Cyclists sniffing salts

[Mountain Bru]

6 hours ago, Sid the Sloth said:

I think you would probably find the combination of the placebo effect and the mental conditioning that the smell = time to suffer and go fast is quite powerful. Cool if you are training for a tt, shorter mtb race or short efforts like track, but I can’t imagine you want that for a longer road race where you want to remain unexcited until it counts. 

This is why I have an indoor training playlist that I only listen to when on the IDT, and maybe sometimes on a hard ride outdoors if I dare to have 1 earphone in, but none of those songs ever ever EVER get listened to at any other time. It's amazing how our brains make associations with things and can get triggered into a specific state by stuff. For me, the IDT playlist now auto-triggers "dig deep, here's comes a sufferfest" zone. 

[Paul Ruinaard]

On 9/21/2021 at 10:41 PM, Grass Muncher said:

Its the second time Ive seen a cyclist sniff ammonia salt before a workout. I was in virgin active and I saw a young guy sniffing it while he was on the wattbike and a 16 year while he was doing intervals on the road. 

It is said that you breath faster and that it triggers the release of adrenaline. 

Is this use of salts normal under cyclists? 

I cant find any info on google that says the  pros use it. 

Whats your thoughts on this? 

 

I use OLBAS oil on a handkerchief to clear up a stuffy nose and open up the lungs - works great.