Learning to Jump with Trail Explorer

I recently spent the day with Adam Whitaker at Trail Explorer for a jump coaching session, and I loved it 

Adam was incredibly chilled from the moment I arrived, which immediately made the day feel relaxed. There was never any pressure. Instead, everything was broken down into simple skills that gradually built on each other.

Building the Foundations

We started on flat ground learning how to lift the front wheel correctly before moving on to picking the rear wheel up using body movement rather than simply pulling on the bike. Once those movements became comfortable, we combined them together before repeating exactly the same techniques over a small stick and eventually progressing onto the trail.

When we moved onto the jumps, Adam explained that the lift doesn’t come from pulling on the handlebars it comes from your legs.

As you approach the lip of the jump, you stay low with your knees and elbows bent, almost like compressing a spring. As the bike reaches the face of the jump, you drive through your legs, allowing the bike and suspension to extend naturally underneath you. Rather than trying to jump off the lip, you’re loading the bike and letting it do the work while staying centred and balanced.

It sounds simple when it’s explained, but feeling it happen for the first time was a real lightbulb moment.

One thing that really stood out was Adam’s coaching style. He made me repeat every skill at least three times before progressing to the next one. That repetition really helped build confidence and consistency instead of just getting lucky once and moving on.

Throughout the day he was constantly taking photos, showing me my body position and explaining where I could improve. Those small adjustments made a massive difference and helped me understand exactly what I should be feeling on the bike.

Jumping Is More About Speed Control Than Big Braking

Most of your braking happens before the jump.

You want to arrive at the take-off at exactly the right speed not too fast and not too slow. Braking on the lip unsettles the bike and makes it much harder to stay balanced in the air.

The technique Adam drilled into me was simple:

• Control your speed before the take-off.
• Release the brakes before the lip.
• Stay relaxed and balanced in the air.
• Only re-apply the brakes once both wheels are firmly back on the ground and the bike is stable.

That advice alone made a huge difference to my confidence.

Shimano 4-Piston Brakes Gave Plenty of Control

For the day I was running Shimano deore  4-piston brakes fitted with our new Gorilla Brakes compound.

Although jumping doesn’t require huge braking power once you’re committed to the jump, having powerful, predictable brakes before the take-off is incredibly important. Being able to scrub off exactly the right amount of speed gives you the confidence to focus entirely on your technique.

The new compound impressed me again, offering a strong initial bite with excellent modulation. It was easy to fine-tune my speed before each feature without the brakes feeling grabby or unpredictable.

If you’re running Shimano Deore, SLX, XT or XTR 4-piston brakes, take a look at our range of Shimano XT, SLX, XTR & Deore 4-Piston Brake Pads:
https://gorillabrakes.com/collections/shimano-xt-slx-xtr-deore-4-piston-brake-pads

You can also browse the full range of Gorilla Brakes brake pads here:
https://gorillabrakes.com/

Confidence Comes From Repetition

I’ll admit that jumping has always been something I’ve found intimidating. I wouldn’t say I’m suddenly sending massive jumps after one lesson, but by the end of the day I understood what the bike and i  should be doing and, more importantly, why.

That understanding has given me far more confidence than simply clearing a jump once by luck.

Now the real work begins getting out and practising everything Adam taught me.

Would I Recommend Trail Explorer?

Definatly 

If you’ve been thinking about learning to jump or simply want to become a smoother, more confident rider, I’d highly recommend spending a day with Adam Whitaker at Trail Explorer.

His coaching style is relaxed, encouraging and incredibly easy to understand. Every exercise builds naturally into the next, and the constant feedback through photos and body position corrections makes it much easier to understand what you’re doing right and what you need to improve.

I left the day feeling more confident than when I arrived, and that’s exactly what great coaching should do. Now it’s just a case of putting the hours in and practising.