Let's talk about sports psychology. DH specific.
- Thread starter fred.r
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Pretty much if you're thinking, you're losing. Focus on whats ahead and drown out everything else. On a good run, I won't hear a single thing from the crowd, pure tunnel vision of all senses.
-KT
-KT
Get into a rowdy kinda zone. You gotta be having loads of fun to have a dope run. If you are super serious, you will be slow. You can only be a little bit serious. That little bit counts toward lines. Besides that, moto noises and hollering are acceptable.
I found this sequence of posts to be amusing.
Also, as a wise man at Diablo once said: "BALLS AND SPEED!"
Yeah,......those guys on the podium......they suck.
Crowds,yeah we have crowds.
Get to know the course well enough to do a mental run. Do perfect mental runs. Then do perfect real runs.
And wear lots of protective gear.
And wear lots of protective gear.
Grow balls, lose your mind, and beta-blockers for the rest.. 
dont make it to serious or youll get burned out - i just tell myself that i like to go fast and im racing for the coolest picture - that way if i crash and burn in sight of the finish by KOing myself by getting clotheslined by a branch in sight of the finish - i wont be bummed because i just got the sickest picture of me fighting with a tree
It dosent directly seem like the sports psychology answer you're looking for,but mentally, MX helped me alot.It broke down mental barriers of speed and of what "big" is.So when I go back to Dh,everything seems,and is, smaller and slower. I don't get tense and overwhelmed by "fast"speed and loose ground.
look around and remember that you are all just riding your bikes and lots of people in thier costume kits look soooo gayyy, keep that $hit dumped and enjoy yourself, keep it 2 balls 1 sack, thats about it, wow
What if my costume kit gets me sports psycho-logically in the right frame of mind to kick your ass down the hill?
I'm just sayin...
You put just as much thought into your"unthought out" kit.
I'm just sayin...
You put just as much thought into your"unthought out" kit.
Accept that you're going to make mistakes and decide in advance that you're NOT going to panic or try to make up for lost time when you do. For me this really helped with the whole "getting into the groove" thing - if I mess up the first corner, so what, there's 50 others, and there's nothing you can do about it later anyway.
Full, uninterrupted mental runs right before you go are a MASSIVE help to me too.
However... the only problem with taking my advice is that I'm not actually very fast
Full, uninterrupted mental runs right before you go are a MASSIVE help to me too.
However... the only problem with taking my advice is that I'm not actually very fast
Best advice in the thread so far. Totally works, you need to build up your "speed threshold ". Mx riding brought me from mid-pack sport to podiums in expert in 1 season.
Basically, if you worry about this kind of stuff, you're overanalizing.
Pin it ya fairy.
Pin it ya fairy.
The first thing you should know is, it's much easier to look fast than to actually ride fast. So the first thing you have to do is buy some schweet kit. This can either be the full pyjamas, or if you prefer the 'f*ck the system' look, you can wear MX trousers and a t-shirt with some band that you've heard top pro's say they like in interviews; basically, an AC/DC t-shirt.
You might think but what's the point, people will see my race times and I'll be rumbled? This is where real sports psychology comes in. During practice, just cruise. Cruise, and stop a lot to look at stuff. If anyone asks you how you're getting on, say something to the effect of 'yeah the tracks ok, nothing too gnarly, just gonna have fun on my race runs y'know?'. This reverse psychology will instantly work and they will think 'Man, this guy must be so fast, he probably doesn't even need to be practicing right now to smoke me.'
This is just the groundwork though, the critical point is your reaction when you cross the line. The main rule is don't ever look at the time board. This gives the impression that you are so disgusted with your sub-par run you can't bear to look at the result. You can do this by shaking your head as you cross the line, slumping over your bars when you come to a stop, or just pedalling straight out the finish paddock in apparent rage. Everyone that sees this will assume you must be capaple of far better than your bottom third placing. Another technique that can be employed in combination with the above is to look down between your legs at your chainguide/mech, giving people the impression you had a mechanical, nothing catastrophic but something like a jammed chain that could have been freed up just before the finish.
I hope these techniques help.
You might think but what's the point, people will see my race times and I'll be rumbled? This is where real sports psychology comes in. During practice, just cruise. Cruise, and stop a lot to look at stuff. If anyone asks you how you're getting on, say something to the effect of 'yeah the tracks ok, nothing too gnarly, just gonna have fun on my race runs y'know?'. This reverse psychology will instantly work and they will think 'Man, this guy must be so fast, he probably doesn't even need to be practicing right now to smoke me.'
