In this episode, I sit down with Ross Dunlop, a Scottish-born mountain bike and snowboard coach who’s spent the last 20 years in Whistler and co-founded the SportsSense app.

We dive into the mental side of riding - hesitation, commitment, reading terrain, and staying strong when things get tough. Ross shares his journey from Scotland to Canada, from snowboarding instruction to year-round coaching, and how his thinking around progression has evolved.

We talk about using frustration as a positive sign of growth, breaking down skills like manuals, managing confidence and risk, and how a coach’s energy shapes rider belief. We also explore how technology can support in-person coaching, and why small, consistent gains matter most in the long run.

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FREE Mental About MTB Community with direct access to me 👇
themindmountain.com/mental-about-mtb-application

Want to work with me?

Join us on a Global MTB Expedition👇
themindmountain.com/globalmountainbikecoaching

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Full Circle MTB Mentorship 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗵👇
themindmountain.com/squamish-coaching-package

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THE MIND MOUNTAIN
themindmountain.com
Instagram @the_mind_mountain
Facebook @themindmountain
YouTube @the_mind_mountian



DISCLAIMER: The opinions, thoughts, and views in the content created by The Mind Mountain, the Grit With Wisdom Podcast, and Jake Johnstone, including the guests they interview, are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other organization, person, or company mentioned or featured in the podcast. ...

I switched seats recently and was interviewed by Rich from the Sportsense podcast. Enjoy!

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Jake Johnstone is the founder of The Mind Mountain and a premier MTB coach based in Squamish, BC.

Jake has carved out a unique niche by bridging the gap between technical skill and high-performance psychology. Having successfully transitioned from seasonal coaching to year-round programming, he serves as a best-in-class case study for the future of the coaching industry.

Expect to learn why facing your fears - like the journey from zero to backflip - is a non-negotiable for becoming a better coach, the strategic pivots Jake made to transform a seasonal business into a year-round high-performance program, and how cultural differences across the globe dictate the way we process risk. We dive into the "full-circle" philosophy of integrating technical skill with high-performance psychology, the mental performance tools required to manage anxiety on high-risk features, and his prediction on why the future of coaching must embrace a technological evolution to survive.

Check out the Sportsense Coaching App here.

___________________________

FREE Mental About MTB Community with direct access to me 👇
themindmountain.com/mental-about-mtb-application

Want to work with me?

Join us on a Global MTB Expedition👇
themindmountain.com/globalmountainbikecoaching

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Full Circle MTB Mentorship 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗵👇
themindmountain.com/squamish-coaching-package

___________________________

THE MIND MOUNTAIN
themindmountain.com
Instagram @the_mind_mountain
Facebook @themindmountain
YouTube @the_mind_mountian



DISCLAIMER: The opinions, thoughts, and views in the content created by The Mind Mountain, the Grit With Wisdom Podcast, and Jake Johnstone, including the guests they interview, are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other organization, person, or company mentioned or featured in the podcast. ...

Welcome back to a brand new season of The Mind Mountain Podcast! In this episode, we dive deep into the mental performance side of mountain biking with our guest, Ollie Hooper.

Ollie, originally from Bristol, UK, now lives in Canada, where he is a director, part-owner, mountain bike coach and guide at RideHub in Squamish.

He shares his journey of moving to Canada to chase his mountain biking dreams, his experience in racing, and how he transitioned into coaching. Ollie also discusses his mindset strategies for dealing with fear and doubt, the importance of community, and the process of running a bustling bike shop.

We also introduce an exciting new collaboration - the BC Mountain Bike Expedition, which is aimed at providing riders with a comprehensive, guided, and coached experience through some of the best riding zones in BC.


00:00 Introduction to the Mind Mountain Podcast
00:16 Meet Ollie Hooper: From Bristol to Canada
02:19 Ollie's Early Days in Mountain Biking
06:02 Building a Community and Chasing Dreams
07:04 The Canadian Adventure Begins
12:17 Mental Strategies for Overcoming Fear
18:12 Balancing Risk and Progression
24:20 Racing Insights and Managing Nerves
31:28 Finding the Flow in Riding
33:05 The Joy of Coaching
36:54 Joining RideHub: A Journey
41:29 Day-to-Day at RideHub
45:27 Exciting New Expeditions
50:05 Memorable Rides and Adventures
57:09 Building a Riding Community
59:51 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

___________________________

FREE Mental About MTB Community with direct access to me 👇
themindmountain.com/mental-about-mtb-application

Want to work with me?

Join us on a Global MTB Expedition👇
themindmountain.com/globalmountainbikecoaching

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Full Circle MTB Mentorship 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗵👇
themindmountain.com/squamish-coaching-package

___________________________

THE MIND MOUNTAIN
themindmountain.com
Instagram @the_mind_mountain
Facebook @themindmountain
YouTube @the_mind_mountian



DISCLAIMER: The opinions, thoughts, and views in the content created by The Mind Mountain, the Grit With Wisdom Podcast, and Jake Johnstone, including the guests they interview, are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other organization, person, or company mentioned or featured in the podcast. ...