Kids learning to jump safely

I would let him get on with it - he sounds pretty advanced for his age, let him get a feel for stuff, as you’ve been doing. My son is 10 and only just been doing red stuff at Glentress. Does a few small jumps but physically it’s a stretch for him so it’s more about him learning how the bike feels etc. Maybe show him some YouTube vids which focus on technique that aren’t too technical/dull? 

Another vote for 'just let him enjoy and learn'.
My 10yo is similar but a year or so ago it just clicked, he's happily clearing small tables now.a let for him was learning that you don't just charge in maximum attack and hope for the best 😀

I know there are a huge number of people who benefited from coaching, but there's also a lot to be said for just messing about in the woods with mates. It's how I learned, and I'd wager how a lot of other riders did. It sounds like your child is doing a great job of working it out for himself, and you're doing a great job of enabling him. Pad up and crack on I say

It’s the landings that cause the issues

foam pit/air bag can be fun for kids, but you'll need to be going a whole load faster than your average 7 year old to get there. I'd also say just let him try. Wider, slower jumps with flat landings are probably easiest to start off on

but there’s also a lot to be said for just messing about in the woods with mates

100% that... just him and some mate, a shovel or a log and a spade in the woods, they'll learn.... they'll fall off a bit, get up and get on with doing it again, then they'll explore the limits and go bigger...

Also, prime opportunity for you to learn with him.

I would let him get on with it

This

there’s also a lot to be said for just messing about in the woods with mates. It’s how I learned, and I’d wager how a lot of other riders did.

And this

You can just learn these things organically and it sounds like he's on the way. 20 years ago I wasn't looking for a coach, I just did it. It's easy to learn when you're a kid. It's when you're a 30+ year old, total beginner that everything is terrifying and nothing makes sense.

Anything else beyond pump tracks and skateparks that would do him good?

These things didn't even exist in the 90's. I was a man before I laid eyes on a skatepark! So jealous of the young'uns with their good bikes and amazing facilities. We used to ride miles and miles on faith if we heard about a big flyout transition somewhere.

Agree with all of the above, but just thought does he have a full face helmet? Probably a good idea if he's starting to go big.

but just thought does he have a full face helmet?

Yes. Plus knee pads and the all important gloves. He doesn't like wearing gloves but has now learned the hard way.

was going to say just pad him up and let him crack on.  I've been going to the local jump park with my 8 year old.  I'd say he is better than me, I just can't jump properly, been trying for years.  Almost took him out on the dual track trying to keep up with him and the jump spat me out at an angle right across his line..... explaining that to mum would have been interesting

I'd echo what other said and just crack on. With the correct safety gear of course - having witnessed a 5 year old smash her face and knock a tooth out at the pump track yesterday.

I was going to suggest a full face - it's not necessarily the best for jumping but it feels safer as a dad.

My 8 year old goes to the local BMX racing track. They do coaching sessions at the weekend.

It's really improved her pumping & jumping when we're out on the mountain bikes.

Just support him in having fun, sounds like he is on the way! 🙂 mountain biking kids are cool and a privilege for MTB parents.

Just playing in the woods is a winner and I’ve also found that Amber comes on in leaps and bounds on longer trails, especially uplift stuff. By the end of the day at BPW for example, she is smoother, faster and doing much better jumping than at the start of the day, kids ability to progress is pretty amazing, much better than us oldies. Enjoy 😀

Don’t kids just get a few planks of wood/old sheet of plywood and a milk crate (do these even still exist?) and launch if it?  Made a man out of us, jumpers got goal posts, kids of today, grumble, mumble, mumble. 😜

What a  a coaching session?

Agree with most of the above. I also watched a few YT vids with them as well.

Actually, i remember now that my (somewhat unusual perhaps) youngest son taught himself after studying Brian Lopes' Mastering Mountain Bike Skills when he was 6.

Don’t kids just get a few planks of wood/old sheet of plywood and a milk crate (do these even still exist?)

I remember using car wheels... learnt the hard way to make sure the wheel was the right way up when a ramp broke and my front wheel went into the well and catapulted me down the driveway.

My boy is 12 and has been a reluctant rider at times. This year we finally cracked him and have had lots of fun.

I'm 52 and have done a few courses myself, including a couple with Jedi. I have passed on the idea of pumping the trail (which he does everywhere) and as if by magic that has turned into jumping, which in turn has led to big smiles.

I agree with everyone else, its us that need to learn to jump (or relearn if you are my age and owned a BMX in the 80's), to kids, its just a natural progression.

With all those new tabletops and a decent pump track nearby, you can't go wrong.

What a a coaching session?

On STW it's the answer to every question about riding that's ever been posted.

It's easier to post a thread than it is to travel to the thing you're stuck on and spend a few hours figuring it out.

There are jumps above the railway tunnel in Peebles. I can't be more specific than that due. To a. Not sure on their legality and b. I only found them once and haven't since but I am pretty sure where they are.

Don’t kids just get a few planks of wood/old sheet of plywood and a milk crate (do these even still exist?) and launch if it?

Yeah, this.

Op it sounds like you are pretty nervous and cautious and naturally you'll project this onto him. Kids don't need skills courses and all that stuff. The odd pointer maybe.

They should just have fun, make mistakes and discover what they can do by ****ting about with mates.

