Why Mimicking Others Can Be Risky and How Professional Instruction Can Help
Recently, we posted a post on our social channels asking, 'What's the WORST piece of mountain bike advice you've been given? We then posted the top five worst suggested pieces of advice as a poll on our Instagram Stories asking if the advice was true or false to use. Some of you were on the right track, and others weren't. They weren't trick questions, though - the answers were all false because they're techniques that aren't correct due to the decrease in rider safety and understanding about what we're doing on our bikes. These posts received a lot of engagement, so we'd love to dive a little deeper to help you understand why these pieces of advice aren't great to share or use.
"Just do what I do."
It was great to see many riders on the same train of thought with this advice. There are situations where it might come in handy, such as having a strong rider you can trust to tow you into a section. But generally speaking, following a partner, spouse, or riding buddy and trying to do "what they do" is an easy way to get yourself into trouble. They may be able to successfully clear a section, but how on earth do you know what to do if they're not explaining it or you've never seen it.
You might get towed into something without assessing it before riding it. If you're riding something blindly, you are 100% relying on the leading rider's cues and perfectly mimicking their every move. It's a position that will be sure to make you feel anxious.
Another way to get into trouble is to get towed into something above your skill level. You are now riding into a section blindly, and what if there is a drop you're unaware of?
This is why lessons and clinics hold so much value and are worth investing in learning and progressing your riding. You learn what you're doing, how to do it, and, most importantly, why. The better we understand the need to do something, the more likely we will take the risk to execute or perform it.
Lessons and clinics often start with introducing the skill or technique, strong demos, and lots of practice in a safe and controlled environment, along with required feedback before we apply it to the trails. As a certified Professional Mountain Bike Instructor, you can trust following us and 'doing what we do,' but not until we have first broken down what exactly it is that you're doing and how.
If you're struggling with figuring out what to do on the trails, book a Private Lesson to understand what we need to do and why, plus build your confidence along the way!
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