The fastest way to improve your overall mountain biking skills is to improve your cornering. As in skiing, turning on a mountain bike requires putting more pressure on our outside foot. Unlike skiing, where your feet are level when standing in a neutral position, mountain bikers have one foot forward and one foot back. This is more like snowboarding where riders have one foot they prefer in front. Some riders are left foot forward, and some are right foot forward.
Regardless of your lead foot, the principles of cornering on a mountain bike remain the same. You should put more pressure on your right foot to turn left and on more your left foot to turn right. You can even try this just standing up on your feet. Do this: stand up from your computer and take a step turning toward your left and you will find your right leg is doing the work. Then do the same taking a step to your right, and your left leg will do the work. The basic principles of operating as bi-pedal beings hold true on the bike, as stepping off the outside foot is what turns the front side of the human body.
