[music] Speaker 1: Times have been very different
and very difficult, I'm sure, for a lot of people around the world.
In the past, there has been some research to show that exercise and indeed riding your
bike is good for your mental health.
Mental health seems to be talked about much more in the last few years and even more so
at the moment.
Now, everyone's situation is different.
In this video, I'll talk about my own but also, look at a video that GCN made a little
while ago using the experts at Oxford University to talk about the relationship between cycling,
and that boosts your mental health.
We at GMBN are some of the lucky ones, I suppose, to still have work.
I know many people have been unable to work or laid off around the world, so lucky for
us.
Although, I will say it's been super busy at times learning to shoot stuff and get a
bit more hands-on with the process.
It means I'll definitely appreciate our videographers more when we get back working together.
In my life, you know what?
It's been nice to have to work.
I've been working hard because it's something positive to get stuck into, and it's been
great to have a sense of achievement.
That can be important for mental health, working towards something, something that involves
some graft and has a result.
Being in the great outdoors with a sense of purpose definitely gives me a feeling of fulfillment
and happiness, and there are many ways of getting that, I suppose.
It could be a surfer or into music or art or something.
I think it's trying to find the combination of things together, that really do give you
a bit of mental boost.
Sometimes, you know what?
I think it's the challenge a bit.
Things that are easy to do sometimes maybe don't feel quite as worthwhile, but you know
what?
There's actually data to back up my claims or my feelings.
In the GCM video, I go to speak to the experts at Oxford University.
It's a great video by the way.
You should check it out.
They found that on average, cyclists suffer 21% fewer poor days of mental health on any
average month compared to people who don't exercise.
That's cyclists in general.
Whilst I can joke all day about roadies, in my view, that might- now if you consider some
of the best bits of what we do.
Slightly dirtier mountain bikers.
Feeling the flow is something that makes me happy.
Finding it is not easy, and you don't always keep it.
But did the boffins at Oxford Uni taking into account schralping a turn or bombing good
descent or styling a jump.
So riding is good for your mental health.
Does that sound right to you or not?
It does to me.
What about other types of exercise?
I've relied on going for runs during lockdown when I've been short of time.
Now, I haven't run for a long time.
I used to be quite quick back a few years ago when I was race-fit.
Before I broke my ankle, 5 kilometers in 17:25, I'll let you know.
That was a few years ago, and I've got a few more leg injuries.
I have to say the running I've been doing recently has not been fun, but the satisfaction
at the end of waking up with achy legs the next day does make me feel good.
Those things, those little achievements, they can improve your mental health overall, in
my opinion.
Of course, there's a lot more things that can affect your mental health.
Things like your health, money, family, all sorts of personal problems, and a ride will
help you fix that.
Any of those problems can overshadow everything.
That black dog can make it really difficult to find any motivation.
Simply getting your kit ready, getting your bike ready to get out of the door might be
something that you can't even consider doing.
I have to admit that at times, as a pro where my head just wasn't in the game for whatever
reason.
Maybe it was the stress of normal life that can seem a big deal at the time, and I've
gone through the efforts of driving to a riding spot for a training ride.
Ridden the first climb and just stopped, sat in the grass for a while, and then gone home.
There's no shame inside and you're just not into it, and leave it for another day.
There is more to it than just pure exercise.
Whist running could supplement my workouts, it would never replace riding a bike.
For most of us, I don't even think mountain bike is about the exercise or even drift in
a corner.
It's just a hobby.
It's something that we're into almost all the time.
For my web-browsing to our Instagram, to our video-viewing, it's just the mountain bike
life, but I also like the quiet times.
Sometimes going into my garage to do some jobs or sometimes not really much, just potter
around, being there.
In these quiet times, I used to de-stress unless that is changing tires, I hate that.
Sometimes the tools get thrown.
So mountain biking makes you happy.
Sometimes, definitely.
Always?
Well, I guess there will always be some bad rides.
I have one recently where I had a really busy, quite stressful day.
There was an hour of light left, I'd rush to get ready.
I ride outdoor.
20 minutes on the road time trial to the woods, and then I snapped my chain going into the
woods.
I definitely didn't feel that de-stressed then.
Or sometimes even an injury, that isn't always great for your mental health.
I think on whole, yes.
Mountain biking is good for your mental health.
A conclusion?
Well, early on in the lockdown, quite a few weeks ago now, I said that to me, I was going
to treat this be like a minor injury where you can't ride your bike as much or where
you want to, but when you can get to do that, it feels so good to do it.
I haven't changed my mind.
It still feels like there are good times ahead, and I'm really looking forward to those.
I'm sure they'll feel great when we get there.
In that aforementioned GCN video, the experts at Oxford University found there was a sweet
spot for how much to do.
They found the exercise in 45 minutes 3 to 4 times a week had the best mental outcome.
Now, that sounds quite good to me.
I think I'll probably stretch those times a bit longer if I could, but something to
aim for.
It's physical health- it is absolutely related to mental health, but how can you use your
riding to improve your mental health?
Well, the first step is to recognize that you're feeling anxious or low and try and
identify why that is and see if you can do something about it.
Then, try and recognize what it is about your riding that makes you feel good and might
help.
Is it the exercise? is it the fun, the social side, or the nerdy side, or a bit of everything?
I don't know about you.
It feels like there's some good times coming.
There's some light at the end of the tunnel, so here's too planning and plotting a glorious
return to dirt.
[00:07:21] [END OF AUDIO]