I just happen to know that the rope was brand new (first usage) so if MudGrrl had fallen, there's no way it would have snapped.
Fear
- Thread starter MudGrrl
- Start date
who let you out of the political forum?
Me sometimes get out cage.MudGrrl said:who let you out of the political forum?
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luelling
Guest
I'm not a female, but I was also reading for tips on my girl(as in the help post). I do have to say that I've had some bad injuries and some surgeries as a consequence of riding. I've found that most of the time the most serious injuries came frome screwing around and not major obstacles.
My feeling is that if you are going to go for something big then you already have the focus and the drive and you will probably nail. Gender doesn't matter, when you finally commit to doing that drop, you are committed. My only advice is that if you are going to do it, don't screw around...focus and hit it. When you go half way is when the most serious injuries come up...and I've injuries that I'm sure no one on this form has had to see. Your riding a bike, weather it be road, MX, DH, XC your going to crash...its just a matter of when. Maintain your focus and do the best that you can.
My feeling is that if you are going to go for something big then you already have the focus and the drive and you will probably nail. Gender doesn't matter, when you finally commit to doing that drop, you are committed. My only advice is that if you are going to do it, don't screw around...focus and hit it. When you go half way is when the most serious injuries come up...and I've injuries that I'm sure no one on this form has had to see. Your riding a bike, weather it be road, MX, DH, XC your going to crash...its just a matter of when. Maintain your focus and do the best that you can.
Why are women riders more afraid then men? Is it because they don't have any role models of women doing the harder stuff? In the bike club I'm in, so many of the women are timid in trying TTF's, they hold back and stand on the sidelines. I wonder why they have such little confidence even when they've been riding for quite some time? Is it our culture which convinces women they can't do it???
I am not too cautious and definitely not timid, yet I find myself holding back when I know I have the skills to do things, whether it's taking a drop or doing a log pile. I hate this in myself but I find myself holding back if I'm the only one wanting to try something (I usually ride with just guys). Sometimes I feel I'm fighting the gender curse of being too timid...
I am not too cautious and definitely not timid, yet I find myself holding back when I know I have the skills to do things, whether it's taking a drop or doing a log pile. I hate this in myself but I find myself holding back if I'm the only one wanting to try something (I usually ride with just guys). Sometimes I feel I'm fighting the gender curse of being too timid...
i think i'm more timid, not just because i'm a girl, but because i haven't been riding as long as guys my age. i learned to ride a bike when i was little, but didn't really bike as a kid.
i'm afraid of the same thing.
and what i love about n* is the fear it gives me. even though i went once a week last year, that place still scared me. i knew that it could totally ring my bell if i screwed up.
and what i love about n* is the fear it gives me. even though i went once a week last year, that place still scared me. i knew that it could totally ring my bell if i screwed up.
MudGrrl said:
One of the best quotes ever!!!!! 
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luelling
Guest
Guys are a afraid and any guy that tells you otherwise is full of sh**. One of my friends did Benders step down ( a 30' vertical drop) and he told me how scared he was as he was falling. I do think it has to do with society....weather I am suffering on a climb racing XC or staring down a drop or jump that scares the hell out of me I hold a poker face, play it off and then hit it. As far as looking up to someone...one of the people I have always looked up to growing up was Missy Giove. Women racers have definently been a big influence on me as well as males. I think everyone has the same fears, but some people choose to play a poker face and make it seem like they are invinsible.redFoxx said:Why are women riders more afraid then men? Is it because they don't have any role models of women doing the harder stuff? In the bike club I'm in, so many of the women are timid in trying TTF's, they hold back and stand on the sidelines. I wonder why they have such little confidence even when they've been riding for quite some time? Is it our culture which convinces women they can't do it???
I am not too cautious and definitely not timid, yet I find myself holding back when I know I have the skills to do things, whether it's taking a drop or doing a log pile. I hate this in myself but I find myself holding back if I'm the only one wanting to try something (I usually ride with just guys). Sometimes I feel I'm fighting the gender curse of being too timid...
