USE YOUR FEET! | Beginner Braking Tips

A video on how to best use your feet to increase braking performance and safety on the trail. This might feel a little strange at first but be patient. Remember, the steeper the trail and harder you brake, the more dropping your heels will help. If you are not braking very hard or on a flat trail, you do not need to drop your heels as far. Hope this helps!
Extra note: the weight shift back on the dirt road sections of this video is more extreme than it should be on the actual trail. Usually, maintaining a more centered body position on the bike when braking is best. Will cover this in depth in a future video. 👊🏼
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Instagram: @AaronGwin1
Twitter: @AaronGwin1
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[@ninovignes_]

Do a «how to win a world cup» lol

[@hemtbexperience]

Or How to win a world cup with no chain!!

[@rebeccaburch3334]

@@hemtbexperience that was so epic 💣

[@hemtbexperience]

@@rebeccaburch3334 yes yes so epic!💯

[@ninovignes_]

@@hemtbexperience hahaha, yea

[@alessandrovinci8724]

Putting all of this together and repeat for years with crazy consistency

[@mtbohana]

Use your feet. Got it. This will be so much better than going over the bars and using my face to slow down. TMB trail is so fun.

[@yaakov_meir]

"The worst thing you can do is drop one foot down". I never heard that before among all the videos on braking. He is so right. Not only beginners, we all get to a terrain that challenges us with its steepness, and lack of grip and we panic. "Don't put that foot down", The Man says. Glorious.

[@StaggerLee68]

I've noticed a common denominator in all sports. Feet, Feet and more Feet. Cycling, climbing, skiing, surfing, kayaking, etc. Breathe, and use yer frikin' feet. Thank you for putting this together, well played.

[@flyingnorseman]

Ive been riding for 24 years. Read Ned Overend's book back in the day. It helped but videos like this really can make a difference. Its an insanely complicated sport, considering everything from geometry, set up and technique. I am still learning even after all this time.

[@cobbiepalm6790]

What impresses me is that not many super athletes can teach but you are awesome teacher!

[@snat6299]

Pedal strike on a rough section of a rock garden at high speed put me in the hospital and out of service for 5 months. Great info even for experienced riders to remember level pedal especially with low bb heights on today modern bikes

[@dennisvizitiu4020]

Love that you started a youtube channel! Keep up the great work! Can you make some videos for more advanced riders too?

[@trevorhernandez9381]

Bumped into you while you were filming this, been wondering when it was gonna drop! Great video as always man can’t thank you enough for the content

[@johnkenney7171]

ahh gwinny...one of the true daddys of the sport, when he talks, you listen hopefully he stays injury free this season, and gives those frenchies something to think about!

[@enzomenegaldo2307]

One of the most helpful MTB riding videos I've ever watched !! I ride an e-bike, so braking technique is so important, especially on steep downhill sections !! Thanks for the tips.

[@C2Architect]

Nice tips. These things seem natural after you have been riding for a while. Great reminder.

[@01FozzyS]

Awesome content as always,Aaron!

[@tj86xj]

Thank you for doing these videos!

[@wslee2482]

It's very interesting to watch how a world cup level racer (and even an overall champion for a few years) teaching these basic yet fundamental skills by himself. Nice!

[@rustilldown7]

nice!! he eventually won a world champs? Last I kept up with DH WC he still hadn't done it. What year?

[@wslee2482]

@@rustilldown7 oops I meant the overall world cup title haha

[@paranoidandroid4270]

Thank you for the content! 👍🏻

[@francisdee9955]

liking the vids🤟🏻 cheers man!

[@krisbowers9647]

Such a good reminder and a technique that is so valuable. I catch myself often not dropping my heels.

[@mrjasongagnon]

Thanks for taking the time to explain!

[@roberthall106]

Great tips Aaron, thanks for sharing 👌

[@robsprimallife]

Great Video, always good to go back to the basics. Great to see the local trails too. 👍

[@Pozitivi]

Great tips Aaron 🏆 It can help to so many riders! Well done mate 🤘🏁

[@mauroarriagada]

Pure gold here. Thank you Aaron!

[@calypso2niner]

Thanks, AG! I really like this series of tips and techniques!

[@PJJ205mtb]

Man, I love these tip videos... Thanks for the in-depth information/explanations.

[@DanniJean25]

What a great pro share!

[@shepardng]

Great tips amigo!

