What I find usefull

bjmtb

Likes Dirt
There are literally HEAPS of things you can do, i'l keep it brief, here's just a few that i have found useful.

http://www.powerbreathe.com/ - Yes, i own and have used one (sports version), yes the benefits are there!

http://seesportbetter.com/ - Yes i own one, i'm still in the testing fases. My father is an Optometrist, specialises in sports vision, when he says there are benefits, i trust him.

Rosemary Tea - Heard this one from a Natropath, not tested by me, but tested by my brother (raced internationally). Look it up, there are benefits.

Hydration, 1% dehydration = 10% loss in concentration, key lesson, keep hydrated.

Mind - People go to the gym to work out, yet it's rare that we go to someone to workout or strengthen our mind. if your open to it, try Kinesiology, specifically someone who know's how to apply it towards sport (or life in general), I see my Kinesiologist on a regular basis. Life changing, without a doubt, you'll be blown away of you give it a shot.
 

driftking

Wheel size expert
SHHH don't give away the secret of the mind, but yes I agree I actually have 3 books focused on the mental approach to sport and a few other books focused on general attitude to life. And yes mental prep is very important, the only down fall for me is I don't have the visual visualization so when I close my eyes and think of something I know what I am thinking of I know how it moves and feels but I don't actually see it, just black, It may be a lack of focus which I definitely have but right now its not like I would if i was dreaming, it isn't so much a disadvantage but I wish i could see vividly like dreams during my visualization training.
After just one solid visualizations session about a section of trail after I went and rode it a day or two later and I was significantly faster in that area.

Im interested in the power breath I was actually looking at this the other month and there are a few conflicting views on the subject and if not used properly can be dangerous. For me what I subscribe to at the moment is the buteyko breathing method it is quite impressive I suggest you check it out. in terms of athletic performance I am unsure how it works but in general it is very impressive for health.

Any more personal info on the power breathe device would be awesome and how it affected performance and everyday health.
 
Last edited:

bjmtb

Likes Dirt
I haven't heard of the buteyko breathing method until today, so I will definitely look into it! It's all about the inches, and they add up.

With respect to the power breath I have used it on and off, m y main struggle was self discipline. From personal experience, it does work. The science is simple, exercise your inspiratory muscles (used when you breathe in). Strengthen them and you can breath in more under a higher load, aka when tired you don't get short of breath easily. I know it is being used currently in Asthmatics so that speaks for itself. I've found that my rate of gain in fitness is amplified when also using the power breathe, my recovery from exercise is lessened and I am less short of breath. The difference without it IS noticeable, It will be different for everyone. . From memory it was tested with Elite track cyclists and the results were a 4% increase in performance. thats a few seconds off a 1 minute time trial, a lot more for a 1hr time trial etc etc etc. At that level 4% is MASSIVE!! I guies it's a comparison to altitude training without having to go to the alps to do it. It's definitely worth the $$$, they are about $70 from Rebel sport, arguable the best $70 I ever spent. There are probable risks, I haven't come across any personally. Follow the directions and you should be fine, just treat is like you would any form of exercise, you don't go to the gym and chuck 300kg on the leg press first shot, work up to it.

Every National round I went to, One of the Junior Riders (junior national champ a few years back and currently not racing), he would sit and meditate before EVERY race run. Asked him once about it, he was visualizing the entire track in his head from start to finish. Never underestimate the power of the mind. . Ask any great athlete, Bolt, Hamilton etc etc what is going through their mind when they are on the starting line and the answer is the same "Nothing". they are in the zone, their mind is clear. all training methods aside thats what they have in common, as well as how much they WANT it!
 

Mywifesirrational

I however am very normal. Trust me.
Mind - People go to the gym to work out, yet it's rare that we go to someone to workout or strengthen our mind. if your open to it, try Kinesiology, specifically someone who know's how to apply it towards sport (or life in general), I see my Kinesiologist on a regular basis. Life changing, without a doubt, you'll be blown away of you give it a shot.
I have taught kinesiology at a university for the last few years - Kinesiology, the movement of the body as a bunch of levers and pulleys (essentially physics), the other type of kinesiology is scientifically about the same as seeing a witch doctor.

I love Penn and Teller
[video=youtube;9qkXR9mflOo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qkXR9mflOo[/video]

The power breathe, they have listed basically any study related to respiration, but there is nothing to show power breathe the product actually is efficacious at improving performance via in/expiration.
Principle is good - so I am not saying it it does or doesn't work, one proven method is swimming, as the pressure from the water means the respiration muscles must work harder + as a side benefit is great exercise in itself.
 
