NEW MOUNTAIN BIKE CERTIFICATION OFFERS YEAR-ROUND POSSIBILITIES FOR INSTRUCTORS
By Mark Eller W
hen the lifts close and the winter season ends, many of you carefully pack their sliding equipment into garages and start
digging out their bikes. Snowsports and cycling have
a lot in common – both feature high-tech equipment, a highly athletic approach to outdoor recreation, and opportunities to master a complex set of physical and mental skills.
Q Level 2 offers a three-day course that certifies an individual to teach basic mountain bike skills. Skills covered include body position, braking, shifting, climbing, bike/body separation and more.
certifies an individual to guide rides and perform fundamental skills analysis with a high level of competence. Tis course focuses on group and risk management, including introduction-to- skills instruction.
IMBA members get in a training workout at the Valmont Bike Park in Boulder, Colorado.
Q Level 3 features a three-day course that certifies an individual to teach advanced mountain bike skills. Skills covered include wheel lifts, steep descents, bunny hops, drops, high speed cornering and more.
PSIA-AASI entered into an agreement with IMBA to promote year-round outdoor recreation through top-level instruction, information exchange and shared content. “Tis is great news for outdoor industry
Shaums March, founder of IMBA’s Instructor Certification Program
Recently, the International Mountain
Bicycling Association (IMBA) launched the Instructor Certification Program, recognizing multiple levels of competency in
teaching mountain bike technique,
from basic maneuvering to advanced skill sets. Te ICP offers ski and snowboard instructors the chance to expand their teaching opportunities into the summer months. Building upon a decades-old instruction curriculum, IMBA’s ICP courses are now offered all over the world, though primarily in the United States and Canada. Te
instructor levels are organized in three tiers: Q Level 1 features a two-day course that
80 | 32 DEGREES • FALL 2015
professionals – especially those who teach mountain biking as well as skiing and snowboarding,” said former PSIA-AASI Executive Director
and CEO Mark
Dorsey, who helped forge the relationship. “Our two associations share the same goals, many of the same members, and have a
singular focus on safely and effectively growing participation in mountain-based outdoor sports.” Since the Ski Area Recreational
Opportunity Enhancement Act was signed into law in 2011, allowing area operators to greatly expand their on-hill summer activities, mountain bike use on ski slopes has exploded, creating a wealth of new trails and new programs. Te result has been a steady increase in ski area visits in the summer and new employment opportunities for seasonal employees. “Te Ski Area Recreational Opportunity
Enhancement Act has been a real boon for mountain biking, providing access to more trails and state-of-the-art lift service at more and more areas,” said Rich Cook, director of development at IMBA. “By working with PSIA-AASI, we can continue to enhance how we train and certify mountain bike instructors, and look at new ways our associations can speak to outdoor recreationalists year- round.” For more information on
IMBA’s Instructor Certification Program, visit
imba.com/icp.
Like ski instructors, mountain bike instructors master all types of terrain.
Mark Eller is the communications director for the International Mountain
Bicycling Association. Email:
mark.eller@imba.com
COURTESY OF IMBA
COURTESY OF IMBA COURTESY OF IMBA
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