Junior Holiday MTB Coaching in Sheffield & Manchester
- Are you looking for MTB coaching for young riders from 7 years upwards?
- Do you want to help your child improve their riding skills whilst having a great time on the bike?
- Would your teenage mountain biker benefit from coaching in advanced jumping & descending skills?
My junior MTB skills courses help to improve jumping skills, descending skills for all disciplines. As well as the MTB fundamentals to ride confidently & safely.
MTB skills coaching is run from Grenoside Woods & Parkwood Springs, Sheffield, Whaley Bridge & Farmer Johns Bike Park, Marple. All sessions are coached by me, Michael Guilford and Martin Bernstein.
Junior Course Structure – from March 2026
Its important you book on a course at the correct level. The courses are seperated into three levels. This is to help group similar ability riders and to ensure skills can be taught in a progressive way.
Part of our responsibility as coaches is to manage the safety of sessions. Which means coaching techniques on features which are suitable for a riders ability. Risk of injury cannot be excluded, but it can be reduced by building up the prerequisite skills before progressing onto higher consequence feautes.
During the session I take a record of which riders have met the technical criteria to move onto the next course.
- Level 1 – This is for all riders who havent been on one of my courses before. These courses work on pumping & absorbing, weight shift, & fundamentals of cornering & braking. (Riders who’ve had coaching before maybe able to join Level 2 courses. Contact me first though).
- Level 2 – These courses work on red & black graded trails. Working through the fundamentals for riding flow trails as well as descending techniques. Jumping/technique technique, cornering, line choice & weight shift for rolls & drops.
- Level 3 – These courses progress the above techniques in more challenging & complex trails. Including steep & technical terrain, and skills for DH & Enduro racing.
The table below gives the dates for the various locations and age groups.
For Riders Who Joined Courses before March 2026
If you attended a course in 2025 but didnt join a Level 1 course, please contact me so I can advise on the suitable course to join. Even if you joined a Level 2 course.
Please see FAQs Below for common questions
Junior Courses in Sheffield
| Age | Location | Dates | |||
| Click Here | Level 1 | Fundamentals Session 1 | >7yrs | Parkwood Springs | 31 Jan, 20 Feb |
| Level 1 | Fundamentals Session 2 | >7yrs | Parkwood Springs | 28 Feb | |
| Click Here | Level 2 | Jumping & Flow | 11-16 | Grenoside Sheffield | 30 Mar |
| Click Here | Level 2 | Descending Skills | 11-16 | Grenoside Sheffield | 1 Apr |
| Click Here | Level 3 | Race Skills & Descending Series – Session #1 & #3 (see below for #2) | 11-18 | Grenoside Sheffield | 18 Feb |
| Click here | Level 2 | Power Hour Weekly Sessions | 11-18 | Grenoside Sheffield | Tuesdays PM from Mar 2026 |
Junior Courses near Manchester
| Age | Location | Dates | |||
| Click Here | Level 1 | Fundamentals Session 1 | 7-16 | Whaley Bridge | 7 Mar |
| Level 1 | Fundamentals Session 2 | 7-16 | Farmer Johns Stockport | 21 Mar | |
| Click Here | Level 2 | Jumping & Flow | 11-16 | Farmer Johns Stockport | 8 Apr |
| Click Here | Level 2 | Decending Skills | 11-16 | Farmer Johns Stockport | 10 Apr |
| Click Here | Level 3 | Race Skills & Descending Series – Session #2 | 11-18 | Farmer Johns Stockport |
I have been coaching junior mountain biking for over 12 years, as well as extensive experience working with school groups of all ages. I have delivered youth cycling sessions for British Cycling, Access Sport & local councils. I am a mountain biker & racer, having raced MTB XC, Downhill & Enduro for many years.
FAQs
Do they need to come on a Level 1 course at Whaley Bridge or Parkwood Springs? – My child is a confident rider who rides local trails in the woods/park .
Yes they do. This is a very common phrase I hear from parents. Rider’s actual ability can range from: just about able to stand up on the pedals but wobbly, to reasonably competent at the basics. This range of ability means I need to coach riders the basics on easy trails. This helps to ensure riders have a strong foundation in ALL key techniques.
