# Mental Fitness



## Styopa (3 Dec 2010)

Not much opportunity to cycle at the mo. We often think about loss of physical fitness in winter but what about mental fitness - much neglected in my view. There is a lot written about how to improve your physical performnace - what do you do to maintain and improve your mental performace - a crucial aspect of cycling. Any thoughts?


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## slowmotion (4 Dec 2010)

Greetings Styopa and welcome.

On the winter days when I fear the ice and leave the bike at home, I practice my spelling. 

BW 

Edit: are you the Gentleman Cyclist?


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## slowmotion (4 Dec 2010)

Deffo.


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## surfdude (4 Dec 2010)

get the crayons out and colour my picture books .


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## Styopa (4 Dec 2010)

slowmotion said:


> Greetings Styopa and welcome.
> 
> On the winter days when I fear the ice and leave the bike at home, I practice my spelling.
> 
> ...


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## Styopa (4 Dec 2010)

I'm sure some difficult spellings would provide some mental stimulation - no, I'm not the Gentleman Cyclist. In terms of mental fitness I was thiinking about nutrition, mental and physical activities to maintain mental well being and health during the winter (and the rest of the year) - Do people think this is an important area and do people give it any attention? - Are we too fixated just on the physical side of training etc. Thanks for your comment.


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## Styopa (4 Dec 2010)

surfdude said:


> get the crayons out and colour my picture books .


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## Styopa (4 Dec 2010)

There is certainly some evidence for benfit with creative activities like painting! Thanks for your comment.


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## yello (4 Dec 2010)

Styopa said:


> Are we too fixated just on the physical side of training etc.



I don't know about too fixated but it's certainly emphasised more. Maybe because you have to get that in place first. If you feel good, feel prepared physically then maybe the mental aspect comes more easily. I don't know in all honesty but would agree that you need to be right in the head too. Even I, on my pootles, know that my mental states plays a big part in my enjoyment of a ride and does have an effect on physical performance. I suspect the 2 cross cut, influence each other.

Though I suspect many/most pros work on the mental aspect too.


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## mcshroom (4 Dec 2010)

Hi Styopa and 

Actually a very good point about looking at the mental side of ability.

I know I find the second time I ride a hill, or a long distance easier than the first because I know I have done it before. I also remember reading somewhere (probably 'Barring Mechanicals') about the idea of breaking the ride into chunks that you can get your brain around instead of being overawed by the massive number in total.

I don't do any mental training currently, but it may goo to look into areas such as visualisation over the winter. I know that elite athletes put a lot of work into this sort of sports psychology stuff so hopefully there is some benefit to it.


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## snorri (4 Dec 2010)

Sudoku.


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## numbnuts (4 Dec 2010)

Mental fitness, that counts me out


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## gb155 (4 Dec 2010)

Gotta admit I have learned a LOT about mental fitness this year.

After my issue with the van, I bottled every single junction for about 2 months afterwards and this week put me thought it again too, being the first snow fall since my incident on an ungritted road last year.


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## just jim (4 Dec 2010)

Good time of year to read some cycling related books. I've just finished Al Humphries book , "Thunder and Sunshine" very inspiring in my view. He's a good motivational speaker too.


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## palinurus (4 Dec 2010)

Styopa said:


> Not much opportunity to cycle at the mo.



My commute is the same distance, and there's cyclocross.

Although the mileage is lower the intensity of 'cross is high. And it's certainly mental.


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## Styopa (4 Dec 2010)

Thanks to yello, mcshroom, snorri, numbnuts, gb155 and just jim for your comments. Sorry to hear about your accident gb155. Thanks for the book suggestion just jim - will have a look on Amazon.


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## ColinJ (4 Dec 2010)

I found that once I'd crossed the psychological barrier of doing my first stupidly hilly '200' audax, they didn't frighten me any more, even though I wasn't physically any fitter and still suffered physically riding them. Once you know you can do something, it's just a case of repeating what you've done before.