Last edited:

driftking

Wheel size expert
MWI this is why I didn't purchase the system, while the product its self states lots of so called evidence looking at studies on the system didn't show much if any results for the system, so I cam still quite on the fence. I think the best thing to do would just be take up deep free diving, we know that is proven to work. though time wise its significantly more involved.
 

Hamsta

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Visualisation. If I ride a track, I take a series of 'photos' in my mind of particular sections of the track. After becoming familiar with the track, I will take new 'photos' of certain sections and add them to the overall movie. I have found this really useful when surfing/bodyboarding as everything happens so quickly so it is good to be able to analyse the behaviour of water movement and the movement of compressed air. The thing I find useful about this technique is that it is possible to train the brain to take more and more images, in greater clarity, and it can also help to remain more physically relaxed. The other benefit is that this technique of taking 'photos' is that with practice eventually a visualisation 'movie' can be made of a certain track or a certain wave. Kind of like a Go-Pro but without the hardware. The photos, or movies, can be played back at any time you wish. The other benefit is that learning and refining this skill has benefits in many other areas of life. (prolonging the onset of Alzheimers:wacko:)
 
Last edited:

driftking

Wheel size expert
Hamsta
I wish I could do that, as I mentioned earlier all I see is black when I close my eyes, I have t yet developed the movie style visualization. I have more of the logical analystic style where i know how it looks and everything logically but can't see it. I'm hoping I can develop the visual side of it, while its still visualization being able to see would be much easier to stay focused.
Thing is I have vivid dreams and at times lucid dreaming.
 

Hamsta

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hey driftking

Some people can 'visualise' very easily, for me it took practice. A guy I met years ago, who was a very clever fellow (he was at an earlier time literally a rocket scientist for NASA but when I met him he was working for an organisation known as Equilibria) explained it to me very simply. If I were to say to you the word 'Elephant' or to write the word 'Elephant, you would most likely visualise an Elephant, like a picture in your mind, without having to close your eyes.
The trick is to spend a bit of time each day learning to imagine an 'Elephant' but to imagine the "Elephant' in more and more detail, kind of like zooming in on different parts of the Elephants' body and then 'zooming' out to create a very detailed picture. I used to draw a lot and that helped me a lot to learn to 'see' things in greater detail. I reckon most people have the ability to do it and that it just requires practise, just like riding a bike or playing a musical instrument or fixing the motor on a car.
 
Last edited:

Mywifesirrational

I however am very normal. Trust me.
We did some visualisation research a few years ago, measuring motor cortex activation.

It was a simple task of either moving your fingers in a certain sequence or visualising your self moving them (with no acutal movement OR EMG recorded in the forearm). A simple task was chosen for ease of measurement, no reason why it wouldn't relate to a complex task such as controlling a bike.

Interesting result, the cortex was as active visualising the task as actually doing the task. Has some very interesting applications for rehab, it's already commonly done is sports, although I am unsure of the best methods are making the most of this to your advantage.
 

serge0007

Likes Dirt
We did some visualisation research a few years ago, measuring motor cortex activation.

It was a simple task of either moving your fingers in a certain sequence or visualising your self moving them (with no acutal movement OR EMG recorded in the forearm). A simple task was chosen for ease of measurement, no reason why it wouldn't relate to a complex task such as controlling a bike.

Interesting result, the cortex was as active visualising the task as actually doing the task. Has some very interesting applications for rehab, it's already commonly done is sports, although I am unsure of the best methods are making the most of this to your advantage.


Aside from all the research you do have your ever worked out in the field? Or is all your information scientific and lab tests?
 

driftking

Wheel size expert
Hey driftking

Some people can 'visualise' very easily, for me it took practice. A guy I met years ago, who was a very clever fellow (he was at an earlier time literally a rocket scientist for NASA but when I met him he was working for an organisation known as Equilibria) explained it to me very simply. If I were to say to you the word 'Elephant' or to write the word 'Elephant, you would most likely visualise an Elephant, like a picture in your mind, without having to close your eyes.
The trick is to spend a bit of time each day learning to imagine an 'Elephant' but to imagine the "Elephant' in more and more detail, kind of like zooming in on different parts of the Elephants' body and then 'zooming' out to create a very detailed picture. I used to draw a lot and that helped me a lot to learn to 'see' things in greater detail. I reckon most people have the ability to do it and that it just requires practise, just like riding a bike or playing a musical instrument or fixing the motor on a car.
Cheers hamsta
yeah i have good descriptive skills (when applied) seeing things in detail and I can easily imagine like producing a riding film or a poster or visual marketing etc in my head I just don't actually physically see it in shapes and colour in my mind when I close my eyes. But I mentally know what colour it is and the shape.
I have read a little on the subject and as you mentioned start by imagining things without the eyes closed first as we do but focus on more and more detail and also draw. I did read these were very basic tasks that can improve it.

