time to start learning!

[cbs]

I can finally ride starting this weekend. Any hints on best places to start? I was thinking of starting by a building. I am just now allowed after having a broken arm so want to try not to fall bad yet lol. I've waited so long, I'm stoked! I'm just mentally scared cause of my broken arm but was OK rollerskating after 15 mins. this weekend.

[maestro8]

Originally Posted by cbs

Any hints on best places to start?

Here is the best place to start. Any questions or hints you might need can be found quite easily.

[MuniSano]

How old are you? Well if you can drive I'd go find an empty parking lot and park your car there (if you don't drive find an empty parking lot with a light post or something you can prop yourself up on). Using your car (or light post) as a prop to just learn to get on the unicycle and sit there with the aid of a prop. When you start to feel confident enough just sitting there then try pedaling away from your prop and challenge yourself to go further and further before you come off. Remember as you're resting against your prop to keep your cranks at 9 and 3 o'clock and it's probably easiest starting out to get on the unicycle with a prop to have the cranks straight up and down and step on the down pedal first and only after you are seated to move a bit forward or backward to get the cranks level. I know there are a million ways to learn but I only had myself and no videos or books so I called this the "trial by fire" technique. Just prop yourself up in a large playing area i.e. empty parking lot and then slowly try to ride away from your prop. Remember that you want to have a slight lean forward and once you start pedaling don't stop! In this way you can just about guarantee you won't go off backwards (this is bad!). Just be careful! Always wear a helmet and since you have a broken arm be careful with that too. If you can wear wrist protection I'd do that as well. It is very frustrating starting out but you'll find with time you'll make it one, two, three revolutions from your prop. Challenge yourself to make it a bit further each session before you stop. I only practiced for 30-45 minutes at time starting out because any more and I got too tired, frustrated and I could tell I wasn't improving. Eventually you'll ride away from your prop and just keep on going! That is what I did and now you have the whole empty parking lot to ride around and practice. It will take a bit longer to learn how to turn around and free-mount but just focus on being able to ride first. I never considered learning next to a wall or fence (mainly because there was nothing like that around where I live) but I think you're better off learning out in free-space rather than relying on a prop to lean on as you pedal??? Anyhow that is how I learned hopefully you'll learn as quick as I did; maybe 4-5 hours worth of this in 30-45 minute increments. Good luck and have fun! The moment it gets too frustrating during a session it's time to stop.

[Klaas Bil]

Originally Posted by cbs

Any hints on best places to start?

http://www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/uni_beginners.htm