Fifty Plus (50+) - Mindful Riding

Buddhists have the concept of mindful walking and mindful breathing, where the purpose is not walking to get somewhere, but rather to walk to stop thinking and be deeply aware of every moment and movement, and breathing deeply and being aware of your breathing.

Do you do mindful riding? Purposely stopping your mind wandering as you ride and returning your focus to the here and now to be deeply aware of your breathing, your legs your arms and balance and what you pass as you ride?

I ride to clear my mind.
Not much left to clear.

I do this occasionally when riding, and more often on a spin bike. Massive climbs can either blow up your mind and body, or give you an opportunity to master both. Yogic breathing on long, steep climbs helps me stay in a sustainable power zone and keeps me from panicking (like I used to do on big hills), and maintain optimum heart rate.

I find it much more easy to apply this level of focus on a spin bike. It's like being in a laboratory. When I'm on a spin bike, in front of a mirror, I'm able to focus my effort, still my upper body, and optimize power. Do this enough in "the lab", and it transfers to the road.

Only when I need the speed. When one detaches and achieves enlightenment, one can literally float on a reed or levitate. It dramatically improves ones power to weight ratio.

Then you become proud of your average moving (or floating, as the case may be) speed or VAM and brag about it on the forum. You reattach, become unenlightened, and crash like Icarus descending. Ouch. I hate it when that happens.

I am into listening to the birds as they chirp and sing as I ride along. I often ride along a creek with lots of trees and birds.

It is so easy to miss these beautiful sounds by letting your mind think about problems or worries or the like. And, I see folks wearing ear buds when all of this natural and gorgeous symphony is right there where they are. They don't even know what they are missing.

The meadiwlarks, the finches, the red-wing blackbirds, the raptors. So glorious.

After-work rides are for catharsis. I am trying to drain the stress from the work day.

On long climbs, I get mindful of breathing and cadence.

This is exactly why I ride. The physical sensations, the environment, the scents and touch of air and light and shadow. If I'm early enough I get to hear owls calling.

This is exactly why I ride. The physical sensations, the environment, the scents and touch of air and light and shadow. If I'm early enough I get to hear owls calling.

Heard and saw 3 owls calling to each other a couple of years ago - 5am and dark.

Completely buried in a race.

works fine till you hit a chuck hole

works fine till you hit a chuck hole

Or a truck.

works fine till you hit a chuck hole

By being mindful you are tuning into the world, not tuning out of it, grasshopper. Mindfulness would mean that you see it and gently turn a bit to avoid it. You are more likely to hit that chuck hole when lost in your own thoughts.

Buddhists have the concept of mindful walking and mindful breathing, where the purpose is not walking to get somewhere, but rather to walk to stop thinking and be deeply aware of every moment and movement, and breathing deeply and being aware of your breathing.

Do you do mindful riding? Purposely stopping your mind wandering as you ride and returning your focus to the here and now to be deeply aware of your breathing, your legs your arms and balance and what you pass as you ride?

Yes, except that I don't do it purposefully. Here's something I wrote on a blog during a long tour a bit over a year ago:

Somebody asked me what I think about when I am riding along. It's not an easy question to answer. Obviously sometimes I'm looking at the scenery, sometimes I'm thinking about the route, sometimes I'm wishing the wind would drop. And sometimes I'm thinking about more complicated things. But a lot of the time I'm not really thinking of anything. Cycling is like that, it tends to focus one's attention on the sheer physicality of the activity. So I get into a rhythm and my awareness is focused on that; I couldn't be said to be thinking, just being. It's quite meditative. That's one of the things I most like about it.

And you are quite right, this is not the same as being unaware of one's surroundings. Quite the reverse. One is more aware of what is going on, because one is not distracted by conscious thoughts.

EDIT: Racer Ex, racing is a bit similar, I think. You see, and react, and seize opportunities (or not, in my case) without too much conscious reflection, because you are in the moment and utterly focussed on what you're doing.