The trails we ride on Level 2 are much more technical than your average graded trails, found at public parks/woodlands. Riders also need to be taught key safety elements, bike park features & etiquette, correct equipment and bike check.
Riders who’ve ridden Farmer Johns, Havoc, Bike Park Wales, Danny Harts or other uplifted bike parks can attend the Level 1 course at Farmer Johns (rather than Whaley Bridge).
My child has had MTB coaching before — can they skip Level 1?
Possibly. Riders who have had previous MTB coaching may be suitable for Level 2, but this needs to be agreed in advance. Please contact me before booking so I can advise properly.
What equipment do I need?
Apart from Level 1 courses at Whaley Bridge and Parkwood Springs. Riders need to have their own mountain bike, helmet & kneed pads
-Farmer Johns require a good quality full face helmet & knee pads. Removeable chin guards or Temu/Aliexpress/unbranded helmets are not allowed.
-hardtail bikes are fine. But they must have two working brakes and tyres with MTB tread. (no street or slick tyres)
-Bikes must be in good working order. Please make sure they are checked well in advance of the session
What equipment do I need?
Apart from Level 1 courses at Whaley Bridge and Parkwood Springs. Riders need to have their own mountain bike, helmet & kneed pads
-Farmer Johns require a good quality full face helmet & knee pads. Removeable chin guards or Temu/Aliexpress/unbranded helmets are not allowed.
-hardtail bikes are fine. But they must have two working brakes and tyres with MTB tread. (no street or slick tyres)
-Bikes must be in good working order. Please make sure they are checked well in advance of the session
Do riders need previous mountain biking experience?
No — riders should already be able to ride a bike confidently off-road and have basic control of braking and steering, but they don’t need to have ridden mountain bike trails. Riders will need to be able to stand up pedals level before doing anything else (while freewheeling). So its worth practicing this before attending.
How many riders are in each group?
Coach to rider ratios are maximum 1:8 for Level 2/3 and 1:10 for Level 1. Courses are normally fully booked up.
How do I know which course level to book on next?
During each session, I assess riders and keep a record of what ability level everyone is riding at, and which courses are suitable. Please contact me before booking and I’ll help you choose the right course.
Does a parent need to attend?
No. Not normally. The sessions are fully supervised by coaches. However, for younger children or children who might struggle learning in this setting, it can be helpful to stay as support if needed. If your child has specific learning needs it can also help to explain these to me during the session.
You are also welcome to stay and ride around. An extra pair of wheels is often helpful when we lead groups on trails.
Please follow sideline etiquette and avoid coaching your child. One instructional voice is already a lot for most people to take in. But feel free to ask questions about the session.
Do I give out certificates?
No. I hope that the encouraging coaching and fun new MTB experiences, is the thing that riders will take away from the day. There is no formal assesment. The courses are not designed to be one-off tick box exercises. The purpose of the Levels is to ensure everyone can receive coaching thats helpful, and ride on trails that are suitably challenging. It is not meant to be a target for riders to acheive.
If we’ve already done a course will it be waste coming back on the same course?
No. Courses are not designed to be one-off tick-box exercises and dont have a strict syllabus. Just by doing the course it doesnt mean they will be able to do everything covered. Hopefully they will go away and practice. If they come back on the same course, we will progress and improve on what they can already do. Many of the riders who come on the Level 3 courses I’ve been coaching for several years.
Who delivers the coaching?
All sessions are coached by Michael Guilford, with support from Martin Bernstein on selected courses. Coaching is structured, supportive, and tailored to junior riders.
My child wants to learn to jump do you coach this?
This is one of the most common goals of riders taking part in sessions. Jumping is taught on Level 2 Jumping & Flow course. It requires being able to pump/absorb fast and precisely. Which is one reason why riders need to come on Level 1 course.
Accidents on jumps is common and can destroy confidence. But crashes on jumps are vastly reduced with good technique and progressing on features of the right size/complexity.
My child has done a lot of DH or enduro (i.e. 10+ races) which course should they come on?
Please get in touch. The level 3 courses will probably be suitable. But they will need to understand the technical/coaching language to be able to progress. If they are over 16 they can also join my courses for adults.