Reprinted, with permission, from Cyclo-CLUB.com

When most people watched Michael Phelps tear the roof off of the Beijing Olympics, they focused on his incredible athletic prowess and drive. And maybe his super-cut torso too. Exercise researchers such as Dr. Joyner noticed something else, too. As he told the NY Times, “I have never seen anyone so relaxed in the water.”

Athletes need to walk a fine line between “getting amped” for an event and staying relaxed. Adrenaline can increase performance, but nervous energy and tension will make you slow. As a cyclist, efficiency is the name of the game. We want as much energy as possible pushing into the pedals and propelling us forwards.

Clenched hands, rounded shoulders, gritted teeth and excessively moving your upper body side-to-side are all energy wasters. These little things all add up and will rob a cyclist of performance as well as potentially lead to physical discomfort.

Although some athletes are naturally more chilled out and “in the zone,” relaxation is something that can be learned. It’s a bit of a catch-22 tough: push the body to its limit while staying loose and limber.

From the NY Times:

It is a trait that is often underappreciated, coaches and athletic trainers say. Yet it can make the difference between doing your best and not doing well, between feeling dragged down or soaring. Coaches search for better ways to teach it. And many athletes, including some of the world’s best, work on it constantly. An ability to relax while pushing hard, exercise researchers say, is one reason why winners win…

One of his tricks is to have athletes concentrate on relaxing their eyes. “If they’re wide eyed, they’re tense,” Mr. Hart said. “I tell runners to run sleepy eyed. It’s like pouring a soothing oil over the body.” As the eyes relax, the face starts to relax, the jaw relaxes and then, Mr. Hart said, he tells runners to let the feeling spread through the shoulders and arms.

Some tips for staying relaxed:

  • “Check in” with your body. Unclench your hands and keep a light grip on your handlebars. Let your arms absorb shock rather than keeping them engaged and rigid.

  • Let your jaw hang a little rather than gritting your teeth.

  • Lengthen your back and neck rather than rounding. Imagine a string pulling the top of your head out long.

  • Breathing techniques while waiting to start an event are amazing relaxation tools! Try Lungs in 5′ and Cyclo-BREATH.

  • Keep your body limber with the variety of CLUB workouts. Release in 5′, Loose in 5′, and Cyclo-ZEN Recovery Yoga, and Myofascial Release are great places to start.

Photo via flickr by sagicel