Past replies here seem to lean in the favor of "just doing it", taking the plunge and I think that's so true. Oh and I'll try to remember to have the poker face so I don't look terrified! Frequently, I'm finding that the things I was afraid of doing aren't so bad after all. Yesterday, we were at Galbraith and at the end of Bob's run, there is a drop that can be rolled. In a previous trip there I walked it down. Urgh, I hate that. This time I had to do it even though it was slippery from all the rain, my bf had just done it for the first time, and pretty much everyone had gone through and were waiting and looking (I hate this part the most). So it was do or die right in front of everyone. Well, gee, I lived and it wasn't so bad.luelling said:
I've done worse things. In fact, I think some of my crashes are on stuff I've already done before and I just got sloppy... And that's why I frequently like to do something just to get it over with and so there isn't an audience watching - I seem to do better that way although peer pressure goes a long way in pushing me! What's a real challenge is when no one in the group is willing to try something....and yet you think you should try it...what to do, what to do.
Speaking of men and woman and fear, I think it's interesting how popular womens mountain biking classes are around here. It's like suddenly the pressure is off when it's just a group of women learning together. Maybe women learn differently than men when it comes to skills? Maybe it's not a matter of not being able to do technical stuff "like the guys", but the environment you learn in?
I have to say and this may sound mean but I don't like women's only classes as I think that then you're surrounded by too much timidity and lowered expectations of going for it, unless of course you happen to have some gnarly women riders in it. Why do women need women-only classes, that's what I don't understand, why women need special "tutoring" when it comes to biking? I do know, however, that I have to keep reminding myself that I can be as good as them (meaning men) and sometimes I forget that. But I feel that being in a class of women riders would enforce this idea because it's saying that women need something special, that their not as capable or whatever. I don't like that message.zoey said:
i dont like women's only classes, because i usually dont get along with girls. too much drama for me. i'm a total girly girl who likes hanging out with the guys... .ironic or what?
as much as I want to agree with Red....
I actually DO think that some women learn more 'aggressive' things easier when around women.
A friend recently pointed out to me that when we climb (yeah, I know, not bike related), when we get to a particularly hard part and can not make it, we look to see how far up the rock we have gotten and are proud of that progress. If a guy doesn't get to the top of the rock, it seems his whole day is shot.
On to the girl drama thing....
I think that any chick who has enrolled in a mtb class, on her own (not because the new bf wanted her to ride), will have enough motivation to avoid any 'drama'.
I will admit, that I am not too terribly fond of being in a group of women....... we're catty sumbtchs.
I actually DO think that some women learn more 'aggressive' things easier when around women.
A friend recently pointed out to me that when we climb (yeah, I know, not bike related), when we get to a particularly hard part and can not make it, we look to see how far up the rock we have gotten and are proud of that progress. If a guy doesn't get to the top of the rock, it seems his whole day is shot.
On to the girl drama thing....
I think that any chick who has enrolled in a mtb class, on her own (not because the new bf wanted her to ride), will have enough motivation to avoid any 'drama'.
I will admit, that I am not too terribly fond of being in a group of women....... we're catty sumbtchs.
probably depends on what camp/classes. The women's camp thing really worked for me. Maybe it's my learning style but the whole break a skill down, explain it, demo it and then make you do it thing was just what I needed. The camp I've gone to ( devine ride, rossland bc) isnt' dumbed down at all. I found the enviroment to be perfect for challenging myself, moving up a level, and learning new skills. In fact, for three years of doing this camp, I never saw anything dumbed down - on the contrary, I saw women try things they might never have tried otherwise, and come away with a renewed enthusiasm for biking and more confidence.redFoxx said:
geargrrl
Riding/practicing with guys you get a lot of: "gnarly, sick, you suck..."
Riding/practicing with women you get a lot of: "Wow! Great! Good job, you rock!" It's nice to mix it up. Sometimes you want the warm fuzzies, sometimes not. Traditionally speaking there have been a lot of athletic opportunities for men, it's nice now a days to have the same for women.
