As the title suggests I want to know if learning some trails skills would help me for general mountain biking.

Apart from it looking cool would skills like track stands and pedal kicks be worth while.

Also hows best to go about this can I just use my trusty 456. Im hoping it will improve my terrible balance.

Allegedly it is one of the best things you can do to improve your MTB skills. The techniques make you better faster stronger etc.

There must be some truth in it because I am the world’s worst at walking-speed MTBing and cannot tackle any obstacle without a huge helping of speed and bluster.

Definitely.

It gives you more balance and better control of the bike.

However, it won’t help with cornering and flow.

I’ll show my ignorance of the names of things but the technique where you pivot around the front wheel on a very tight switchback is useful. It would say trials skills will definitely improve your balance.

probably – although I’d say you’re better off learning cornering, manualling and pumping first and then worry about trials/jumping etc.

Used to do motorcycling trials as a kid so when I was on my push iron I’d always practice track stands and the like and I have to say its helped me loads when it’s come to mountain biking. Ok I’m nowhere near the standard of Danny macaskil and never in a million years will be but just the basic ability to balance and track stand has helped me a lot.

helped me loads.

mainly comes in handy if you lose momentum on a rocky section and stall.

I bought an old onza raptor for £50 and just practiced on a local skate park. felt a bit silly at first, being a 30 year old man, but the local kids weren’t fazed and were keen to show me da skillz

trials riding is a good upper body work out too!

yeah if used in context. I used to ride BMX with a trials guy, so we mostly did trials type stuff. As such I still cannot drop off anything bigger than a foot or so whilst riding, but will quite happily stop, do a 90 degree hop and then side hop off it. Which looks quite impressive until people realise I can’t do it any other way!

Track stands are cool. Fact.

technical climbs are fun if you approach like a trials rider.

I’d say yes – In fact it’s a major regret of mine that I didn’t get into trials or BMX when I was younger. My mates who did are significantly better at technical stuff and DH than I am. Perhaps it just gives you more confidence and improves general handling skills. It might not be too late for me either…

*wonders off to have a look at trials bikes/skills courses*

100% yes.

But then again, I believe many skills learnt on various disciplines are equally transferable.

BMX (landing smoothly, upper body strength, getting airborne)
Road (smooth pedalling, endurance)
Trails (slow speed control, balance)
DH (confidence at high speed, smooth line choice)
XC (combination of all the above!!)
4X (sprint power, smooth landing, pumping)

etc etc.

Cheers seems like a yes on improving, I can do jumps and cornering so that’s no problem,

off I go to you tube world to get some tips. If I enjoy it looks like a new bike.