Skills session in Pensacola, FL on May 12
Hey all, I’m stoked to announce a kung fu skills session in Pensacola, FL on May 12.
Private and semiprivate sessions are available May 12-17.
UPDATE: NO SPOTS LEFT
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Everything to help you ride stronger and better.
Skill tips for shorter people?
First of all, thank you for all your work on books and website – it’s eye-opening regardless of skills level.
I have a question about body position and riding techniques for short people. Being 170 cm (5’7”) I feel that some of the normal “tricks” are harder to perform, especially those requiring more movement around a bike, like correct turning (leaning the bike heavily, but not the body) or manualling. It’s just impossible or very difficult to move the weight far enough over the rear wheel to lift the front end, or in case of turning – to move the bike between your legs and stretch the inside shoulder enough to lean the bike without leaning yourself too much.
Maybe you have some experience from coaching shorter people? Are there any smart ways of overcoming these limitations?
Michal
BMX skills session at Valmont Bike Park
I’m excited to announce a special skills session focused on skills for BMX and gated racing. April 20. $100. Be there!
So close in Utah
After the Saturday coaching session in Utah (see Radness in Salt Lake City, UT), I was exhausted but we had to rock a trail ride. Chris is a seasoned XC racer. Judd is a new-school ripper. The three of us made a perfect platoon of braaap!
Skills clinic in Prescott, AZ on April 12
Hey all, I’m excited to rock a kung fu skills session in Prescott, AZ on April 12.
Quotes from last week’s session in Phoenix:
“If any of you ever get a chance to do a skills clinic (MTB) with Lee McCormack, do yourself a favor and sign up. The guy rocks. I don’t care what your level is, beginner through seasoned pro, he will help you. And he’ll give you about 200 “Braaaaps!” throughout the course of the day, because he rocks! (Yah, he *REALLY* likes bikes too!)
I’m no DHer, very far from it.. just a roadie XC wannabe. But I’ve PRed every freakin’ local DH segment I’ve hit since Lee’s clinic a few weeks ago. By a decent margin too. Comfortably. Safely! And, I have lots more drilling to go, to really retrain my brain to do the right things instinctively (instead of constantly “thinking”). Stoked!”
Stephen
Lee,
I just wanted to say thanks for the clinic on Friday. I had so much fun and learned so much. You do a terrific job of teaching things in a simple digestable fashion.
A dropper has been ordered, I swapped out my [Ergon] grips to keep my hands light, and I am trying to talk my wife into a pump track in the yard (that may take some time).
I hope you enjoyed your time in AZ. Keep spreading the Fu gospel. Braaaaaappppp!
Phil
Radness in Salt Lake City, UT
Last weekend I trained a bunch of high school mountain bike coaches, tried some Cannondales and rode a sick trail.
I need help pinning the high rpm
Hey Lee
I need help pinning it. I don’t use a watt meter, just cadence. Can’t get above 200. Is it my bike set up, my position or what? My husband can get to 215 on my bike. What to do? I’m in week 10 of Pump up the Base, which I love by the way. It’s still snowing here, so hopefully I will be ready to rock.
Julie
The connection between yoga and cycling
Here’s a nice note from last weekend’s high school MTB coach training in Utah.
If you get into your wife’s yoga, maybe she’ll get into your biking!
Chasing numbers
Yesterday I hit a personal record for sprint power — stoked! — but the extreme level of stoke got me thinking:
Why are numbers so appealing?
Your results may vary: P2PI week 5 power testing
I just finished week 5 of the Prepare to Pin It training program, and my power improvements are shocking.
If you’re into numbers, you have to see this.
Angle of your head in berms
Dear Lee,
I’ve noticed two styles of keeping one’s head while cornering. Let’s see two examples on Pinkbike:
Brian Lopes – with his head more or less in-line with the body
Jared Graves – with his head almost always perpendicular to the ground:
Is it just a matter of style and habits, or is there an advantage in keeping your head vertical in turns? Should I focus on it while training?
Cheers,
Jakub
Why did I ride my Stumpy 29 for Sea Otter dual slalom?
Hi Lee,
The Sea Otter Classic dual slalom is coming up. 2012 was my first year and it was a blast–I am looking forward to 2013. Sea Otter, when you take into account travel, entry, and the practice-qualies-main spread across days scheduling, is the most expensive race in my amateur season.
So I am trying to choose the right bike and I thought you would have serious insight. This is because you own a Specialized SX and a sweet Specialized P3 pump-track hardtail yet chose to race a Stumpy FSR 29 in 2012.
I own a Specialized SX and yet keep being drawn toward the absolutely ripping Nukeproof Snap hardtail I race USA BMX on. Incidentally, I started racing BMX because of Mastering Mountain Bike Skills and a dumb crash in last year’s Sea Otter dual slalom! Best cycling advice I ever took.
My question, put simply, is why did the trail/AM bike come out on top for you? And was that decision purely personal, or was it informed by a general principle that will help me choose to bring a 26 lbs hardtail that rules on hardpack or a 33 lbs dual-suspension slalom bike that seems tailor-made, but is a wildcard.
Unsurprisingly, my SX does not shine on the BMX track, and the only local, legal slalom course was shut down shortly after I bought the frame. Or should I just borrow my father’s old Stumpy FSR!
Thank you very much,
Matt