I just browsed through the first chapter of the book you have mentioned: Sports Psychology for Cyclist" by VeloPress on Amazon. And, despite the authors' apparently high credentials this book appears to be just plain old hype aimed at recreational cyclist.
I have been studying exercise & sport psychology for the last two years, and in my opinion it takes more than control over your breathing to become a mentally compentent/skilled athlete. And, your mind is more than a tv set. Yes, controlled breathing can be used to acheive relaxation off the bike, but it is not going to get you very far on the bike.
According to McArdle et al. (2001), "Conscious manipulation of breathing usually disturbs the exquisitely regulated physiologic adjustments to exercise. Attempts to modify breathing during general physical activities such as running offer no benifit to exercise performance. At rest and during all levels of exercise, a healthy person should breathe in the manner that seems most natural."
Plus, I am not too sure how topics of bike fit, fluid replacement, heart rate monitors, new equipment and how to safely ship a bicycle fit in with sports psychology. It just sounds like they did not have enough of their own waffle to fill a book cover-to-cover, so they filled it with some completley unrelated material.
I guess if anything it will make for some entertaining reading...lol!!!
So once again, if you are really serious about your mental game don't go looking for it in some book. Go and talk to a credible and experienced sports psychologist that can help you identify areas that are relevant to you.
Scott
