Here's the thing:

Most riders WANT to let go of fear, they WANT to gain control, they WANT to ride technical trails and WANT to be able to XYZ (insert desired skill here), buuuuuut they don't DO what it takes!

Otherwise they wouldn't want it, they'd HAVE it. 😁

But maybe it's because you don't know HOW to get there... Let me tell you so much: there is no magic pill. Sorry...

Buuuut...

In this blog post I'll help you understand and develop "what it takes"

Actually, understanding "what it takes" is easy. It's: PRACTICE - but not just random practice.

It's structured, intentional practice and not just one or two days a year in a clinic or by yourself, with some random drills.

Just like you'd NEVER expect to learn a language, a musical instrument or tennis within a day - mountain bike skills mastery also takes weeks to months, or even years, depending on your desired level.

NO - just riding trails is NOT really practicing.

Riding trails also important, but true mountain bike mastery requires you to also practice deliberately, with a clear goal, in a safe LEARNING ZONE, concentrating on executing the skills in a specific way. Also see this blog post about 2 common progress jeopardizers.

Just like a piano player practices at home a LOT and only performs on stage once in a while, and a baseball player has regular training sessions and only plays matches rarely, the same should apply to mountain biking.

So, just like a piano or baseball player, IF you want to improve your skills on a mountain bike, you must get out of the PERFORMANCE ZONE (Trails) and into the LEARNING ZONE (safe practice areas) to practice deliberately.

I'm sure you've heard "practice brings progress". It's kinda common sense, isn't it?

Well, unfortunately, common sense is NOT common practice!

Exactly, practicing is not common practice (pun intended) 😁

Well, so, how can you make practicing "a practice" and WHY should you?

That's what we're looking at today.

Mountain Biking is MORE than just "riding a bike" in the woods!

Mountain Bike Mastery means you need to spontaneously react to everchanging terrain and actually there are more than "just skills" to it.

A few years ago, I noticed that you can divide "what it takes" into 5 categories, so I came up with the 5 PILLARS OF MOUNTAIN BIKING.

So, yes, skills are important, but "skills" is only one of the 5 pillars! In this YouTube video I talk about the 5 pillars in detail, they are:

1. Coordination

2. Strength/Endurance

3. Mental Strength

4. Technical Skills

5. Flexibility

And if we look at pillar #4 - technical skills, there are 3 phases to learning skills: The cognitive, associative and autonomous (Marinelli et al., 2017) phase. More about this in my podcast about the science of learning MTB Skills effectively.

And if I had to summarize this episode in only one sentence, it would be:

NO ONE can learn all it takes for mountain biking in a single day clinic or just by riding.

And that's why regular, structured PRACTICE is key!

BUUUUUT - even though you may already KNOW this and feel like you should practice more, somehow you just don't know HOW TO, you don't seem to find the time, or you have a hard time self-motivating?

If you have, then: You're not alone!

Not knowing how or not being able to self-motivate are very common among riders of all levels.

Buuuuut, unfortunately not practicing (and just riding) is also the reason why many riders crash too often, why their skills plateau and why many riders hold on to many fears. (If you are a fearful rider - then listen to THIS podcast.)

Also, if you think you need an in-person coach to progress, then this post may be an eye-opener...

Because, actually, it is WAY more effective (and way cheaper) to work with online programs - this applies to several areas: strength or fitness training, mountain bike skills, language lessons, university degrees, etc.

Why more effective? Because for real progress, you need REGULAR, structured practice to improve, not only a day with drills (see above).

Why cheaper? See image below 👇

Here are my top 3 tips to improve your mountain biking drastically:

1. Say goodbye to unrealistic expectations (NO, you will not learn to jump, bunny hop or ride gnar in a few days!)

2. Work with structured drills regularly OFF the trails, to allow your body and brain to concentrate on building new skills, not just consolidating existing skills (and existing errors)

3. Go slow to go fast! (Slow down to notice whether you are masking errors with speed - and then work on correcting these errors intentionally)

And here's a bonus tip:

Switch to flat pedals at least 4-5 months per year!

Why? The soft sole will allow you to FEEL & thus develop the neuromuscular coordination in the soles of your feet (which is a fancy term for saying foot-brain-connection).

You’ll gain a VOLUNTARY connection to your bike and this’ll make you a much safer, more versatile rider!

Plus: Everything you learn on flats will transfer to clips (BUT it does NOT work the other way round).

And if you'd like to work with my proven drills, to make site selection, exercise set up and the order of skills EASY as 1-2-3, then

👉 Work with my self-paced home training courses

Also, once a year, I offer a live-online-Skills-Program!

This takes place yearly in April!

Who's it for?

It's for all mountain bikers looking to develop a practice habit and/or looking to improve their coordination for more control on trails: this is the easiest way to level up your bike-handling, right on your doorstep! (All skills in up to 9 levels = suitable for all levels!)

This program is perfect for you, if one or more of the following make you think or say "OH YES!":

• I want to start practicing but I don't know how and where

• I find it hard to self-motivate

• I like following a proven structure

• I'd love to meet Roxy in live webinars and ask questions

• I want to feel more confident on trails

• I wish I had more control over my bike

• I like to play (or want to start liking it) and following a program for it would be fun!

• I want to feel safe while practicing

In short: with this program practicing becomes easy and progress comes naturally!

Hope you found this helpful, share it, if you did!

Much love from your Coach Roxy