Joe, Stephen and Alex group session

We met as arranged and I gave them my commitments for the session before running them through my skills check. I discovered what was present already and also what's missing in their skills. I made a few set up changes and then off we went to the drop technique.
My job was to match their skill set to a given speed and then they began landing perfectly and each commented on how easy it felt.
We then moved onto the skills trail and began working on the 14 sections present in it and linking them all together. !st up was the pump technique which was used to gain speed from a mound on the trail. I worked on carrying speed on through the trail as we linked flat, switchback, off camber and bermed corners to rock gardens, jump ups, drops and steps.


We worked our way along the trail gradually and linked the previous section to the next until we were riding the complete trail.
Each run was more fluid and smooth than the last. Joe was flying and ended joint 3rd fastest on my trail since coaching began on it.


lastly We worked on jumping tabletops and the lads began getting air time. Alex cleared it a few times before mental tiredness showed and he sat it out.
Stephen grew tired as I worked hard on linking his push to a speed and Joe just flew over both tabletop and gap jump too.
Rad session!

Simon and Nick's 2 to 1 session

Simon had previously attended a public jump/drop session and wanted to return for more coaching and brought along Nick with him.
After the skills check I moved onto braking technique as both were chronic rear brake users and I needed to develop their control before I could bring them onto the drop technique.
On the drops they wasted no time in applying their skill set both physically and mentally to all 3 drops, landing perfectly every time.
We then moved onto the trail and began working on the 14 sections contained on the trail and linking them together using the correct braking and pedaling areas.
I covered the pumping technique, flat ,bermed, off camber and switch backed corners. We linked them to steps, rock gardens, fly out jumps and drops.






I worked on linking drops into corners and line choice whilst doing it.
We then rode the trail top to bottom quite a few times and the lads really began to shift smoothly and fluidly.
The worked We did on body position, footwork and looking really paid off over the course of the session.
Nick grew mentally tired and sat out of the tabletop jumping session. Since his last session with me, Simon had lost his looking . I corrected this and Simon began jumping with ease once again.
Great session.

Becca's one to one

Becca came to me after feeling like she suited mtb riding but not knowing why she always felt afraid.
During the skills check i found a great push technique bogged down by a missing skill and also found 2 skills missing in corners.
once corrected we moved onto braking techniques and then onto the drop technique.
In no time at all Becca was riding the drops and landing perfectly and her confidence grew and grew.
next, we moved onto the trail and worked on flat, bermed, off camber and switchback corners. We linked them into steps, fly outs, pumping, steps and drops.
We spent the next hour or so linking each section to the next. I worked on her fear for steep stuff and soon she was riding a drop and linking it into a drop.




We rode the whole trail end to end before and with each run it became more fluid and faster and controlled.
Great session Becca!

Ben, Roger and Paul's group session

Ben, Roger and Paul came to me upon reading feedback online and had previously been coached by other people too.. on meeting them I ran them through my skills check where I discovered a natural push and what they were missing skills wise.
I changed their set ups and showed them why, which is so important.
The first technique I covered was the drop technique and in no time at all they were flying off of all 3 drops.
Next, I showed how and why their push is be used to get over fallen trees etc using a dis connected bunny hop.
I moved them onto the trail shortly after and we worked on linking the 14 sections present on the trail together using the correct braking areas.
I covered pumping, rock gardens, steps, fly outs and drops. We linked them to flat switchback, off camber and bermed corners. Methodically, we worked our way down the trail and soon we were riding the entire trail end to end and the flow and speed was there to see.


I worked hard on linking their new found drop technique to their new found cornering technique. It was awesome to see them ride it with such control.
I later moved onto jumping tabletops.
Once again they applied their push with the missing skill corrected to this technique and to their amazement , they all sailed over it time and again.
Paul even rode and styled the gap jump too!
Great session.

Bob mtb club and Purplebikesheds coaching session

On meeting the boys, I as always put them through my skills check where I discovered they all were missing looking in cornering and needed a bit of work on body position but possessed a natural push bogged down by the lack of one skill. Once corrected, we moved onto the drop technique where I matched their natural push to a given speed and they began landing perfectly.
We moved onto the trail where I worked on applying their skills to various techniques and sections. I worked on pumping. Flat, switchback, off camber and bermed corners. steps, jumps, rock gardens and drops. Methodically we linked each section to the next using the correct braking areas. I worked on linking drops into corners before linking the whole trail together and with each complete run of the trail they began to really flow.
The final technique I covered was the tabletop jump. Andy was too mentally tired to continue so sat it out and the other 3 used their push to all sail over the tabletop and also the 6ft gap jump too!
Awesome session and a pleasure to coach.

