Three Tips for Effective Practice: Based on Neuroscience 🧠

You’ve probably heard it before: “Practice makes perfect.”

But that’s not really true.

It IS true, that:

Practice is the BRIDGE between knowing and doing. It’s how knowledge turns into SKILL and eventually, skill into mastery.

But practice is ALSO where learning most often goes wrong.

We assume that practice, by its very nature, leads to improvement.

It doesn’t.

Repetition alone merely stabilises whatever already exists.

Practice doesn’t automatically make you better — and therein lies the risk — because it just makes whatever you repeat more permanent.

If you repeat a mistake, your brain actually builds that mistake in through repetition.
That’s why practice can either be your biggest ally… or your biggest trap.

So, how do you make sure your practice time actually works?

Here are 3 evidence-based tips from neuroscience and motor learning — and how they apply directly to your MTB skills training 👇

1️⃣ Don’t just ride — practice with purpose

When you simply “ride more,” you’re mostly repeating existing habits.

In this podcast episode I dive deeper into this point.

Fact is: True improvement happens when you focus on one clear element at a time: e.g. brake control, body positioning, vision, line choice…

Each focused repetition strengthens specific neural pathways — the ones that make movements automatic.

That’s why in my courses, every drill isolates one building block of technique with a clear form goal. It’s not random: it’s structured brain training on two wheels.

2️⃣ Do less, but more often

Our brains don’t learn faster by adding more, but by repeating the right thing long and often enough to make it stick.

Riders often jump from skill to skill too quickly — but mastery is born from deep, consistent, specific rehearsal with a clear goal at hand.

In MTB learning, that means refining one detail (like nailing the movement pattern of roll-downs) with a clear movement GOAL until it’s solid, before moving on and trying to apply it in combination with other skills in a high stake environment (AKA technical trails!)

That’s why my courses aren’t “watch-and-go.” They guide you through step-by-step progression in a SAFE environment — and you’ll revisit lessons as your body awareness grows.

And that's also why my YouTube channel will never help you near as much as my home training courses. 😬

3️⃣ Get feedback

This is the missing piece most riders underestimate. Without feedback, your brain can’t correct what it doesn’t perceive.

That’s why my courses always include personal video feedback.

It’s not about making things “fancier” — it’s about making learning faster and more permanent.

Honestly: I could sell (even) cheaper video-only versions of my courses… And probably I'd make more money with it, because more people would then buy. But that would mean more riders stay stuck in the same patterns.

And honestly? True progress and words like the following drive me more than profit ever could. 😍

Bottom line:

Practice doesn’t make perfect — it makes permanent.

That’s why HOW you practice matters more than how MUCH you practice.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start training with purpose, structure, and real feedback...

...browse all our courses here 👇

👉 Start practicing with purpose RIGHT ON YOUR DOORSTEP

Because when you connect brain, body, and bike, progress is not just possible… but inevitable. 🤓