5 Life Lessons on Success from the Mountain Bike Trail
Just you and the trail....enjoy the journey that lays ahead
One of my favorite active lifestyle (as there is no “cardio” in my life) hobbies is going out for a mountain bike ride. I’m lucky enough to have a nice 6-mile technical trail near enough that I can go out for a quick 30min ride without needing a whole day to drive to the mountains. It is full of many hills (up and down), quick turns, and obstacles to overcome. All of which got me thinking about how the lessons I learned while mountain biking over the years and how they can apply to all other parts of life (I won’t even count the lesson of learning how to break into my car with a screwdriver and long tree branch after locking my keys in the trunk).
Lesson #1: Going too cautiously out of fear will actually make you crash more
Everyone when they first start something usually will take it slow and careful. Same applies in biking, as I would go slow down the hills while clamping on the brakes because I didn’t want to get out of control. But the real reason was because I was afraid of not being able to take a turn or bump and landing on my butt (or head). I look back now and realize that I crashed more because I went too slow. It made it harder to get over the obstacles and I didn’t have confidence that I needed. Nowadays, I go faster downhill and just hold on knowing the bike can overcome anything (it’s just me that can mess it all up).
Take home point: You don’t want to always go too slow because of having no confidence or fear of failing. On the flip side you don’t also want to cut the brakes and never be able to slow down when needed. The balance is in finding how to embrace your fears, overcome and turn it into confidence. It may be that same fear daily that is holding you back or causing you to make the ride (life) harder than it needs to be.
Lesson #2: You are going to crash, accept it, and the more you do…the better you will get at getting back up
- Falling down just means you are out there doing something….don’t play it too safe. You fall down and you get right back up.
I think my first biking nickname was “crash” from some of my clients because they wanted to see all the cuts and bruises I got after every weekened of biking. I did my fair share of crashing, some really stupid and some glorious in their own right. But something funny happened, the more I would crash…the better I got at it. By that I would mean I would just hit the ground softer, tuck and roll and just get right back up and on with the ride. I no longer feared crashing and now crash very rarely (knock on wood!).
Take home point: We all have set backs or “crashes” in life, but there is no reason to fear them. The more you can just get up, brush yourself off and get right back on your way…the sooner you will get to where you are going. Those that just sit there and whine in self pity or quit altogether out of fear, will never get there. Like Coach Lombardi said “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up”.
Lesson #3: Don’t use the easy gears too quickly and embrace the challenge
Most bikes come with many gears (like 18-24) to use as things get harder. The problem is many people use those easy gears too quickly, end up just spinning their pedals and going very slow. A while back I had all those gears, and then one day while riding my derailer (which allows all the shifting of gears to happen) snapped off. Instead of spending another $300 for all new parts, I had the bike shop make my bike into a single speed for $15 (which basically means I went from 24 gears to 1….yes 1).
That was 2 years ago, now I love riding my one gear bike up and down the hills. The main reason being, I can’t bail out into easy gears and mentally talk myself out of it….when the hills come I have only 2 choices: to just start peddling hard and fast or end up walking….and I am not planning on walking any hills.
Take home point: What kind of “easy gears” do you have in your life? The things you use to bail out when things get tough. How about instead you just buckle down and attack that hill, you’ll get over it much quicker that way and be stronger for it.
Lesson #4: Don’t look at the things you want to avoid, or too far ahead
Where are you looking...at the trees or the path? You will go wherever you focus on.
I learned very quickly that if you want to hit a tree or rock, just keep staring at it and the bike magically seems to go that way like it was stuck in a tractor beam. While you want to know where the trees are, you don’t want to focus directly on them…instead you want to see where you want to go down the path. When I go over wooden bridges/platforms that are elevated, if I look at the bridge I am fine…but if I look over the side at where I don’t want to go, I’ll be falling very soon. Also there were some trails a while back that I would dread a certain point (whether a long hill climb, or a drop off that scared me), but what good did it do me to focus on something that I wasn’t even at yet? I found it would ruin my ride that I was doing right now.
Take home point: Don’t focus on the things in life that you do not want to have happen, instead focus on where you want to go. If you focus on failure (hitting a tree), guess what…you will hit that tree. If you focus on where you want to go (down the path) then you will go down the path. Also don’t worry about things that you can’t even do anything about right now. If there is a big hill coming much later on, deal with it when it comes. Otherwise worrying about it for the whole time will just ruin your daily journey.
Lesson #5: Be prepared but not overly so paranoid
I was just reminded recently that I am not so invincible, when I was biking and blew out my tire. Funny part was (sarcasm) that it was about a mile from the parking lot and my pump was in the trunk of the car. So my humble lesson began with a nice 1 mile trail hike out carrying my bike. Let’s just say I will take the small pump and spare tire on rides from now on. On the flip side, I once rode a long trail with a 40lb (felt like it) backpack full of everything I could think of….I never used any of it and it wore me down just carrying it with me.