I tend to think of it more from the gestalt tradition of being in the here and now. It's a slight variation that accommodates my less than stellar performance in not being attached to things, people, places, etc. One of the basic tenants of Buddhism is that suffering is the result of attachment. Hence, N+1 will always bring some measure of suffering. ;)

Being in the here and now, however, does not guarantee any particular level of bliss. Sometimes the here and now is painful, dreary, tedious, or in many ways much less than I want a given ride to be. Of course a Buddhist might suggest this is because I have an attachment to an idealized view of what a great bike ride should be.

Composed while riding a few years ago...
-------------------------------------

Owl calls in canyon
An echo from a far cliff
No, another owl.

-------------------------------------

Slow dawn erupting
Canyon's deep grey eroding
Syncopated owls

I don't DO mindful riding. Rather, mindful riding just descends upon me without warning. When the wind blows through the leaves and the birds sing, and the squirrels or rabbits are out playing tag, and the flowerbeds are in full bloom...

Oh, and plus one on the whole truck thing. Especially when they come zooming out of their driveway! As I live and breathe, I could SWEAR that it's not possible to back a fishing-boat trailer out of a driveway as fast and proficiently as that guy did it! That woke me up!

I'm really mindful of that narrowing, dark tunnel just before I crash.

Other than that, yes, I try to be mindful as I ride. Not so much of my surroundings because even at my meager pace they go by too fast, but for sure the bike and my own physical self.

If that means leaving my Walkman at home, yes.

I really should start paying less attention to the Cateye.

Just don't end up like that grasshopper.

Kinda like "Paying Attention" to the surroundings and enjoying the peace of the ride.

and what you pass as you ride?
Mostly gas.

On a more serious note, I do some of my best thinking on my rides, or at least I think I do. By the time I get home the thoughts are gone, but they certainly seemed profound at the time in my oxygen starved mind. Almost like a near death experience without the shining light.

This happens to me all the time, I enter a state where I become one with the bike, and just kind of flow.
To quote a line from a good bad movie; "it's the point where you lose yourself, and find yourself, in the same moment".

Riding is a great mindfulness practice in and of itself!!
When riding you are naturally aware of the world around you, your breathing and your movements in ways that are actally harder (IMHO) to simulate in meditation.
That's why a lot of us ride - for the direct experience and the freedom.

I read an interview of someone who had done solo cross-country rides and written about them, and when asked about how reflective/meditative it must be, he gave the same response as some of us here. You think it would be, but it just isn't. I'm with Chasm54: I am usually focused on the riding, thinking about the riding and the route, the mechanics of riding, how to be smoother, what that car is going to do, etc. etc. If there is sonething I specifically want to think about, I can do that, I just generally don't. It's time away from that. Time to lose myself in the riding, to be "one with the bike". It's definitely an In The Now experience for me. There are times when my focus shifts to my surroundings, whether that is an interesting neighborhood, or open spaces and animals.

Racing forces a total focus. It's escapist in the extreme, as there is no room for thought of anything else.

This is my first year of brevets and my boss is enthralled with my efforts. He asked me about how I occupy my time when riding. I had to stop and think about it - my time on the brevets seem to be very focused on managing myself, my intake, the route and my timing relative to the "big picture."

While on an event, there are the occasional periods where I kind of snap out of it and realize how far I've come or how far I have to go but mostly, it's ride management via the cue sheet/gps looking for that next cue, turn or control. I'm simply amazed at how fast the time goes.

The term "mindful" has a new age ring to it but it is accurate. I prefer the term deliberate which is also accurate but easier to interpret as I find I can apply it to everyday activities more easily. Professional athletes know this phenomenon as being in the zone.

