Nick and Lee's 2 to 1 skills session

After a delay in their arrival due to an accident, we chatted over a coffee and i gave them an outline for the beginning of the session.
I ran them through the skills check and that revealed some missing skills but also a very natural technique too. I changed their set ups and we moved onto the drop technique to apply both their mental and physical skill sets.


In no time at all they were landing perfectly after I had worked on their looking and body positioning. Even in high winds they were smooth and controlled.
After a while we moved onto the skills trail and I began working on the 14 sections contained within it. Pumping, fly out jumps, steps, rock gardens and drops were linked to berms, off camber, switchback and flat corners. We worked down the trail methodically and add the next to all the previous sections. Nick really began to fly through the trail and Lee became more and more comfortable with air under his wheels.


I worked on linking drops into corners and the benefit of correct line choice. Eventually, it was time to ride the entire trail end to end. Each run was smoother and faster as a result. Each time they walked back up they had a big grin each.
I then showed them the correct way to disconnect a bunny hop over a tree and also why the same technique could be applied to advanced pumping. This shocked the guys as they now could generate massive speed changes without pedaling.
Our session came to a close as darkness began to fall and I gave them a riding demonstration of jumping, pumping and manualing jumps all the way down the jump trail using the same skill set I had given them.
Awesome session guys!

Novembers public jumps and drops session

a





Piers, Paul, Andy, Eddie and Ian all met as arranged and after introductions and coffee I began.
I began with a single skill check and set up change and found the missing skills in the technique required and then set off to apply this to the drop technique.

In no time at all, they were riding all three drops and landing perfectly and the ease of it all took them by surprise.

The guys then began riding the drops in pairs to replicate trail riding where riders interfere with your skill set, particularly vision.
I did a little work on cornering just so the guys could apply their drop technique in a real life situation and link it to riding a corner and they used their mental skills questions accordingly.

Next, I showed why the skills apply to getting up in the air on a fly out jump and they all flew into the air with ease and linked that later on to a drop too. We had a short break and then I began on apply the same technique to jumping the 6ft tabletop and gap jump option too.


I gradually added speed as they focused on the remaining skills and soon they flew over the tabletop with ease and to whoops of joy and laughter. Some even used their mental skills to ride the gap jump too with the same ease and result.


I wanted to show them how and why to pump the trail and how to use the gained energy to decide whether to jump or pump through sections on the trail and each of them got the hang of it and began to ride faster for free!
Our session ended as they began showing signs of mental fatigue and I gave a riding demonstration of the same skill sets in use in my own riding on a jump and drop line on the herts woodwork.
A cold beer was had by everyone and we toasted the end of an awesome session.
High5 guys!

Kate and Paul's 2 to 1 skills session

Kate and Paul rang me to book a session and today was the day. I could tell that Kate was apprehensive about the session so I eased those worries when chatting over a coffee.
I began with the skills check and that showed me the areas in each of them where work was needed.
I changed their set ups to enhance the skills I was correcting and the effect was immediate. Both could raise the front wheel easily and it was time to move onto the drop technique. Both Paul and Kate had a concerned look on their faces but that soon passed as they began landing perfectly from the word go!


Both of them were surprised at the ease of this technique once their skill set was applied both physically and mentally.
After a while I moved onto the skills trail and I began working with them on not just riding the 14 sections within the trail but also on linking them together. Flat, bermed, switchback and off camber turns were linked to steps, rock gardens , drops and fly out jumps.


I worked on how and why to pump the trail and gain free speed from the trail. They both used that energy to ride the following berm, flat corner and rock garden and two more corners. Footwork and looking were worked on as well as body positioning.
We moved down the trail and I used a upslope on the trail to teach whether to absorb or jump.
Kate looked worried and questioned even riding up it but that soon changed as she took off with a woop woop of joy. Paul was loving how easy it felt too and they linked that all to the previous sections too. I worked on line choice and linking drops and steep roll ins into corners and braking technique. Finally it was time for them to ride the entire trail end to end and the difference is their riding attitude was striking as well as the speed and control they were now riding at.
Paul was using his new body position to rail the corners with a big smile on his face and Kate began to use her footwork unconsciously too.
After a few runs, they called an end to the session as they could feel mental tiredness creep in so I finished with a riding demonstration of the same skills I teach in use in my own riding.
Amazing session and we all learned some great stuff :)

matt, Manny and Jai's private skills session

I met the guys as arranged and over a coffee we chatted about their aspirations for the session and then we began.
The skills check revealed the present and missing skills and I changed their set ups accordingly.
We began with the drop technique and why the mental and physical skill sets apply and the guys started landing perfectly from the word go and all commented on how easy it now felt.



