What are you thinking while riding?

GaryC1
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GaryC1
Edited Date/Time 7/18/2017 7:38am
I was riding around the other day and while I was focusing on the track and technique etc I found myself thinking about completely unrelated and random things. I didn't really realise it until I stopped up at the car afterwards and gave me something to laugh about.

I was out yesterday again on a different track and wasn't thinking about anything other than the track itself and doing everything I could to go faster but it still got me thinking about what goes through other peoples heads while they are riding.

Are you completely focused on the track and technique or does your mind wander to other things in life? If so what do you think about and do you think it affects your speed and development?

This could either get a lot of interesting answers or a lot of "wth is he talking about" haha
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HenryA
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HenryA 7/14/2017 4:04am
7/14/2017 4:04am
Hahaha I know the feeling. I've been at the track and making lap after lap totally unfocused and thinking about work, food, booze, or whatever random thing that's in my head at the moment.
I usually stop when I realize wtf I'm up to..... Laughing
Cygrace74
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Cygrace74 7/14/2017 4:29am
7/14/2017 4:29am
I start with thinking about the track and usually end up singing some random song I have no idea what made me think of. Usually also when I ride my best which is weird, never notice until I'm riding really good and notice I've been singing
tempura
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tempura 7/14/2017 4:33am
7/14/2017 4:33am
It could be the subconscious way of relaxing you, if you're a nervous rider. Or on the flip side, you could just be way over relaxed..lol
I don't wander at all while riding, there's way too much going on for that.
jsleeds
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jsleeds 7/14/2017 4:35am
7/14/2017 4:35am
Braaaaappp bbrraaaaaappp bbbrraaaaappp braap brap brrraaaapppp

The Shop

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MR. X
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MR. X 7/14/2017 4:41am
7/14/2017 4:41am
That means its time to go faster.
Turbojez
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Turbojez 7/14/2017 4:50am
7/14/2017 4:50am
Race and rallye drivers have it as well. I recall reading an article about a rallye car driver in which he said, that he sometimes catches himself enjoying the views while going insanely fast, and it's usually the fastest he's been all day on that particular part of the track. It's a good thing, means that you let your instincts do the riding, instead of overthinking stuff.
EastFlorida
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EastFlorida 7/14/2017 5:01am
7/14/2017 5:01am
I TRY to think, "look ahead, look where I want to go, DON'T look at that tree/rock/etc." but mostly, "where is the checkered flag, I don't want to do another lap!" This is during our 2 hr hare scramble races....
yak651
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yak651 7/14/2017 5:01am
7/14/2017 5:01am
Riding moto I usually don't have that problem unless I'm in the lead and then I wonder when the stupid white flag is coming out...when snowmobiling I often catch myself thinking about other things and then tell my self to pay attention!
markit
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markit 7/14/2017 5:17am
7/14/2017 5:17am
That's when your in the zone, when racing or just riding for fun you shouldn't be planing and calculating every move threats for practice. Many top level racers have expounded on this, I recall a interview with Nicky Hayden on this that was classic Nicky, I'll look it up.
c0ncEpT
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c0ncEpT 7/14/2017 5:44am
7/14/2017 5:44am
"HOLY SHIT I almost ate shit right there"
Flip109
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Flip109 7/14/2017 6:07am
7/14/2017 6:07am
When we had my daughter 3 years ago. For the whole year after I would catch myself playing the stupid Elmo and baby show songs n shit in my head when I was riding. Fak Laughing
ZM956
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ZM956 7/14/2017 6:08am
7/14/2017 6:08am
coastlinecascot wrote:
Wondering why a kid on a 65 is beating me on my 450
Hahahahaha same here.
Harry Backmon 7/14/2017 6:17am
7/14/2017 6:17am
Man, I'm just thinking about not breaking my neck. I do think about breathing and technique, but that's about it. One time Mike Alessi went around me in a sand corner at NFMX, and all I could think about for about two hours was how a human being could go that fast on a dirt scooter. He did not shut off at all and absolutely buried me in roost.
GaryC1
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GaryC1 7/14/2017 6:32am
7/14/2017 6:32am
Flip109 wrote:
When we had my daughter 3 years ago. For the whole year after I would catch myself playing the stupid Elmo and baby show songs n...
When we had my daughter 3 years ago. For the whole year after I would catch myself playing the stupid Elmo and baby show songs n shit in my head when I was riding. Fak Laughing
Haha brilliant mate! As a few people have said it generally seems to coincide with riding well and just being relaxed but that sure must be good catching yourself on to singing those tunes! Grinning
RG1
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RG1 7/14/2017 6:34am
7/14/2017 6:34am Edited Date/Time 7/14/2017 6:35am
I probably think about everything other than what I should be thinking about Grinning It's weird how much the mind wanders even in situations where you are concentrating. I always get random songs stuck in my head when I'm riding

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Tim507
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Tim507 7/14/2017 6:39am
7/14/2017 6:39am
I've had a rule for years - when my mind drifts from the task at hand (racing my dirt bike) I pull off and re-group.
Shit happens more often with lack of focusUnsureWhistling
kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 7/14/2017 6:41am
7/14/2017 6:41am
Riding is the only thing I can do that my brain is totally turned off from wandering. When I ride it is totally focused on riding!
APerry151
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APerry151 7/14/2017 6:50am
7/14/2017 6:50am
When I'm riding my thoughts are only on what I'm doing. I think that's why so many of us love it - on the track all the bullshit in our lives goes away and we can just ride.
kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 7/14/2017 7:03am
7/14/2017 7:03am
Quit thinking and riding like this:



and start thinking and riding like this, instant forearm fix Smile



Log Hopper
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Log Hopper 7/14/2017 7:13am
7/14/2017 7:13am Edited Date/Time 7/14/2017 7:14am
almost died there.
man i love passing 450s on my roached out 2 stroke.
my suspension sucks.
almost died again.
i must have been out here for 20 minutes by now...nope 7 minutes
i'm outta shape
almost died again, time to pull off.
beer
SwingHard
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SwingHard 7/14/2017 7:14am
7/14/2017 7:14am
I'm usually wondering why I'm still fast but my bikes not? LOL,
McDuff
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McDuff 7/14/2017 7:25am
7/14/2017 7:25am
I think about the man above.
McDuff
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McDuff 7/14/2017 7:26am
7/14/2017 7:26am
And by the man above I mean the man who lives above me in my apt. building. He's always stomping across the floor, making a bunch of noise late at night, annoying,
Tenacious P
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Tenacious P 7/14/2017 7:29am
7/14/2017 7:29am
I'm generally trying to figure out if I am in 2nd or 3rd gear...

Hello, my name is Peter, and I am a serial shifter.

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