I’m bombing down a trail that’s best described as nature’s version of a roller coaster. It twists and turns through the trees with steep switchbacks and technical features.
For the first time in a long time (maybe ever?), I’m actually opening it up and letting it rip on purpose. Despite the speed, I’m relaxed. My body is loose, and my mind is clear. I scan the trail ahead, but I’m not thinking; I’m just riding. My new Cannondale Trigger bobs below me like an extension of my body. We move together over rock gardens and gnarled roots, but I’m not overanalyzing them, feeling anxious, or getting distracted. I’m sailing through smoothly. I’m so in the zone that it feels as if I’m not even thinking. And I can’t wipe the silly smile off my face.
Turns out, this was a first-hand experience of flow—no, not the “flow” that describes smooth, fast trails. This flow is a highly-focused mental state in which action and awareness are one, says Ben Tipton, qualified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Kingdom Experiences in Lyndonville, Vermont.
“When you can let go of your ego—thinking I’m good or I’m bad—when you’re having fun but you’re still in control, that’s flow,” Tipton says. This concept, which was first recognized by Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is more commonly known today as mindfulness.
Thanks to a recent surge in scientific research around mindfulness, it has become a popular buzz word that often gets watered down, but mindfulness is deeper than simply being aware. “Mindfulness is the ability to direct the mind to where you want it to go and to be present with what is happening now,” Tipton says. It’s not just about sitting still and relaxing or a one-day thing; it’s a very active, lifelong practice, he adds.
Meditation, on the other hand, is the tool we use to get into mindfulness, and you don’t have to sit cross-legged in silence to meditate. There are several forms of active meditation practices including yoga, walking, and yes—even cycling. “Riding a bike is a form of meditation if you’re completely present,” Tipton says.
Riding in the moment—not actively thinking about what’s ahead or being distracted by other thoughts—is exactly how I’d describe finding my flow, and it was a huge breakthrough for building confidence and gaining more mountain biking skills. After hovering at the same level for months, I found myself overthinking every ride on my home trails, which are rocky and technically challenging. I’d leave just as mentally exhausted as I was physically spent, and I wasn’t really improving.
That’s because—Tipton points out—flow lies at the intersection of the right amount of available skill and challenge. This graphic, or “flow chart” if you will, illustrates the concept where the x-axis is difficulty and the y-axis is your skill. Flow projects somewhere right up the middle. “There is a sweet spot where challenge and skill come together, and that’s where flow happens,” Tipton says.
For me, spending time in a new environment (in this case, Kingdom Trails, Vermont), allowed me to drop into that sweet spot. It seemed as though I improved my skill set dramatically overnight. And it didn’t hurt that I had been meditating consistently for the past four months, since research shows that just a few minutes of meditation each day can help athletes better handle the mental demands of strenuous physical training.
To find your own flow, follow these mindfulness tips from the experts at Kingdom Experiences:
1. Don’t let thoughts define you.
It’s easy to get caught up in labeling ourselves as cyclists: I’m slow or I’m just a beginner. But this is your ego talking, and mindfulness is about letting go of your ego. Instead of letting a thought or insecurity get to you, simply note it, and move on. “Thoughts are thoughts,” Tipton says. “They float by like clouds in the sky. You can let them go.” Gently guide the mind back to your breath (the inhale and the exhale) to reset.
2. Practice on and off the bike.
Being mindful on the bike is when you don’t try to fix or change anything, you’re just focusing on what riding feels like. “The best time to practice this is not when you’re riding the pines,” Tipton says. “It’s when you’re safe and in control, not when you’re learning new things.” You can start practicing off the bike or drop the challenge back a few levels (riding with a more mellow group or taking on easier trails than you’re used to) and focus your practice there. Spoiler alert: You won’t become more mindful overnight, but consistent practice on and off the bike will allow you to access your flow more easily.
3. Set an intention.
It’s important to come into any mindfulness practice with a goal or intention then envision yourself completing it. If you’ve been wanting to nab the local KOM or clear a big drop, picture mastering it first, suggests Jen Grant, yoga instructor at Trail to Wellness. “It helps to foster your belief and ability to pursue and accomplish those goals set before you.”
4. Go easy on yourself.
We’re all guilty at times of being harsh or judgmental of ourselves. And even during meditation practices, it’s easy to get down on yourself if you feel distracted or harshly pull the mind back to the breath. The mind is made to wander, and just as you wouldn’t scold a child learning to ride a bike for the first time, you shouldn’t treat your own mind with judgment or cruelty.
Always gently and kindly guide the mind back to the present focus as if it were a small child. Focusing on your breath means you’ll always be right. “Each breath in is a chance to begin again, so in this way, you can’t do it wrong,” Tipton says.
