Why Taking 2 Months Off the Track Changed Everything (and How You Can Copy the Results)
If you’re stuck in a plateau, arm pump shows up by lap 3, and your “fast” days feel like surviving instead of progressing… you don’t need more track time.
You need better reps.
Tyler’s biggest jump in riding didn’t come from hammering motos every weekend. It came from doing the opposite: two months away from the main track, living in what he basically calls “corner track prison,” and rebuilding habits without the risk, ego, and chaos that keep most riders trapped.
This post breaks down exactly what changed, why it worked, and how you can run your own 6–8 week fundamentals season (or let The MX Factory do it for you).
The Real Problem: Most Riders Don’t Train — They Just Ride
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
If your riding style is “go hit the track and see what happens,” you’re not training. You’re gambling.
Training has:
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a specific skill target
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a controlled environment
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high repetition
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feedback
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progression
Most riders skip all of that and then wonder why they keep repeating the same mistakes for years.
Tyler’s 2–3 month school forced the opposite approach: eliminate risk long enough for your brain to actually build new habits.
Tyler’s Backstory: Why This Reset Mattered
Tyler’s path wasn’t some clean, privileged pipeline. He talks about:
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moving out at 16
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losing access to a bike (selling it)
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riding inconsistently, borrowing bikes
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already having speed… but being “wild”
Then a call came from Randy Yoho with an opportunity: ride for his series/team if Tyler committed to Randy’s school.
And that school came with rules that would make most modern riders throw a tantrum.
“Corner Track Prison”: The Training That Made Him Smooth (and Safer)
The key restriction:
No main track. No jumps. No “fun laps.” Just drills.
For months, Tyler rode a hardpack corner track with minimal prep. Why?
Because it did the one thing every rider thinks they’re doing, but almost none actually do:
It removed the risk long enough to rebuild habits
When riders feel danger, they default to old patterns.
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death-grip controls
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stiff body
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panic timing
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survival speed (fast + messy)
You can’t rewire technique in fight-or-flight.
So Randy basically trapped Tyler in a safe(ish) environment and forced repetition until the new movement patterns stuck.
The Weekly Training Dose That Worked (Spoiler: It Wasn’t Daily)
This part matters because it destroys the excuse of “I don’t have enough time.”
Tyler trained:
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2–3 days per week
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about 3 hours per day
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roughly 4–5 hours/week of true seat time
That’s it.
The win wasn’t volume. It was quality and constraints.
What They Actually Worked On: One or Two Things at a Time
No fancy worksheets. No “value stack.” No motivational speeches.
You showed up and did the work.
One example Tyler remembers: head position and body placement
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get your head forward
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stop letting it drift back
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repeat until it becomes normal
That’s training: boring, targeted, effective.
The Big Mindset Shift: Stop Riding at 100% All the Time
Tyler describes learning “levels” of riding:
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100% is for a pass or a moment
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90% you can maintain
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80% lets you ride longer and stay cleaner
Most riders live in “zone 5” all the time:
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intense
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loud
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aggressive
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exhausted
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inconsistent
Smooth riders look slower… and go faster.
The 3 Fundamentals That Got “Beat In” Day After Day
If you want the simplified version of what changed Tyler’s riding, it’s this:
1) Master your controls (including when NOT to use them)
A lot of “being good with controls” is actually restraint:
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less panic braking
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less over-throttle
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less clutch abuse
2) Sitting and standing (properly, on purpose)
Most riders don’t have positions. They have habits.
You’re either:
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seated neutral / seated power / seated brake
or -
standing neutral / standing power / standing brake
If you don’t know which one you’re in… you’re not in control.
3) Balance (everything is balance)
Acceleration, braking, cornering, body position — it’s all balance management at speed.
Why “Feeling Fast” Is a Trap
Tyler said it perfectly:
He felt slower… but he was faster.
Most riders use intensity as a speed gauge:
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more drama = must be faster
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more movement = must be faster
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more chaos = must be faster
That’s false.
Speed comes from efficiency.
Efficiency feels boring.
Boring wins.
