Andi_Archer wrote: ↑Thu Aug 22, 2019 8:33 pm
Glad you enjoyed it Paul and I hope you get to practise what you learned, was it all in the training area. If you dont mind me asking what does Molly charge for the day?
Don't mind at all Andi I paid £260 for the day. I think what happens will vary depending on the person and what Moly sees they'll benefit most from. I'm a novice as you know, here's how my day went:
Turned up at 9ish, had a bit of a chat and then headed off up onto one of the trails. Moly led a loop a couple of times, then followed me round the same loop 3 or 4 times. We stopped quite often for him to explain things to me (I was struggling with one of the tighter bends) then we headed back down.
After a cuppa and a chat we went to the skills area, actually just stayed outside the garages. First he did his tyre demo in the garage with a spare tyre, described the tyre profile and how to make the most of it. Then he had me doing figure of 8s, putting all the weight on the outside and leaning the bike RIGHT over at low speed. First standing then sitting.
I mean I did a LOT of figure of 8s! I can still hear him saying "again" after every short stop for a breather and for him to give me some advice and correct things. What I didn't realise until near the end was that he was surreptitiously moving the cones closer together behind me, bit by bit
It was pretty hard work. Eventually my concentration went and we stopped for lunch. He stressed practising constantly, even when we were riding back down to the log cabin for lunch, we were practising and he had me following his lines. I started to feel how much I'd just learned then.
After lunch we went off up the top again and I followed him for a bit. Suddenly the trails were a lot more interesting than the morning one! Steeper and some tight corners, water crossings and riding along a water logged ditch ("What? He expects me to ride through that!?") He led for a bit and then followed me. That's when I really realised what all those figure of 8s were for, everything felt more natural and much easier now, it really surprised me how much. I actually could ride through that stuff!
I think one of Moly's many strengths as a teacher is knowing when to push you but also when to stop. Within a few hours he had me doing stuff I would never have imagined I could do (you'll recognise that, I think!) but he also knew when I couldn't take more in.
He has a very systematic approach based around some core skills, and you're right, he constantly stressed the need for practice - not just riding - in between training sessions.
He gave me five points to work on, had me write them down and email them to him when I got home so I didn't forget. The main thing that strikes me is how committed he is to making sure you improve. Gives you some idea of how impressed I am that I'm going back in a few weeks for another day and expect to be back again after that. In the meantime I'm going to be hunting out empty car parks doing lots more figure of 8s!
The feeling in the afternoon when we went up on the top again I can't describe. Just sheer enjoyment and exhilaration. The practice was hard but when we hit the trails again afterwards it all made so much sense.
It was an absolutely cracking day and I can't wait to get back there. Glad I got a cheap bike so I can afford more training