FrogSkunk
Member
Finally cleared a 55’ a few weeks ago… and now I’m trying to figure out what I actually did right 
I probably drank too much espresso this morning, and my ADHD is unmedicated… so bear with me
I started dirt jumping back in the 90’s, but it was short-lived thanks to injuries. I didn’t really start sending it again until about 18 months ago. For the first year, progression was slow… then I found a bike park with everything from tiny jump lines to massive ones.
I’ve also been lucky to ride with people way better than me. Combine that with a badass park and the right amount of confidence, and my progression really started to happen.
On my last trip, I finally unlocked the biggest jump line there—including a 55’ and a 12’ tall kicker at the end. Somehow it’s only a single black, so there’s still a ton left to work through. The other lines might not be bigger, but they’re more technical with less room for error.
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” – Jalen Hurts
Go Birds
Along the way, I’ve tried just about every technique—watched all the YouTube videos, asked questions, etc. Right now, what’s working best for me is coming in low and exploding up and off the lip as my rear tire passes…all while pressing through and trying to time it right.
Early on, I was just squaring up and relying on speed. Then I tried the “stand up to the jump” approach… which worked, but led to some awkward moments in the air.
Later I came across the idea of pushing through the lip—driving weight down through your legs and into the pedals, almost pushing back against the force of the jump while staying fairly rigid, then exploding upward.
That’s a lot to think about at 20+ mph
One of the biggest game changers for me was filming myself from the side. What felt right and what I was actually doing were completely different… and the video made that obvious real quick.
One thing I still hear a lot is “preloading” or compressing the suspension before the lip. I’ll do that on smaller jumps, but not much on bigger ones.
Is that something I should be focusing on more? Is that what people mean when they talk about “boosting” a jump?
For context, I’m about 215 lbs geared up, so I feel like I’m naturally loading the suspension already… but maybe that’s just me pushing through the pedals.
At this point, I’m honestly not thinking much when I hit a jump—just spotting the landing. If anything, I’ve been more focused on learning how to throw a proper whip lately.
Anyway… sorry for the long post
Nothing has me more fired up than big air right now, so I’d love to hear how others approach it.
Cheers
Oh, here is a link from the 12’er because why not
:
www.instagram.com
I probably drank too much espresso this morning, and my ADHD is unmedicated… so bear with me
I started dirt jumping back in the 90’s, but it was short-lived thanks to injuries. I didn’t really start sending it again until about 18 months ago. For the first year, progression was slow… then I found a bike park with everything from tiny jump lines to massive ones.
I’ve also been lucky to ride with people way better than me. Combine that with a badass park and the right amount of confidence, and my progression really started to happen.
On my last trip, I finally unlocked the biggest jump line there—including a 55’ and a 12’ tall kicker at the end. Somehow it’s only a single black, so there’s still a ton left to work through. The other lines might not be bigger, but they’re more technical with less room for error.
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” – Jalen Hurts
Go Birds
Along the way, I’ve tried just about every technique—watched all the YouTube videos, asked questions, etc. Right now, what’s working best for me is coming in low and exploding up and off the lip as my rear tire passes…all while pressing through and trying to time it right.
Early on, I was just squaring up and relying on speed. Then I tried the “stand up to the jump” approach… which worked, but led to some awkward moments in the air.
Later I came across the idea of pushing through the lip—driving weight down through your legs and into the pedals, almost pushing back against the force of the jump while staying fairly rigid, then exploding upward.
That’s a lot to think about at 20+ mph
One of the biggest game changers for me was filming myself from the side. What felt right and what I was actually doing were completely different… and the video made that obvious real quick.
One thing I still hear a lot is “preloading” or compressing the suspension before the lip. I’ll do that on smaller jumps, but not much on bigger ones.
Is that something I should be focusing on more? Is that what people mean when they talk about “boosting” a jump?
For context, I’m about 215 lbs geared up, so I feel like I’m naturally loading the suspension already… but maybe that’s just me pushing through the pedals.
At this point, I’m honestly not thinking much when I hit a jump—just spotting the landing. If anything, I’ve been more focused on learning how to throw a proper whip lately.
Anyway… sorry for the long post
Nothing has me more fired up than big air right now, so I’d love to hear how others approach it.
Cheers
Oh, here is a link from the 12’er because why not
:
Ryan Benner on Instagram: "Too. Much. Fun. Maxxis kicker on Lower Air Supply#emtb #mtb"
636 likes, 6 comments - frogskunk on March 7, 2026: "Too. Much. Fun. Maxxis kicker on Lower Air Supply#emtb #mtb".
www.instagram.com
Every time i video myself jumping I see that I am still not pushing through enough (standing up) even though it feels like I am!
