WATCH AND LEARN

Whatever discipline you ride in, one of the best ways to improve your skills is to study successful riders at the top levels and try to emulate them. You can learn so much by observing how they use their aids, what they do before, during and after the jump and how they ride in between the jumps. With online sites like YouTube overflowing with free videos of riders from around the world, it’s easy to create your own customized, at-home viewing library. Whether you’re learning something new or trying to fix a bad habit, this is a great reference tool to take advantage of at any point in your riding career.

Watching almost any experienced rider can be educational, but you’ll benefit the most by zeroing in on individuals uniquely suited to your specific situation. Riders come in all shapes and sizes, and we all have different training approaches, riding styles and strengths and weaknesses. You’ll get the most out of watching and trying to copy riders whose body types are most similar to yours