Riding a mountain bike can be seen as complex (some coaches make it that way), but at the core it's very simple.

The same goes for teaching. It can be very complex, but at the core it's very simple.

As riders

We need a simple approach that eliminates the need to make decisions on the fly, that works in all situations we care about, that uses universal movements, and that scales as we improve. It's way better to execute a simple corner well, let's say, then barely survive your way down some extreme gnar.

As teachers and coaches

We need to deeply understand riding. The simpler and more elegant the model, the better our chances. Our ability to teach isn't determined by our ability to shred some crazy gnar; it's determined by our mental and physical understanding of the core dynamics, and the ability to convey them simply in just the perfect way. Thing of great coaching as railing that one perfect turn, rather than death-gripping down a black diamond DH.

Grand Unified Theory of Shred aka GUTS

For riding here it is in a nutshell:

Don't hurt yourself. The most common causes of major MTB injuries are 1) going over the bars and 2) washing out in turns. They are both caused by being too far forward or too far back on the bike. Too far back is both instinctual and the worst thing you can do. Like bad skiing.

Have fun. Ride with curiosity, appreciation and intention. If you're afraid or nervous or don't know how to do a thing, don't do it. If you want to do a thing, and you believe it'll make you happy, do it. Simple.

Heavy feet, light hands. The safest place to be on a bike is the middle. When your weight (more precisely the sum of all forces like gravity, cornering, braking, smashing rocks etc.) is in your feet it distributes to both wheels with a rearward bias. Just like the footpegs on a motorcycle, the bottom bracket forms the pivot point of the bike.

Make angles. In order to corner, ride down a ledge, ride up a ledge or do anything fun, you need to balance on your feet and create angles using the handlebars. Lean left to go left, push forward to go down a rock, pull back to go up a log. The more range you have and the faster you can use it, the bigger and faster you can ride.

Manage height and pressure. Imagine a mogul skier. Use your legs to absorb the height of bumps, and to generate traction for cornering and braking. The more range you have and the more power you have, the faster and smoother you can ride.

Pump everything. Once you get the hang of using your hands to manage angles and your feet to manage height and pressure, those movements combine into an elliptical cycle of row and anti-row, aka pump. At this point you see all terrain as waves, and you match them. Watch the best mountain bikers, and this riding style is apparent.

To sum it up: Balance on your feet. Pump everything. Have fun.

GUTS for Coaches

GUTS gives you a simple model to teach from. As you develop your coaching skills and confidence, I encourage you to do everything your intuition calls you to do — but it all should be based on this foundation:

Is the rider balanced mechanically? This is simple. Is the rider balanced on their feet? (Light hands = yes.) Is the rider capable of making the required angles and handling the impending bumps at their current speed? Understand the capacity of each rider and keep them in the safe zone. If the rider can't stay balanced on a section, do not let them ride the section. Simple.

Is the rider balanced mentally? Mental disorders are beyond our scope. Is the rider relaxed? Does the rider seem confident? Create situations that make riders feel great. When they show signs of stress — tension in arms, tightness in lips, firmness in jaw, staring at the threat, talking about getting hurt — stop the riders. Do what you can to help them get to a green light. If the mood is still yellow, round that down to a red and don't let them ride the section.

By teaching simple skills that adapt and grow with the riders, you can help them learn safely and without undo stress. By coaching with an eye on the absolute basics — is this person physically safe and in a good mood? — you can get tons of reps and become a highly skilled coach. All the fancy stuff — jumping doubles into corners, teaching clients with trail trauma — comes as your skills improve.