Is It Just A Mental Game??
BMX as a whole is getting pretty crazy right now. A lot stuff is being done that wasn't considered possible before.We asked a few pros about their take on the mental game that goes along with riding these days.

Here's what Joe Rich had to say...

After you reach a certain point physically riding becomes mostly mental.Are there still things that give you trouble physically?
- Hmmm, crashing of course. It just seems to hurt more and more. Not that it makes a difference.  I think aside of that, as long as you stay on your bike, you keep up physically.

Do negative or positive experiences from the past effect you're riding now?
- I think that you just have to get past 'em. Right now there are a few things I don't want to do just because I don't like to run out of stuff yet. I can, but it's still weird to me. It all goes away in time though. I'm not worried.Although, there has been things I look back on and think," How did I do that on that day?"

Do you ever challenge/pressure yourself to progress your riding on a daily basis or do you just take it day by day
- I have some long term things I always want to do but mostly everything else happens day to day. It depends on what I have been riding and what I want to accomplish. It varies...

Do you have any rituals or superstitions to pump yourself up for stuff?
- Nah..., nothing like that. I used to close my eyes and take 3 deep breaths while visualizing what I was going to do. But that only comes into play when I'm doing something that I'm really scared of.

Do you ever submit to the pressure of one time deals?(ie: perfect huge rail on a road trip off the coast of New Zealand)
- Fuck yeah, sometimes you just can't pass up what's in front of you because it's just too perfect and who knows if you'll ever be back. If you don't do it, you'll just be haunted by it forever.

How do you know when to back down?
- When it just doesn't feel right!