Stick your tongue out!

[salsabike]

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

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[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.