This is just the groundwork though, the critical point is your reaction when you cross the line. The main rule is don't ever look at the time board. This gives the impression that you are so disgusted with your sub-par run you can't bear to look at the result. You can do this by shaking your head as you cross the line, slumping over your bars when you come to a stop, or just pedalling straight out the finish paddock in apparent rage. Everyone that sees this will assume you must be capaple of far better than your bottom third placing. Another technique that can be employed in combination with the above is to look down between your legs at your chainguide/mech, giving people the impression you had a mechanical, nothing catastrophic but something like a jammed chain that could have been freed up just before the finish.
I hope these techniques help.
Stop ****ing watching me at races Daly!
Don't ride like Banzai, he's a gimpy mook, and he stops in the middle of the trail and throws his bike at people and cries.
Thanks for all the input.
The jokes actually bring up a funny point... you can't take yourself too seriously, and if you do you'll usually put too much pressure on yourself and actually hinder your overall performance.
- try less
- ride at 90%
- don't over think
- don't get hung up on mistakes
That seems to be the most common advise I'm finding online. I've never really had a problem with the mental side of racing; and I don't ride at 90%, or try less. I do however go over the course mentally before my run a few times. I remember every turn, every line, every shift. I also remind myself that I'm here for fun, and that's what matters; but it's still nice to do well.
So keep it coming, this is interesting stuff.
The jokes actually bring up a funny point... you can't take yourself too seriously, and if you do you'll usually put too much pressure on yourself and actually hinder your overall performance.
- try less
- ride at 90%
- don't over think
- don't get hung up on mistakes
That seems to be the most common advise I'm finding online. I've never really had a problem with the mental side of racing; and I don't ride at 90%, or try less. I do however go over the course mentally before my run a few times. I remember every turn, every line, every shift. I also remind myself that I'm here for fun, and that's what matters; but it's still nice to do well.
So keep it coming, this is interesting stuff.
irony, eh?
seriously, playing simracing helps me to improve concentration also remembering what it needs to do better at next time, brake late as possible, remember brake point and other small stuffs etc.
just have focus on longest point in horizon like schumacher said. dont think, just remember how you did then repeat and repeat improving small details slowly without analyzing too much otherwise it'd interrupt the flow of ride.
funny that it works for bicycling. at least for me.
another thing: to be in zen. it is more difficult thing to explain.
my two cents
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"Be Agressive, B E Agressive"
^
Repeat to self during the run like you are a cheerleader on drugs.
Reminds me to keep my head up, attack out of corners, think about the exits and whats coming up.
Pre riding the course to the point that you can ride it through in your mind and run through the lines to hit and the lines to avoid.
^
Repeat to self during the run like you are a cheerleader on drugs.
Reminds me to keep my head up, attack out of corners, think about the exits and whats coming up.
Pre riding the course to the point that you can ride it through in your mind and run through the lines to hit and the lines to avoid.
On the top of my gas tank on the Kawi is a decal.78%
90% is too close to 100.
84% I broke my collarbone.
80% got stitches in my chin.
90% is too close to 100.
84% I broke my collarbone.
80% got stitches in my chin.
Dont plan so much, personally i havent a clue when i shift or how many times i shift, i like to think about the now. "ok do this NOW, shift NOW", not, after the turn shift twice. IMO runs shouldnt be planned. Having fun is a huge part, i personally LOVE going fast, and im too much of a panzy to do it normally, so i really enjoy racing. Another key thing that i think helps people, is get off the line as fast as possible. Im pretty fat and lazy, but i make sure the 5 pedals ill take per run, are all on the start gate. Once your up to speed you can just maintain it. If you think of it like drag racing, it makes more sense.
you go off the gate "slow" and you slowly work your way up to your speed. it takes you 5 seconds because your pacing yourself for the finish line sprint.
I go right next to you, and i could care less about the finish line, because ill be happy if i dont have a heart attack before i get there, i get up to speed in 1 second!
We both hit 20 before the first ____ section. i gained 4 seconds (fictional obviously)
come into the final feild and im doing 20 mph and you can pedal to do 22mph, you essentially gained nothing, except for a "filled"run.
Anybody hear me on this?
you go off the gate "slow" and you slowly work your way up to your speed. it takes you 5 seconds because your pacing yourself for the finish line sprint.
I go right next to you, and i could care less about the finish line, because ill be happy if i dont have a heart attack before i get there, i get up to speed in 1 second!
We both hit 20 before the first ____ section. i gained 4 seconds (fictional obviously)
come into the final feild and im doing 20 mph and you can pedal to do 22mph, you essentially gained nothing, except for a "filled"run.
Anybody hear me on this?
Nominating for post of the year...
It's got my vote!
Get this book: 'Sports Psychology for Cyclists' by Dr. Saul Miller. It even has a section for DH racing as well as some universal tips/mental training exercises.
"Fired Up! reference, LOVE IT!!"