Anyone else find a weird push and pull between achieving “flow state” and needing intense focus on technical trails? I’ve been thinking a lot about how those two things seem almost contradictory sometimes when mountain biking.
Ideally, you want to be flowing – reacting instinctively, feeling totally immersed in the ride, not consciously thinking about every rock and root. But then a super technical climb or a gnarly descent comes along, and you absolutely *have* to focus, analyze your line, modulate your braking, and actively manage your body position. That intense focus almost seems to break the flow.
I’m curious how other riders navigate this. Do you have specific techniques to maintain a sense of flow even when tackling highly technical sections? Or is it more about accepting that the flow will be interrupted and then consciously re-establishing it afterwards? It’s definitely something I’ve been trying to improve, shifting between relaxed awareness and sharp concentration as needed.