Howdy everyone! Been languishing in the rain and snow all winter with a sad boo boo face, so I signed up for an all-day Women's only MX class last Saturday. Wow, was that a good day, but ugh! I was prepared for sore muscles and was a bit concerned about my stamina for an 8-hour ordeal, but really, I still can't sit down. Those hard seats were just not made for... well, enough said, but I think I'll invest in some of those protective undergarment pants that have the big pads in between. I wasn't this sore the last time I delivered a baby for heavens sake.
The class was a tremendous learning experience. The morning was spent doing various different drills in a flat grassy field, clutch and throttle control at low speed, balance and body positioning, cornering practice and high speed shifting practice. The drills exposed some bad habits I had built that I didn't know I had, so what I thought would be dull in the beginning ended up being very educational.
In the afternoon, we were on a track doing segments on whoops, bermed corners, jumping, and how to stop and turn your bike around half-way up a steep pitch. Not so usable in MX I think, but perhaps a valuable skill on a trail.
I feel like a learned a lot, even though I didn't clear the double jump. The aggressive body position that the instructor drilled into us definitely gave me a more confident, balanced feel on the bike and I think with practice, I'll get that double some day.
If you've been thinking about taking a class, I'd definitely recommend it; even for trail-only riders I'm sure it would improve skill and confidence. Just get a good night's sleep before, and be prepared to do 8 hours of deep knee bend. Ouch.
Oh, and a bike with the button doesn't hurt. By 2pm, I couldn't lift my leg high enough to get my foot on the kickstarter anymore.