Stick your tongue out!

[OakLeaf]

So am I the only one who watched the pro riders stick their tongues out on hard climbs, and decided it could work for me, too? It does.

If you haven't done it, try it right now. Yes, sitting on the couch watching the Tour, sticking out my tongue just to see why they do it opened my airway in a major way. So it took me exactly no convincing to stick my tongue out when I'm climbing.

Downsides:
1. I look stupid to oncoming cagers.
2. I drool on my knees.
3. I hope I never suck a bumblebee.

IIRC the pros do it on sprints, too. Not that I race any more, but I'd be way afraid of biting my tongue off at high speeds and close quarters!

[Zen]

I was taught to put the tip of my tongue on the roof of my mouth, right behind the teeth.
Do it now.

NOW, I said!
See how that works?

[salsabike]

Attachment 4582

Michael Jordan was absolutely famous for this. So it obviously works.

Attachment 4583

[margo49]

A lot of New Zealanders do this one. When you are doing something hard or complicated. Apparently its a baby-reflex that never went away. If you stick your tongue out it stabilises your head (i.e. on your neck). Try it. And think back to when stabilising your head was your #1 developmental priority

[Tuckervill]

Interesting, Margo.

In our family, there are certain people who always stick their tongue out when they're concentrating. My dad and one brother do, and several of the aunts and uncles and cousins. I don't do it. I think it's a genetic trait, though, not a learned behavior. Some of the cousins who do it don't have a parent that does. Weird.

Karen

[RoadRaven]

Yeah, lots of tongue-stick-outtery in this neck of the woods... but thats just a little tip of the tougue poking out, or a gnawing on the side of the tongue...

I have noticed the full toungue outtage, Oakleaf... full flat tongue showing, tip down to the chin. I have wondered if this is concious to open airways, or if its just something your body makes you do to cope with the stress...

In a TT I often realise I have been riding with my mouth wide open and gasping in air that way... I never choose to ride this way as I have had a couple of flies hit the back of my throat and ended up gagging as a result (at least - I hope they were just flies...). But in order to get enough oxygen, I guess my body decides to get my mouth open. I have never had my tongue haging out like those guys do on climbs though.

There is so little footage/coverage of women's cycling... does anyone know if the gals do it too under extreme exertion?

[margo49]

I think it's a genetic trait, though, not a learned behavior.

I think it is that you get told to stop it when you either realise you look silly or people tell you to stop as you're "too old or that now". (Or you get laughed at by other kids which I can remember). I can also remember being told "Put you tongue out" when unable to do something requiring coordination.
Mum still (82 and going strong) still does it when in her red VW New Beetle she has a tricky reverse! My kids don't 'coz it is not in this culture at all.

[OakLeaf]

I was taught to put the tip of my tongue on the roof of my mouth, right behind the teeth.
Do it now.

NOW, I said!
See how that works?

What's it supposed to do? In airway terms, to me, it completely prevents breathing through my mouth.

I was taught to do that while doing supine abdominal exercises, actually. It helps you use your abs and not your neck muscles to lift your head. How it works, I have no idea, but it does.

[indigoiis]

who on here recommended smiling while climbing?
Because it really works.

[northstar]

Breathing while climbing works for me (most of the time).

[Pax]

Breathing while climbing works for me (most of the time).

I've found breathing and trying NOT to cough up a lung works for me.

Seriously, I'm going to try a few of these tips...anything that will keep my lungs in my chest is worth a go.