I have had the experience of being in the zone and as Artkansas has posted, awareness is hightened. While playing tennis, I found myself simultaneously aware of the movement of the person across the net, the tennis ball lazily spinning as it approached as big as a grapefruit, the chain link fence at the edge of the court and a car traveling the roadway bu the fence. My movements were fluid and unhurried with plenty of time to make the above observations and also to plan the next shot. Professional athletes in the zone are as graceful as dancers.

I've always thought a bike ride has the potential to be a spiritual outing. You've even got two prayer wheels going, and it's easy to get into a meditative state. But yes, you do have to distinguish between mindful riding and mindless riding. Mindless riding is where you have no idea where the time went; you're basically a zombie on a bike, just like all those car drivers out there. Mindful is a more active process, but I think that the more you do it, the less you need to be aware of being mindful. I think that just as your body becomes more efficient, your mind becomes more efficient. You can tell by how grounded or centered you feel, how aware you are of everything around you. You see animals ahead popping into the bushes, and you're aware of traffic before it arrives.

I also don't like wearing earbuds on rides. I'll listen to the radio when driving my car, but on the bike I like to hear what's going on around me, even if it's mostly wind noise.

Luis

I also don't like wearing earbuds on rides. I'll listen to the radio when driving my car, but on the bike I like to hear what's going on around me, even if it's mostly wind noise.

I'm surprised by how many people ride with buds in, as it's totally anathema to me. But since all of us were in the sixties, we are all also familiar with "It's your thang... do what you wanna do."

I'm surprised by how many people ride with buds in, as it's totally anathema to me. But since all of us were in the sixties, we are all also familiar with "It's your thang... do what you wanna do."

I found myself alongside a rider wearing buds in a crit a few weeks ago. The commissaire went nuts when he found out.

I found myself alongside a rider wearing buds in a crit a few weeks ago. The commissaire went nuts when he found out.

Maybe the recording in the buds was someone saying:

"Pedal - pedal - pedal - pedal - pedal . . . " to a latin beat of 90 bpm?? :)

Mornings seem longer while riding. There's time to watch the slow change of light from grey to blue to pink as the sun rises, and then the burst of yellow that yet leaves the canyon bottoms in blue. I keep turning the pedals and breathing, listening to the birds rustling in the dry brush. Maybe it's that I'm usually climbing steeply, but everything just slows down to a more human pace.

I started to get into a flow while riding up to the Taos ski area today. But then my back started hurting. So much for mindful riding...

But coming back down was great!

On the way home riding through the Hondo Arroyo (spectacular!), I got stuck behind a truck moving a manufactured home. Pretty cool, until I got hit with a wall of diesel smoke. Reminded me of walking to work in NY City.

I have been doing a of mindless ridding but the idea sounds intriguing. I man have to give something like that a try sometime. Now if I can just remember it on the next ride that will be a great accomplishment.

The young karate master, when a beginning student, thought a punch was just a punch. Over many years he practiced correct technique while strenghtening muscle and ligaments. One day, many years later, he found a punch was just a punch.

Mindful riding is not a commodity that is plugged in much as a bike computer is attached to the bike. It is an approach to cycling, as well as to life, that is best practiced on a daily basis. For example, a relationship, whether marriage or business or friendship requires a deliberate effort or the odds for failure are high.

I'm mindful when I'm eating pie.
Cycling is a sideline.

Buddhists have the concept of mindful walking and mindful breathing, where the purpose is not walking to get somewhere, but rather to walk to stop thinking and be deeply aware of every moment and movement, and breathing deeply and being aware of your breathing.

Do you do mindful riding? Purposely stopping your mind wandering as you ride and returning your focus to the here and now to be deeply aware of your breathing, your legs your arms and balance and what you pass as you ride?It's funny you bring this up now. I sit with a sangha on Sunday mornings, and afterwards we have a "practice circle", where we talk about things related to our practice. Just this past Sunday, the subject of cycling was brought up, and it turned out four of us are cyclists (including the sensei), and we all agreed that cycling, particularly cycling in traffic, is an activity that forces us to be completely in the moment and completely mindful in the way you describe, adding in to it being aware of what all the cars are doing, if anyone is in a parked car getting ready to open the door, if anyone's tail pipe is smoking, indicating that they might pull out of a parking spot, etc. There's just no room for thinking about anything else but the state of the body, the state of the bike, and the state of the road. Total awareness in the moment.

