Using your vision properly can change a lot about your riding. If you are constantly looking at your front tire, you aren’t prepared for what is next. If you are staring at the rock in the middle of the trail, you may experience “target fixation” and run into the rock, without a plan how to get past it. In this video, I explain a few concepts about vision. These concepts don’t necessarily come naturally. Personally, I am constantly working on my vision. It takes self-control and conscience thought. If I don’t think about it, my eyes tend to drift down toward my front wheel, my speed is reduced and so is my fun!
If you’ve been a client of Women in the Mountains, you will likely have heard us talk about the quote from The Art of Racing in the Rain. “The car goes where the eyes go”. For an excellent example of this, take a look at this facebook video, they compare where a race car drivers look versus where an average driver looks. Hint, it’s a really big difference!
The next time you are a passenger in a vehicle traveling at a higher speed, look out of the side window. You will see the pavement, trees, bushes, paint on the road and other things traveling past you so quickly you can’t focus on any of it. It seems as if you are traveling way too fast. Then notice that when you lift your gaze to looking out the front windshield, everything seems to slow down and you no longer feel like you are traveling too fast. Everything comes at you at a slower pace, your brain has time to anticipate whatever is ahead. The same is true for riding on trails. If you are looking just in front of your front wheel, it will seem like you are going really fast, so you are tense and probably are engaging the brakes. As soon as you lift your gaze to further down the trail, everything slows down. You can relax your body and your hands and indeed, pick up your speed! There is even more to it, take a look at the video below, take a clinic from us and email me any questions!
Note, these are the opinions of the author.
Written by Erica Tingey