I've been to both kind of skills camps-women and mixed, and there wasn't any difference in the levels or attitudes. I like skills camps. I'm getting older, and if I'm going to learn all the stuff I need to know just by going out and riding, I might not learn how to manual until I'm 95!
Oh, and boy drama vs girl drama? No such thing. The older I get the more I realize there is just "people drama". Some people love the dramatics, others of us aren't quite so high maintenance. Being "bitchy" isn't gender specific.
Riding/practicing with women you get a lot of: "Wow! Great! Good job, you rock!" It's nice to mix it up. Sometimes you want the warm fuzzies, sometimes not. Traditionally speaking there have been a lot of athletic opportunities for men, it's nice now a days to have the same for women.
I've been to both kind of skills camps-women and mixed, and there wasn't any difference in the levels or attitudes. I like skills camps. I'm getting older, and if I'm going to learn all the stuff I need to know just by going out and riding, I might not learn how to manual until I'm 95!
Oh, and boy drama vs girl drama? No such thing. The older I get the more I realize there is just "people drama". Some people love the dramatics, others of us aren't quite so high maintenance. Being "bitchy" isn't gender specific.
Hey Zoey, You have a bmx track near you? I just started going to one last year, but it is a great way to work on some stuff. You'd be suprised by the amount of skills you can learn just by hanging out with a bunch of young bmxers. And it's soooooo fun.
I've got bmx tracks all around-what I don't "got" is good riding weather. Rain, rain, rain, rain...blah.
at least that's better than snow, snow, snow, snow.......
i love the snow in december, but not mid april. this blows.
the carson city bmx track opens in a week for practice. i can't wait to pedal around after work.
i love the snow in december, but not mid april. this blows.
the carson city bmx track opens in a week for practice. i can't wait to pedal around after work.
zoey said:
good point
but guys will feel like they got their dk smacked if you call them a btch.
I disagree with your issue with "women-only" classes.redFoxx said:
From my perspective as a bike salesman, I see many women who come in with their significant other, and the guy asks all the questions and makes all the decisions.
Projecting this to the trails, I can easily see a less supportive environment riding with some guys.
From the skill classes I taught, the skills are the same whether it is women or men, but the approach is different.
P.S. The way I learned how to ride a mountain bike was to crash repeatedly, eventually figure out what I was doing wrong, then my buddies telling me what a dumb ass I am.
sanjuro said:
Isn't that how most guys prefer to learn?
There's a track close to where I live, open year round I think. As soon as I recover from Sea Otter (and it stops raining) I'm going to head over there. Even if I just watch for awhile, I'm sure I'll learn something. I was amazed at how much I learned watching the DH peeps at Sea Otter. Best thing about riding, you're always learning, and hopefully always getting better.amydalayna said:
I've been thinking about this issue and I think it tends to be the case with young males who like the trash-talking, putting women down style. The guys I ride with are older and we're buddies. Sure we can trash-talk but there's not brow-beating, patronizing immature stuff. So I don't see the need for any women's classes when I have a good group to ride with already. I guess I see the point of the women's classes but I hate that they're needed.sanjuro said:
And, I have noticed that when I have found myself on a women's only ride that they just don't push themselves as much to try things, so I tend to think that would be the case on women's only classes. Just guessing there as I haven't actually taken one. I'm definitely not against classes though. I don't believe in the school of all hard knocks for learning. It hurts!
I have to say though, there are some guys who should be shot the way they treat their girlfriends who ride. On a ride last week we saw one guy with one girl and he was just haranging her about her riding - this was on a very technical trail and takes awhile to enjoy. Definitely not a way to instill a love of riding...
lol, you should try it. I've gone out with Deb McKillop,Cindy Devine, Kristy Exner and a few other Canadian women who do anything but coddle you. Basically, I get thrashed in a good way when I go to camp.redFoxx said:
here's me trying something that I definately would not have done if it weren't for coaches encourageing me to go for it: Rode it clean, too.