I moved us onto the skills trail and began working on pumping the trail and using the aquired energy to ride the next sections. I worked hard on their footwork, looking and body positions in all sections and soon they were linking flat, bermed, switchback and off camber turns to steps, drops, rock gardens and fly out jumps.


After a good few runs of the complete trail I moved us onto the 6ft tabletop and gap jump. Matt, Manny and Jai were worried about this at first but that soon passed as they sailed over the jump with ease. The 6ft gap jump proved no problem either and Jai was styling it too!
I moved us onto the pump and jump trail and began working on their pumping technique more so they could generate speed to jump a 9ft tabletop which was the 3rd section on the trail.

They began using the techniques by choice and choosing whether to jump or pump a section too and then they asked me how to manual through jumps.
I rode the entire trail for them and demonstrated both manuals and jumping different sections and then it was their turn

It took them a while to get it but all the techniques began to work but they were now beginning to tire mentally as well as physically and I called an end to the session.
I rode a high fast line on the woodwork so they could see the exact same skills in use in my own riding and then we celebrated the ride with a cold beer each.
Awesome session!

Pete's 1 to 1 session

Pete came to me on recommendation and contacted me a few weeks back and today was the day. I could see when he turned up that I would need to change his set up too. Once I had ran him through my skills check and changed his set up technique suddenly became easier. I worked on footwork, looking and body positioning in all areas and the set up change enhanced these changes. I began with braking technique and moved his braking in straight lines from the rear brake and onto the front.



Pete said he'd never been able to get air under his wheels in all the years of trying and to his massive surprise, he was airborne 1st go on the kerb sized drop.

In no time at all he was on the middle drop riding it at different speeds for the same perfect landing.
I moved us onto the skills trail and worked on pumping the trail first. This took Pete by surprise as when he got the timing right he could feel the acceleration.

Pete then used this to ride the following berm, flat corner, rock garden and switchback berm. We began working on steep up slopes and why the skill set is used to generate momentum.
I showed the disconnected bunny hop and why a 2nd push is used not a scoop and to Pete's amazement his wheel rose up way higher than ever before.
Our session continued with more corners and rolling drop offs and line choice into corners and Pete began making errors due to mental tiredness and our session ended just as it began to rain.
Great improvements Pete and I look forward to our on going coaching connection.

Owen and Felicity's 2 to 1 session

Owen and Felicity came up from Taunton for their skills session and have only been riding for 6 months! On meeting them I gave them an outline of the session and ran them through my skills check where I found foot, body and looking faults but also an very good technique was natural to them both but they didn't know they did it. I corrected their set ups and this enhanced the skills I needed to work on.
The first technique I covered was the drop technique where I also worked on braking technique also. Both Felicity and Owen applied their new skill sets to this technique and began landing perfectly from the word go.


After a while I moved us onto the skills trail and began working on the sections contained within it and linking them together. Pumping, flat, bermed,off camber and switchback turns. Rock gardens, steps, drops and fly out jumps were all worked on and linked to the previous sections.
They were beginning to flow through turns and using their mental skill set as well as the physical to link jumps and drops into the next sections. Before long they were riding the entire trail and linking the 14 sections together and any errors were identified by themselves without being told.
After a few runs of the trail I moved onto the 6ft tabletop and gap jump. This was something Felicity thought she'd never do on a bike but in a short while they both sailed over the tabletop and then rode the gap jump too, the smiles on their faces as they walked back up were massive.

They rode the jumps a few times before I once again, moved us on.


I Next used the pump and jump trail to further work on their pumping to generate speed from the trail and to enable them to choose whether to jump or pump a section.

Lastly, I moved onto a ladder drop to work on their peripheral fear and ride the 2ft drop at the end. They were tiring visibly by now and after a couple of goes I called an end to the session and gave them a riding demonstration of the same skill set I teach in use in my own riding on a high fast line on the woodwork.
Great session!

A private skills session for Stu, Martin and Mark

The guys came to me through their scheme at Jaguar cars and on meeting I gave them my commitments for the session and beyond. I ran them through my skills check and discovered some footwork, body and looking faults were bogging down some great natural habits.
Once I had corrected their set ups we moved onto the 3 drops and applied their new physical and mental skill sets to the technique and the effect was immediate.