Take home point: It’s ok to be prepared for things that may go wrong. But you don’t have to be overly burdened with it. A small pump and spare tire is nothing to carry with me, but a backpack full of medical supplies and tools for every possibility would just weight me down and tire me out. So be prepared for the small things you can take care of, and ditch the excess baggage that is just slowing you down and wearing you out.
So there you have it….in life, as in moutain biking, if you want success (whatever you may define it to be) then just:
- Don’t be afraid of crashing, embrace the challenges and just move on as you go.
- Don’t be afraid of hard work, too many take the easy way out.
- Look at where you want to go in life, not focus on where you don’t want to go.
- Get rid of the excess baggage you may be carrying around with you. Grab the essentials in your journey and move forward.
- Enjoy the journey every day. The ride is only so long, so don’t be afraid to enjoy every minute of it…because when it’s over, it’s over. Never look back in regret of things you might have done.
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Check out what Danny MacAskill can do with a mountain bike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o
Damn….that is just ridiculous! (in an impressive way)
great article, being one of my favorite “lifestyle activities” I can really relate to the comparisons being made…………..I remember the gears I used to choose to climb the hills compared to what I use now.
Have to wait till home to check out the utube (work doh)
Way to take a great leisure activity and apply it to everyday life. Good article. Of course, if you can somehow get my boss to let me count ride time as some kind of work project, I’d be more than happy to hear how! ;o)
you just hit all of my “mountain” biking issues. I try to take it slow so I don’t wreck (haven’t yet, but I know I will) and I’m always staring at trees and the like. Bridges REALLY freak me out. I can see myself getting seriously messed up there. Guess I need to find a gentle trial and pick up the speed. Thanks for the motivation!
Rayna – Once you learn to look at where you want to go….and don’t fear falling….it actually gets so much easier. Back in the days I used to tell myself “the bike can get over it” when approaching an obstacle….and sure enough, with enough speed the bike does….but when I went slow…it would most certainly mean a fall. You dont have to hit the expert trails first…just work your way up as you master each one and the confidence builds. Also….when I first got the clip in shoes I practiced falling on the grass….just fall over and let the bike hit first….not you. (or you could do it on anything soft). Learning how to fall right….will help prevent any injuries. Whatever you do, don’t stick out your hand to break a fall….that wrist will snap. Like the parkour guys jumping off buildings, learn to “tuck and roll” if you fall off….distribute the force and not absorb it.
Great article! I’ve been mountain bike racing for years and each of these lessons applies in every single race. Now I see they apply to everyday life too
[...] Life Lessons from the Mountain Bike Trial – LifeSpotlight.com [...]
This article hits right at home for me. I’ve been riding for about 4 years now and starting about three weeks I’ve put myself into a fear mode. I was on the downhill part of my ride and had a tire go flat on me, throwing me over the handlebars, I am now riding in fear and have wrecked twice since that one. One of which I landed on my shoulders with my head smashing into a rock. Thank god for helmets because I feel that would have been my last ride without one.
I came across this article while looking for motivational things to get me out of my rut, I knew before I crashed this last time that my fear was what was making me ride so poorly.
Thanks for some motivation!
Ryan in Durango, CO
Ryan – Yup…your mind can be your greatest ally or your worst enemy…just focus on where you want to go…and don’t look at the things you are trying not to hit….as that is the sure fire way of how to hit them!
Its really very nice article and its very informative. For mountain bike trial its really very exciting. But i use only health equipment like life fitness bike. For more information about life fitness bike.
I’ve just started riding these past three or four months. Mainly on a nice 6 mile trail in my city. I’ve ridden it just about every weekend, and been fine, however, three trips ago, I went over this thing :
http://www.singletracks.com/mountain-bike/photo.php?photoID=12767&tag=sherman+branch+park+mtb+trail
hit the second bump too fast, jumped it and ended up wrapped around a tree. Went to the ER and found that i had bruised my liver pretty good. Since then, I’ve been skiddish about riding. I avoid that particular obstacle like the plague.
Today on a simple hill (built kind of like a scoop) I fell and hit my head. I have ridden that hill many times with no problems. I wasn’t going too fast, and I didn’t over think it. I can’t find a reason for why i wrecked.
It’s not fun anymore because I fear it. I wake up the morning of a ride and all i can do is think about certain obstacles. Many times nowadays its like I’m just not “feeling” the trail anymore. I nearly walked all the bridges today. I know the fear itself is causing part of my problems, I just can’t seem to get over it. Every time I think I have, i wreck again (and I’m still being careful.)