Ha ha, that's great. Last summer we took a 4 person class up at Whistler and Daamiann Skelton of the West Coast School of Mountain Biking taught it. She was definitely an awesome teacher - I was scared s**tless facing those jumps. Noooo coddling - we were two women and two men in the class. Everyone taught the same and expected to try stuff!
When I went to Whistler, I got a lesson by Damiann also, she was awesome. I wanted help with jumps and drops because I could not figure out in my mind how to do it, therefore I could not tell my body what to do. She was so much help the way she explained it step by step. I am not going to say I didn't fall, cause I fell hard, and ripped my clothes wide open on a jump, but whatever, at least I did it and got better, and now I understand what to do. Honestly though, I do not think that I could have gotten as much from a pro guy teaching me as I did from her. As an extra, she also gave me very helpful tips on breaking, cornering, etc., that I was thrilled to learn, but didn't really know I had problems with. Thanks Damiann....
Longtime lurker finally making a reply....
I been riding bikes for about 15 years now and just started riding DH last year. I absolutely love it but I must admit sometimes I'm so scared I can hardly keep my feet on my pedals they're shaking so hard.
I've found that I need to push through the fear. My first runs are always a little shaky and I take it pretty slow but after I get through some rocks or over a couple drops, my confidence builds and I can conquer my fears.
Now...my first DH race at Angel Fire next month. I'm so excited!
I been riding bikes for about 15 years now and just started riding DH last year. I absolutely love it but I must admit sometimes I'm so scared I can hardly keep my feet on my pedals they're shaking so hard.
I've found that I need to push through the fear. My first runs are always a little shaky and I take it pretty slow but after I get through some rocks or over a couple drops, my confidence builds and I can conquer my fears.
Now...my first DH race at Angel Fire next month. I'm so excited!
I used to get all shakey before any dh run I did. Then last Feb (2005) I took a DH skills clinic with Eric Carter and Rich Houseman. I asked them what to do about being all trembly.Here was the conversation:weimie said:
EC: First you need to figure out why you're trembling.
Me: I think because I'm just really tightly wound (there'a a reason my avatar is a JRT - I'm just like one)
EC: But do you get all shakey before a trail ride?
Me: (silence) Um.... no.
EC: Then you need to figure out why you're trembling. Is it performance anxiety? Fear of failure? Fear of crashing?
Me: I think I'm just terrified that I'm in over my head and won't be able to [ride the mountain].
EC: That, I can work with.
And he taught me to approach the course logically and objectively. Find what you need to do to get it done. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it right then and there. If you need someone to talk you through it, find someone with more experience and come back later.
Since that time, I have not experienced the trembling sensation of impending doom that I once went through regularly. I suppose I look at those challenging and scarey things more logically (What do I need to do physics-wise to do this) rather than subjectively (Holy crap! If I eat it on this, I won't be able to ride for weeks!)
I recommend coaching. I've taken co-ed and women-only classes. I probably won't do another women-only, just because I am too competitive to learn well alongside other women. I end up comparing myself to them and always coming up short.
If you ever get the chance to get instruction from Houseman or Carter, take the opportunity. It was one of the best clinics I have ever taken, and I'm still benefitting from it.
Ditto...The clinic I took with Houseman was awesome! I learned much more about the finer points of racing than I thought I would...cornering, inspecting the course, making things flow. The best thing I did was start making myself do the run in my head...the whole thing. I put myself in a quiet place (or try to anyway) where I won't be distracted, then literally do the race run in my mind. I do the whole moving-the-handlebars thing too. A couple months after House's clinic, I was watching an "old" dh video (The Circus) and saw Missy Giove doing the same handlebar-thing and laughed! It works, though. If I get interrupted, I start over. They key is that we tend to focus so much on certain obstacles or terrain features in the race run and make them "stand-along" objects, instead of remembering the run-in or run-out to them.
I agree with objectifying the course and making it a lesson in physics, rather than a lesson in having balls.
I agree with objectifying the course and making it a lesson in physics, rather than a lesson in having balls.
