Mountain Biking - Finger on brake level in air???

I've been looking at a lot of DH/Freeride pictures and noticed that many people keep their index finger on their brake levers while in mid air of a jump... Is this common? I've never noticed myself doing that. I've never really thought about it. Seems to me it'd throw me off cause I only have 3 fingers holding my grips... any thoughts? I've also seen on videos where they lock their rear brake half way in mid air too...

I always cover my levers, midair or otherwise. It's an old habit.

always good to have finger over brake in case something comes up. Also if your front is really high, u can lower it by tapping the rear brake.

Depends on what I am doing, if it is a trail stunt with things following I will have the brake covered, unless I am totally familiar with the stunt then occasionally I will have a full grip on the bars. It's like if I was on the ground on a straight and know there is a rock garden at the end, sure it looks good in a photo to hit the straight flat out and have a full grip bars, but it is not practical. In my talks with Aussie DHers (Rando, Graves, Strom......) they always give you the same tip, hit a corner slower than you think you need to (better exit speed) and always have the rear brake covered no matter what.

If it is a one off hit, or I am at some DJ's, I usually don't. This stops you from getting a bit nervous and grabbing the brakes.

The brake half way is likely a throw setting. They, like myself, probably have the brake activating at the bottom of the pull.

I always keep one finger on the brake. Esepcaily on trails, you never know when you have to really pull off the speed quickly :)

I cover with a finger too. Wasn't even aware I did it until I'd seen some photos of myself from this past season. Only paid for it a couple of times - - I've accidentally grabbing a fingerfull of brake off a 5-6' drop. Oops.

It also keeps you from gripping the bar too tightly

A back brake pull = the centrifugall force of the wheel stops and the rear drops.
Correct?, not really a jumper.
I can go and test tommorow :D

Ya.
?

exactly you hit a jump with a good amount of speed and your rear wheel has a good deal of momentum still spinning so in mid air say your front end gets too high you slam the rear brakes and it'll slightly throw the front end down a bit. thank you physics

A back brake pull = the centrifugall force of the wheel stops and the rear drops.
Correct?, not really a jumper.
I can go and test tommorow :D

Ya.
?

Hit the brake and the FRONT drops, not the rear. The torque applied on the bike from the spinning rear wheel helps keep the front end up. Stop the wheel and the rotational moment from that torque disappears - results in the front end dropping a bit.

Hit the brake and the FRONT drops, not the rear. The torque applied on the bike from the spinning rear wheel helps keep the front end up. Stop the wheel and the rotational moment from that torque disappears - results in the front end dropping a bit.

Thank you for the correction.