[@EskimoMTB]

Thanks for another lesson! Good tips and reminders even for seasoned riders! 👍

[@RickyDownhillRDH]

I'm always yelling at people when I'm on the chair lift "Get those pedals level!!" 😂 That rig has been "TBR" for a long time now. :(

[@raheemgahelable]

Hell yeah 🤘, brother, gold as always, thanks, Aaron! I learned a lot from this video.

[@RyanCranage]

Thoroughly enjoying these man, the way you explain the benefits of why you do certain things, is really helpful. Keep shredding! 🤘🏼

[@speedpilot]

I love it. I was looking forward on a braking technic video :D

[@davidscullion2379]

Great video Aaron👍

[@daddudesdostuff]

Motocross to MTB Aaron you are 100%.. I spend so much time teaching my buds to properly brake and corner.. save soo many crashes. Great video!

[@savageferria505]

Really beneficial! All your videos have been great keys to good technique!

[@Mtnhallett]

Good points to keep in mind. Thanks

[@MTBs]

Great pointers from a great rider. Thx!

[@BikeLifewithRob]

Good tips man!

[@alexkuiper1096]

Fantastic. Incredible to have - quite literally - tips from the top like this. It's also fascinating to see how well the rear wheel tracks the ground under braking. Many thanks!

[@edgarm2036]

great video Aaron and insane prototype bike

[@jonmh1390]

Learning from a LEGEND! Thanks a lot MASTER!!!

[@GameplayerSolCley]

Very good video, thank you.

[@desmondgarcia8630]

Awesome tips Aaron I'm gonna try it next time I ride!!

[@fullsusloditv5495]

1 of the best advice for beginner mtb riders 👍🚴

[@mojoltov]

It's amazing to finally see KZbin videos of you! The videos are great and super helpful. I just have a tiny feedback. The fonts during the video could have been just a bit smaller. Can't wait for more videos. Kindly add more tips and how to train. Thanks!

[@ianfleischhacker6154]

"...and you're gonna be in all kinds of trouble" gave me a good chuckle.

[@JordiMoll]

Is very interesting to see that sometimes we have to go back to refine the techniques.

[@all-starproductions]

Excellent!

[@perplex3296]

Great Video Thankyou Aaron! A cornering Video would be great

[@Pitstopcomponents]

I'd love to see some tips about jumps, like not straight ones, like jumping out of a berm, jumping into technical stuff etc. like special cases that need some special techniques to get them smooth and fast.

[@hanselsanjuan8003]

Thank you for the Tips Aaron. It validates the technique a lot coming from the GOAT…

[@erwinalbsone859]

thanks champ 🏆

[@davidmain8696]

I may be be the only person here who expected to see Aaron digging his inside heel into the dirt and skidding it.

[@DiamondEyeMcGee]

I seent the title and pitcherd fred flistone. This guys ekslplanashun makes moar sense. He shud do some racing hed be prolly aright at it.

[@Goggleberry123]

cant agree more I was doing the usual one more run at bike park wales years ago red run nothing special flat trail coming up to a berm 20mph dropped my right peddle I was tired next I was talking to my mate at the side of the trail saying what happened there peddle had hit a small rock I didn't see catapulted over the bars into the berm concussion hole in my shin to the bone fractured wrist . Good times😀 I always rode level pedals watch out when your tired great vid's

[@petedog9581]

I have been riding clipless pedals for 25 years and still do on burly terrain, but I bought some enduro flat pedals to kick around my local runs and the bike park. My technique. is so much better. One thing I have improved is dropping my heels in many riding situations. I relied too much on the connection with the cleat before, and not proper technique to keep my feet positioned. Now, I feel like a monster when I put on the clipless pedals.

[@idhvew8]

Another great lesson. When do we get details of the new Tracer? I need to update mine !!!

[@rezenclowd3]

I am loving the last 2 tutorials. Sure, there are plenty out there, but us noobs need help! I feel Gwin to be a very approachable youtube watch. A friend of mine used to race with you over a decade ago or more, I ride with him sometimes, but some people just aren't good teachers even when you can ride with them. On top of that, my buddy being so fast, it hurts even more when we don't session things, I feel blind every time, wondering why I keep injuring myself. Good luck in whatever adventures you have Sir Gwin! Anyway for me as a slow 2nd year biker of any sort, I tend to brake at anything faster than a jog unless straight and smooth...any corners I brake, so always dropping those heals right now....