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Luke and the boys return

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Luke, Gonnie and Josh came back to me to further their coaching and brought along Rich with them too for the session.
As always i began with the skills check and found what was present and missing from their skills and it was awesome to see the previous session had paid off.
The first technique we covered as always, was drops.
The boys wasted no time in flying off them and landing perfectly.
We moved onto the trail where we worked on pumping and body positioning in corners. We linked flat, bermed, switchback and off camber turns to rock gardens, jumps, drops and steps. Each section was linked to the next by their entry and exit and the correct braking areas used.
We moved methodically down the trail linking the next segment to the previous and the flow began to happen as they rode smoothly and controlled.

We worked heavily on linking drops into berms too and then began to ride the entire trail.
With each run they flowed more and more.
After a few runs we moved onto our final technique, jumping tabletops.
Iworked on their mental skill set and Rich was too tired to continue. The other 3 set about it and in no time sailed across the 6ft tabletop time and again. They moved across to the 6ft gap jump and rode that a few times too before our session came to and end.
Great session boys!

Re-building the rider in Mark

Mark had serious confidence issues that needed addressing and on meeting him today he kept reminding himself of this.
During the skills check I found out why he felt more comfortable turning one way than the other in corners and also found a natural push to un weight the front wheel that was hampered by a missing skill. Once corrected I moved us straight to the drops.
Here I worked heavily on Marks mental skill set. I worked hard on braking technique before even riding a drop and once on the drops he began to feel comfortable with the speed and the push came out. A perfect landing resulted and Mark began to relax. Time after time he pushed and landed perfectly.
We then moved onto the trail to work on pumping the trail and linking it into various sections.
Flat, switchback, off camber and bermed corners were linked with rock gardens, fly outs, steps and drops.


We worked our way methodically along the trail, linking each section to the previous one using the identified braking zones.
I worked hard on riding berms and I used an isolated one to allow Mark to fully focus on the technique before moving back to the trail and linking his drop technique to corners.
I worked hard on footwork and looking and later on, body positioning.


We then rode the trail end to end a few times and with each run, Mark was riding more fluidly and smoothly.
After a short coffee break to watch the red kites flying overhead we resumed.
Our final technique was jumping. For this I use a 6ft table top. I matched Marks push to a given speed and soon, and to his great surprise, he sailed over. Fearing it was a fluke, Mark then sailed over it again and again. I called an end to the session as mentally, Mark was drained but the child inside was giggling.
We opened a cold beer each and ended an awesome session.
High5 Mark!

Giving Scott some skills

Scott is new to mtbing and wanted to have some skills coaching to make sure he handles his trail center holiday with his friends.
Once I had identified his missing and present skills and had uncovered a natural push and also body position habit, we moved onto the drop technique.
Here I worked on the psychological side of doing drops and I showed why the skills applied here.
We then moved onto the skills trail and we worked on pumping, flat,off camber, switchback and bermed corners. We linked them to rock gardens, steep up slopes, steps and steep roll downs.
Each was linked to the next section using the correct braking areas.
We worked on braking techniques and Scott began riding more and more confidently and smoothly.
We moved onto an isolated berm to get him used to carrying speed through berms before moving back to the trail and riding it end to end. The difference in Scott's riding was there for all to see and his smile was beaming across his face.

Ade, Dave and Damian's private skills session

I have coached Ade before and he wanted to return with 2 friends. On meeting them I ran them through my checks to see what was present and missing in their skills and found that they really needed work on cornering and that they possessed an great push technique bogged down with one missing skill.
Once corrected, we moved onto the drops as always and to their surprise they were landing perfectly straight away. I worked on their looking and body position and it all came together. Dave was using flats for the 1st time and he soon learned to love them, oh and my bike too as he preferred it to his own!
We then moved onto the skills trail where we began with pumping bumps on the trail and then began working on flat, bermed, off camber and switchback turns. We linked them using the correct braking areas into steps, rock gardens, jumps and drops.
We worked our way down the trail linking the new sections to the previous and soon the guys were riding really fast and smooth.
They rode the trail end to end faster and faster.
We moved onto the tabletop to further develop their new found jumping and they flew over both the tabletop and the 6ft gap side too. Dave was so surprised at the ease of it all and Damian was back to his childhood mongoose jumping days.
Ade had more in mind as to end the session he rode the 9ft gap jump 3 times with whoops of joy as he did!



Fantastic session guys!

myles's session

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Myles has a back ground in wind surfing and I could see the cross over in his skill set during my skills check.
I found footwork, looking and body position faults but also uncovered a push that was bogged down and needed un blocking.
Once corrected, the 1st technique I covered was the drop technique. here I showed why his push applied and how and in no time at all Myles was landing perfectly on all 3 drops.
I moved us onto the trail and set about working on linking the sections on the trail one by one using the correct braking areas and also using the trails energy rather than the riders.
We worked on all kinds of corners and linked them into steps, rocks, jumps and drops.
I worked hard on linking Myles' new found drop technique into corners and worked hard on braking and line choice before finally riding the trail end to end.
Myles rode the trail end to end a few times and with each run he became more fluid as he began to surf the trail metaphorically.
Our session ended to a cold beer and a demonstration of the skill set in use by myself on the woodwork of herts.