INFOCUS - RYAN NYQUIST
Nyquist! The name Ryan Nyquist is synonymous with BMX and Haro Bikes. From his 25+ year run as a top pro rider on the Haro team, to his current role as an Olympic coach, Ryan's journey has been nothing short of inspiring. Talking to us from a bunkbed in a Utah training camp, we took a dive into Ryan's life beyond the bike. Ryan shares the influence he's had outside the sport, the importance of family, and what it feels like to transition from being one of the top contenders to guiding the next generation of BMX athletes. Join us as we explore the world of Ryan Nyquist, a true icon in BMX.
Congrats on the induction into the BMX hall-of-fame! How has your motivation changed as your role in BMX has changed? From top athlete to coaching at a high level?
It’s been a very gradual shift, to be honest, from being a pro on the circuit to putting my energy, effort, and knowledge into other peoples' journey. I still ride and push myself, but I try and have my own personal riding goals, doing tricks I haven’t done in a long time or finding the confidence to try something new. My own personal goals for riding are always there. They’ll probably shift as I grow, but they will always be there as long as I’m on the “freestyle” journey.
Coach Nyquist and Team USA 2024: L-R Justin Dowell, Perris Benegas, Ryan, Marcus Christopher, Hannah Roberts. Photo: Beatrice Trang
The nice thing about coaching is, I get to lean back on 25+ years of competing at a pro level to help new riders navigate high level competition. From how to handle stress to just simply approaching an event--everything is valuable! Just that itself has been very rewarding. Knowledge is GOLD and it’s amazing to get first-hand experience from someone who has been through it. It’s not always a one-size-fits-all approach, but good advice helps push people in the right direction. It doesn’t have to be my way, everyone is different, if I can open someone's eyes to different possibilities, that a win for me.
Has your inspiration changed over the years? Including motivation from the different people you’ve surrounded yourself with over your career?
Yeah, it has. At the end of the day, all I ever wanted to do is win! I never went to a competition wanting to get 2nd or 3rd. So, that mindset is still there. I am just applying it to other people’s goals. When the score drops, I’m cheering like it’s my own!
How has BMX influenced your day-to day? What aspects of your training has resonated into your daily life?
My wife and I are both very active, I dabbled in all different team sports growing up and we also own a gym called Amplifly. Our approach to our kids is, lets expose them to different things, from soccer to baseball, even fencing and rock climbing. Ha-ha. I don’t want my passion to dictate who my kids are. However, my youngest son Jameson loves BMX. As for the gym, it has given me a community that helps motivate me to be more accountable for my health. I’m arguably in the best shape of my life and would love to sit down with a younger me and stress the importance of heath and exercise. In a roundabout way, all these things help keep life fresh and fun. Allowing me to do all the things like coaching. My favorite way to coach is on the bike with the riders. Recently I’ve done tricks I haven’t done in over a decade, mostly because someone else is trying something that gets me hyped!
Ryan and Jameson Nyquist (also in the riding photo above). Photos: Josh McElwee
What keeps your wild spirit alive? Do you have a blue bearded, fun story from the road, or one from your alter ego?
There are a lot of fun stories out there! I just love having fun and I don’t like the idea of someone else bring my mood down. I also really enjoying spreading fun times, bringing people up and spreading positivity to those around me. I try and make situations fun that wouldn’t necessary be fun, hopefully the good energy is contagious enough to make people happy. Whether it be my kids or the people I’m coaching, I’m always trying to spread the positivity. Everything is more fun when you’re having fun! My wife says I have the Peter Pan syndrome ha-ha!
Iconic Nyquist move. Sui-Bar at Woodward
What have you been inspired by recently, outside of BMX? Books, movies, podcasts or quotes?
I’m reading, Embrace the Suck by Brent Gleeson, it’s the Navy Seal mindset about making yourself uncomfortable and being confident to overcome any situation. That's such an appealing idea--I don’t want things to be perfect, I’d rather deal with uncomfortable situations. You start feeling like nothing can stop you. Embracing the fact that getting though a hard situation is powerful. I just really like the idea that any situation can be enjoyable if you embrace the suck! It’s all about framing things in your mind to be positive.
