Drops Part 1 - Techniques & Methods for Progression-based Learning

Learning to drop can be intimidating. Learning to teach drops can be even more fright-inducing. But it doesn't, and more importantly, shouldn't have to be that way.

In this episode, we how examine how good coaching is good risk management and that skills-based coaching is a powerful way to build purposeful progressions. 

Drops come in all sizes, shapes, and configurations and as a result, there usually isn't a single "right way" to ride a drop. In this episode we focus in on the skills we can control to create optimal performance.

For our listeners who are riders, we discuss some of the key skills-components we used to understand how to perform on drops. 

For our coaches out there, we present some details on designing progressions, understanding rider anxiety, and other important important nuggets for helping riders succeed. 

This episode includes:

• Paul's highlights from his Downtime Podcast appearance
• Highlights from Cornering Part 1
• Common Myths about "doing" drops
• Limitation of a “prescriptive” approach to teaching and learning drops
• Risk Management as an element of teaching progressions
• Rider assessment and warm ups for drops
• Risk, Anxiety, and Empathy
• Sizes of drops for teaching
• The importance of a Point of Commitment 
• The role of the press, absorb, poke in controlling the bike’s trajectory.
• The idea of being a driver not a survivor
• The goal of teaching drops is teaching adaptability
• Getting better on drops doesn’t automatically mean going to a bigger drop
• Teaching drops is really teaching skills
• Consistency, Correct Technique, and Confidence as measurement tools
• When is it time to move to a bigger drop?
• The importance of identifying Performance Affecting Factors
• Identifying student goals vs. instructor goals
• Don’t try to learn drop techniques on crappy drops!
• What makes a drop good for teaching?
• A preview of advanced drops
• Donut of the day!

DISCLAIMER 

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by Donuts & Bikes - The Mountain Bike Coaching Podcast are solely those of the authors, Kristian Jackson and Paul Howard and their guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the PMBIA, or any other company, person or organization mentioned or included in the podcast. Any content provided by our guests or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.

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