Breathe

Humans tend to hold their breath when in danger or under stress. This is a natural evolutionary response that guaranteed our survival when we had to survive along with tigers in wild forests. Today we still do this, even though tigers are now replaced by the high stress of modern life. This could be stress from work or competition in an event. Neither one of them would kill you. But to have that peak focus, we hold our breath. The issue is that our brain needs food (oxygen) to deal with danger or stress. So, we have a Catch-22 situation.

To break out from this typically vicious circle: develop a habit of reminding yourself to breathe every time you are about to take on a new challenge. This is applicable to any aspect of life, and specifically when you are on a trail and see challenging terrain ahead or are practicing a new riding technique.

Prerequisite – a desire to live and to succeed

Homework – watch your breathing when under any stress. Remind yourself to breathe when working out or watching a tough movie, having an argument, or any other moment when you could catch yourself holding your breath. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t master this over a week. Nobody does. This takes practice and patience. Instead, praise yourself every time you remember to do it.