The Mountain Biking ‘Attack’ Position

Weight driving into the pedals (Isometric contraction,

Plantar flexion of the foot)

Head up, and eyes forward (Flexion at the neck)

Hips back

Knees bent (Isometric contraction

Flexion at the hip

Flexion at knee)

Elbows out (Isometric contraction,

Flexion at the elbow

Abduction at the shoulders and

elbows)

The photo above shows the attack

position, and the key principles that

can help make your ride faster and

more comfortable.

Things to avoid:

- Riding too high

- Too stiff or tensed up

- Too far forward or back

- Bottom too close to the seat

Head up and eyes forward:

Keep your eyes on the prize, your bike will

automatically follow your line-of-sight, so looking at

the tree will inadvertently drive you towards it, so

make sure you look where you want to go, not

worrying about where you don’t want to go (Mountain

Bike Guru, 2011).

Hips back: Pushing your hips back will bring your shoulders

forward, balancing each other out, it will also allow you

to ride with more power and stability.

Elbows out:

Riding with your elbows out increases your range of

motion, making it easier to push, pull and lean as needed

along the trail (MTB Techniques,2009; Lopes and McCormack,

2010).

Knees bent:

Bending your knees allows your body to work as a

spring, going over lumps and bumps on the trail will be

much more comfortable. It also lowers your centre of

gravity, the lower the better (Speciality Outdoors, 2006).

Weight driving into the pedals:

Your feet should be heavy on the pedals, and allowing

your hands to be lightly resting on your handle bars

(Lopes and McCormack, 2010). With all your weight being

supported on the pedals you will use the handlebars for

stability and to help you stay balanced (MTB Technique,

2009).

A good attack position acts as the

start and finish position for every

mountain biking skill (7stanes, 2012).

A good attack position forms the foundation for

mountain biking; whether you are a novice or a pro the

attack position should be mastered. (Lopes and McCormack, 2010).

A good attack position helps you make every

move with more power, and can make the ride

more comfortable (Lopes and McCormack, 2010).

Skill Progression

- On a flat surface practice rolling

along in the attack position,

swapping the lead foot around.

The ability to ride with either

foot forward will come in handy

for more advanced techniques.

- Practice lowering your body,

making sure you stay centred

over the bike. Ensure your

weight is on the pedals at all

times, and not on the

handlebars.

- Have your ride partner check

your positioning and give

feedback.

- Once you feel confident on a flat

surface try it out on some basic

trail features.

Cooper, 2012

Reference List

Forth, C. (2011) The Mountain Bike Skills Manual: Fitness and Skills for Every Rider. London:A&C Black Publishers Ltd.

Lopes, B. and McCormack, L. (2010) Mastering Mountain Bike Skills. Dawsonera [Online]. Available at: http://www.dawsonera.com/depp/reader/protected/external/AbstractView/S9781450404433 (Accessed: 31 March 2013).

Mills, S. and Mills, H. (2003) Mountain Biking: The Essential Guide to Equipment and Techniques.

Mountain Bike Guru (2011) The Attack Position. Available at: http://www.mountainbikeguru.co.za/blog/the-attack-position/ (Accessed: 6 April 2013).

MTB Techniques (2009) Fundamentals: The Attack Position. Available at: http://www.mtbtechniques.co.uk/FundamentalsAttack.html (Accessed: 6 April 2013).

Nealy, W. (2007) Mountain Bike! A Manual of Beginning to Advanced Technique. 13th edn. USA: Menasha Ridge Press.

Speciality Outdoors (2006) Mountain Bike Tips, Opinions and Comments. Available at: http://www.specialityoutdoors.com/penny/biking/ridetips.asp (Accessed: 6 April 2013).

7stanes (2012) Core Techniques. Available at: http://www.7stanesmountainbiking.com/Beginners-Guide/Skills-And-Tips (Accessed: 6 April 2013).

Background Image:

Centre Image: Cooper, B. (2012)