Mental Fitness

[Styopa]

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.

 

[ColinJ]

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.

 

[yello]

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.

 

[ColinJ]

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!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

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.

 

[chillyuk]

I just keep taking the tablets.

 

[lukesdad]

Motivation.

 

[yello]

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

 

[Banjo]

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.

 

[gb155]

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.

 

[henshaw11]

>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.

 

[Styopa]

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.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

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.

 

[montage]

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.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

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.