Mountain Biking - Your stance and leg positioning on a mountain bike

Couple of weeks ago, I went on a downhill mountain biking course. This was something I definitely was not use to. The trails I ride are mostly all singletrack, with equal parts of uphills and downhills. The trails I rode on the course the other day were all downhill (hence downhill mountain bike course). Another huge difference was that it was a full suspension bike (I ride a hard tail) and the bike weighed twice as much as my own MB.

Anyway, our instructor told us that the best way to hold your legs while downhill MB'ing is to keep a very broad, wide stance with your thighs, knees, and lower legs (while you stand on the pedals, which is basically all of the time).

When I ride singletrack, I've always kind of "hugged" my legs inward, towards my seat tube, which is completely contradictory to what our instructor said.

When riding regular single track (not on a heavy, downhill MB), how do you hold your stance? Do you keep a broad stance with your legs? Or do you do what I do and do the opposite. Also, is there any benefit at all on regular trails in keeping a broad stance?

Thanks

- fountain

Kind of depends on what I am doing. I ride XC on a hardtail. Climbing, I do whatever it takes to keep the momemtum moving. That usually involves remaining seated or hovering slightly over the saddle. In both positions, I guess my legs would be more "hugged" than "broad", to use your terms. Descending something that isn't too steep or technical, I'll often be on the saddle, probably closer to "hugging" than "broad". Descending something steep and/or technical, I'll often be out of the saddle or even behind it absorbing as much as I can with my legs.

Kind of depends on what I am doing. I ride XC on a hardtail. Climbing, I do whatever it takes to keep the momemtum moving. That usually involves remaining seated or hovering slightly over the saddle. In both positions, I guess my legs would be more "hugged" than "broad", to use your terms. Descending something that isn't too steep or technical, I'll often be on the saddle, probably closer to "hugging" than "broad". Descending something steep and/or technical, I'll often be out of the saddle or even behind it absorbing as much as I can with my legs.
I'm pretty much in the same boat. I'm off the saddle on almost all declines and on most inclines (depending on the grade).

Then again, I know nothing about downhilling. dminor would be a good resource here.