Becoming a better cyclist without cycling is more focused on a mental exercise than a physical one, where enthusiasm, endurance and will go hand in hand.
In cycling it is useful and necessary, as in any discipline, to schedule your workouts and breaks, have tools that allow you to measure your progress and maintain a balanced diet. However, this time you will know some recommendations at a mental level that as a cyclist you can take to improve more and more in this sport.
How to become a better cyclist?
1. Prepare for the worst
Before starting a walk, consider that it begins before leaving home. Make a route plan, food and take a first aid kit with you before leaving. Whenever you go to train, prepare yourself mentally for any incident that may occur, it is best to be cautious when evaluating the possibility that any accident may occur.
2. Overcome your distance mentally
Some challenges like facing a big climb can pass slowly if you focus only on the miles you have traveled. On the other hand, if you keep track of your progress , focusing more on how you have improved your times and not so much on the distance, you will be able to perform better mentally.
3. Plan some distractions
For certain moments of the routine you have to decide in advance what you are going to think. Mentally we can focus on one or two things while doing high-quality physical activity, so planning your mental strategy can be very helpful. For example, this could mean having a couple of songs that you can sing or thinking about your next vacation on a long climb.
4. Stay focused on every point of your walks
Words like “cadence” can keep you focused on your pedaling, or other words like “fight” can remind you to maintain resistance. Think of some words or ” mantras ” before your trip and when your mind begins to wander along the way, turn to them.
5. Identify when to stop
Determine if you are really tired and take action accordingly. It is important to recognize when to cancel a workout due to fatigue and avoid harm or injury. In this case, you should take a day off without a pang of conscience.
In the same way, when you start a walk and you feel very good, pay attention not to overextend yourself to avoid ending up exhausted at the end of your trip. It is important that you stick to your plan for the day .
6. Give yourself permission to fail
Mountain biking can be tough, especially if you are still in the process of learning your technical skills. However, even professionals fail, and there should be no shame when you make a bad mark. It is recommended that when you are going through a challenging route you try it no more than three times, and that you rest before trying again so that in this way you feel less stressed before that challenge.
7. Take group walks
Group walks are an option that you can use to save your daily routine. It is useful because you reach a point of self-understanding while observing other cyclists with a positive attitude , this allows you to criticize yourself in a constructive way.
8. Keep a positive outlook
As a last resort, remember the following “you are lucky to be on your bike”. No matter how bad your ride can go, at least you have the ability to ride it and keep in mind that with work and perseverance you will improve your technique and performance to the maximum.
conclusion
In any sport that involves traveling long distances, the mental factor of the athlete takes special importance: if we are able to be mentally strong, we will be able to overcome any of the difficulties that will surely arise in our goal of being a better cyclist. Therefore, do not despise this aspect of your training and work on it whenever you can: after a while you will notice that you have greater strength when facing new challenges on the bike.
Reference
- Hurford, M. Train Your Brain to Survive the Ride. Bicycling. [Revised November 2015].
