All living things are driven to avoid pain. Unconscious systems compel them to select – without awareness – choices that have become familiar and proven safe. Human beings are no exception. They are motivated to avoid pain, including psychological pain, …
Even With Motivation, Unconscious Anxiety Blocks Improvement of Habits Read More »
It’s certainly not necessary to be playing high-stakes at the card table to benefit from a poker face. The ability to mask one’s reactions from the competition is useful outside of gambling – in sport. We often hear about athletes …
How you talk to yourself about your training and racing performance, especially with regard to exercise intensity, matters more than you might think. There’s a number for everything these days: ride time, cadence, distance, heart rate, power, you name it. …
Identifying Perceived Effort: Choosing the Right Words & Thoughts to Improve Performance Read More »
How to Win a Time Trial — or at Least Set a PR! As a pure test of cycling athleticism, little compares with the time-trial. Every roadie will want to have a decent TT in their repertoire if they want …
Learning to Ride without Hand Pain It’s not unusual for a cyclist to experience sore hands from time to time. It may be the muscles of the palm, the complex and delicate bones of the wrist, or the nerves and …
This is a pretty straightforward exercise that can be done in front of your computer, laptop, or smaller device. It’s most effective if you can pay uninterrupted attention to the screen and sounds, so if possible find a place where …
Preparing to Improve Your Descending on the Bicycle Read More »
This article isn’t about writing music directly; I’m referring to composing oneself for optimal calmness, balance and efficiency when riding a bike. Most of us are probably pretty good at this most of the time, but a relaxed state can …
Composing for the Bicycle – Achieving a Relaxed State Before Riding Read More »
This week I took part in a bike race that didn’t go quite how I wanted. I didn’t win, felt I could have done better, and although I finished reasonably well, I was left with some ‘what ifs,’ which have …
The Fine Art of Self Talk in Cycling Performance Read More »
Grassroots British cyclists have an obsession with the 25-mile time trial. By the end of their first season, every racer knows two things: 1. How long it takes him or her to cover the 25 miles, and 2. The existence …
Shades of Red – The Blurred Line of Mental Limits Read More »
Associate Coach Feeling nervous in the lead-up to a race is a common experience and appropriate for many athletes. After all, a race is a test in which the conditions, fellow competitors, and unpredictability will challenge the athlete. Sports psychologists …
Muscle groups behave reciprocally – that is, hamstrings (large muscles at the back of the thigh) and quadriceps (large muscles at the front of the thigh) exchange information about their activity. For example, when hams flex, a signal is sent …
Stretch for Success: Hamstring and Quadraceps Flexibility Read More »