Another activity like that, for me, is shaving with a straight razor.

I practice this regularly, sometimes only for moments but always try to go back to it. Trying to let everything be even if it is a inefficient ( at least seems to be) ride. There's a spot where everything clicks.

I am usually focused on the riding, thinking about the riding and the route, the mechanics of riding, how to be smoother, what that car is going to do, etc. etc. If there is sonething I specifically want to think about, I can do that, I just generally don't. It's time away from that. Time to lose myself in the riding, to be "one with the bike". It's definitely an In The Now experience for me. There are times when my focus shifts to my surroundings, whether that is an interesting neighborhood, or open spaces and animals.

Yes. Although I don't do much racing, I'm always paying primary attention to what I'm doing. I've seen some cyclists who empty their minds while riding. They're the dangerous ones.

I tried "mindful riding" a couple of month ago. I hit a pot hole and flipped over the handle bars. Also there is glass and nuts bolts all over the place were I ride. Yesterday I was attacked by a dog. First time I ever had to jump off my bike and protected my self. Always be aware of your surroundings.

I have been doing a of mindless ridding but the idea sounds intriguing. I man have to give something like that a try sometime. Now if I can just remember it on the next ride that will be a great accomplishment.

Just tune into your breathing.

I tried "mindful riding" a couple of month ago. I hit a pot hole and flipped over the handle bars. Also there is glass and nuts bolts all over the place were I ride. Yesterday I was attacked by a dog. First time I ever had to jump off my bike and protected my self. Always be aware of your surroundings.

If you weren't aware of your surroundings, you weren't riding mindfully. ;)

Mindfulness while commuting is work - like mindfulness driving a car. In some circles, it is termed situational awareness. For me, it is draining and exhausting, because it requires a tremendous amount of focus.

When I am doing a recreational ride (training, cruising, group ride, etc.) it is a different kind of exercise - I am aware of everything around me (or I like to think so), but more like drinking it in. I love riding in the farm country to see what is growing, being harvested, where it is in the cycle. I love to hear the birds, the hum of my tires and drivetrain, and the rush of wind through my helmet. I just love the ride.

In the end, I try not to overthink the process, the activity. I just consider it fun, and am content to leave it at that.

It seems to me that there are three different-but-related "thought states" being described here. It could be my idiosyncratic interpretation, and I may be overthinking it all.

One state is that of full concentration on riding the bike. I think this is the "in the zone" idea. All focus is on what one is doing, such as playing tennis, and everything else fades.

Then there's the state of taking in the surroundings, along with the process of riding. Paying enough attention to the bike to stay upright and on the road, but with less focus, leaving much attention for the feel of the wind and the sound of the birds.

And finally, there's the full-on situational awareness, which I think any rider uses when riding in traffic. It's probably closely related to the "taking in surroundings" state, but more focused on survival aspects than beauty.

I rarely do the "in the zone" kind of riding. Maybe I'm not temperamentally suited for it, or maybe I'm always thinking about the outside world and how it might affect my riding. Commuting, I tend to go for as much situational awareness as I can. Comes from all the miles I rode a motorcycle, I guess, but often I can tell what a driver is going to do before the driver knows it. And then, when it's safe, I'll just let my awareness spread into the world so I can experience the ride as I want to. This is why I like mountain riding, especially climbing hills. Everything happens slowly enough that I can take it in. The process of riding the bike takes a background role, or as much so as it can. If I really want to feel where I am, I get off the bike and walk.