Think I could have just had beginner’s luck and that I suck in reality? I do seem to be getting exponentially worse. Before the bruised liver, I had only rolled off the bike a few times leaving me with shore shoulders and scabbed knees for a week or so.
Mike OD Reply:
Adam – As a person who has had their tremendous share of crashes I can feel for you. I’ve had my experiences with riding the same trail fine…until that one bad crash and then its never the same. You always think about that one obstacle coming up and dread it….and that will not make for a fun ride overall. Fear of something to come (and more so just fear of crashing from it) will ruin a whole ride and take you out of the present moment (which is how you enjoy a ride). Understand that with time and confidence, you do get better. The mind is your best friend or worst enemy….which is why I joke about drinking a beer before each ride as it just relaxes me and I can do anything (but I don’t of course). Get your little victories on smaller obstacles and build your way back up the bigger ones…..from there its just telling yourself that there is nothing to fear and you can do it, the rest is letting the bike do the work. BTW…the pic of the up/downs looks fun!
Adam,
You’re probably overthinking things and letting your mind get in the way. It’s understandable after a big wreck. Perhaps you should back off and work back up to those obstacles to get your confidence back up?
Cheers
Scott
this maybe of the subject but I need some helpful advice: I want to become a trainer for (not for atheletics but for people who wants to get fit & healthy and/or lose some fat) . I don’t have any experience whatsoever but loads of passion. I’m ready to leave my corporate job which I hate ( strong word I know but it’s true, I hate the office politics, gossip, attitude, two facedness etc)
I realise there’re lots of study options out there but my question is: is it necessary to have a degree or a certificate to be a PT? What would be the best first step towards my goal?
All advice is much appreciated
Thanks
Mike OD Reply:
@lara – My “honest” no BS advice is the following….as I have been certified for over 10 years and did the jump from the corporate world…and learned many things the hard way
- No, you don’t need a “degree” in a health field but YES you do have to get certified. Just need to look into a certification course through many personal training cert agencies such as ISSA, NSCA, ACE, AFAA, ACSM (just to name some of the bigger ones). Also it may depend on where you want to work, if you are going solo you can do what you want…but if you want to work for a gym or other place you might want to make sure about what certifications they require.
- Experience comes over time of course, but goal #1 is the safe and effective movements you teach your clients…..otherwise hurt a few people and you will be out of work as a trainer very quickly. Know the ability of your clients, as you don’t make people do anything that would end up injuring them (or they have no control over form with that will lead to it). Slow and steady when in doubt.
- Get private liability insurance to cover your behind
- Keep a day job (yes I said it), the PT industry is VERY tough to last in full time…..VERY high turnover rate in clubs and solo (usually 6 months avg). Lots of peaks and valleys in the seasons too with people’s schedules vary with holidays and vacation times (dead times are summer and around Nov-Dec). Also you have to look at the economy, it’s tough right now and you will be hard pressed to find people with $ in their pocket to buy 1-on-1 sessions for $45+/hr (didn’t say it wasn’t possible, just less likely nowadays). Also most people workout around work hours (early AM or after 5pm) so you can still work a day job and train people….especially when you are needing more experience doing it.
- I’d personally look into smaller training groups with 5+ people….like bootcamp style. People pay less and are motivated more in groups.
Working in a job isn’t so tough when you have a long term goal elsewhere. So if you are working as a trainer on the side then you don’t care about corporate ladders, politics or what people think. You can just show up, do your job, not get stressed about what people are thinking and then walk out the door. Your day job can help you fund your dream as being a trainer….as that may take a while to really be able to live on it full time.
Hope that helps!
Adam, from my previous comment you can see that I had some pretty nasty wrecks this year. I’ve actually had one really bad wreck since then that I came away with black and blue marks on my right hip, left quad, right shoulder, left shoulder, some scrapes on my back and one hell of a bruised body.
I got back on the bike and rode away from that ride even with all that pain…I was lucky.
One thing that has really helped me overcome my fear after my initial wrecks was to ride with other people. My friends are very great technical riders and if they’re within a short distance of me when going over technical areas I tend to ride the same line they did. This allows me to see someone do it before I get to it, pick the correct line, and have more confidence. When I roll up on a very technical obstacle and my friends are nowhere in sight I sometimes tend to just hop off my bike and walk it.
One thing you could also do is walk the technical section and pick a line from the bottom, then go back up and do the section again. Once you get a section down your confidence will sky rocket and you most likely will be zooming through it in the future.
Have fun out there
Ryan
Thanks guys! I needed the encouragement. I will definitely take it easier for a while, as well as try to ride with more advanced riders and pick smoother lines (smoother for me until I get my courage and skills back up.)
Thanks again!
THANK YOU MIKE!!
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Recently bought my bike, first time on a bike for 40 years!!! This is so helpful to me tho I am having trouble understanding the 18 gears….. any advice appreciated