MTB skills: Tips and flow state secrets from expert coach Josh Whitmore

About this episode

Expert coach Josh Whitmore shares insights on improving mountain biking skills and achieving a flow state.

Josh Whitmore is the founder of the MTB Skills Factory (mtbskillsfactory.com) in Brevard, North Carolina. He's a Level 4 certified mountain bike coach and he’s spent more than 25 years helping riders, from total beginners to professional racers, improve their skills and confidence on the trail. We'll dig into what makes riders better: how to train your instincts, how to practice effectively, and what separates skill from fitness on the trail. What makes the best mountain bikers great? Is it line choice, body position, mental focus, or something else? How can riders recognize whether their biggest limitation is technical or mental? What does “failing forward” mean when it comes to learning new skills? What’s the biggest mistake riders make when they’re trying to practice skills? If someone only has an hour to practice each week, what’s the most effective way to use that time? What subtle habits separate a “pretty good” rider from someone who’s really dialed? How do you balance fitness and skill in your own training, and what should riders prioritize? From a coach’s perspective, what’s actually happening when a rider hits that “flow” state? Is there a way to measure progress in…

People in this episode

Guest: Josh Whitmore

Topics covered

• MTB skills
• flow state
• mountain biking
• coaching
• training techniques

Keywords

• training
• mental focus
• technical skills
• practice
• fitness

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Strava, MTB Skills Factory

Places: Brevard, North Carolina

More episodes of Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

• CEO shares what it takes to start — and sustain — an online bike shop · April 21, 2026 · 1h 8m
• “You’re not going to win the stage race on the first day” – Thomas Turner on strategy and survival · March 31, 2026 · 48 min
• Pole Bicycles returns: Leo Kokkonen on CNC'd bike frames, bankruptcy lessons, and eMTB prototype · February 24, 2026 · 1h 15m
• How 23-year-old Gabriel Wibmer lands "Impossible" tricks on his mountain bike · February 3, 2026 · 1h 14m
• Why mountain bikers keep returning to this remote Michigan trail system · November 11, 2025 · 37 min
• From stand-up to singletrack: How a comedian built Georgia’s most entertaining bike park · October 28, 2025 · 59 min