CG is center of gravity. You need to be able to move your center of gravity in relation to what your bike is doing - going up hill you move it forward, going down you move it back. Getting out of the saddle is the only way you can change your CG.

Chances if you endo'd in a ravine, you were too far forward, static and on your saddle, you grabbed the brakes, or any combo of the above.

In a ravine situaition.. you would be out of the saddle and moved back for the descent and as the front of the bike hits the apex at the bottom and then you have to shift back in order to prevent the endo and to prepare for the climb out of the ravine. See the end of the quoted post.

bike take the hits.... this refers to getting out of the saddle and letting the bike suspension AND your body work for you. If you just pedal along with your butt parked on the saddle and run over things , you are more likely to crash. Plus **you** are taking the hits, just getting bounced along the trail. It doesn not require any skill at all to just sit there and pedal. When you get out the saddle, and relax - it's much easier to let the bike do the hard work.

Think of it this way - if you sit on your butt you are balanced only on one point, your butt. If you get out of the sadddle, you are balanced on 4 points and you are much more stable.

the sum of this lesson is: get out of the saddle. the saddle is not a butt rest.

Here's a really good post from a mountain biking forum, credit goes to "sanjuro"
The most important tip he gave me was riding out of the saddle. XC you tend to ride in the saddle on descents, because you keep the saddle high for good pedalling position for the climbs. On the next technical descent you face, lower your saddle all the way (bring an allen key if you don't have a QR), then ride the entire section off the saddle.

The lesson here is that you use your legs for suspension. Even when I am riding an 8 inch travel bike, I still depend on my legs to smooth the ride and control my bike.

First practice riding out of the saddle on a smooth descent. Crank arms should be level (as opposed to one foot down and the other up). With you legs almost fully extended, you should feel balanced on your bike or slightly rearward (if you feel like you are leaning forward, lean back).

After you feel comfortable like this, then descend down that tough section. Use your knees and thighs as your shock absorbers. If it gets steep, lean back and down with your butt over the rear wheel. If you have to go over a drop, like a water bar or a ledge, do the same thing.

The one area I have improved using this method is a sharp but small dip in the trail, like into a stream bed. While standing on the pedals, I let my bike dip down the drop then back up the climb without losing momentum or control. It is like I am standing straight but the bike is doing the up and down.