnic, It’s the Ultimate M/Cycling Racing!!!" It’s NOT like the 250cc, the SS’s etc etc or whatever he experienced before, and I know he had certain experience in the 500cc’s...but...and our cobber mate is, training getting himself ready for all the challenges that will/are before HIM!!...Goodenia Ant!!!...Ant wants to succeed while Capixxx on the other hand, feet or whatever...wants the money$$$us€€€’s£€£’s!!!...That is the difference "MR KAWASAKI!!!"...and please get that into your whatever mind!!!