This is exactly what I do, even if I'm going out for a XC ride. There's always one obstacle on the trail that I focus on and that's what makes me nervous. Doesn't mean I'm not going to do the obstacle, just means that's what I'm thinking about before the ride/run. Usually what happens is I'll get up to the obstacle, do it and think to myself, "that's what I got myself so worked up about?"stephanie said:
Where are the skills classes held? Cali?
i hold my hands out as if I'm gripping the handlebars. Then, I literally move my upper body to mimic going around corners, over a jump or drop, etc.
also, sometimes i act like i am gripping the bars rather than just having a finger hovering over each brake. that way i'm trying to practice getting over the whole idea of braking-just-because-i'm-nervous!
also, sometimes i act like i am gripping the bars rather than just having a finger hovering over each brake. that way i'm trying to practice getting over the whole idea of braking-just-because-i'm-nervous!
Houseman/Carter run their clinics at the local Fontana (CA) races. But, I'm sure there are other pros who do the same thing. And, of course, there are other kinds of programs that offer the same type of instruction.weimie said:
You mean you are just doing a pretend-ride to visualize doing the race and going over stuff?stephanie said:
And you're saying brakes are bad? I know I tend to brake too much - is it really true that the faster you go, the smoother the trail gets? On Whistler at the end of the season, the ruts were so bad that I was braking alot and consequently going much slower than I had at the early part of the season and behind too many of my friends. It made me really mad that I was being so afraid and not doing well.
Yes, brakes are bad. I am sort of a hypocrite because I still brake too much, but I'm getting better (see below).redFoxx said:You mean you are just doing a pretend-ride to visualize doing the race and going over stuff?
And you're saying brakes are bad? I know I tend to brake too much - is it really true that the faster you go, the smoother the trail gets? On Whistler at the end of the season, the ruts were so bad that I was braking alot and consequently going much slower than I had at the early part of the season and behind too many of my friends. It made me really mad that I was being so afraid and not doing well.
Yes, I pretend-ride. Visualization has really helped me out with my runs...I used to have trouble linking "hard" sections of the trail because I would focus so much on the hard stuff and forget what was in between (the easy stuff). So, I'd go through a hard section and then....oops...I'm at the next hard stunt and I forgot how long it was going to take me to get there, etc.
Yes, it is absolutely true that the faster you go the smoother it gets. If you watch video of top riders, they seem to float over bumpy stuff, rocks, etc because they're going so fast. Not braking so much is consistently a skill that I'm working on. I always have to re-evaluate why exactly I'm laying on the brakes in particular sections. Usually, it's because I'm scared or nervous. I should be focusing on trusting my tires, making my turns smoother, exiting a turn with MORE speed. This is so hard for me to do, but I'm making little improvements all the time.
Just practice gripping the bars in a section you can totally trust (no hard stuff or sketchy areas) and it will likely be a bit nerve-wracking at first, but then you may feel more empowered.
There's an old saying about braking bumps...you can take them at 4 mph or 40 mph, but nothing in between. By going really slow, you don't have to worry about getting bucked. By going really fast, you float over the top without letting your suspension dive into every bump. Anything in between is a recipe for frustration.
I remember at Whistler in July, the braking bumps got really bad (A-line, B-line). If I were riding it today, I would scrub off speed before the corner and then lay off the brakes in the turn. You'd be surprised how much speed you'll pick up on the exit.
i try to do the same thing. grip the bars instead of hovering my index fingers over the brakes. or i just totall grip my left hand and leave my right index finger hovering. that way i'm not just braking out of habit. that is some of the best advice anyone ever gave me. and i also try to think why i'm braking...stephanie said:
is it because it's necessary or just because i'm scared?
going too slow is dangerous. all my going over the bars crashes last year were because i didn't carry my speed through a really rocky section, causing my front wheel to stop on a rock it shouldn't have and throwing me over the bars. so, i agree... faster you go, smoother it gets.
i can't tell you how many times I've slowed waaayyyy down because I was unsure of something and then ended up tossed on the ground.
it is one of the hardest things I've had to learn, but it's been so worth it...brakes are bad!
it is one of the hardest things I've had to learn, but it's been so worth it...brakes are bad!