That said I can still visualize so its not so much a disadvantage, I can still yield the same results but it takes more work to stay focused for sure when you cant watch it like a movie. Right now its so information based if something interrupts my line of thinking it can kill the whole visualization, obviously a quite room can avoid this but how often do we get pure silence in today's world.
Whether I am able to achieve materialized style visualization or not it wont really affect performance just makes visualization a whole lot easier to do. Though I will be disappointing if I cant achieve it, It is impossible to deny its incredible use. So fingers toes and everything else crossed I can achieve it.

I might get a little schedule written up and practice open eyed visualization and drawing for 1hour a day and slowly build up from there and see if that helps.
I do find when I'm really tired and at that semi awake asleep point I can see images so I know the ability is there but I just cant seem to relax enough or activate that during full alertness.
Ill get something together and try to do a write up every 2 weeks, if I see improvements Ill post up my results on here.

What was your experience with it hamsta?
Where did you start like did you have zero and gain / how much did you improve?
Also how long did it take for you to really yield results?

There are lots of studies done on the mind, there was one that used weights and muscle strength and growth, over a 5 year period I believe the group that incorporated visualization and focus improved around 15% over the other group. We only need to look at the placebo effect, that is a very small affect but can yield big variations in results. Its the same as when you have on and off days, the body is still the same nothing has changed except our mental state.
There was one thing i read but I don't have evidence to back it up. Imagining 1000 perfect swings of a golf club was as good as swinging a golf club 10 000 times.
 
Last edited:

Mywifesirrational

I however am very normal. Trust me.
Aside from all the research you do have your ever worked out in the field? Or is all your information scientific and lab tests?
I have moved from public hospitals, community health, private practice, elite level strength and conditioning into research, pretty much by random chance. The amount of research I do is like a grain of sand on a beach... but I have access to many smart people.

There should be a rule that doesn't let 22yr old's into research degrees without spending 10 years in a relevant industry.
 

driftking

Wheel size expert
I have moved from public hospitals, community health, private practice, elite level strength and conditioning into research, pretty much by random chance. The amount of research I do is like a grain of sand on a beach... but I have access to many smart people.

There should be a rule that doesn't let 22yr old's into research degrees without spending 10 years in a relevant industry.
As someone who is around the age of 22, why do you suggest this? Id be more inclined to suggest a ranking system rather than age based. Id hate to think that if I wanted a goal in research that regardless of my level of skill or knowledge id still have to wait ten years.
 

Hamsta

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Cheers hamsta

What was your experience with it hamsta?


Where did you start like did you have zero and gain / how much did you improve?


Also how long did it take for you to really yield results?
Good. Pull up a chair.....it is storytime.

I was as shy as hell as a little kid (I think they call it Selective Mutism these days) and my Dad, who used to coach Little Athletics , introduced me to the idea, not to be more competitive but to lessen my anxiety when playing sports. I used it alot when I surfed competitively. EDIT. I forgot to mention that I used music to accompany the visualisation. By listening to a particular track I could then more easily visualise a particular section of a wave etc and what I wanted to do with or to it. I still listen to some particular tracks before surfing for fun at some breaks and it is like my muscle memory comes back for that particular break. The other kind of weird thing is that if I listen to heavy music before surfing or riding, I tend to enjoy my self more in the water and take way more risks. Not so much with riding though as there is no water to cushion landings :]

As above and also I had a good Art Teacher at Primary School who was very animated and entertaining (Murray Gill) and encouraged the class to draw/write/eat Clag (joking). I guess from an early age I developed an interest in drawing, shapes and colours, like most little kids do, only I ended up swaping from Commerce to Visual Arts for 2 years at Uni before switching back to Commerce. That probably helped further develop the skill as a lot of the course I did was spent drawing and designing (which involves visualisation)


I don't know how I could quantify how long it took to get results? I use the technique a lot at work and also to help with recall of non-work information. I guess I don't forget things very often and some really good days can recall detailed information like it is on a page in front of me by looking at the 'picture'.
 
Last edited:

driftking

Wheel size expert
Cheers hamsta
I might use that technique too with a picture, grab a picture and look at it for a period of time than write down what i remember. As I said my detail isn't really a issue its more a issue of been able to see it rather than narrate it. cheers for that it seems that it all revolves around free creativity and practice.
I might pass on eating clay though haha.

Is what i am talking about make sense or does everyone just see black? I need to constantly run a dialogue during visualization I cant just be empty and have this like movie or scene spring up around me....but as I said ill work on it. I know there are many types of visualization some just have auditory or smell but id sure love visual. it would be relaxing to just let a movie like visualization of a beach run in my head while I relax.
 
Top