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## yello (4 Dec 2010)

ColinJ said:


> Once you know you can do something, it's just a case of repeating what you've done before.



That's true ime also. I rode a 400km in June with very little prep/training; previous experience told me I was capable of doing it, helped me pace myself and take each leg as it came. I might not have had the physical prep but the mental side was there.


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## ColinJ (4 Dec 2010)

yello said:


> That's true ime also. I rode a 400km in June with very little prep/training; previous experience told me I was capable of doing it, helped me pace myself and take each leg as it came. I might not have had the physical prep but the mental side was there.


Ah, well there's an example! The longest rides that I've done have been hilly 245 km rides so I'm sure that I could manage a flatter 300 km when I'm fit again. And that would probably lead to a double imperial century at some point, but 400 km would be getting into alien territory. Some sleep deprivation perhaps, and dealing with aches and pains on the bike that I don't get too badly on shorter rides. That's definitely an intimidating prospect!


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## dave r (4 Dec 2010)

I've always found that the two are linked to a certain extent, if I feel good physically I usually feel good mentally, unless I have problems in other parts of my life. The thing that I find helps my mental well being most is Yoga and meditation. If I think back to all I've read on cycling and cycle training there's a lot more written about physical training, fitness and getting the most out of the body than there is about developing the necessary mental toughness and attitude you need for competitive cycling, or enjoying the local club run/ chaingang.


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## chillyuk (4 Dec 2010)

I just keep taking the tablets.


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## lukesdad (5 Dec 2010)

Motivation.


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## yello (5 Dec 2010)

dave r said:


> The thing that I find helps my mental well being most is Yoga and meditation.



And hints or tips on Yoga to offer? I know very very little about Yoga (other than the wife does it!) and would like to experiment. Is there any particular type or even specific poses/postures of particular benefit to cyclists? I'd like to work on core strength to start with.

I was reading *this yesterday, thinking about it... what do you think? The misses has a couple of books so maybe it's all in there anyway.

*Edit: Frikin' links NEVER work for me!! www.roadbikerider.com/yoga_page.htm


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## Banjo (5 Dec 2010)

I think the most outstanding example of the power of mental fitness was Eddy Izzards multiple marathon run around Britain. 

He ran an incredible 43 marathons in 51 days.

A pretty amazing feat for anyone but for an unfit person with virtually no training or background in sport according to all the experts it was impossible. He succeeded and on the final day even ran a pretty good time on the last marathon into London.That is what used to be called true grit now more likely referred to as mental fitness.


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## gb155 (5 Dec 2010)

Banjo said:


> *I think the most outstanding example of the power of mental fitness was Eddy Izzards multiple marathon run around Britain. *
> 
> He ran an incredible 43 marathons in 51 days.
> 
> A pretty amazing feat for anyone but for an unfit person with virtually no training or background in sport according to all the experts it was impossible. He succeeded and on the final day even ran a pretty good time on the last marathon into London.That is what used to be called true grit now more likely referred to as mental fitness.



I have to agree with this 110%, it was the catalyst for me realising that I could commute 25-35 miles per day and still do a full days work, ever since watching that program (well there was 4 IIRC) Mentally I have just gotten stronger and stronger, its amazing what the human body can do/ can take.


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## henshaw11 (5 Dec 2010)

>Not much opportunity to cycle at the mo. We often think about loss of physical fitness in winter

I s'pose the most basic bit of mental fitness is to just drag yerself out on the bike (mostly) regardless of weather 

Re yoga - worth looking at Pilates too - aimed more at core strength than yoga is, tho' there's a fair bit of commonality between them, as you might expect. With either it'd be worth doing at least a course or two of lessons to pick up the basics first - breathing and better body awareness. The instructor that runs the intermediate/advanced* class I've been doing for years frequently complains about how long some of the beginners take to pick it up 

*I should add that not everyone in the class is athletic and sylph-like - there's a range of age/ability/injury (which in itself is why more than a few come to start Pilates), but everyone knows what they *should* be doing.
A good instructor will mix it up from time to time with variations on a theme - plus there's several levels of each exercise according to strength - it's not all or nothing.