If they specifically want to focus on something, then yeah, but otherwise, let kids be kids imho.

Kids don’t need skills courses and all that stuff. The odd pointer maybe<br /><br />

As someone who’s coached kids for the past four years I can categorically state… it depends. There’s kids who really improve with coaching, there’s others that don’t really need it. There’s others that think they don’t need it but really do. However getting them all together to have fun and maybe learn or relearn a bit too is worthwhile.

Does this kid even know what tyre pressures he's running?

Do you think he posted a thread about what's the best flat pedal/shoe combo for jumping off ply wood?

There’s kids who really improve with coaching,

I'm agreeing, but also slightly disagreeing... but agreeing too.

i think ALL kids will really improve with coaching.... just that some won't improve without it. Kids on bikes are sponges, they'll absorb everything and it's massively different to adults. With kids, the coach says "right, instead of doing that, do this instead" and then next thing you know, they've done 'that' and moved on... Adults are like "wtf, this isn't right"..

But kids in groups self teach as well, without even knowing it, they stand around and watch KidA who's better and then think "ok, so that's how we do it..." and then, off they go, using same techniques they've absored from the others.

Agree with that.

That photo above - the kid looks shit scared and rightly so. He lost his left nut when he landed and his mum broke her nose. I swear that’s my family’s tent in the background.

There’s kids who really improve with coaching, there’s others that don’t really need it. There’s others that think they don’t need it but really do. However getting them all together to have fun and maybe learn or relearn a bit too is worthwhile.

Totally, but we shouldn't get to a point where we perceive that learning anything requires instruction.

Imho that can sometimes stifle new and creative approaches to things and that natural thirst kids have for discovery, plus learning by making mistakes can be the very best way to learn for a lot of people. We shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes and should try not to put that fear onto kids too.

Obviously that doesn't apply when a kid wants to use a chainsaw 😉

My eldest doesn't get the opportunity to teach herself MTB as she's too young to hang around in the woods with a load of teenagers, but she'll listen and then try new stuff and then keeps doing it.  She lacks some confidence and really responds to a clear explanation of how to do something then she can psych herself up to push herself. Her younger sisters won't listen to me, but copy her well and respond to the coaches at the local cycle club.

As an adult I've found coaching in various sports helped me progress significantly when I've been too time poor to practice by trial and error.  I've also learnt to analyse what I'm doing and then try stuff I see in YouTube videos (Cathro's pinkbike stuff)

I don't see why kids MTB coaching would be any different to getting coaching at a youth football club, yes you can have a kick around in the park with your mates but coaching will help as well.

It feels like a lot of folks on here aren't aware of the BC Go-Ride kids bike clubs which are dotted all around the country... including two (I think) within the Tweed valley.

Now, lots of those aren't mountain bike specific, but there certainly are some in the areas where you'd expect. They are all volunteer run by qualified BC coaches, and one I used to coach at was £2 a session (1 1/2 hours), so not exactly extortionate! And as long as there is a Level 2 MTB coach (although I think that's all changing) then they should be able to coach on jumps/drops etc...

I think most kids do benefit from some coaching... and we tended to find that even for kids who were really confident and pretty good on a bike, there were always areas which they weren't doing so well. Often those areas were the sorts of things which are harder to pick up outside of a coaching session. For example, how often do we spend an hour just working on braking with our own kids when we are out? Usually we don't want to be stood around making then ride round in circles for an hour when we could be out 'shredding the gnar'! And if it's anything like my son, he usually just grumps at me when I try to help him!

Also, we found that it was a good way for kids to meet other biking kids.. and parents to meet up other biking parents too!

Nearly all other sports have clubs and groups for kids where teaching and coaching goes on, even at a fairly relaxed level, from football to badminton to track and field and BMX (especially BMX which often starts at 4or 5 years old), but for some reason MTBers seem so against it. It’s not always needed, but there are so many people who are very quick to state that people won’t benefit from it when pretty much all sports seem to disprove this.

If you want your kid to learn jumps then a BMX club is a great place to start.  They’re usually cheap to join (Decoy and Exeter are about £5 a session for non-members), can usually ride your own bike to start with (and an entry level BMX is pretty darn cheap if needed) and they’ll be with likeminded boys and girls.

pretty much all sports seem to disprove this

Because for lots of people it's not a sport.

When I was a kid riding a BMX was a way to get out of the house and away from my parents. If they tried to drag me to a 'BMX club' I'd have sacked it off and found something else to do.

Take him to Unit 23 in Dumabarton and get him riding the jump box section there on his BMX?

I would let him get on with it

This.

I don’t see why kids MTB coaching would be any different to getting coaching at a youth football club,

It's not exactly the same thing for a number of reasons.

I think one thing about coaching is that there has to be an objective.  For most competitive sports the objective is to win so coaching is geared towards that.  I guess for aging STWers the objective is to be able to make it down trails in one piece (which is a totally valid objective, imo).

You can't really win at jumping.  Sure, if it's an element of racing or if you want to do slopestyle then get a coach but jumping for most is more of a self-expression type thing.

What is your objective for your son with regards to jumping?  If it's just to be able to clear jumps safely he's probably more or less there already so just let him crack on.  Remember, he's going to bounce if he messes up and even if he does get injured he'll be back on the bike in an annoyingly short amount of time.