Be Open to New Ideas: Each trainer has a slightly different to entirely different idea of riding. There is no point being closed off and set in your ways if you are paying this trainer to help you. Trying their way might be the key or breakthrough in your riding, but you never know unless you put 100% effort into trying their ideas. It may sound odd to you at first and that is ok. Giving it a try is the most important thing. As long as you try to be open and do what the trainer says, you will grow as a rider.

Ask Questions: When riding with a coach, we have our idea of explaining concepts. If it doesn’t make sense, ask. Nothing is going to work if both rider and trainer don’t understand each other. Be honest and have a conversation. I guarantee we will be happy to walk you through and explain. If you are not feeling the movement or the change, tell them. If what they see versus what you feel is different, tell them. Being honest and asking questions will result in an educational ride for both rider and coach.

Be Respectful: Remember you are paying the coach for their opinion. Therefore listening to them even when it’s not your turn to do a course or a movement is very important. Talking to other riders while your coach is still teaching is disrespectful to the other riders and the coach. Try to listen intently even if the correction or discussion doesn’t involve you. You might learn something while listening. Also, watching and paying attention to the corrections and not making the same mistake is very respectful and shows the coach you are eager to learn.

Work Hard: Show up with 100% effort in every lesson. Do everything to the best of your ability. It is ok to make mistakes. Making mistakes lets you grow and learn. If you never go for it and make the mistake, how are you going to get better? Trust me, I am a massive perfectionist and for the longest time, I wouldn’t push for anything because I was so afraid to make a mistake. Now I am learning to risk it because you never know and in the end, you learn not to matter what. Mistakes only let you get better so work hard.

Pick and Choose: Everything a trainer says is not all gold. Some ideas may work for you, others may not. It is nothing against the trainer or you as a rider. So pick and choose. Pick the concepts that worked for you and throw out the ones that didn’t. 

By: Lexie Barrow