THE MAIN SKILL: BOOSTING YOUR JUMPS

In order to really lever more pop out of your jumps you’re going to have to adopt a lower stance to give yourself more room to drive for longer. Stretch your effort over the whole jump, and think about almost pulling back as you drive that final powerful leg push against the lip. Spending more time on your rear wheel as it gets driven into the constantly increasing jump is why your bunny-hop technique is relevant here. Remember: you’re trying to get your rear wheel to hook as much drive out of that final upturn as you take off.

Come in sitting a bit lower than you normally would. This extra range of motion will give you a bit more time to be heavy against the start of the jump as you push back into it with your legs. Remember that you are trying to drive your weight against the shape of the trail slowly and with strength. This should feel like you have time.

As you approach the top of the jump, move your body weight back and really focus on pushing into that manual part of the bunny-hop.

Maybe not with the same rearward bias as a bunny-hop, but certainly in that direction. You want to stay on the pressure with your legs right off the top of the jump, and you will often see riders’ rear wheels almost fall off the top of the lip as they have extended the pressure so far up the take-off.

Level out in the air by bringing your body weight up to your bike, like with a bunny-hop. It should feel like the same floaty, slow motion arc from your bunny-hops, only this time you have more time in the air. Don’t rush it. The work you did on the jump is enough and it should feel like you have time up there.