Mart: Hi. I am Mart Quire from Bikeskills. Today we are going to talk about techniques to make you a better and more fluid rider. It is called pumping and I am not talking bike tires, I am talking transitions and rollers to make you a better rider, more fluid and have more fun in a safe way.
First thing that I will be demonstrating, is body movement. It is the key skill that you only need to get down before you move on. Separation will allow you to add and decrease pressure to the front rear wheel of the bike maintaining traction or to store up energy so you can get over an obstacle. Think of a mobile skier, piston like legs moving while maintaining a quiet upper body or surfers soaking up wave chop and you get the basic idea.
Before we get in the body position and movement, let us talk about something more basic. Scanning the train ahead in order to know what to do and when. It is usually the case with mountain biking. Your head should be up and looking ahead.
Now, for the actual body movement. First and foremost, you need to be active on the bike. Meaning, you will be moving forward and back as well as up and down. You will be moving often and quickly especially as you speed increases. Remember to keep you head up and look ahead.
Let us take a look at what body separation looks like. Here I am using my upper body’s range motion to maintain, contact, and traction. Contact and traction means more control and safety. Notice how my hips and legs stay relatively quite while my arms are moving rapidly yet smoothly.
Now, let us take a look at pumping motions. Four and a half body movement as well as upper and lower body separation. Take a look how combining this skills increases my speed while maintaining control on the pump track. Here is what it looks like in real time. As you can see, the movements are pronounced yet fluid. You want smooth not herky-jerky.
The more you practice pumping, the more you will use it. The more control, safety and fun this basic skill can and will add to your riding. Here is an example of a combination of pumping with other mountain biking basic skills.
Now, Randy Spangler is going to show you how to use pumping on the trails by where you live.
Randy: Thanks Mart. I am Randy Spangler. Today we are going to take the same skills that Mart has shown you in his pump track and take them out to some natural terrain. Let us go hit it.
Notice my body movements, I am moving back and forth as well as up and down. Also, pay attention to my head, I am looking up and forward.
When the terrain gets more technical, body separation and pumping become even more important and valuable. Notice how I am pulling down with pressure on the back side of the bones and obstacles to maintain traction and control. Advance trails are usually more complex are require multiple skills. We are combining pumping with manual even jumping to handle the tough part of this trip. By applying more pressure in coming into a bump or blunt turn, you want to increase traction and be able to carry more speed through the turn.
Wreaths and other slippery obstacles are another great place for pumping. A saddle quick pump can give you just a bit more traction to make through the tough slippery section. Just remember so.
Mart: Watch more in debt how to videos in the future from Bikeskills.
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