SKILLS: THE BIG PUSH
Drive your weight back into the trail to control everything, from berms to jumps
Learn to push your bike into the trail and you’ll improve your riding experience, says Dirt School’s Andy Barlow. He shows us how pushing generates grip in corners, jump better, bunny hop higher and manual further
In the last few issues we’ve looked at how you can improve your confidence and control while out on a ride by having specific goals and allowing yourself the time to deliberately practise them. This month we’re going to deep dive on one of the most crucial control mechanisms you have as a rider – your ability to drive your weight back into the trail.
It’s often described as pushing, or pumping, but what exactly does this actually mean? How should you do it? And what’s all the fuss about? Let’s have a look at why this might be a useful skill to know about, and set up a few scenarios where you can consciously feel its benefits.