Terex

Interesting article today in NY Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/he...on/06Best.html).

Talks about mental control over athletic performance, specifically the techniques people use to go beyond self-imposed mental barriers to maximize athletic performance. Running and cycling used as examples.

I think that knowledge of this process is usefull in many applications. One in particular comes to mind - the Lamaze birth method. My wife and I went through this training with our first child in the '70's. It worked great. Focus on an object, regulate breathing, pop out the kid - no worries (well, for me, anyway ).

Recently I've taken some yoga and Pilates classes that emphsize different types of regulated breathing and a degree of dissociation to allow your body to bend to your mind's wishes.

I try to get into the dissociated state in major climbs by regulating my breathing with pedaling and riding at my own pace.

Best personal example was winning the wall sitting portion of the fitness contest at the local university. IT's where you take a seated position, up against a wall - but without a chair. Skiers use it to build quads. I had a traning partner get in my face and yell at me while I focused on his eyes - OK, a little weird, but it allowed me to totally zone out everything.

There is a crappy 70's movie, Baby Blue Marine, where Jan Michael Vincent is the last Marine "standing" in an arm extension exercise. He uses his hippy "dissociation" technique to put his mind in another (really nice!) place while his body is under stress.

Anyway, that's my lunchtime ramblings.

edzo

yeah on climbs I can zone out by staring at the ground and pounding out the guatts


also, have a bee sting you in the back of the mouth. it works for me, takes my mind off pedaling

caloso

When I was a kid, I stubbed my toe really bad. I was crying to my dad and he smacked me really hard on the arm.

"Hey! What was that for?!? That really hurt!

"Yeah, but you forgot all about your toe, didn't you?"

unixpro

I've used disassociation techniques a number of times. When riding up hills, I make sure to keep my focus just a bit in front of me and think of things other than the ride. The movement of legs becomes automatic and can be relegated to the unconscious. When I'm lifting, I focus on a point on the far wall or ceiling and just let myself push the weight where it needs to go.

Then again, there are meetings where disassociation is called daydreaming and frowned upon.

startedspyder05

I guess I do the same thing without really thinking about it. When I'd get back home after a few hours out on the road I wouldn't be able to remember anything, but I could tell that I had gone simply because my legs were tired

If I didn't work that way I really don't think I could ride for more than an hour, I think I'd get too bored.