A surprisingly large part of dirt riding is a mind game.
Your skills and experience provide the foundation for your riding.
But how positively or negatively you think plays a huge part in how well you will ride.
I often surprise myself by finally getting the
courage to tackle a new obstacle and getting through quite easily.
And then start to wonder if I was ready to try it six months earlier?
Of course there are also guys with too much confidence and will destroy
themselves and their bikes on a regular basis.
So unless you have a deathwish, safety comes first.
Get all the good protective gear and set your
limits, and work out how many risks you are willing to take.
Learn how to laugh when the other guys call you a soft cock for avoiding the tough obstacles...
or even better just let all their air out of their tyres when they aren't looking.
So having said all that, a positive approach
to a challenging section or obstacle can be a good thing.
Ever thought to yourself I'll never make this?
Your body reacts accordingly and you will tense up, not allow your bike to move freely,
your technique will be stiff and forced, and chances are you will comprehensively bugger it up.
At other times, you will surprise yourself and sail through it,
and the confidence gained will show each time you tackle it after that.
With practice, most of our riding technique comes from an instinctive subconscious level,
and a negative approach interferes with this.
So what can we do to develop confidence and a positive approach to riding?
This is from the Australian Institute of Sports, and the sort of thing coaches ram into the heads
of our Olympic athletes. AVOID NEGATIVE SELF-TALK.
Stop saying to yourself "I'll never make this!" unless it's a vertical cliff of course.
Deliberately choose to think confidently
e.g. "I have the skills and I can do this".
Negative thoughts only get in the way of letting your body do what you've trained it to do.
ACT WITH CONFIDENCE.
Look at riders who exude a quiet confidence and act in a similar way.
Of course it will be an act but there is plenty of evidence from sports psychology
that acting with confidence can lead quickly to true confidence.
Focus on your strengths.
This doesn't mean acting like an arrogant dick who is full of himself...
look at all the top extreme enduro riders as an example.
No boasting from them, just very likeable guys who have a quiet confidence in themselves.
VISUALIZE SUCCESSFUL TECHNIQUE.
Most top athletes use visualization as a powerful
psychological technique for tackling new techniques..
it all sounds like new age mumbo jumbo but strangely it actually works.
Watch videos of the top riders doing the techniques you want to learn.
The important bit?
Close your eyes and picture yourself doing the same techniques in your head.
This visualization starts connecting synapses
in your brain that will actually prepare you for the real thing.
Finally, there is nothing wrong with a safety net.
If you are concerned about falling in a steep part of the section, get other riders to spot for you.
This isn't negative thinking,
but simply removes a concern that could get in the way of riding positively.
Likewise, plan where to put a foot down if needed and make the most of that dab.
Again, this isn't negative thinking but simply having a back up plan
that allows you to focus fully on the task ahead.
Most importantly of all, find some decent dirt riding videos
for riders who know what they are talking about.
Don't resort to second-rate rubbish from middle aged gumbies who couldn't ride
their way out of a paper bag, just because it's free and on Youtube.
Have the confidence to rise above that nonsense,
and give Chris Birch thousands of dollars to personally coach you on your riding,
confidence, personal hygiene and sexual technique in the bedroom.