INTRO TO AIR

Ongoing coach education is all about professional development - never stop learning! This course is ideal for instructors and coaches wanting to bridge the gap between the Level 1 and 2 Certifications, while learning how to safely teach jumps and drops.

2-DAY COURSE

  • IDEAL FOR LEVEL 1 COACHES WHO WANT TO BE CERTIFIED TO TEACH ‘INTRO To’ JUMPS & DROPS

  • DEVELOP YOUR OWN ANALYSIS & TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • GREAT PREP FOR THE ADVANCED COACH - AIR COURSE & LEVEL 2 OR 3 CERTIFICATIONS

COURSE OVERVIEW

    • Level 1 GSMBC Coaches or PMBIA Level 1 Instructors interested in teaching jumps and drops but aren’t quite ready for the Advanced Coach FLOW (Level 2).

    • Passionate coaches eager to offer intro to jumping and drops programs in their local community.

    • Coaches looking to develop their own confidence on jumps and drops.

    • Coaches excited to continue learning and gain an industry leading certification.

    • Coaches looking for a stepping stone between the Level 1 and 2 GSMBC Certifications.

  • This is a fun, progressive 2-day professional development course to improve your own riding skills, while learning the essential elements to delivering safe, effective ‘intro to’ jump and drop progressions for your students.

    This programs includes an online workshop and two days of training from the industry’s top coach mentors, practice coaching and video analysis feedback.

    To learn more about teaching advanced body position, cornering or technical riding, coaches should check out the 4-day Advanced Coach - Flow and Tech Courses.

    • 2 days plus 1-2hrs of pre-course reading materials and online workshop.

    • Totalling approximately 18hrs

    • Assessments include:

      • Online Workshop

      • Skills Coaching Assessment

      • Riding Skills Assessment

    • Coaches can choose to opt-out of the riding and coaching assessments if they wish to purely learn and develop during the course. However, they will still be expected to practice teach as part of normal coach education and development.

    • GSMBC Level 1 Certification (or equivalent) is required. PMBIA & BICP Certified? Get your free crossover certs here

    • 2+seasons of coaching experience recommended, but not mandatory

    • Comfortable riding at speed on technically challenging intermediate to advanced terrain, including green, blue, and black trails

    • 40hr Wilderness First Aid (or equivalent) is recommended, but not required

    • Minimum age requirement of 17. Coaching intermediate to advance riders involves greater inherent risks, requiring higher levels of skill and accountability from coaches who bear legal responsibility for their students.

LEARN TO ANALYZE TECHNIQUE & COACH YOUR RIDERS THROUGH SAFE PROGRESSIONS.

LEARN TO ANALYZE TECHNIQUE & COACH YOUR RIDERS THROUGH SAFE PROGRESSIONS.

Intro to AIR MTB Coach Certification

  1. Learn step-by-step progressions to safely introduce your students to their first jumps and drops.

  2. Practice demonstrating techniques on small features to build student confidence.

  3. Learn to use video analysis to develop your eye for technique and provide your students with clear feedback.

  4. Build your coaching tool-kit and practice so you can help first-time ‘air’ students progress safely and successfully.

Intro to AIR MTB Coach Certification

Personal video analysis on every coursE WITH THE Sportsense coaching app!

COURSE INSIGHT VIDEO

Take a look at this video to see a few of the common terrain and riding skill examples from the Intro to Air Coaching Course.

Please note the terrain on course can and does vary compared to the terrain in this video and is based on course location.

GSMBC Intro To Air Course Insight Video | MTB Coach Education & Certification Course

✺ Frequently asked questions ✺

    • BIKE: We recommend a modern, well maintained trail or enduro bike with 5 - 6 inches (125-150mm) of front and rear suspension with good quality disc brakes and tires, is ideal for this course. It doesn’t need to be the latest and greatest, just well maintained and appropriate for riding small to medium tabletop jumps and drops

    • A good quality, well fitted mountain bike helmet.

    • Gloves and knee pads are recommend.

    • Food, water, tools, spare tube and clothing to suit the conditions that day… we ride rain or shine!

    • First aid kit not essential, but recommended.

  • Every GSMBC course aims to finish between 4 - 4.30pm, depending on the conditions that day and the specific course location.

  • We encourage coaches of all ages and backgrounds to attend this program. However, the minimum participant age is 17 years old.

  • Yes! Your GSMBC Mentor will work with you to develop your bike set up and technical riding skills.

  • Coaches should feel comfortable riding at trail speed on intermediate flow trails with rollers, pumps, small tabletop jumps and drops.

    Because this course is only two-days and is focused on learning how to teach jumping, you should feel mostly comfortable getting air and making the landing on most small (1-2 bike lengths from lip to knuckle) jumps and small drops (1-3ft high).

    It is recommended to be comfortable riding green and blue (novice to intermediate) flow trails at the course location to fully benefit from this course.

  • Our goal is to create a fun, friendly, non-intimidating atmosphere, so coaches can learn and progress at ease. This course can be used as purely professional development with no official coaching assessment, or coaches can choose to opt-in to an assessment for the certification.

    For those coaches interested in the Coaching Intro to Air Certification, coaches will have several opportunities to practice teach, lead groups, and demonstrate their riding skills. Should they meet the required skill competency in both the riding and coaching assessments (see below) they will gain the certification.

  • Coaches must be able to show consistent technique when riding at trail speed blue flow trails with features such as rollers, tabletop jumps and small drops.

    Coaches must show consistent technique with the approach, take off and landing when riding:

    • small tabletop jumps 1-2 bike lengths from lip to knuckle (top of the landing).

    • small drops 1-3ft high from lip and top of the landing

  • Coaches must consistently present the GSMBC Jump and Drop Progressions with the correct content, structure and demonstrations.

    Coaches are also expected to be able to effectively analyze their students technique and deliver the appropriate feedback to maximize safety, run and progression.

REGISTER

COURSE INCLUDES GSMBC Coaching Manual, Course Guide & Online Workshop

Why not grab yourself some GSMBC Merch when you’re heading through checkout?!

COURSE REQUESTS?

If you or your team, friends or community are looking to book a course at a new location or during a time that is currently offered, please reach out to us via our course request form, available here:

GSMBC COURSE REQUEST FORM