[@blackrammtb]

When beginners learn braking: Level pedals. Check. Key. Ankles down. Check. Awesome. Weight back. Argh! Don't agree Aaron. That's generally not safer. You look imbalanced at the moment you let the brakes off again in your demos, and you have to get yourself back to a balanced position. That's not good if a beginner has just tried to brake for something they're scared of and need to now ride through. It's better they're always in a balanced position, and ready to tackle that part of the trail they've slowed down for (or anything else at any time!). So, consider dropping your ankles as one part of "bracing" against the slowing down bike, so your body doesn't rotate forward (and you can still use the "suspension" through your ankles). Overall this brace is: - level pedals, - drop your body (hinge at the hips, bend your knees and elbows, moving your chin down closer to the stem), - roll your wrists down on the grips. Now both your hands and feet are able to push against the bike, and the mass of your body isn't so hard to prevent rolling over the front. This way, as soon as you're off the brakes you're quickly ready for anything. Sure, this may not apply to your example of riding a steep and rough chute with a drop in the middle and then a mandatory hard braking zone before another drop straight into a corner...but that's not a beginner section. By the time someone rides this they should be advanced enough that they can almost instantly get themselves into a balanced position whenever needed. Hope that helps someone. Cheers.

[@GwinnerTube]

Agreed on most of what you said. I exaggerate everything on purpose a bit in this vid to make it easier to see. There’s always lots of nuance and this is focused specifically on the feet position. Will cover body positioning in a future vid. 👊🏼

[@blackrammtb]

@@GwinnerTube You're totally the right person to keep going on these nuances of body position, rather than the standard things that are covered everywhere. Overall a great topic, presented well; just had to comment because of the confusion about whether you're talking about/demoing for beginners on beginner trails or advanced riders on advanced trails. Ankle position is a great technique for both to think about, but not at the expense of the base skills and stability. That's why we consider it part of the "brace" that usually allows you to keep your body in the position you want to be in before and immediately after you're applying the brakes (until you're braking really hard before a feature; where you must have the skill to quickly shift your weight back to centred as mentioned earlier). Looking forward to some more of these vids!

[@JasonJunior357]

Ok, please, when is the New Tracer coming out? It's seriously the only reason im holding back on ordering a bike from Germany.

[@iffy_too4289]

Im so glad I subbed to yur channel. If only the big channels (Im looking at you GMBN - I'll give PinkBike a break only because of Ben Cathro), put so much effort into concise well explained "how to" vids.

[@chunkyantmtb]

Hey! Thanks for posting this! Would it be possible to do a video on how to handle steep switchbacks! Always seem to mess them up! 👍

[@glenncarruthers3515]

Aaron, quite enjoying your channel. I realize it’s not a basic skill, but how about those drainage/erosion troughs in the middle of the trail? One of my worst crashes was in Breckenridge about 20 year’s ago where my front tire caught at high speed.

[@Tequila628]

Mate, I'm so tired waiting for Tracer Mullet release. Hopefully it will happen soon and you immediately drop a review!

[@kieftoker]

Thanks for the lesson Chief!

[@chriskoutroulis4531]

Υou deserve more subscribers!

[@paucostagraell3449]

I'd like to see actually pro tips from Aaron! Race praep, course check,... he is a monster on the DH Circuit and he can teach a lot through this chanel.

[@adonikam1]

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT VIDEO!!

[@95greenlude]

Looking forward to future videos. Quick question. I have the TRP DHR brakes and I’ve had a re-occurring squishy back brake. Bled to the moon and back. Any tips on getting a 100% bleed?

[@jleask2]

Great video. I noticed this summer that I struggle to dip the heel of my back (right) foot on technical descents and it ends up slowly inching forward and sometimes slipping off. I eventually figured it's due to multiple ankle injuries over the years which have reduced the overall mobility of the joint. It's been an issue in other sports and I've never been able to restore the mobility. I'm not sure how exactly to overcome it, but it did make me consider moving to clips despite me being a staunch flat pedal rider for years. Is it worth biting the bullet and getting clipped petals??

[@turn1210]

I was expecting to see you demonstrate skids with your foot on the rear tyre

[@mtbmike6414]

As the trail gets steeper do you use your rear brakes more or your front brakes or 50-50 ? Thanks great video

[@rider65]

@@alexanderosherow2064 🙄

[@tracietooker4900]

This was helpful, but I was waiting for some mention of front brake, back brake, or both brakes (when where). What is the primary brake and why. Especially around 13:00 in the steep and rocky.

