Category: <span>Learning to instruct</span>

Mountain biking instructor certifications: IMBA ICP Level 2 vs PMBI Level 1
Published July 1, 2016 by

Mountain biking instructor certifications: IMBA ICP Level 2 vs PMBI Level 1

Update March 7, 2018:

IMBA’s Instructor Certification Program (ICP) has transitioned to the Bike Instructor Certification Program (BICP) and is no longer part of IMBA. It’s still led by Shaums March, but under a new non-profit organization. They’ve also reconfigured their courses/certifications with new pricing to: Ride Leader, Level 1, Level 2, Level 1-2 Combo, Level 3. And they’ve added recertification, prep, and refresher courses, too.  Their new logo:

I’ve not updated the links or information in the blog post below.

—–

This spring  (2016) I’ve gotten certified as both an IMBA ICP Level 2 and PMBI Level 1 mountain bike instructor (blog posts with photos here and here).  The competing certifications are similar in that they’re designed to equip one with the ability to instruct beginner and intermediate-level riders in basic skills. (IMBA’s ICP Level 1 is a Ride Guide course; PMBI’s Ride Guide course doesn’t use a Level number.)

PMBI Level 1 IMBA ICP Level 2

I wasn’t planning to take either one this spring as IMBA wasn’t offering a Level 2 course locally and PMBI’s Level 1 course at Spirit Mountain in Duluth sold out quickly.   But I got lucky.

Jeff Milbauer, owner of nearby Valley Bike & Ski,  had contracted privately with IMBA to offer the course to some of his staff/instructors. When one had to drop out, he contacted me and I took the spot.  And then PMBI added a second course/instructor to their Spirit Mountain Level 1 weekend and I snapped up one of those openings.

My rationale for taking PMBI Level 1 having just completed IMBA ICP Level 2 two weeks prior?

  • Proximity: Duluth is only 3 hours away and I wasn’t confident that PMBI would offer the course nearby again anytime soon
  • Terrain: the IMBA Level 2 course was held at nearby Buck Hill in Burnsville, MN and neither its new mountain biking runs nor its new skills park was open yet. Spirit Mountain is a mountain bike mecca with lift access
  • Weather: it poured nearly the entire weekend for the IMBA course. I was hoping I’d get lucky for the PMBI course in Duluth
  • Collegiality: I wanted to be able to team up with fellow instructors. With everyone passing, there were 8 IMBA Level 2 instructors in the state of Minnesota.  The two courses at Spirit Mountain would mean there could be up to 14 additional PMBI instructors in the region
  • Curiosity: I’m a blogger and I was naturally curious to know first-hand what the differences were between the two competing certifications
  • Future professional development: I figured that having a foundation with both certifications would give me better options for pursuing their more advanced certification levels
  • Marketing advantage: I’d likely be the only mtb instructor in the Upper Midwest region with both certifications.
Read MoreMountain biking instructor certifications: IMBA ICP Level 2 vs PMBI Level 1

Learning to instruct Organizations

IMBA Instructor Certification Program (ICP) mountain bike coaching mountain bike instructor mountain bike instructor certifications Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBI)

Adding some instruction to a weekly youth group mtb ride
Published June 17, 2016 by

Adding some instruction to a weekly youth group mtb ride

I’m co-leading CROCT’s Monday night youth group ride again this summer.  And now that I’ve got my MTB instructor certifications (IMBA ICP Level 2 and PMBI Level 1), I’m planning to add a little group instruction each week at the start of the ride.

At our first session, we did a quick braking assessment and I was surprised to see how much trouble the kids (approximate ages 6-13) had trying to come to a stop between a set of cones on a gentle slope.

For an assessment of their ability to select a gear for climbing, we had them pick their own ‘Goldilocks’ route up a grassy slope — not too easy, not too hard.  Unsurprisingly, many of the kids were clueless about how to shift to an easier gear to get up the slope.

So in the coming weeks, we’ll add some instruction, drills and games that incorporate braking and gear choice.  Some photos from week 1:

Learning to instruct Photo album

CROCT IMBA Instructor Certification Program (ICP) Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBI)

I’m now a PMBI Level 1 MTB instructor
Published June 15, 2016 by

I’m now a PMBI Level 1 MTB instructor

Learning to instruct Learning to ride

Acacia Wytaske Anne Ellefson Byron Adams Emily Oppliger Erik Blow Johanna Hislop Jon Regenold LynnMarie Beagley Peterson Mandy Kramer mountain bike coaching mountain bike instructor Pam Schmitt Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBI) Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA) Sara Russell Morse Tara Reddinger-Adams Teri Holst

I’m now an IMBA ICP Level 2 MTB instructor
Published June 1, 2016 by

I’m now an IMBA ICP Level 2 MTB instructor

Learning to instruct Learning to ride

Amanda Dekan IMBA Instructor Certification Program (ICP) Jeff Milbauer Mike Holme Nicole Butler Samantha Butler Ted Siefkes

IMBA’s Level 1 Instructor Certification Program: intense, fun, valuable
Published May 28, 2014 by

IMBA’s Level 1 Instructor Certification Program: intense, fun, valuable

If I could only use one word to describe my experience as a student in IMBA’s Level 1  Instructor Certification Program (ICP) course over the weekend, it would be ‘intense.’

The feeling of intensity began building several days prior when a packet arrived in the mail with the 80-page Level 1 Ride Guide. It included the instructions:

ICP Level 1 course materialsEnclosed is your ICP course manual along with a pre-test for your upcoming certification event. Please complete this open book test and bring the completed pages with you to the course along with your manual.

Pre-test? I was a little bit annoyed. WTF is this, high school? But as I did my homework, I noticed a degree of seriousness kick in as I realized that I wanted to not only perform well and get whatever passing grade was needed but that I really wanted to learn this stuff.  Time to put on your big boy pants, I told myself.

Jake Carsten and Kat Sweet at Valley Bike and Ski Lebanon Hills MTB park, west trail head Mike Holme, Kat Sweet, Jake Carsten

Read MoreIMBA’s Level 1 Instructor Certification Program: intense, fun, valuable

Learning to instruct

Amanda Dekan Amie Topp Danielle Pellicano Fred Johnson Heather George IMBA IMBA Instructor Certification Program (ICP) Jake Carsten Jeff Milbauer Kat Sweet Martha Flynn Mike Holme Nathan Plescher Ron Berry Ted Siefkes

Photo album: IMBA’s Level 1 Instructor Certification Program at Lebanon Hills
Published May 26, 2014 by

Photo album: IMBA’s Level 1 Instructor Certification Program at Lebanon Hills

IMBA has an Instructor Certification Program (ICP) and I took the Level 1 course over the Memorial Day weekend at Lebanon Hills. The instructors (L to R in the photo above): Mike Holme, Magpie Cycling Adventures; Kat Sweet, Sweetlines; Jake Carsten, Dirt Dojo.

I’ll blog about the course later (I passed – whew!) but in the meantime, see the large slideshow of 57 photos (recommended) or SLOW CLICK this small slideshow. My fellow students included Amie Topp, Fred Johnson, Jeff Milbauer, Martha Flynn, Ted Siefkes, Ron Berry, Heather George, Amanda Dekan, Nathan Plescher, and Danielle Pellicano.

Learning to instruct Learning to ride Photo album

IMBA IMBA Instructor Certification Program (ICP) Jake Carsten Kat Sweet Lebanon Hills Mike Holme