Wednesday 4 January 2012

Out of Africa!







Chris and Antony came over from Nigeria where they work for a skills session before they do the cape epic. On meeting, we chatted over a coffee and I gave them an outline for the session and my commitment to them.
I began with the skills check and found that I could work on their feet, body and looking skills that were missing between the two of them. I also gave them the mental skills questions that I teach before applying the skill set to our first technique, drops.
It took them no time at all to match their skill set to speed and they began landing perfectly from the word go. Antony was using a demo bike from transition called a bandit that I had got for him to use and I set up for him, Chris was loving his lappiere now as I set it up properly too.
After a while of riding all 3 drops, we moved onto the skills trail and the 14 sections contained within it. I worked hard on cornering but also on pumping the trail and braking areas.
We began with gaining energy from the trail using pumping and controlled this speed and linked in a berm and a flat corner. Before long, I added a rock garden and a berm and switchback corner too. As we moved down the trail I added a fly out jump and a corner with a step on the exit. Now the lads were riding 9 sections and really beginning to flow and enjoy their new speed.
I moved onto the end of the trail and linked the drops into corners using line choice and correct braking. It soon came time to ride the trail end to end and they really began to ride smoothly and confidently. A few runs in and they began to show signs of mental tiredness so our session came to an end after four and half hours. I gave a demonstration of the same skill set in use on the woodwork of herts in my own riding, ending an awesome session!
I look forward to your ride updates guys.

1 comment:

  1. Today was excellent and I can't wait to get back out in Brecon to practice the skills you taught us. You are a great coach and the techniques you taught us answer a lot of questions I had about how I felt on the trail before - today I felt more in control and more confident. I only wish I had heard of you when I bought my first mountain bike!
    chris

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