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## Styopa (5 Dec 2010)

Some interesting comments. Chilly UK - what do you mean "keep taking the tablets". Personally I think running 43 marathons in 51 days - though undoubtedly an achievement is not to be recommended especially as there was minimal training. There is a balance to be struck between pushing ourselves and others and going too far. There seem to be a few themes emerging. There are a few psychological techniques that people use to improve performace - these will vary from person to person. I suppose some are positive (eg win for my kids, beat my previous time ect) and some are negative (eg must beat my rival). I suppose we all use these from time to time. Physical health and especially exercise has a massive impact on mood and motivation through endorphins - one area I'm interested in is what people do over the winter months with this in mind. There is good evidence that reduced physical activity can cause low mood and reduced motivation. We also all have complex lives and sometimes things don't always go well leading to low mood and in a few depression - symptoms very similar to burn out with over training and these symptoms are seldom recognised. This again will tend to reduce performance. There is also the area of nutrition - lots written about which foods to eat before, during and after cycling but less so about those foods can can have a positive effect on mood/motivation. I suppose it is a combination of all these things. Maintaining good physical fitness, eating the right balance of foods (but which), and using psychological techniques that work for each person - any other examples?. I like the idea of yoga (daver) - some cross training perhaps for the mind. How would other people approach the area of mental fitness. I think we don't give it enough attention to mental fitness and think we should look at this in a more systematic way like we do re physical aspects of cycling - a triad - bike, body and mind - neglect one and the whole fails - or at least you won't win the race.


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## GrumpyGregry (5 Dec 2010)

For me it is a diet of off road cycling, pootling on road when the weather is good, fettling the fleet, train+bike commutes, the odd turbo session, and a spot of visualisation and reflection on what worked on two wheels last year and what worked less well.

Getting outdoors and moving about, is, for me, compulsory if I am to keep my SAD at bay.


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## montage (5 Dec 2010)

Can't remember the guys name but before Bejing, Team GB took on somebody who explored the mental states of the big track names - they still to this day attribute much of their success to this character.


To me, mental fitness isn't thinking you can win something or complete something, it is knowing you can....and then the ability to pick yourself up when it all goes to pot.


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## dave r (5 Dec 2010)

yello said:


> And hints or tips on Yoga to offer? I know very very little about Yoga (other than the wife does it!) and would like to experiment. Is there any particular type or even specific poses/postures of particular benefit to cyclists? I'd like to work on core strength to start with.
> 
> I was reading *this yesterday, thinking about it... what do you think? The misses has a couple of books so maybe it's all in there anyway.
> 
> *Edit: Frikin' links NEVER work for me!! www.roadbikerider.com/yoga_page.htm




I do basic Hatha Yoga, basic stretches and poses plus meditation. Improves both my flexibility and muscle balance, I get to exercise and stretch muscles that don't get used in cycling as well as the ones that do. The meditation side gives me a quiet mind, helps me control my natural tendency to worry about anything and everything. Your link gives some good information, and if your wife's doing Yoga just join her in class and see how you get on.


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## chillyuk (5 Dec 2010)

Styopa said:


> Some interesting comments. Chilly UK - what do you mean "keep taking the tablets".



In response to one of your opening questions "what do you do to maintain and improve your mental performace" my reply was a somewhat pathetic attempt at humour, and as someone who has occasional bouts of mental health problems, not a million miles from the truth. I find exercise, either cycling or walking a great psychological booster.


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## Styopa (5 Dec 2010)

chillyuk said:


> In response to one of your opening questions "what do you do to maintain and improve your mental performace" my reply was a somewhat pathetic attempt at humour, and as someone who has occasional bouts of mental health problems, not a million miles from the truth. I find exercise, either cycling or walking a great psychological booster.




Thanks for that - there is good evidence for improved mental health with exercise so keep up the cycling and walking.


