[Li'l Dave]

This is kind of a weird question, but I just can't figure something out. I'm fine with smaller sized jumps, and I'm usually pretty smooth jumping, but as soon as the jump size get a little on the larger side I just turn into a huge wuss and I wont jump anything. I don't even mean BIG jumps, just jumps that I'm not familiar with. Even bigger jumps that I have hit it takes me half the day just to get up the nerve to hit the first one, let alone another jump. Once I hit the jump though, I usually manage to get it right first try.

What did you trailbosses do to get better? I know no one just shows up to a new line and just kills it first run, but I just want to find a way to get over being such a sissy and not be so scared. Being up here in Norcal and not hitting all these places just kinda sucks. Any info would be great, thanks.

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

I have the same problem as you.

Here's what I think the problem is: I bet you only ride once a week at absolute most right? I think it takes everyone all day to man up and hit a big jump the first time. Then if you don't go for two weeks you have to man up all over again.

Those kids throwing down are there every day. They don't have jobs, they don't have homework, they don't go out with girls. They hit dirt jumps every day.

It really is that simple.

 

[Dirtjumper999]

I had a similar problem a while ago. The way I got over it is just visualizing what I have to do to clear it, what speed I would need. I came at it and kept my fingers off the brakes, and kept saying to myself, "it will be a bad crash if it happens, so don't crash". Once you jump it once, you will be fine the rest of the times. Every jump is the same in my opinion, just each has its own personality; experience it once and you got it. The biggest hold up in the progressing of my riding is because I have been able to grab the brakes and stop before the stunt. So I decided if I am going to do it, I cannot touch the brakes. Don't worry, if you jump the bigger ones once, you will be like wow what was I scared about.

 

[jerseydirt]

My adivce to you is to keep riding the smaller line for half the day except you have to do it without pedaling or chainless. When you do this, you will learn how to pop off the jump and pump the landing. Then when you are very comfortable with that, go to the bigger line and pedal at it and only hit the first jump. Don't think about doing all the others because that is what freaks you out in the back of your head. After you get comfortable with the first, do the second. Then so on and so forth.

 

[William42]

Build your own jumps. Its a lot easier to hit something that you've built with your own hands and know how you want it to hit. You can also control your rate of progression. Its a lot harder to just show up and hit something big that you know you theoretically "can" hit then it is to build your way up to it.

 

[sixgun_sound]

It's true that when the jumps get bigger, the risks get higher. I hate riding new jumps for the first time. But I'm the same as you -- I stress out over hitting a new line to the point where it gives me a stomach ache, and then I clean it first try. The fact is, if you know how to ride, you know how to ride. If you can follow someone into the line, that helps. I heard from a pro dirt jumper that huge, well-built jumps are easier to ride than small, poorly built jumps. Even though a jump looks menacing and huge, if people flow over it all day, is it really something to be scared of? So look at the spot you're riding, if there are lots of good riders and the place is kept up, the jumps should just flow.

 

[boostindoubles]

you can ask someone who is comfortable hitting the dubs your nervous about if you could chase them through. If you stay behind them you'll get a good idea of the speed you need and hopefully get over your fears

 

[Dirty Maestro]

To add to the above. Find someone you feel is on the same level as you but hit the jumps you don't. Watch him and follow him thru. Once you know the speed and see what kind of huck you need. Its all about the first Leap of Faith =) Trust your Instincts!

Also, watch out for peer pressure. Do the jump when you know your ready(hit something similar). I've seen a few bad crashes from peer pressure.

Its all mental, picture yourself ripping thru the air instead of the worst case scenario. Your body will follow...

 

[WestCoastHucker]

you just need to crash more. not more often, just a larger number of times. many, many years ago i long passed the point where i realized that crashing doesn't really hurt that much. once you realize that, you won't be such a sissy. there's not really much else too it. you are scared of of the crash because you think you are gonna get handled...

in well over several hundred crashes in my days (over 20 years), only about 12 of them really gave me something to think about while i healed up, the others i just dusted myself off and kept riding....

 

[pnj]

WCH brings up a good point, crashing is part of the game.

Wear pads and stay loose so when you do go down, it's not as bad of an impact. Crashing itself is a kind of art form. Knowing how to fall, tumble, etc...

 

[scag]

Someone may have said this, but i'll say it again anyhow. How bout building the jump yourself? I always felt that If I was the one building it I would be forced to hit it. You sit there and look at it so long that your fears start to go away. You know exactly how it will send you because you are the one that shaped the lip. To make it even better, you can put the lander as far back as you want and just keep making it a bigger and bigger gap the more comfortable you get. You need a nice practice jump. Go build it.

 

[Li'l Dave]

Building my own jump is fine, but I still end up running into the same problem when I go somewhere new. I have built some decent sized jumps, taken a long time to hit them, and then showed up somewhere smaller and taken days just to get the first one at the new place. Building is awesome though, having free reign over your own line is always good.

I know what you mean also Maestro about not doing a jump until I'm good and ready, but sometimes I need to be ready way faster than I can convince myself to be. I end up taking what seems like hundreds or run ups to a jump before I hit it, which just sucks, I've spent multiple entire days at a new spot just trying to sack up and hit the first one (which is never really all that big) Its so frustrating for me, I always know I can do it, and I can always see it, but I just can't take the first leap.

 

[basikbiker]

just be like ****it bucket and go off the lip when u usually brake

 

[GARLIC]

Listen to some Pantera! I have the same problem, I was working on this issue over the weekend. Trying to hit a jump in a line at my spot that has took me several sessions to hit. Not that big of a jump and I have hit stuff like it but it took me a long time to hit it. When I hit it I said man why has it taken me so long to hit that. It seems that lots and lots of sessions is what it takes and eventually it will not take as long to man up to new jumps.

 

[Cru Jones]

What up, Dave. I've seen you ride. You've got smooth style for sure. To me, it just takes experience at a bunch of different spots to get over the nerves. And like somebody mentioned, building your own big jumps really helps.

Another thing that helps me is showing up to new spots with guys I ride with on the regular. Some guys in the crew are just fearless. So, they'll do it fine, then I know I can do it.

WCH was the only reason I ever even attempted to ride Hidden...