And really, this is one big reason I like walking in general. It's about as simple a task as one can ask for, and leaves lots of attention for other things. :)

I do this occasionally when riding, and more often on a spin bike. Massive climbs can either blow up your mind and body, or give you an opportunity to master both. Yogic breathing on long, steep climbs helps me stay in a sustainable power zone and keeps me from panicking (like I used to do on big hills), and maintain optimum heart rate.

I find it much more easy to apply this level of focus on a spin bike. It's like being in a laboratory. When I'm on a spin bike, in front of a mirror, I'm able to focus my effort, still my upper body, and optimize power. Do this enough in "the lab", and it transfers to the road.

I don't spin, but I've done yoga for nearly a year now. Cycling it's helped a lot, in more than just improvement in strength. Awareness of breathing, some relaxed upper body posturing and leg alignment based on tadasana (mountain pose), and better knowledge of what hard efforts can be sustained and what cannot are among the benefits. A recent book, The Athlete's Guide to Yoga, is very helpful in choosing what I'll take from Iyengar and use in cycling. The author, Sage Rountree, recommends such postures and suggests using focus on breath, technique and alignment to occupy the mind when in a hard effort like a big hard hill. She also suggests the Buddhist concept of moving meditation, where you act essentially as Artkansas has described. Like any meditation such as TM or savasana, it's a major challenge to keep this stuff up on a continuous basis. You get yourself into the alignment, breathing, and a good pace and let other thoughts occur, but then pass by. When you notice you're not on the meditative track, just go back to it - no pressure, no worries about distraction.

But distractions are inevitable: climbing, descending, turning, shifting, seeing ridges, holes, and glass fields, and picking a safe path. Might be worried about managing cadence, too. If I can return my awareness to feet, back, and breath, I'm doing well. If I can stay in a physically comfortable posture while managing all this, ditto.

When I ride, I feel His pleasure.

When I ride, I feel His pleasure.
You ride a Chariots of Fire bicycle, do you ? :)

I dunno, back in the day "mindful riding" was called "paying attention" and "keeping your wits about you". I suppose "mindful riding" is a more economical use of words.

Or a truck.

You broke the spell. :lol: For a few minutes there I thought I had been transported back in time to a coffee shop by the University of Washington to listen to students explain the metaphysical. I know the term is misused today. Chuck holes, wet leaves, sand, other cyclists and yes trucks are examples of the phisics of riding a bike. In fact the bicycle and rider are pretty good examples of phisics as taught in school. I may enjoy cycling and even walking and the sights around the activity but they and the actions I am taking are purely physical and I try to remember that so I don't end up in a ditch wondering how I got there.

You broke the spell. :lol: For a few minutes there I thought I had been transported back in time to a coffee shop by the University of Washington to listen to students explain the metaphysical.

Last Exit on Brooklyn. Boy, do I miss that place.

In mindful riding, one concept/model that may help is to think of a still pond as you ride. As long as the road is straight and smooth and clear of any obstacles or other road users, the water is completely still, with a reflection of the moon across it. But as soon as anything even begins to disturb this stillness, you see ripples emerging. Your body senses the ripples and prepares or acts accordingly. But the focus is on the stillness of the water. You can also integrate your breathing cycle. I like to synchronize my breathing with each pedal stroke, exhaling on three strokes, inhaling on two (or four/three, or even two/one as you climb a hill), always exhaling longer than you inhale. The three/two helps control the breathing and your recovery after a hard effort, but this is a racing secret and not really metaphysical...

Luis

Last Exit on Brooklyn. Boy, do I miss that place.

At times I remember the late night sessions with foundness as well. Nothing was solved but it sounded good. I don't see the concept of mindful riding as a substute for concentrating on what you are doing and practice at your activity. Just my opinion but it reminds me a bit of Professor Hill in the Music man and how he "Taught" music. I guess it could work but I can't see it replacing simple paying attention to what you are doing. That may be just me.