There is a near-annual thread across online mountain bike forums discussing the psychological benefits of riding in the forest, and a related query on how to cope with the wet months. What we get when we strap on our smelliest shoes and go for a pedal beneath ancient towering trees, or through ever-shifting sands, is something profoundly special. Some say that the joy of two-wheel motion is magical.
My longtime ride friend turned professional therapist, Rachel Bagley, calls the tuned-in trail state “Shreditation.” She describes mountain biking as an opportunity for our minds to take a pause from their well-worn grooves and processes, formally known as neuropathways, and focus on our present actions and the natural world around us. This notion resonates with me, as I imagine it may for others as well.
Three Deep Breaths is a series dedicated to exploring the meaningful ways our sport can provide positive mental health benefits, and methods we can employ to improve our riding experience. I will delve into the benefits of being in nature, positive attributes of endurance sports, how challenges and fear might improve our vision of the world, the benefits of traveling to shred, and healthy ways to improve our inner-game and our riding capabilities.
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The series will cover cognitive challenges including performance anxiety, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), working through injury recovery, exercise addiction, and healthy ways to feed competitive desires, among others. To paint the picture with clear and intentional strokes, I will interview riders like you and me, as well as sports psychologists and professional mountain bike racers. Let’s dig in and learn more about the relationship between mountain biking and the mind.
Here are four quotes on the subject from impassioned mountain bikers in our community.
On the positive effects of riding in nature:
“I will say mountain biking improves my mental health. It helps me burn off stress, decreases depression and anxiety, reduces irritability, and just helps me clean out my head and all that “junk” that gets stored up. I’m able to get a lot of things straightened out in my head while I ride. I also use the time spent riding just meditating and marveling at nature and all of God’s creation which helps me build spiritually and gain a greater connection… and that’s the largest part of my mental health improvement.”
On pushing limits and rushing endorphins:
“MTB’ing for me is like therapy. The endorphin rush you get from pushing your limits is addictive. And when you’re riding there really is no time to dwell on the stressors in life as your mind needs to be focused on the trail and your line. The downside, however, is getting really bummed when you can’t ride.”
On working through external mental health challenges:
“I suffered for a long time with devastating PTSD after getting out of the Marines. When I finally got back into biking, and running, my MTB literally helped save my life. I battle my demons with every crank stroke.”
From former professional racer (and current professional poet) Laura Winberry on exiting competition, and an ode to those just getting started:
On top of being a (mostly) healthy conduit for processing trauma, bike racing has also given me a shitload of pure gold. Mostly people and experiences and the opportunity to travel and see and build bridges. Mostly joy and laughter and heartache. Mostly a circle of strong, strong women and men unafraid of loving one another. Mostly: tough love. […] To those just starting out, as well as everyone still pushing around out there, in every category—find what you need, give and take and take it all in, make it your own. And please, carry the torch with big hearts and even bigger middle fingers. I love you.
In the next Three Deep Breaths piece, I will share a collection of ways we can hush our conscious mind to better enjoy the ride.
If you’re itching for more news on the subject, check out this article on a pilot program in Scotland where participants ride mountain bikes to help them work through mental health challenges.
If there are topics related to mental health that you would particularly like to read about, please share them in the comments below or email me directly.
17 Comments
Feb 27, 2019
Mar 8, 2019
Or my overdue tax return while riding near the top of the wall of death.
I’ll be unsurprised if I end up injured, but the benefits so far make this risk more than acceptable.
(Watching TV and eating cakes, and ending up with diabetes, an epidemic in Australia, would be worse in my opinion.)
I’ll find out if all the mountain biking helps with motocross, this weekend.
Keep enjoying yourselves people.
Mar 7, 2019
Happy writing!
Feb 26, 2019
Feb 27, 2019
Feb 26, 2019
Mar 4, 2019
This basically means living in a hotel room, or “camp” for half my life. Two weeks at a time.
FIFO is a known strain on mental health.
Currently I can leave a MTB at work, and have access to great (but hot) tracks.
It has changed my life for the better, in a big way.
I’m riding more at home as well, and notice improvements in my life from many of the things mentioned so far. If I clear a new jump, or ride a new obstacle, I’m basically giggling like a school girl for the next few hours. (I’m the wrong side of 50)
The fitness and confidence helps with my passion for Motorcycle racing as well.
Mar 4, 2019
Skypig, your shredding program sounds fantastic. I also laugh with childish joy when I clean a feature that has long been on my list. It's one of my favorite feelings. I recently decided to call the process of taking on trail challenges "dancing with dragons".
Thanks for sharing!
Feb 26, 2019
Mar 2, 2019
https://youtu.be/fhY70aGMeeE
Be Safe and Ride
Namaskar bro!
Sam
P.s. your posts has remained me to do more...but do you think we are ready?
Feb 26, 2019
Feb 26, 2019
Feb 26, 2019
I added your suggestion to the list.
I broke my hand and shoulder two years ago, and I remember all too well how hard it was to feel whole again. It took quite a while, a load of PT, and a thoughtful mtb community to get me back to full trail party mode.
Thanks for your feedback!
Feb 26, 2019
Feb 27, 2019
Simian Slacker, this line is golden "applying influence to increase the surface area of your success."
Mar 8, 2019
Mar 2, 2019
In short YES. Send it! :-) i just started my YouTube channel with the Intention to share this very type of content from time to time. But i realize i will need to create some trust and credibility with our mtb community before i go all in on the depths of this type of content. As an executive cocach/personal development coach the connection for me is clear. Yesterday i was thinking about doing research to compare mtb and martial arts. Whats great is now we have the research and or cultural movement and acknowledgment (in the United states) out there communicating the validity of the mind body connection. And in my experience being in the flow, or being in the zone mountain biking facilitates positive things inside and out. I
could go on. I would love to connect with you. [email protected]. Yes. The content will help benefit many. There is a challenge though. Sharing this with a balance to allow it to be digestible to as many mtb community members as possible. But we've got this. Mtbers enjoy a healthy challenge;-)
Be safe and ride well
-Sam A.