The MX Factory Training Philosophy: We Don’t Build Happy — We Build Better
This is where Tyler gets blunt (and he’s right):
Some riders show up wanting to be entertained. They want “fluff & buff.”
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feel good today
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forget everything tomorrow
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repeat forever
That’s not coaching. That’s babysitting.
The MX Factory system is built to change habits, not hype you up for Instagram.
And if you’re actually ready to grind, Tyler’s confidence is simple:
If you show up and work all day and don’t improve measurably, you shouldn’t pay.
That’s how certain they are in the process.
The “Epic 11”: The Foundation Every Rider Needs (Before More Speed)
This is one of the cleanest frameworks in motocross training:
5 controls
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clutch
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front brake
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throttle
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rear brake
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shifter
6 movements (core riding positions)
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neutral seated
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power seated
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brake seated
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neutral standing
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power standing
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brake standing
Master those on flat ground, then the track becomes a tool — not a threat.
The One-Handed Litmus Test (Do You Actually Have Control?)
Tyler’s simple test:
If you can pick up speed, maintain speed, and slow down (seated + standing) one-handed, with athletic body position…
You’re in a good place.
If you can’t, the track is just going to expose your weak fundamentals faster.
(Important: don’t go straight to the track trying this. Start on flat ground.)
How to Run Your Own 6–8 Week Fundamentals Season
If you want the DIY version, here’s the blueprint pulled straight from the conversation:
Step 1: Get brutally honest about where you are
Video yourself. Seriously.
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tripod + phone on wide angle
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flat ground + basic movements
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compare to elite technique (not your buddy who’s “fast”)
A lot of riders are fast but not good, or good but not fast. You need to know which one you are.
Step 2: Build skill on flat ground first
Why flat ground?
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more reps per minute
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less fear = faster learning
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easier to isolate one variable
Step 3: Train like the gym
Stop “riding laps” and start collecting reps.
Example:
If a track has 10 jumps and you’re working one skill:
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4 laps = 40 reps
That’s a set.
Step 4: Keep intensity capped (60–70%)
This is how you build clean speed.
You’re not trying to prove you’re brave.
You’re trying to build a repeatable system.
Want This Done Right? Here’s How The MX Factory Helps
If you’re serious and you don’t want to waste another season “sort of” improving, you’ve got three main paths with The MX Factory:
1) 5-Day Technique Intensive (Austin, TX)
This is the closest thing to Tyler’s “two-month reset” without you moving to Florida for a quarter of the year.
What you get:
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small group coaching
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fundamentals-first structure
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massive reps + feedback
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a plan you can take home and run for months
2) In-Person Clinics Near You
If you want hands-on coaching but can’t swing five days, their traveling clinics and regional events are the fastest way to get real coaching without guessing.
3) The MX Factory App + Community (Drills + Feedback)
If you want a strategic plan, drill library, and a place to submit riding for feedback, this is the “always-on” option.
Tyler said it best:
If you want free random tips, the internet has it.
If you want a real plan that actually stacks skills, that’s what they built.
FAQ: Motocross Training, Time Off, and Fundamentals
Does taking time off riding actually make you better?
If you replace it with structured practice, yes. Time off the main track can eliminate risk and ego long enough to rebuild fundamentals cleanly.
How long does it take to see results from fundamentals training?
Many riders see measurable change inside days if training is structured. Bigger changes stack over 6–8 weeks because habits need repetition to stick.
Why do flat-ground drills matter for motocross?
Flat ground creates more reps with less fear and fewer distractions. That’s where you build the control and body position that transfers to the track.
Can technique really improve fitness?
Yes. Cleaner technique reduces wasted energy, letting you ride longer before fatigue and arm pump. Tyler describes it as “buying” extra laps.
Your Next Move
If you read this and thought, “Yeah… that’s me. I’m riding hard, but I’m not progressing,” then don’t do what most riders do: ignore it and go hit the track anyway.
Pick one:
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Run your own 6–8 week fundamentals season using the framework above
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Or stop guessing and train with The MX Factory (in Austin, at a clinic, or inside the app)
And if you want The MX Factory to design your season so you don’t waste it… go get coached.
