We met for a 10am start at the Herts skills area,
i began with finding out what skills were missing and set about re installing the ones that were absent.
The first technique we cover was drops. Beginning with a kerb sized drop, I showed how the push technique fitted in with the drop technique and in time all 6 riders were riding all 3 drops , ranging from 6 inches to 3ft in height.
Next, we moved onto a section with drops linking into corners to make it more realistic with regular trail riding, once again the riders all linked the sections effortlessly.
Now it came time to start to jump.
using a fly out we worked on the take of side of the technique, before moving onto the table top section.
By controlling their speed management, I gradually added speed whilst working on their remaining skills and soon every rider sailed over the table top. Some moved over to the gap side of the jump too and rode that over and over agin, reinforcing the technique.
finally I showed the group a 9ft step down gap and Ian , using his mental skill set rode it first try.
Our session ended here as tiredness was showing on all the riders, so the session ended.
Awesome session !!!!!
Thanks Tony - a great day. Haven't stopped thinking about it since.
ReplyDeleteAt the start of the day I was convinced that I wouldn't be doing any more than the simplest drops and jumps. To have cleared the tabletop (by a mile!), the double, and the intimidating gap jump at the end has amazed me!
Your coaching was patient and pitched so well, and even though there were six of us, I still had the feeling I was receiving personal coaching.
The hard part is taking the skills I built up during the day and applying them to new and unfamiliar obstacles of the same scale, but after one ride I can see that the training has already raised the bar and I'm now riding off things that I was uncomfortable with before.
I'll be looking for a 1to1 closer to my trip to the Alps to sharpen up the rest of my riding and to revisit the stuff I did yesterday. I have much to learn!
Thanks a million.
Ian