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## ttcycle (6 Dec 2010)

Styopa- welcome to the forum!

Just quickly replying, haven't had a chance to read all of it thoroughly.

Yoga is great for flexibility and generally relaxing the mind as you have to concentrate on breathing whilst doing the poses- if you get properly into it it can be very strenuos and not an easy option as many people seem to mistakenly think! Great for stretching out after a long ride.

For mental fitness - when I was training I read this book called The complete Guide to sport motivation. It was bascially about getting your mind used to doing an activity - I'd really recommend it - It helped me learn to swim by sheer brain power and determination- I nearly drowned when I was a kid but mental exercises got me pushing myself and it's great for keeping motivated if you're training for cycling in any way. 

However in regards to the swimming with any skill esp mental strength is keeping at it = I think the fear has settled in a bit and I need to keep working on it.


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## Zoiders (6 Dec 2010)

"Mental Fitness" sounds a bit Uri Geller for my tastes, a bit of psuedo science suggesting that being some kind of genius makes you a better cyclist or vice versa.

Keep riding in winter, that's the best way to harden yourself mentaly, just as ttcycle suggests.

There is no on paper excercise or excercise that you can do in your head that replaces actual training, no easy fix, no cheat.


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## GrumpyGregry (6 Dec 2010)

chillyuk said:


> as someone who has occasional bouts of mental health problems, not a million miles from the truth. I find exercise, either cycling or walking a great psychological booster.



+1


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## montage (6 Dec 2010)

so do you think you can be mentally "fit" if you aren't physically?


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## chillyuk (6 Dec 2010)

montage said:


> so do you think you can be mentally "fit" if you aren't physically?



Absolutely!

Ask Stephen Hawkin.


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## Captain (7 Dec 2010)

I think Mental Fitness is a big part of my cycling. 
I had a car related off-bike-experience on friday (no actual contact though) and I think it has actually made me more confident in my ability to handle my bike and other road users stupidity. 
Because I am always amongst fast moving traffic I would be going no where fast if I tried to get out of everyones way or go to pavements and crossings for all the junctions on my commute. 
Theres also the Performance side of things. 
Theres a particularly annoying hill on my way back home of an evening that I wasnt sure I could get up when I first tried it, now I feel I can do it, I know I have done it, so now I reach the top each time. I dont think its actually getting physically easier though!


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## Styopa (8 Dec 2010)

GregCollins said:


> For me it is a diet of off road cycling, pootling on road when the weather is good, fettling the fleet, train+bike commutes, the odd turbo session, and a spot of visualisation and reflection on what worked on two wheels last year and what worked less well.
> 
> Getting outdoors and moving about, is, for me, compulsory if I am to keep my SAD at bay.



I think that is a good point.


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## Styopa (8 Dec 2010)

ttcycle said:


> Styopa- welcome to the forum!
> 
> Just quickly replying, haven't had a chance to read all of it thoroughly.
> 
> ...


P
Thanks - I'll have a look at the book you mention. Thanks for the welcome - should have joined years ago. Personality wise I have a tendency to "do it tomorrow" - such is life.


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## Styopa (8 Dec 2010)

Zoiders said:


> "Mental Fitness" sounds a bit Uri Geller for my tastes, a bit of psuedo science suggesting that being some kind of genius makes you a better cyclist or vice versa.
> 
> Keep riding in winter, that's the best way to harden yourself mentaly, just as ttcycle suggests.
> 
> There is no on paper excercise or excercise that you can do in your head that replaces actual training, no easy fix, no cheat.


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## ttcycle (23 Dec 2010)

Styopa- did you get a chance to read the book? 

I think Zoiders misread what I posted - how you think and feel is essential to doing well in cycling or sport. You have to feel confident and think something mentally...nothing Uri Geller about it at all.

Let me know how you get on!

+1 for all the comments about exercise/cycling improving mental health - sheepishly I admit I need to get out on the bike a bit more


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