[@robertocalvo934]

Some comments on when to use front and rear would have been great

[@eph8334]

I rode flat pedals for years but when i went onto clips and back to flats i noticed that with the clips on those not so steep trails where you would put the power down at the start of the section if the trail was woodland it would be lumpy from roots etc and your feet get bounced about, obviously you cant have heels down while pedalling. So for me i couldnt get the clips back on quick enough. Man those flat pedals are scary! 😂

[@scheibelhut38]

This is my biggest issue. Every time I try flats it’s what makes me go back to clips. I wonder if any flat pedal vets have some tips or insight for those sections of trail

[@eph8334]

@@scheibelhut38 i know theres plenty bikers faster than me on flats but then my current bike is too small for me, or maybe im braking more at corners.

[@davidmain8696]

I'm having the same problem and my feet chatter off the front or I would lose the pedals. I was still using shoes that weren't good. That was a disaster and the pins on my new flat pedals sliced me open. I'm lowering the pins; have new flat shoes; and am going to work on getting my heels down as soon as I get my stitches out. I definitely feel going back to flats have shown me some serious problems with my form that clipping in covered up.

[@gatoryak7332]

When on flats, get your feet into a better position than is possible with clips. That is, move your feet forward on the pedals so that the spindles are close to being under the arches of your feet. Your feet should be supported by the pedals both foreward and aftward of the spindle. If you insist on powering through the balls of your feet with your heels floating around in mid-air, then your feet will always get bounced around on flats.

[@BethWilliams-uu7up]

Broke my ankle once when my heels got kicked off the pedals while breaking. Learned my lesson and THE hard way. Right after I was cleared, just for fun, I started carefully riding Mammoth (Follow Me) in a stiff boot with near zero pedal grip... (disclaimer... NOT recommended). Started very slow at first but because I finally realized the value of heel position, my entire riding style and body position changed for the better. It just proves his point cause I was able to stay on the bike at a decent speed. Still ride flats... This technique makes all the difference.

[@hudsonsloan13]

Hey any tips on first starting black trails

[@MsCoookiieMonster]

Question: in the part 13:13 - 13:23 where you’re riding the steep rocky section, just before the berm, your heels seem to be levelled (or just slightly dropped) and somewhat match the angle of the terrain. Is it because it’s a place where you don’t break that you didn’t apply the rule steep->heels dropped?

[@wslee2482]

So we dive the heels more when it's steeper. Assuming it's the same steepness, do we dive our heels more or less on a terrain that's more gnarly and rocky?

[@0RANGOTANG]

So for someone who's just getting into MTB you recommend starting with flat pedals and then transitioning to clipless?

[@GwinnerTube]

Yes that’s the best route for developing good technique in my opinion.

[@0RANGOTANG]

@@GwinnerTube Wow thanks for replying to my comment man! Super awesome of you to do so with your busy schedule thank you so much.

[@JOEmama-vk8fb]

Whoa when’s that bike going to be release?

[@testtesttesttesttest884]

DO A BARREL ROLL!

[@vacdx4704]

Maybe a standing spring as braking?

[@WanderingSword]

is most (90%) of the braking done with the rear brake here?

[@klstrucker930419]

What's your height and your frame size?

[@amargnwalkr]

So... a little off topic but... who's replacing Neko? I'm sure whoever it is will make a great contribution to the team. As long as it's Dakotah.

[@bullsicory]

👍

[@ninoroldan2448]

what kneepads are those?

[@iammarccc]

what shoes are those?

[@MrSupermugen]

how about we talk about that bike

[@jamesturner9858]

Do you lock out your arms as you dropping your heels?

[@GwinnerTube]

I wouldn’t recommend locking out your arms or leaning back too far. I exaggerated that a bit in this video to show the ankle drop but body positioning while braking should be mostly centered on the bike with elbows bent etc. I’ll clarify/cover this in detail in a future video. 👊🏼

[@wumbobo]

SCRUB TUTORIAL EVENTUALLY?

[@markokostic1615]

So listen, I've read the title of this video and I was like: noup ima use my brakes... came here to leave the comment and thumbs up... didn't watch the video😱

[@HRS8509]

13:50 you won't clear it if you use more then 3 inches of your suspension including the tires

[@GameplayerSolCley]

14:23 thanks.

[@jocelynsavard1780]

Great info, thank you for sharing, but maybe being more concise would make it even better?

[@colinsutton7944]

I've heard that you should actively drop your heels the entire time you ride. Is that advice wrong? What do you think?

[@tomihenrik4387]

we need a basically counter on the screen

[@lindsaymcpherson4744]

Do "how to have some talent" ,I'm seriously lacking

[@Zack-]

that mic tho