MIAS qual...?

miss notax

Hello

Some friends of mine are looking at doing their MIAS level 2 qual with view to offering some coaching / guiding and have asked if I would like to join them. I quite fancy getting involved and i'm really keen to help groups of ladies who would like to get into mtbing, but i'm not sure if this particular qualification is the one to go for or whether I will be able to do what I want with it anyway! The cost is also a factor as I wouldn't want to spend the money and then not utilise it - I would rather spend it on bike stuff or coaching for myself in that case

What are people's thoughts? Is this the one to go for? Is there any mileage in coaching / guiding specifically for ladies? Or are there loads of female instructors anyway?

I'm not looking at making any money out of this by the way - more the fact that I would like to do it

Thanks!

miss notax

Well that's surprising - about 100 views by (I assume) mtbers and no comment on whether it's worth doing or not

MountainMonster

I haven't got any experience with it, and I'm sure others are in the same boat as me.

bennett_346

I've never heard of it. Maybe it would be worth contacting british cycling to ask what qualifications they would reccomend as the most valuable are?

miss notax

Yeah, that seems to be the problem, there are lots of different courses. BC have actually just stared their own scheme which they would (obviously!) recommend I guess :roll:

I am now thinking that if I could maybe cover a bit of the cost with coaching afterwards then it's worth doing. And i'm certainly not aware of a female instructor locally offering anything like this.....

This is it by the way http://www.mountainbikeinstructor.com/

bennett_346

At the very least i would say some kind of first aid course would be necessary to cover your back!

cooldad

miss notax wrote:

Is there any mileage in coaching / guiding specifically for ladies?

Question - How many regular ladies post here?

(Hint - you and?)

miss notax

cooldad wrote:

miss notax wrote:

Is there any mileage in coaching / guiding specifically for ladies?

Question - How many regular ladies post here?

(Hint - you and?)

Ahh, but how many would LIKE to but don't know how to get started in what at first glance appears to be a testosterone-filled crazy hobby that involves flinging yourself up / down hills and potentially hurting yourself?! Having had my first off-road ride ever at Cwmcarn in the dark I am certain that I could offer a more painless and friendly introduction to this great sport

I think most chaps probably try and get their wives / GF's into mtbing themselves which with hindsight is possibly a bit like teaching a family member to drive (ie, not ideal)....

And yes, completely agree, I am already first aid qualified

danlikesbikes

Is a pretty course, friend of mine took his a while back and helped to run rides there. I often see these guys/girls up in the woods with a range of riders in the summer - http://www.getmountainbiking.co.uk/woburn.php so they can't be doing that badly and all there ride leaders have the same course.

cooldad

Danlikesbikes wrote:

Is a pretty course,

Sounds perfect for miss notax who is our prettiest member, apart from me.

bobs bikes

speak to british cycling. they run the breeze network (women only) and we have just had a female only road team stem from the network. i run maintainance courses for them in hull.

miss notax

Yup, i'm already a qualified Breeze rider leader (off-road endorsed too )!

paulneenan76

Danlikesbikes wrote:

Is a pretty course, friend of mine took his a while back and helped to run rides there. I often see these guys/girls up in the woods with a range of riders in the summer - http://www.getmountainbiking.co.uk/woburn.php so they can't be doing that badly and all there ride leaders have the same course.

They are a pretty busy bunch - I think it's Helen Powell? They do other riding spots I believe but i often bump in to them up at Woburn and they always have a good percentage of ladies participating. As Danlikeabikes said, they've all got the Quali. Would love to get my fiancé on one of these training days.

Give it a go, I bet it'll be worth it.

miss notax

That's interesting, thanks very much

I would certainly have liked to have done a ride / training day with someone like me, 5 years ago! I think i'll probably give it a go and see what happens...!

allthegearnoidea

SMBLA used to be te one that would cover you for working n europe, one of he guys who did the course with some guys down here ha spent the past 18months teachng/leading in spain and now runs a cycling place in ibiza on the back of it!
i dont know if mias has upped its game to cover the same or not now, smbla covers first aid bike maintenence etc. dont honestly know if mias does too???
if you Can use it then its worth the £££, f nlot, ts an expensive to the list,

miss notax

Well....

Did the course this weekend and I only bloody passed!!!!!!!!!!

Thrilled to bits to have done this! I have secured a bit of coaching work with a company that specialises in female specific MTB tuition, and hope to set myself up with some freelance work locally as well. I work full-time so this is only a weekend type thing, but fingers crossed it takes off a bit

Anyway, thanks for all of your thoughts below guys 8)

Thewaylander

feel free to come to cwm carn and coach/instruct me anytime :P (tried to keep it clean as its not the hub or crud

miss notax

Well done Waylander - good effort