We then moved onto the skills trail and I worked with them on linking the 14 sections that are contained within it together using their identified braking areas. I began with pumping and using the trails natural energy Rather than the riders and we used this speed to ride the following bermed, flat, switchback corner and rock gardens. Later I added a fly out jump and corner with a step on the exit and the guys were really beginning to flow along the singletrack.

I worked hard on linking drops into corners and the best line choice in doing so before they all went to the top and began riding the entire trail with a new confidence and commitment. Each run that they completed prompted them to comment on how fluid it now felt and un hurried.
Martin had time restraints and had to leave just as I began to work on using the skill set to jump tabletops and gaps. I used the 6ft tabletop and gap side for this and in a few short runs they were both sailing over it perfectly.

Both Stu and Mark then used the 4 mental skills questions that I teach to decide to ride the 6ft gap jump side also and the smiles exploded across their faces.
Amazing progress guys, from acorns grow oak trees!

high5.

The kid in Tim returns!

On meeting Tim as arranged we chatted over coffee and when he said he rode bmx as a child I said that child is still in there, later he'd know what I meant.
I ran him through the skills check and found looking and footwork faults but found he possessed a perfect unweight of the front wheel which is rare. It was clear I would have to work on Tim's mental skill set.
I altered his set up and we began with braking technique and then moved onto the drop technique which Tim commented on feeling so easy now he used his skill set.



We moved onto the skills trail and began working on linking the 14 sections on the trail together. I worked on pumping, flat, bermed, off camber and switchback corners, steps, rock gardens, fly out jumps and drops. Methodically, I moved us along the trail always adding the next section to the previous ones and soon he was flying along. Tim had told me that he'd loved to be able to jump again like he did as a kid and the fly out jump just sailed past beneath him.


Before long, he was riding the whole trail and each run flew past as he used footwork, looking and body position to control the speed he wanted to travel.


I showed how the skill set is used in riding over fallen trees etc and soon Tim was also bunny hopping too with ease!
By now it was clear that this was no ordinary rider and that the kid in him was emerging.
I moved onto the 6ft tabletop, something Tim was very wary of trying but that was soon overcome as he sailed over it giggling as he did! He rode the gap jump side too, his first ever.


We wasn't finished by a long chalk and next up was the pump and jump trail where I expanded on his trail energy management further and he was able to choose whether to jump or pump through any section. Tim really got to grips with this and was flying. The smile was now permanently etched on his face.


I brought Tim over to the alpine switchbacks and after a bit of tweaking, he rode those too! Tim was taking everything in his stride now and I didn't want it to end so, I brought him onto the woodwork to work on his fear of gaps and being on woodwork.


I gave him a control method first and then he confidently rode a 2ft high ladder to drop with ease before riding a higher one with a gap in it too. Tim was now speechless and I explained it was all him as he was riding not me.
Our session came to a close shortly after and I gave a demonstration of the skill set I teach in use in my own riding on a high, fast line on the woodwork.
We sat afterwards and had a cold beer each to cap an awesome session and I for one will be buzzing all night after that one!
High5!

Rebekah's 1 to 1 skills session

Rebekah made the trip down from Derby for her session after hearing recommendations from her riding buddies.
On meeting I ran her through the skills check and found the missing skills but also something of great value in riding that she had no idea she did.
I found I had to work on looking and footwork, then later I was able to work on body positioning too. After making the necessary set up changes, it all began to change straight away.



I began with the drop technique and the ease of it using the skill set really shocked her. Rebekah's bike is quite large and she felt more comfortable on my own so she rode that a bit too and using her new mental skill set also she rode the next drop.
It soon came time to move onto the skills trail itself and I was able to work on basic pumping to harness the trails energy and use it rather than the riders and we used this to ride the next berm and flat corner, later adding in a rock garden and two further corners. Rebekah really began to use her looking and footwork and could feel the control and grip it offered. Body positioning enhanced this further as we added a fly out jump and corner with a step too. I then worked on linking her new drop technique to her cornering and Rebekah even rode the largest drop into the berm.
Now it was time to link all 14 sections contained in the trail together and each run was smoother and faster than the previous. Any errors were worked through and she identified them without me having to say.





We ended our session on the pump and jump trail and I worked on generating speed to enable Rebekah to gain airtime on a tabletop and the look on her face was a picture as she sailed into the air. After quite a few runs our session came to a close and a great session ended.
Awesome riding Rebekah!