BEGINNER GATE FUNDAMENTALS – FIRST MOVEMENT

So I am getting back onto my bike, it’s been awhile. I know how to get a gate but the truth is, I need to really work on making a connection with them again, breaking down the fundamental progressions and going deep into them so I can reattach the wiring that I once built. The truth is, it wouldn’t hurt for any of us to take the time to master our fundamental progressions. When I get a rider that is suffering from a slump, we break down the progressions and focus on simple things so they can get rewired as well, usually feeling good about the work which leads them on their way to getting back to their winning ways. Fact is, most riders look at this stuff and laugh. They think they got it down, they are an expert after all. All riders need to be reconfigured from time to time. All riders need to revisit the fundamentals from time to time. All riders need train hard, but train smart from time to time. Well, okay, most of the time! Anyways, I am happy to share with you how I am coaching myself back onto the bike.

Here I am getting my shoulders over the bars, working on the first movement, making sure I am configuring the tracking of proper movement for myself.

After a few practice movements in a row before the gate drops, this enabled me to program myself to make the first movement properly as planned. This way I am not overthinking or guessing what I am trying to do again.

Success, I get the shoulders over the bars, head is down where I wanted it and I am extending into the front foot with some good efficiency. NOTE: I am note trying power down the gate, I am just taking practice swings if you will, getting it correctly, working on feel, making it automatic.

At the bottom of the first stroke, I simply continue to follow through, not fighting it too hard, just making sure my head is down, core is tight and I am extending nicely on the front leg.

Naturally, there is sometimes a slight shooting of the bike in front of you, this depends on power really, the more power you have sometimes it’s hard to stay over so you have to fight by getting back into the acceleration position for an effective second pedal. Note the upper body is in a nice angle, not too tall, not too flat, allowing me to get back into position to be effective for that second crank.

I wasn’t really trying but I did manage to find myself feeling really easily getting into the second crank position with consistence effectiveness. Again, I attribute this success by working on the first movement repetitions.