A little history...
This past summer I have become affiliated with the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors - PMBI and as a result I have been fortunate to broaden my coaching footprint beyond the boundaries of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
Now PMBI, and its parent company ZEP Techniques, is the brainchild of Paul Howard. Paul is a fully certified CASI snowboard instructor who has a deep passion for mountain biking, long story short; he has created a mountain bike specific instruction template that has its roots in the long time CASI and even longer time CSIA formula of "skill development".
In a "manoeuvre-based "system, the idea is: if an instructor/coach were to teach a rider to perfom a manoeuvre they would become very one-dimensional as a rider. i.e Learn how to carry speed through corner "a" and therefore be proficient in corner "a". But, what does he do when confronted with corner "b"?
In a "skill-based" system there are a series of "skills" that are common to all mountain biking, XC, DH, SS, DJ, whatever. The theory is that if a "skill" is deficient in a rider then it will be deficient in most, if not all asects of their riding. If a coach were to develop this skill then as a result, all riding will improve in the rider. ("a rising tide raises all ships") This has been proven in many different sports including skiing and snowboarding.
Last autumn Paul asked me if I would like to get involved in PMBI and I was excited to get onboard. Since then I have primamrily conducted and evaluated PMBI courses for Paul and sporadically helped with his multi-day camps. The thing that struck me most about the courses was the people that were taking them. The list reads like a who's who of the industry, Kirt and Lindsey Voreis, Katie Holden, Claire Buchar, Chris Kovarik, pretty solid company I must say.
So, Paul decided to create a new course for PMBI, level III, and he brought together some of the most talented coaches and riders to a forum last weekend here in Whistler. I was fortunate enough to be invited and contrubite my 2 cents as well. I can honestly say that I cannot remember a time where I have had more fun riding a bike nor have I felt more encouraged to speak my thoughts. The level of knowledge and riding was beyond my expectations, and at one point during the weekend it became apparent to me that we were creating awareness among the guests in the bike park. I noticed on more than one occasion that riders were inching closer to our discussions just to hear what was going on. A sensational position to be in. Paul may very well be the biggest mountain bike nerd out there but remember this: Bill Gates once said during an address he made at a graduation ceremony "be nice to nerds, because someday you will be working for them"
Many thanks to my fellow attendees, you have taught me more in three days than I could have learned on my own in a year.
PMBI L3 Pilot project was attended by:
Andy Bostock - Former Masters World Champion
Ryan Kuhn - Perform X MTB Team Coach
David Gagnon - CASI Senior Trainer and CCA Coach
John Shelly - CASI Instructor and Former Coach for the New Zealand National SB Team
Claire Buchar - Reigning Canadian National DH Champion and World Champion Bronze Medalist
Chric Kovarik - World Cup DH Legend who claims to be "better at riding a bike than walking"
Paul Howard - Owner/Director ZEP Techniques
Myself - Mountain Bike Coach and Staff Trainer at Whistler Mountain Bike Park
CSIA/PMBI/IDP Course Conductor
