Advanced Improver Weekend
Start riding difficult red and black graded trails with confidence and commitment
Spend a weekend with our expert coaches learning the technical skills you'll need to ride alpine style terrain like it's second nature. We'll build your confidence on steep terrain and get you started riding tight switchbacks, tabletops, doubles and tricky drops offs with style and finesse.
Our Advanced Improver Weekend also looks at the key elements to finding your flow on complex technical terrain and builds upon what you have already learned to boost your singletrack skills when the slope gets steep and the difficulty rises exponentially.
After the course you will receive a massive boost in speed and commitment on steep terrain, drop offs (up to around one metre high), small jumps (up to a around bike length) and on flowing alpine descents.
I came away with significantly greater confidence in tackling trails and skills which will enable me to develop further
Chris - Rayleigh, Essex
Course outline
The skills taught and practised on the Advanced Improver Weekend can include:
- Bike Set-up
Pre-ride checks
Choosing the right tyre pressures
Choosing the right suspension set-up
- Mind Skills
Relaxing on the bike and staying loose
Riding within yourself to stay in control
Positive thinking and visualisation
Dismissing distractions to maintain concentration and commitment
Developing confidence through fundamentals instead of luck
- Body Position & Movement
Moving around the bike in three dimensions
Weighting & unweighting the bike
- Speed Control
When and where to brake
Carrying speed on the trail
Speed management on steep terrain
Maintaining speed over rocks and roots
- Cornering
Mastering corners on steep terrain
Switchbacks; line choice, body movement and reading the trail
- Trail Obstacles
Manual dropping large roots and steps
Wheelie dropings large roots and steps
Steep committing Rolling drops
- Trail Flow
Reading and breaking down the trail into sections
Attacking vs. defensive lines
Linking sections for flow
- Jumps
Elements of a jump: approach, airtime and landing
Tabletops and doubles (up to a bike length)
Is this course right for me?
Please read the following description. If this sounds like you, then you're perfect for this course:
If you have never received any professional mountain bike coaching before, we strongly suggest that you join our Level 3 Singletrack Improver courses or Level 3 Mountain Bike Improver weekend and practice regularly for at least a month to consolidate the learnings before booking this course
- You are already confident and competent in all aspects of our Level 3 course - Singletrack Improver
- You have significant experience of riding off road, you are a regular mountain biker (at least once a week), and will have tried red and perhaps black graded singletrack trails before at a trail centre or similar venue
- You have your own mountain bike (we have bikes available to hire if your bike is not available)
- You can already ride confidently on moderately steep, narrow singletrack trails with large rocks, root fans, steps, rollable drop-offs and other technical trail features
- You can already execute a proper Weight Shift Manual and can manual drop small rollable drop-offs (up to 50cm) at walking pace. If you are in any doubt please attend a Singletrack Improver course first
- You are confident with carrying speed around flat and off-camber corners using correct technique; leaning the bike underneath you, weighting the pedals for traction and countersteering. If you are in any doubt please attend a Singletrack Improver course first
- You can ride up steep terrain at a steady pace
- You can ride for at least three hours comfortably
- You are aged 18 and over unless accompanied by an adult also participating on the course
If this sounds beyond your current skill and fitness level, please choose our Mountain Bike Improver two day course instead or have a look at our choosing the right course FAQ page.
Typical programme
Although the course is flexible it will usually keep to the following programme:
- Day 1 09:15-09:30 Arrival at course venue
- Day 1 09:30-10:00 Introductions, equipment check and bike set-up session
- Day 1 10:00-10.15 Warm-up ride into the forest
- Day 1 10:15-13:00 Singletrack skills coaching and practice
- Day 1 13:00-14:00 Lunch break back at start point (bring a packed lunch)
- Day 1 14:00-15:30 Coached singletrack ride
- Day 2 09:15-09:30 Arrival at course venue
- Day 2 09:30-10:00 Introductions, equipment check and bike set-up session
- Day 2 10:00-10.15 Warm-up ride into the forest
- Day 2 10:15-13:00 Singletrack skills coaching and practice
- Day 2 13:00-14:00 Lunch break back at start point (bring a packed lunch)
- Day 2 14:00-15:30 Coached singletrack ride
- Day 2 15:30-15:45 Review and next steps
Experienced MTBers who have reached a plateau in their riding will definitely benefit from skills coaching
Richard - Diary of a Mountain Biker
At the end of your course you will receive
- Personalised Feedback
to remind you of your performance on your course
- An Action Plan
your coach will tell you what you need to do after your course to consolidate your new skills and progress your mountain biking into the future
- 30 Days Free Support
if you have any questions about what you've learned or need any other advice
Course summary
Get course notes
Find out more about this course including venue information, directions and a full equipment list
Pricing
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